Business

Loco for Local

December 9, 2012 |

December 12th is a special day on the calendar and not only because the numeric date reads 12-12-12, but also because TucsonNightOut.com is presenting Go Loco 4 Local Day in Tucson. The event is bringing together 18 local restaurants with more signing on as it approaches that will be offering $12 specials on their menus all day to commemorate the significant date and to raise awareness about the local eateries in the area.

“Supporting local restaurants goes well beyond the monetary value, although the more money we spend locally, the more that stays here in our economy,” says the event organizer and TucsonNightOut.com owner Jerry Heintze. “But for me, supporting local restaurants is about supporting the mom and pops who put their heart and soul and everything they have into what they do and they’re all part of our community. It’s important that we support them and keep them successful so they can continue on.”

Participating restaurants include: La Cocina, Diablo’s, Grumpy’s, Chad’s Steakhouse, Frankie’s South Philly Cheesesteaks, Boca Tacos Y Tequila, Bumsted’s, Risky Business, La Madrina, Tony’s Italian Deli, El Saguarito, Renee’s Organic Oven, Mama Louisa’s, Pastiche, Acacia, Rocco’s Little Chicago and Harvest Restaurant and even more signing up as the event approaches.

“The long-term goal is that we get more people acquainted with who these local businesses are and spread the awareness,” says Heintze. “The more we can show people how amazing the local dining scene is here, the more likely they will be to switch their dining habits from fast food and big national chains to the wonderful establishments we have in our own backyard. We’re very lucky to have such a special dining scene here in town.”

For more information visit tucsonnightout.com

Desert Vintage

December 6, 2012 |

Almost 40 years after Desert Vintage was opened by Kathleen Lauth, the 4th Avenue vintage store is enjoying a rebirth under new ownership. The new owners are the visionary couple Salima Boufelfel and Roberto Cowan. The tradition of the store is being carried forward with a fresh global appeal.

Salima Boufelfel was born and raised in Tucson. She traveled with her parents when she was young through Africa and France. Her parents settled in Tucson when she was six. Her father is North African and a professor of physics. Her mother is local artist Linda Cato. Salima studied history and French at the University of Arizona. Salima’s passion was born in high school when she started her own vintage clothing collection.

Roberto Cowan was born and raised in Tucson as well. His father is from Bisbee and his mother is from Sonora, Mexico. He lived in a California suburb during his youth outside of Hollywood for a short time. Roberto’s mother was an avid shopper and from an early age he accompanied her many shopping excursions. Roberto attributes these early childhood memories as experiences that sparked his interest in fashion. Roberto took business and fashion design courses at Pima College where he earned a  liberal arts degree.

Salima and Roberto met in 2009 while they were working at Buffalo Exchange. There was an immediate connection between them; one might say it was kismet. They bonded over vintage items with historical relevance and eccentric quality pieces. Both became buyers at Buffalo and Salima even gained managerial experience.  They were mastering their eye for style and fashion and learning the business of recycled clothing.

This year Salima and Roberto packed their bags and headed to Paris for an adventure.  They attended Paris Fashion Week with the crème de la crème of fashion.  Salima was exposed to an eclectic group of people and fashion while working for Mamie Rose, a vintage emporium.  In this creative environment, Salima and Roberto gleaned knowledge from many sources, especially the buyers. The vision to start a store transpired in this milieu. Their concept was to include vintage clothing, modern brands, various art forms, and incorporate art installations. Their idea was to have a global-minded approach. Initially they had considered opening a store in Paris. Due to complications with visas the time to start a store in Paris did not seem right.

Salima and Roberto came back to America with the intent of renewing their visas and returning to the famous “City of Lights”. It seems destiny had another plan for Salima and Roberto. On a serendipitous day while shopping at Desert Vintage, they were informed by the owner, Kathleen Lauth, that she was retiring. Kathleen inquired if they would be interested in purchasing the business. Initially they were excited to have the opportunity, but soon they had second thoughts. They were concerned about their ability to continue in the tradition that had been set by Kathleen. As they contemplated their choice and weighed the odds they began to feel this was a grand opportunity that had been put before them. They put forth an offer and it was accepted in July 2012. They immediately began renovations. The grand opening was on August 4th, 2012.

“We’re shoppers”, Salima quipped,  “We love Tucson.  There are great people here. Tucson has a unique twist on things and a unique inventory to pull from.”

We are lucky to have these globe-trotting, trendsetting collectors with their own style and panache in the Ole Pueblo.

Desert Vintage will also be expanding to an online store which will be up and running within the new year.

Desert Vintage is located at 636 N. 4th Ave. Tucson, AZ 85705 620-1570.

Atelier de LaFleur

December 6, 2012 |

Left to right, Dale Rush, Darci Hazelbaker, Colleen LaFleur, and Jason Gallo. photos Purple Nickel Studio, courtesy LaFleur Plantscapes

A Workspace for Beauty and Sustainability

Stepping onto the broad tiled floors of the new Atelier de LaFleur, visitors are greeted with the scent of flower arrangements displayed across a wall of thin steel shelves, and in the center of the room a 16 foot work table awaits new creations.

“The work table is the essence of the Atelier,” explained Darci Hazelbaker of HA | RU, the design firm that created this space in the historic train depot on 410 N. Toole to house a combined downtown flower market and workshop for LaFleur Plantscapes. “In the morning Colleen may use it to assemble arrangements for walk-in patrons, in the afternoon may use it as a work space for creating all the center pieces for a wedding, in the evening she may host a class for eight to ten people on orchid care, and on the weekend she may throw a farm-to-table dinner party for 15 or more close friends.” The worktable is symbolic of the visions and collaboration of Hazelbaker, Dale Rush, Jason Gallo and Colleen LaFleur, owner of the Atelier. The piece started with reclaimed oak beams found at a Tucson salvage yard, which were then milled locally at Picture Rocks Mesquite and built by the designers into an indispensable centerpiece. “We’re told these beams are close to 100 years old and I believe it,” Hazelbaker added. “It’s the densest wood we’ve ever worked with.”

“We see the ideas of sustainable design as the way architecture should be executed as standard protocol,” she wrote. “We regularly source local materials and craftsman as much as possible, reuse and reclaim materials when appropriate, use products made from recycled content or products that are easily recyclable, as well as employ passive energy strategies, and new green technology when the design and budget allow.” This philosophy is visible everywhere in the Atelier, from the slim steel shelves that can be recycled to the custom steel office desk and vintage rug and lamp purchased locally.

It’s a philosophy that rings true with LaFleur as well. Colleen’s plantscape designs revolve around native low-water flora and her floral arrangements always include a living plant “that can go from the event to the garden,” as she described it. “Our firm’s sustainable operations focus on re-purposing planters and containers, propagating and recycling native plants and succulents from prior event work, encouraging the use of live plants, supporting local artisans and farms and purchasing all of our landscape plants from local Tucson vendors.”

“The concept of an atelier grew out of the idea that if we offered classes and workshops on garden related topics we would provide the downtown urban gardener with a place to network and meet others who shared similar green interests,” LaFleur explained. A traditional atelier is an artist’s studio, where a master and assistants work together, and the idea has been decanted in the downtown Tucson space to a flower shop where customers can work in petals at the bar and learn from the professionals. Classes every week give apprentices an opportunity to learn something more about sustainable growing in the southwest, balcony gardening, or working with design elements of beautiful blooms. December brings workshops on holiday succulent arrangements and “homemade living gifts” that can be planted and enjoyed for years to come.

But perhaps the most important feature of the new flower shop is its beauty. “We wanted the space to have the feel of an old European artisan workshop but also showcase the natural beauty of the living plants and floral arrangements much like an art gallery,” LaFleur noted, and along one wall the squared-off shelves create dark, minimalist frames around splashes of color from the flowers. The two designs complement each other. Of HA | RU, LaFleur wrote, “They shared my passion for sustainability and delivered a space that uses hand crafted, beautiful natural materials.” But in this gallery, Hazelbaker added, “The art is Colleen’s living compositions.”

Atelier de LaFleur is offering  special December classes on Thursday evenings, 6-7pm:  12/6 Holiday Succulent Arrangement, $30 (includes an arrangement to take home) and 12/13 Forcing Bulbs & Homemade Living Gifts for the Holidays, $15.

Atelier de LaFleur, 410 N. Toole Ave., 548-1338.  Visit LaFleurPlantscapes.com for more information.



Simple Gifts: Local Holiday Shopping

December 1, 2012 |

Time is money, Benjamin Franklin once wrote, and his words ring truer during our modern era of information overload and relentless scheduling than ever before. Feeling pressed or stressed to get all of the holiday shopping done? Let Zocalo be your guide! Read now; thank us later.

Remember the “book”? Among the many inventions to be rendered obsolete in this digital age of blogs, tablets and smartphones, perhaps none will be so fondly missed. Whatever the genre, its bound pages provided an undeniable sense of cozy companionship not found in the cold glow of a Kindle Fire HD screen. Fortunately, a magical portal to the age of the printed word exists: The Book Stop, 214 N. 4th Ave., specializes in hard-to-find used titles be they rare, signed or out of print. A replacement copy of a favorite childhood fairy tale makes a thoughtful gift for the young-at-heart grownup in your life! The Book Stop rings up customers Monday-Thursday 10am-7pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-10pm and Sunday noon-5pm; learn more at BookStopTucson.com.

Meanwhile nearby at Antigone Books, 411 N. 4th Ave., hardcovers and paperbacks are only the beginning. Here within the nation’s first 100% solar-powered bookstore, the possibilities are practically endless in any search for presents to make this year’s festivities memorable. Classy academic planners and a myriad of other colorful calendars, “Magnetic Personalities” finger puppet refrigerator magnets, unique apparel and a wide selection of magazines are available alongside the latest “Captain Underpants” tale. Antigone Books (so named for the circa 441 BC tragedy by Greek playwright Sophocles) is open Monday-Thursday 10am-7pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-9pm and Sunday 11am-5pm. Browse authors at AntigoneBooks.com.

Wilde Rose Coffee is truly, as roaster Ron Rose likes to proclaim loudly to anyone who will listen, “not for wimps!” His signature dark blends such as The Dog Pound, Cowboy Joe and extra-strong high octane Rocket Fuel are sure to please the caffeine fiend on your nice list. A gift-giver can order online at WildeRoseCoffee.com, but Rose is a riot in person. For the better experience find him and his vintage Diederich drum roaster at both Tucson weekend farmers’ markets: Saturdays behind Maynards Market & Kitchen, 400 N. Toole Ave., and Sundays at St. Philip’s Plaza, 4280 N. Campbell Ave. During your visit, why not check out the other vendors too? They’re listed in full at FarmersMarketTucson.com.

For those whose gift recipients prefer more calming beverages, Tea and More in the Many Hands Courtyard at 3054 N. 1st Ave. is the best local source for fair trade herbal, fruit, green, white and jasmine teas. The “more” consists of elaborate and ornate measuring spoons, filters, pots, candles and infusers all designed to make tea consumption as pleasant as possible. Taste the peaceful life Tuesday-Saturday 11am-5pm or fill a virtual shopping cart at TAndMore.com.

A vaster array of spatulas, silverware, aprons, egg beaters, dishes, cookie jars and potholders than that found at A Perfect Pantry, 21 E. Congress St., would be difficult to locate inside the city limits. Throw in toys, cards and accessories and this is quite the spot to shop for the foodie in the family and/or homemaker in your circle of friends. A Perfect Pantry’s hours are Monday-Friday 10am-6pm and Saturday 11am-4pm. Visit them at APerfectPantry.com.

Game Trader, 2500 N. Silverbell Rd. Suite #140, is run by gamers for gamers and it shows. Here the focus is on fun, with the latest role-playing games and first-person shooters available on launch date alongside PlayStation and Atari classics. Imagine your loved one’s delight at discovering their previously dusty and nonfunctional Nintendo GameCube console under the tree sporting an optical drive replacement and new power supply courtesy of Game Trader’s repair department. A purchasing pro tip for the non-gamer: this month’s hot new release is “Far Cry 3.” Game Trader’s doors are open Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm and Sunday 11am-6pm. Get your game on at TucsonGameTrader.com.

For the odd collectable or knickknack it’s impossible to beat This, That and the Other at 3419 E. Grant Rd., where you never know what you’ll be taking home until you look around. As the name would imply, anything might be found at this boutique…although every item tends to be cute, affordable and unique! Jewelry, toys, watches, clothing, furnishings and footwear fill every corner of the store. A new service known as a “special occasion makeover” is now being offered for those seeking to impress at a scheduled appearance. This, That and the Other welcomes bargain hunters Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 11am-5pm. Find them at ThisThatAndTheOther.biz.

At The Old Market Inn Tile Shop, 403 N. 6th Ave., hand crafted decorative tiles are the order of the day and come in countless sizes and designs. From bar tops to garden walkways, artist Carly Quinn has vast experience creating custom tile murals that easily brighten any corner of a home or business with Sonoran flair. Drop by Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday noon-4pm; see examples at CarlyQuinnDesigns.com.

The good folks at Pop-Cycle, 422 N. 4th Ave., have made it their mission to produce and distribute remarkable art crafted from discarded and recycled materials. Purses fashioned out of vinyl LP records, lampshades made of license plates and durable duct tape wallets are but a few of these clever creations. Garments and accoutrements from the iconic Monster Booty Threads upcycled clothing line and high-quality wooden furniture by DDco Design are found in abundance as are candleholders, wall hangings and frames of many sizes. Pop-Cycle invites you in Monday-Thursday 11am-6pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-7pm and Sunday 11am-5pm. Pop into PopCycleShop.com for more information.

Really feeling the crunch? The Tucson Museum of Art museum store at 140 N. Main Ave. has such an enormous variety of groovy gifts that, should it become absolutely necessary, even a last minute impulse buyer can cover everyone who was good this year in one fell swoop. The store is open during regular museum hours; TucsonMuseumOfArt.org has details.

Santa Claus delivers globally; Zocalo shops locally. Happy (fill in the blank)!

Food Conspiracy Co-op Completes Store Remodel

October 18, 2012 |

The Food Conspiracy Co-op will mark the completion of its store remodel with a Grand(er) Opening celebration on October 20. The celebration will feature live music, a proclamation by Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, free food, kids’ activities, prizes, and a sale for Food Conspiracy Co-op owners.

The co-op was under construction for much of the summer, while the store underwent its first major renovations in over 40 years. The renovations included the addition of new exterior signage, new interior and exterior paint, new refrigerated cases, new check stands, new seating, and the addition of a hot bar and salad bar. Best of all: the co-op finally got A/C.

Hidden Hollow Construction Inc., a local contractor, oversaw the renovations. 97 percent of the co-op’s expansion budget was directed to local companies.

In addition to the completion of the renovations, the co-op also recently received a grant from the City of Tucson to pay for a rainwater harvesting system, which will be installed in the next year. The co-op was also recently enrolled in the city’s Green Business Certification Program.

“The co-op has been an integral part of downtown for years,” said co-op general manager Kelley Kriner. “With the completion of this renovation we’re confident that we’ll continue to remain relevant for a long time.”

To say thanks to its loyal owners, the co-op will offer them a discount during the Grand(er) Opening. Food Conspiracy owners get: 10% off purchases up to $74.99; 15% off purchases of $75 –$149.99; and 20% off purchases of $150 and up.

Not yet a co-op owner? Join the co-op during our Grand(er) Opening (or any day in October) and get a $10 Food Conspiracy gift card and a membership to Native Seeds/SEARCH.

Mayor Rothschild will make an appearance at the store at 10:30 a.m. He will declare October 20th as Cooperative Day in Tucson and will urge all citizens to join with him and Council in recognizing the many benefits of the cooperative business model and the positive impact that the Food Conspiracy Co-op and other cooperatively-owned businesses have had on our city.

The Food Conspiracy Co-op is located at 412 N. Fourth Avenue and is open 8:00 a.m.–10 p.m. daily. For more information visit www.foodconspiracy.coop  or call 520-624-4821.

Information provided to Zocalo by the Food Conspiracy Co-op.

Fostering Growth

October 15, 2012 |

Newcomers to the Sonoran Desert bioregion, when transplanting themselves from the moister climes of California and Oregon, may expect to find a wind-swept sand dune wasteland devoid of significant vegetation. Not so. With Arizona holding the title of third most biodiverse state in the nation, the variety of plant life here doesn’t disappoint. Sorry, San Diego: close examination reveals there are literally thousands of species native just to the four mountain ranges surrounding the Old Pueblo alone. Los Angeles’ manicured lawns and prepackaged palms pale in comparison.

Desert Survivors Native Plant Nursery conducts the noble task of cultivating and propagating these indigenous cacti, succulents, aquatic plants, trees and grasses using organic gardening practices. Visiting their county-leased land along the banks of the Santa Cruz River at 1020 W. Starr Pass Blvd. gives one the distinct impression that their business is indeed a pleasure.

Founded by Tucson psychologist Dr. Joseph Patterson in 1981 as a human services organization serving developmentally disabled adults, Desert Survivors only later evolved into a bona fide retail outlet after digging and weeding proved spectacularly beneficial to its clients. Today customers come from as far away as Phoenix and Sierra Vista to acquire specimens. Its status as the only pure plant nursery in the area helps Desert Survivors stand out even in a city known for its one-of-a-kind independent operations.

Having been with Desert Survivors since 2005, Janine McCabe is the right person to talk to about what she refers to as “horticultural therapy.” She explains that crews of adults with disabilities are employed to do “all aspects of work here,” from watering and shoveling to stocking and inventory, with mentors supervising their efforts and encouraging them every step of the way.

Where do all these plants come from? “We grow the majority of them from seeds or vegetative cuttings,” explains McCabe as she meanders purposefully among the octopus agaves, mountain yuccas, giant blue sotols, pincushions and fish hook barrels. “We do go out of our way to more isolated localities,” she says, in search of groups of trees which are “hopefully more pure and less cross-hybridized.” The idea is to locate and breed “stuff that’s native or unique,” in order to promote mindful urban landscaping, while providing a sense of purpose and pride for persons with disabilities. If that isn’t a win-win scenario, then what is?

Become a member of the 501c3 nonprofit Desert Survivors for only $50 a year (tax deductible, of course), and you’ll receive a 10% discount on all plant purchases. You’ll be supporting not only the aforementioned adult vocational rehabilitation, but also the consultative services they offer to similar agencies as well as an early childhood intervention program which supports families in need of resources. Newsletter updates will keep you abreast of Desert Survivors’ positive impact in our community.

Desert Survivors Native Plant Nursery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 am to 5 pm. Reach them by telephone at (520) 791-9309 or for a comprehensive plant list, from abutilon abutiloides (shrubby desert mallow) to zephryanthes longifolia (copper rainlily), visit DesertSurvivors.org.

That Corner Shop: Hydra

October 8, 2012 |

photo by Krysta Jabczenski

Eighteen years at the corner of Congress Street and 6th Avenue, the biggest change yet came to the avant-garde fashion shop Hydra this summer.

A new face joined owner Margo Susco’s one-woman show at her “store with the windows” – new maybe to Hydra clientele but a lifetime companion and best friend to Susco.

Her brother, Joey Susco, just returned to Tucson after 11 years in Rome, where he launched a sister Hydra II (ee-drah dué in Italian) store.

They have stunningly similar retail sensibilities, as if they were the brother and sister and best friends that they really are. Yet they are contrasting characters.

Margo had put up streetcar protest signs in her windows earlier in the year. Joey suggested she take them down when he came on board in August.

“I’m likeable but have an intensity that he doesn’t have,” Margo said.

Joey Susco brings a more mellow demeanor to Hydra.

“I’m back with a lot of new energy and ideas,” Joey said. “I’m updating the look, the racks, the merchandising. We’re getting a lot more Europeans lines. We’re bringing in vintage from the 50s, 60s and 70s.”

Joey replaced some of Margo’s slot wall displays with black grid walls. He got rid of the small wall behind which the shoe section was tucked away. Now the store is wide open. New spot lighting is in place. Soon black marble tile flooring will be installed in front of the jewelry showcases.

“I let Joey loose. I just say ‘Wow!’” Margo said.

The colors – inside and out – are Margo’s touches. She just adorned the interior with an upper layer of purple and lower layer of periwinkle lavender.

Q: You have the boldest exterior color scheme of any Downtown merchants. What are the colors?

Margo: “High gloss safety red and high gloss pure black.”

Q: Why such striking colors?

Margo: “I just think they look clean and sharp. It was important to me to get the right look. Part of being professional is making sure everything looks sharp.”

But what type of store is Hydra with its red-and-back color scheme? Most people think  sex, fetish, risqué, that kind of store. Margo Susco has yet to shatter the misconception of how she regards her store.

Q: What’s the theme of your store?

Margo: “I like to call it a diverse avant-garde boutique. We have women’s clothing, lingerie. The misconception is we’re a little weird, but I’m more of a high-end clothing boutique. You can be a little more conservative. You can be a little more saucy. We have costumes and dance wear. We have 50s bowling shirts. We have club wear and western wear for guys.”

Yes, there is lingerie and attire with locks and latches, but Hydra is much more mainstream these days.

“I can get you a nice dress to go to a wedding, a nice top to go to the office and the basic black dress.” Joey Susco said. “18 years ago it was more of a fetish store.”

Back then,  vinyl fashions was the hot thing in the alternative crowd. And now?

“Vinyl clothing is coming back in style. Corsets are coming back in style. This is for mainstream use now,” Margo marveled.

What Hydra really is, is a store for women, mostly aged 25 to 45 (and increasingly for men, too), who regularly come in and say “I want to look amazing,” “I’m going to a party and I need a fabulous dress” and “I want to step out of the norm and look fabulous.”

“I help them step outside the box. Absolutely,” Margo said.

Hydra late-2012 mixes what Margo Susco has been doing Downtown since Nov. 4, 1994, and what Joey had been doing since 2004 at Hydra II in Rome with his business partner, Luca Orlandi.

The Susco siblings (Kanella Conklin, a third sibling, earlier this year closed her Kanella’s shop on 4th Avenue. The fourth sibling, Nick, is the only one not in retail) were both born and grew up in Tucson and both moved away in their early adult years. Margo was gone for eight years before returning and opening Hydra.

Joey first went away to Los Angeles for five years and worked at Armani and Guess before embarking to Italy in 2001.

“I’m half Italian. I been to Rome a couple times before. I basically moved there as a foreigner,” he said. “I started working at a retail store. I didn’t speak Italian but a lot of customers were tourists.”

Joey also taught English and was assistant to a photographer.

“Meanwhile, I was just keeping my ears and eyes open,” he continued. “They didn’t have much of a selection or choice. You do have a lot of Goth kids and glam rocker kids but there was nothing there for them. So I decided to open a shop.”

Hydra II was similar to Tucson’s Hydra, but Joey Susco carried more European fashions, and he also had a lot of vintage cowboy boots and western wear, which were hugely popular, especially among tourists from American, Germany – and Texas.

“I was working with so many stylists. It amazed me,” Joey said.

Alas, as successful as Hydra II was, high Italian taxes, the decimated Italian economy and Susco family matters convinced Joey and Luca to sell the shop. Joey returned to Tucson – and Luca Orlandi joined him and is now here, too.

“I had money to invest and I was thinking of America,” Orlandi said. “For me, it’s a change of life. If you have good ideas, it’s easier in America.”

The Suscos are thinking of expanding to Phoenix. Orlandi may operate that store.

Margo said Hydra is so popular in Phoenix that in some Phoenix retail rankings Hydra is listed as the best in Phoenix.

“Joey says ‘I can’t believe the number of Phoenix people that shop here,” Margo said. “There’s already a buzz going on in Phoenix.”

They have been scouting the Phoenix metro for an ideal location for another Hydra store.

“We’re hoping in maybe a year opening something in Phoenix,” Margo said. “We’re keeping our eggs in this basket for now, but we’re doing the legwork.”

Joey’s arrival gives Margo a chance to reduce her hours at the store, really, for the first time since she opened Hydra.

Q: What do you like to do when you’re away from the store?

Margo: “I love being outdoors. Being outside helps me clear my head. I enjoy hiking. I have a 1966 Chevelle Malibu. I love to ballroom dance. I’m happiest listening to Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller.”

This article appears courtesy of the Downtown Tucson Partnership

Out Of This World

September 14, 2012 |

Seen from the outside, a superhero’s headquarters only hints at the universe-protecting hardware held within. Superman’s Fortress of Solitude and Batman’s Batcave were elegant in design, built into their environments and hiding secrets only their respective crime-fighting architects could unlock.

The storefront exterior of R-Galaxy at 2420 N. Campbell Ave. similarly camouflages a trove of extraordinary wares stored inside. This comics and collectibles mecca is home to all things cosmic, a spot where imagination comes to life. From Golden Age back issues to manga and the latest graphic novels, this is a store full of stories with a yarn for seemingly everyone.

Familiar characters abound, with Marvel and DC favorites appearing alongside Austin Powers and Lord of The Rings figurines. The Simpsons are well-represented, as are The X-Men. “Batman: Arkham City” and “KISS: Psycho Circus” action figures grace a wall, while across the room boxes of “Magic: The Gathering” trading cards, rows of CDs and the requisite Star Wars memorabilia are found. A “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” micro-battle playset and hardcover copies of “The Sweeter Side of R. Crumb” and “Bat Boy: The Weekly World News Comic Strips” are featured alongside countless keychains and character caps, posters and puzzles.

Most impressive is R-Galaxy’s immense assortment of Japanese animation titles for rental. Aficionados and dabblers alike will discover a selection of films and series, from humorous to romantic to action-packed, wide enough to satisfy their anime yen. The self-professed anime-loving staff welcome special orders for anime DVDs, when available domestically, with a simple cash deposit. For title availability, call (520) 322-0422.

In a nod to tradition, R-Galaxy offers free subscription service for your favorite comics. Having served Tucsonans in three locations since 1993, they take this so-called funny pages business seriously. It’s as easy as stopping in monthly to pick up your books; in the words of the great Stan Lee, “‘nuff said.”

Soar into R-Galaxy Tuesday-Friday from 11am to 8pm and Saturday-Monday 11am to 6pm, or visit R-Galaxy.com

FORSight

August 20, 2012 |

It’s not really about the buildings or furnishings for married architects Miguel Fuentevilla and Sonya Sotinsky.  Perhaps you know their names, perhaps you don’t. You do, however, most certainly know their interior designs.  They are the design team behind HUB Restaurant & Ice Creamery with its upside-down lamp shades, Playground Lounge and its swings suspended above the bar and marbles ground into the floor, Downtown Kitchen+Cocktails, Borderlands Brewing Co. and the new eatery opening soon at 50 E. Broadway.

Beyond Downtown, Fuentevilla and Sotinsky have delivered their whimsical touches to North (in Tucson, Austin, Denver and Phoenix), Zinburger, Blanco, Tavolino (and its San Diego sister, Isola Pizzeria), Sir Vezas and dozens more restaurants, offices, and homes they have designed from the ground up.

“We definitely like to have fun moments with all our restaurants,” Sotinsky said.

They like to have fun moments with any waking moment, it seems – their conference room has dark blue Astroturf as carpet and running up one wall – Sotinsky calls it “shag” – and the open office area has white Astroturf on one wall (normally used for hash marks and lines on sports fields).  “We have one person a day just come in to touch it,” Fuentevilla said.

Fuentevilla and Sotinsky are the names behind FORSarchitecture + interiors, 245 E. Congress St. The’ve been in business for fifteen years, and since January 2012 in the Congress Street location.  FORS stands for ‘Fuentevilla OR Sotinsky‘. Not “and” – rather, “or.”  They are both equally colorful personalities à la Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell or Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, except Fuentevilla and Sotinsky bring this wit and sparkle to the world of architecture and interior design.

“People sometimes come to us and say ‘I just want a set of drawings to get a permit.’ Really?” Fuentevilla said. “We try to get them to buy into the project, so they put value into that design. They get to the point where they say ‘I have to have that faucet.”  How does this transformation unfold?  Clients have to complete a multi-page questionnaire that addresses matters such as who are you and how do you live, so that FORS can create a unique project tailored to the client.  “Our philosophy is of storytelling through our projects,” Sotinsky said. “Even if they don’t see our story, they feel something experientially.”  It really isn’t just about buildings and interiors for the FORS couple – it’s about creating an environment.  “It’s giving it a life,” Fuentevilla said. “It’s more about a space than architecture. I think people want to be part of something, belong to something.”

Sotinsky and Fuentevilla met at architecture school at the University of Arizona.  Sotinsky grew up in New Jersey but had an aunt and uncle who lived in Tucson and grandparents who snowbirded in the city.  Fuentevilla is a Tucson native, born to Cuban refugee parents who were recruited as faculty for the opening year at Pima Community College.  Sotinsky went on to graduate school at UC Berkeley and Fuentevilla followed her. They married while living in Berkeley and joined separate architecture firms. Sotinsky’s firm tended toward residential projects, and Fuentevilla’s focused on commercial projects.  To this day, if there even is a distinction between the two, Sotinsky leans residential and Fuentevilla commercial.  But since the 2008 economic downturn, residential architecture has gone on the shelf, and FORS does more interiors than architecture.

Even when they designed custom homes, both easily crossed over from commercial to residential.  “It’s not a straight line at all. On every single project we collaborate,” Sotinsky said.

She is the lead on some projects, he takes the lead on some projects.  “When she’s the lead, she has the final say. When I’m the lead, I have the final say,” Fuentevilla said.

Before they started FORS, while they still lived in Berkeley, Fuentevilla was the lead designer re-imagining the ghastly 1970’s Park Mall into Park Place with its barrel vaulting and endless skylights.  “When Miguel told me he got that as a job, I just laughed, because the place was such a dog,” Sotinsky recalled.

They returned to Tucson in 1997 after seven years in the Bay Area to start their own architecture firm.

“I was hugely pregnant when we moved here,” Sotinsky said.

“She was eight months pregnant and we had to paint the house,” Fuentevilla added.

“We wanted to open a business, buy a house and have a kid – all in the same month,” Sotinsky continued.

Starting a company coincided with wanting to enter an architecture competition put on by Metropolitan Home magazine. The only problem: they didn’t even have a business name yet. On the spur of the moment they came up with FORS.

FORS has had high-profile projects all along, but until this year their office was anything but high-profile. They worked out of their Sam Hughes Neighborhood home until moving onto Congress this year.  “I did North (restaurant) in Austin out of my bedroom,” Fuentevilla said.

They actually had a back bedroom that served as an office, and in 2007 they added an office to their home with a separate entrance.  “We were laboring anonymously,” Fuentevilla said. “Now we are front and center.  People are recognizing us.”

Last year they realized they should be Downtown.  “We were trying to convince people that Downtown is this great place and we were holed up in Sam Hughes,” Fuentevilla said. “It was time to be part of the urban fabric of Downtown.”  Sotinsky was less enthusiastic, at first.

“Initially, I was opposed to moving out. I’ll have to drive to work,” she said.  (Mind you, they live barely 2 miles from Congress and 5th Avenue.)  “Now being down here and feeling all the energy, I just love being here on a daily basis.”

FORSarchitecture+interiors is in the street-level commercial addition to the One North Fifth Apartments.  Their neighbors are Sparkroot, Xoom Juice, Yoga Oasis and Sacred Machine.

Their landlord is Scott Stiteler, who owns the One North Fifth complex, the Congress Street buildings across the street with HUB and Playground and he co-owns the Rialto Building with the Mars and Beyond exhibit.  FORS designed the interiors of HUB and Playground and is master planning the future use of the Rialto Building.

You’d think it’s a natural progression that the FORS office ended up in Stiteler’s building. Sotinsky was aghast when Stiteler suggested it:

“Why don’t you go in here,” Stiteler offered.

“That’s horrible,” Sotinsky responded. “You don’t put an office in a store front.”

“It will be great,” Stiteler encouraged.

“Now we can’t leave,” Sotinsky said. “Next month we are going to do a tiny little gift shop up front with modern gifts and small housewares.”

FORSarchitecture+interiors is located at 245 E. Congress, #135, 520.795.9888 and at ForsArchitecture.com This article appears courtesy of DowntownTucson.org

Photo, top: Miguel Fuentevilla and Sonya Sotinsky, by David Olsen. Photo, bottom: Blanco by Bill Timmerman, courtesy of FORS

Rooted in Community

July 5, 2011 |
Sparkroot plans by Repp Design + Construction. Courtesy Ari Shapiro

Sparkroot plans by Repp Design + Construction.
Courtesy Ari Shapiro

“Sparkroot is a concept that I have been mulching in my mind for years,” says Ari Shapiro of his latest Downtown venture, set to open in early August at 245 E. Congress St., at 5th Avenue. “It’s essentially the kind of space that I crave as a customer that I don’t feel really exists. The heart and soul of it is a coffee shop, but it’s a coffee shop that brings elements of a restaurant into it.”

Shapiro, who is also the proud founder and owner of three Xoom Juice smoothie shops (one is located in the 245 E. Congress St. strip), describes Sparkroot as a trifecta. It will have three beverage groups: coffee and tea, homemade sodas and boutique/micro beer and wine, and will serve healthy vegetarian fare. “We’re not a bar or a restaurant, or a pure coffee shop. We’re an amalgamation of all three.”

Shapiro shares the details with an energy that conveys measured excitement. However, the more he elucidates on the features of his new business and everything that has gone into it, the broader his smile and the livelier his brown eyes.

As we pour over the urban aesthetics of the Repp Design + Construction plans, Shapiro points out the coffee, bar and kitchen areas, the loft, and the layout of the seating. “There will be individual counter seating; we’re going to have a seven foot community table built by my friend Raj Helweg and have lounge chairs and sofas. We’re making a lot of furniture ourselves, but we’re also buying a lot of mid-century vintage stuff.” Notching up the cool factor is a 1963 Wurlitzer jukebox, with tunes for free, and patio seating along 5th Avenue.

Shapiro makes it clear how important it is to him to utilize local talent and is employing Tucson’s artist community to decorate and build out the space. Contributors include: Troy Neiman making a hanging bike rack and a table made of bike parts, Ezequiel Leoni building a 20 foot window bar facing Congress Street, Travis Edgar constructing a writer’s table.

“If you want a story Jamie, here’s the story – do you know how hard it is to get reclaimed wood?” Shapiro says they bought 480 board feet of Wisconsin barn wood from a man far south on Nogales Highway. “It is gorgeous, and weathered, and mostly red and there is still some hardware in planks. We are using that throughout the space.”

While the layout is certainly unique, what customers won’t get anywhere else in Tucson is the Blue Bottle Coffee Sparkroot is set to serve. Shapiro looked at local options and loved them, but went with the San Francisco based company because it “is at the very leading edge of specialty coffee.”

The beer and wine selections will feature quality options priced for everyone. “All wine is going to be $5 a glass, all day, no specials. I don’t want to serve a $9 glass of wine; I don’t want to serve a $7 glass of wine. And then all beer will be $4 a bottle.”

When it comes to the menu, Shapiro promises healthful options of homemade granola and whole food bars, Panini sandwiches, soups, hummus and more. “Basically, simple fare done with a lot of care and creativity.”

Keep an eye on Sparkroot.com for details on the opening.

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