We are calling YOU, Loyal Locals!
If you are willing to do a short phone, email or in-person interview with us sharing why YOU love to buy locally, please leave a comment below or send an email to alyssapenman@relylocal.com.
High Desert residents only, please!
Image: Some rights reserved by legends2k
One of the things people told me when I moved to the High Desert was that there is nothing to do. No places to go. To get great nightlife, you have to go down the hill.
I have found that nothing could further from the truth! There is something for most everyone here, including those of us who appreciate a glass of fine wine and some gourmet treats to go along with it.
Several weeks ago, I sat down with owner Steve Sipe to learn more about D’Vine Wine Bar, a beautiful little spot tucked away on Monarch Boulevard in Victorville that offers live jazz, tasting flights, appetizers and desserts and an environment that encourages conversation.
RelyLocal: Tell me a little about D’Vine Wine Bar and how you came to start this business.
Steve Sipe: We opened three and a half years ago, in 2007. My wife is a great entrepreneur and always wanted to open a piano bar. In the early 2000s we were visiting San Diego a lot. We visited some wine bars and really liked them; we thought maybe this would be the way to go. Looking at the High Desert, it seemed like the market needed it.
As a business owner, you have to give the people what they want. Talk about adapting: adding live jazz was something people wanted, not something we originally planned to focus so much energy on. People come to D’Vine Wine Bar looking for good company, good music, and good wine, not to get sloshed. We are open 7 nights a week: 4 pm for happy hour until 10 pm on weekdays and open until 11 pm on weekends.
RelyLocal: What products can guests expect to find?
Sipe: One of the popular items we have are Wine Lovers Chocolates. These are specially made to pair with specific kinds of wine. Salmon Creek Wines are our house wine. We offer 75 different wines by the glass or the bottle, as well as appetizers and desserts. Guests can find tasting flights. And you can always taste before you buy because we want to make sure that you have a good experience.
RelyLocal: What special events does D’Vine Wine Bar have?
Sipe: Wine down Tuesday allows people to enjoy discounts on wines. Wine Tasting Wednesday features a tasting flight package. Thursday is the Open Jazz Jam featuring the Alan Winkel Trio. Friday features live jazz. And Sundays are Sangria Sundays.
We also host special events, birthday parties, anniversaries, anything you might need. Call us to get more information on those options. We can accommodate up to 50 guests.
The wine bar also features our artist-in-residence. We have two right now and we always have local art on display for sale.
There is also a newsletter for our customers and we recently had our Taste of the Vineyards wine cruise in April on Celebrity Cruise Line. We hope to do more of that in the future.
RelyLocal: Do you have any advice for other High Desert business owners?
Sipe: Don’t underestimate how much adapting you need to be able to do along the way. The market takes you in the direction you need to go if you listen.
You invite people to do business with you. You can’t just open your doors and expect people to walk in and patronize you. This should be part of the business plan from day one. How are you going to get your customers in the door? Everyone knows McDonald’s but they still spend more than any other fast food franchise on advertising. They want people to come more often. They want to stay top of mind for customers.
RelyLocal: What are your thoughts on building the economic resilience of the High Desert?
Sipe: I know all of the cities are active in trying to bring business to the Victor Valley. I would like to see more employment here, of course. But as things improve down the hill it will trickle up to here too. I have heard that more than 60% of heads of household work down the hill. That puts a lot of people on the highways. Its bad for local businesses because they will spend down the hill. [Ed: We’ll work to change that!]
RelyLocal: Tell me about you and your wife. Do you have any local favorites?
Sipe: Besides owning D’Vine Wine Bar, I also work at El Dorado Broadcasting. I have lived in the High Desert for 20 years. My job in television advertising brought me up to the Victor Valley originally. I’ve seen lots of change since then! My wife Beatriz Potter’s business is Fairy Tales Flowers and Gifts on I Ave and Bear Valley Road.
I use Joe Stevenson’s Cobra Kai gym here in our center. I really like Freedom Automotive in Hesperia. My car was having a rear end problem. He diagnosed the problem, fixed it, and it was done right. I was impressed with the profiessionalism and experience.
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I have had some great fun with friends at D’Vine Wine Bar since this interview, including being introduced to a delicious Chilean Carmenere. Many thanks to Steve for sharing about his business with us! If you’d like to visit D’Vine Wine Bar, they are located at 14845 Monarch Blvd Suite C, Victorville, CA 92395.
If you would like to see your locally-owned business highlighted on this blog, please contact Alyssa Penman by email at AlyssaPenman {at} RelyLocal {dot} com or call her at 760-246-5400. RelyLocal.com is a locally-owned business that connects local consumers to local businesses for a thriving, robust and vibrant local economy.
“Fight your fight.”
These are the words that motivate entrepreneur Tracy Tate to keep going, keep building her MMA-inspired line of women’s clothing, as well as motivate female MMA fighters she sponsors and hundreds of her friends, fans and followers. I had a chance to enjoy some coffee at The Grind with this inspirational lady and learned that sometimes life surprises us with where strength comes from.
RelyLocal: What inspired you to start Cage Candy?
Tracy Tate: It started after pulling an all-nighter with my son, watching Chuck Liddell, a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fighter. I couldn’t get enough of it! The next morning was so excited, wondering how to get involved in this sport. That was 3 years ago and I wanted to surprise my sister with an MMA (mixed martial arts) shirts. I couldn’t find women’s clothes for MMA support. Turns out, there was no line specifically for women. It was all men’s clothes kind of trying to look girly. I know that women like more about how things feel, fit, or stretch. Rather jokingly, I said to a local shop owner that I should create my own line. He asked if I was serious and said, “If you do, come back and see me because you are in the right place at the right time.” I thought about it, prayed about it and all of a sudden I got very excited and wouldn’t let the idea go. I’ve never done anything like this before, but I knew ‘if I can’t go big I’m not going at all.’
RelyLocal: How can MMA fans get Cage Candy clothing right now?
Tate: Currently we are selling at two places locally: Victor Valley College bookstore and Ever Young Day Spa on Hesperia Rd and Silica Rd in Victorville. We also have our line in 2 East Coast malls. And we have an online store where people can shop. There is a waiting list for retail stores and online stores. Clearly there is a demand! We produce everything in Southern California and this year my goal is to find the right investor to take it to the next level.
RelyLocal: What is it like working with female MMA fighters and in the MMA world?
Tate: All my fighters wear Cage Candy. I want to know their story. Why are they getting in that cage? Is there physical or mental abuse you are conquering? Do you have some obstacle or challenge? All my fighters have some thing they are overcoming. One of my fighters lost her mom to breast cancer. So I tell her, “You go in that cage and fight for her.” I love the passion and determination; they’re fighting more than just for sport. They are fighting their past, their issues. I wish I could sponsor every girl that wrote to me. My heart is so big but my pocket book isn’t! I hope someday we can sponsor every female fighter to fight her fight. When I started this I searched out the founders of Tap Out. I learned about them and saw how they did it. No sense reinventing the wheel! I networked my way to them and learned from them. Each time we are at an event together I ask them for one more piece of advice then I go and do it! One of my fighters recently had Tap Out on the front of her shirt and Cage Candy on the back. That was a big moment. It’s a great feeling to see your stuff out there. Most people see me in my pink wig for fights, so I’m recognizable. Its funny, people look up to me but I’m really looking up to them!
RelyLocal: Your family has a long history in the Victor Valley. How have you seen it change? What do you see as the best response to the current economic climate?
Tate: We do have a lot of family history up here; my great-great grandparents homesteaded in the area. My grandparents helped found the Victor Valley Museum in Apple Valley. I love our weather with four seasons. And I have raised my family here. As far as the economic times go, we have been here before and we came out of it. It is just one of those waves we must ride out. During that time we just have to hang in there, support one another and realize we are not alone. A lot of people don’t know I’ve sometimes had to hold down 3 to 4 jobs at a time. I’m down to 2 now! This crisis puts families up against and a wall and they can only go down or up. Out of this depression will come some of the greatest innovations ever. It forces us to get creative and the ones who are hanging in there now will be the ones who come out strong the other side. And I plan on being one of those people! The fact is, what you put into life is what you’re going to get out of it. Everyone has a hardship story, but at the end of the day you need to live each day as though it’s your last. Maybe don’t focus too far in the future, look to the moment.
RelyLocal: You are a big supporter of the Buy Local movement here in the High Desert. What are some local, independent businesses you like to patronize?
Tate: We are sushi addicts and go to Soya Sushi on Bear Valley Rd and Hesperia Rd. There is also one in Jess Ranch; they are locally owned and have three locations in the High Desert. We also love Los Domingos on Main Street in Hesperia. myMEdiacharge does my web design. Wigs and Accessories on 7th street in Victorville is where I find my signature pink wigs for Cage Candy promotions and fights. And of course my sister Tiffany Tate is a realtor with Exit Realty LT Associates.
Tracy Tate is an inspiring lady who is doing what she can to encourage everyone, especially women, to never give up on themselves or their circumstances. She is doing a lot for the High Desert community, including recently speaking at Hesperia’s Relay for Life event. You can find her information at www.cagecandy.com.
If you would like to see your locally-owned business highlighted on this blog, please contact Alyssa Penman by email at AlyssaPenman {at} RelyLocal {dot} com or call her at 760-246-5400. RelyLocal.com is a locally-owned business that connects local consumers to local businesses for a thriving, robust and vibrant local economy.
A man who stops advertising to save money, is like a man who stops the clock to save time. – Henry Ford
With twenty years in mixed media and advertising, Cheri Roberts of High Desert Media Magic knows just how true this is. Her business goes beyond media buying to helping businesses feel confident in their advertising plan and spending.
I recently sat down with Cheri and learn more about what she does to help businesses maximize their marketing efforts. Since she is so eloquent, I will let her tell you in her own words what she is all about!
RelyLocal: Congratulations on celebrating a year of High Desert Media Magic! Tell us a little bit about what you do.
Cheri Roberts: High Desert Media Magic turned one year old the first week of February. A year and profiting! Thank you. I am very proud of what I’ve accomplished so far. We are growing solidly with more than 23 clients, 3 weekly events and still more to come.
The majority of my background is in mixed media. I wanted to work with the client and make the media work for them, instead of working for the media. That’s why I started HD Media Magic. I help bring ad buying power to the tables of businesses that otherwise thought they could never afford it. Everything I do has a formula to it.
The weekly events people might be familiar with includes the Singles Asylum [Tuesday nights at Gators 2 in Victorville]. The goal of the Singles Asylum is not necessarily meeting your soul mate, but getting singles out to have fun and meet new people. We have ridiculous “think together, work together” challenges just like on a reality show. It’s quite fun to watch! We wanted to make it a different kind of experience. The second event is Working Women’s Wednesday [Wednesday nights from 5-7 at Gators 2 in Victorville.] This is a fun mix of business networking and happy hour with games, vendors and LOTS of prizes. And, thirdly we just contracted with Kinari (Sociale) for our newest event The Candlelight Murders [Sunday nights from 6-8pm in Victorville]. Sunday nights are full of fun and intrigue during our Murder Mystery dinners.
Other future events in the works are Kids’ Karaoke, which is very family oriented and will give families a fun, climate-controlled, affordable means of after-church dining and fun. We are also involved in mixed martial arts (MMA) and are working on a ring girl competition with prizes to include an international magazine spread plus an annual contract as a ring girl with a cage fight company.
What are the biggest challenges for small businesses using big media?
Roberts: Just like breathing, advertising is the air for your business. Advertising should never be thought of as a splurge. You have to arm yourself with knowledge; it has to be given a lot of thought. Additionally, ad agencies and media outlets lose the idea that small business owners value their businesses for reasons beyond just the livelihood. Small businesses, really any size business, can get intimidated by media sales people. Most business owners don’t know that there are different rates and they can negotiate a better deal. Having been a part of big media for as long as I have, I feel that advertisers are very easily taken advantage of. High Desert Media Magic is like the insurance policy that they’re gonna get it right. For my clients to trust me is great, but at some point they should be able to make advertising decisions on their own. Research is important and I am going to give the clients as much info as I can. Clients and prize partners [associated with our events] have an open door to learn from me so they can move forward with confidence without me when the time comes.
RL: What does it look like when a business works with High Desert Media Magic?
Roberts: We can do a variety of things for our clients. Businesses large and small hire me as an acting marketing and/or promotions director. Sometimes they want me to focus on radio ads, sometimes they give me a budget and say “What can we do?” As I said, I’m big on market research. You’re always going to have increased sales when you present it properly to the right audience. You can present five different messages and they are going to reach 5 different kinds of people. Is that the most effective way to go? Hardly.
High Desert Media Magic works on a retainer, not a commission. We don’t take money away from our client’s media. We just make their existing budget work harder even.harder. A lot of people don’t realize there’s free stuff to be had when it comes to their advertising. It is rarely offered because of that. I like to get the free stuff for my clients too.
We also teach clients to be patient with advertising. There is a “magic” week between about week 12 and week 14 in an advertising campaign. People are aware of you at that point and more willing to refer you even if they haven’t used you. I would never presume to tell any business owner how to run their business. What I do know is the advertising, marketing, promotions industry. A message that comes from me about their business is going to be more powerful. I know the triggers that get people to come and do business with them.
Additionally we have voiceover artists in our talent pool and do live events, voiceover, TV, print, internet…you name it. We do it all when it comes to marketing and promotions. I have a clearinghouse of performers. The sky’s the limit with creativity!
RL: Why are you committed to local businesses in the High Desert?
Roberts: We are all responsible to our local economy. Every one of us drives on these streets. We all need to use these public services eventually. In addition, I lived here for 13 years, had my family and raised my kids here. I moved to Portland, Oregon for 8 years, but moved back last year to be with my mom and help her deal with health issues before she passed away. During this time, I found a huge need in the local business world so to help drive the local economy a little faster I created High Desert Media Magic.
If you are interested in finding out more about High Desert Media Magic, you can contact Cheri Roberts at highdesertmediamagic@yahoo.com or visit their Facebook page.
If you would like to see your locally-owned business highlighted on this blog, please contact Alyssa Penman by email at AlyssaPenman {at} RelyLocal {dot} com or call her at 760-246-5400. RelyLocal.com is a locally-owned business that connects local consumers to local businesses for a thriving, robust and vibrant local economy.
I’m not really a foodie, but I definitely appreciate a freshly made dish prepared with wholesome ingredients, presented in an attractive way. This is what I and many others have discovered at Paulina’s Mexican Grill, located in Victorville, CA.
Paulina recently sat down with me and shared the experience she and her mother Maria have had in the three years since founding the business. Here is what I learned:
RelyLocal: What was your motivation and vision for starting Paulina’s Mexican Grill?
Paulina: My mother Maria started the whole thing. She wanted to be independent, to do something with her life. We’ve lived here in the High Desert for about 20 years and there is lots of great Mexican food. However, we wanted to introduce a different type – Jalisco-style food with a fine cuisine emphasis, such as halibut sauteed with white wine and herbs. We use wild, not farmed fish, cage free chicken, certified angus beef and offer a range of sweet choices like a healthy sugar-free cheesecake. [Ed.: I’ve had it and its divine!] We wanted to make a place where people felt safe with their food, their choices.
RelyLocal: Starting a restaurant is notoriously difficult. How has the experience been for you?
Paulina: We struggled a lot… kissed our social life goodbye for our restaurant. Certainly there are times where you want to throw in the towel. We kept the faith and said, “We are going to be strong!” And we are still here. We just had to give it more time, more attention, more patience. This third year has been much easier. Its important for the owner to be out there saying, “Thank you.” We are very thankful people. We don’t regret anything; its an awesome adventure. Owning a restaurant gives you a lot of responsibilities. It builds your character when dealing with the public. Teaches you patience and respect. You learn how to speak well and to speak well of people.
RelyLocal: What are some elements of Paulina’s Mexican Grill that stand out?
Paulina: People consider us their friends. Building relationships with our customers is so important to us. They send us pictures of their trips, come and tell us about their struggles and joy. We have regulars who travel for work and every time they are in the area they come in and we are excited to see them. We also have a growing lunchtime business crowd. Since food is fresh grilled to order, we recommend people call ahead to order. Online ordering is also available to save time. We also have live music on Fridays. Karen is an amazing jazz and r&b singer. Elsewhere Road comes in once or twice a month with their beautiful music. Luis Montaya sings mostly romantic music in Spanish and English with impressive guitar skills.
RelyLocal: What is your vision for the future?
Paulina: We are looking forward to the next few years, to expanding and adding a full bar. It is important to show the desert that there are good things here. I want them to feel at home at Paulina’s Mexican Grill. We can provide a kind of escape; a real experience. And our real goal is to give people jobs.
RelyLocal: Are there any local businesses that you really support?
Paulina: We love to buy local whenever we can! I like The Brass Cupcake, which you can find at the High Desert Farmer’s Market. Juliano’s Italian Restaurant on Hesperia Road – they make everything from scratch and the Eggplant Parmesan is to die for. Fairytales Flowers and Gifts is great too; I love their flowers.
You can find Paulina’s Mexican Grill on Monarch Rd, between Cottonwood and Mariposa in Victorville, CA. This romantic spot is tucked into the corner of the plaza and is a destination for fine food lovers in the High Desert.
If you would like to see your locally-owned business highlighted on this blog, please contact Alyssa Penman by email at AlyssaPenman {at} RelyLocal {dot} com or call her at 760-246-5400. RelyLocal.com is a locally-owned business that connects local consumers to local businesses for a thriving, robust and vibrant local economy.
Baking has been a way of celebrating life and food for millennia and many in the High Desert love to bake cakes, pies, cookies, bread and more for their family and friends.
Two High Desert entrepreneurs want to help them do just that. I recently spoke to the owners of A Baked Creation of Hesperia, CA. Guylene Lawler and Susie Acosta have complementary skills and passions that have combined to create a place where cooks and bakers, whether professional or hobbyist, can find education, high quality supplies and even order special cakes.
Guylene and Susie opened A Baked Creation in August of 2008 on Main Street in Hesperia. Customers find baking supplies, cooking supplies, candy making supplies, fillings, icings, flavorings, just about anything needed to whip up delectable treats. A prize winning baker at the LA County Fair and included in their cookbook for seven years, Guylene is also passionate about creating custom cakes for clients. “I’ve always been a baker,” she explained to me. “My father was Italian. The Italian in me makes me want to feed people!” Her business partner Susie has discovered a love of teaching others the craft of baking and candy-making. Classes range from beginner to advanced and include wedding cake decorating, specialty cakes (fondant, topsy-turvy), frosting recipes (their butter cream frosting is a popular one!), candy making and other special classes.
“There aren’t really any other kitchen stores up here,” shared Guylene. “By shopping at A Baked Creation, you save gas by not driving to Rancho Cucamonga or Redlands. We always try to give people personalized customer service. If we don’t have it we’ll get it for you, or find where you can get it.” Susie and Guylene knew they would have a tough time keeping a simple cake shop open, so they diversified into the kind of quality ingredients and supplies you can’t find at big chain competitors. They carry Magic Line, Parrish, Bakemark and Wilton brands among others. Food supplies include Merckens melting chocolates and a large array of flavors: white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter. Candy makers can find candy molds and the supplies that go along with them. And their customers are not just home bakers. A Baked Creation will sell in bulk to any restaurant, bakery, or catering company.
They say that if find a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. It sounds like this is the case for these ladies. “We are entrepreneurs, dreamers, trying to get out there and fill the needs we see,” shared Susie. “I have an associates degree in computers and business management,” explained Guylene. “But office work wasn’t my thing. No matter what I did, I was never happy. No job was quite the right one. I always went back to baking.” These women aren’t stopping with their baking supply and custom cake business, though. They have dreams to open a nonprofit called ABC Design Center, an accredited training facility where they can retrain people for new careers in food service. They also see the possibility of a wholesale warehouse to serve the food industry in the High Desert. “We are doing this on the small scale now but would like to grow,” said Susie. Another dream the women have is to have a venue for special events and provide catering and cakes and most needed of all, supplying jobs for people.
Guylene moved to the High Desert about 25 years ago for the affordable living, clean air and slower pace of life. She encourages local government to find ways to help small business succeed and streamline the red tape and bureaucracy. Susie moved up here in 1993 looking for the country life. Her children have graduated from local schools, where she has also volunteered many hours. Both women are involved in their community, whether through schools, church or other venues, and they are committed to seeing it remain a great place to raise families. Most of all, they seem passionate about bringing a love of baking out in each other and their customers. Said Susie, “Guylene brought out my creativity again because it was just too much with a family and all that. She has a passion for baking and won contests, and when she saw talent in me, she brought it out in me.”
If you would like to see your locally-owned business highlighted on this blog, please contact Alyssa Penman by email at AlyssaPenman {at} RelyLocal {dot} com or call her at 760-246-5400. RelyLocal.com is a locally-owned business that connects local consumers to local businesses for a thriving, robust and vibrant local economy.
Twenty seven years ago, David Barnicoat relocated his family and opened up a barber shop in the High Desert, bringing passion and professionalism to his art. A decade and a half later, he realized that his passion for the business and for teaching could give people the opportunity to succeed and he launched Mojave Barber College. Although he had people tell him he couldn’t do it, he and his wife, and now his daughter have built a school that gives Victor Valley residents tools to build a career.
A family-run business, the Barnicoats go the extra mile to make sure their students can afford their education and find jobs, ideally before they graduate. I recently sat down with second-generation teacher and barber/hair stylist Janet Barnicoat to learn more about Mojave Barber College.
“This is my dad’s baby,” she shared. “He’s poured everything he has into this place. It’s a labor of love, with the good and the bad.” Janet herself tried going into the family business right out of high school, but it wasn’t the right time for her. “I joined the navy and 4 years later I was done and needed something to do. Then it was the right time.”
Though dealing with students can be an up and down process, Janet loves seeing them graduate and be successful. “Students come from all walks of life. One student was couldn’t find a job in the medical billing field where he had been trained, so he came here to learn another skill. Another had been working in construction and it got to be too hard physically, so he came to be retrained.” The student body is very diverse, including age diversity as people look for second or even third careers. According to Janet, they love it when students come with very little knowledge because it means they are more open-minded and teachable. And students are successful. From high-end salons on the Strip in Las Vegas to military bases and barber shops near and far, their students are successfully building careers they love.
The school trains students as barbers as well as cosmetologists. (Incidentally, an interesting fact on the difference between barbers and cosmetologists: Barbers can use a straight razor directly on the face, neck or scalp but are not licensed to do nails. Cosmetologists can use a straight razor on hair, but not touch the skin and they CAN do nails!) Their 10-13 month program includes a wide range of skills including shaving, facial and scalp massage, hair coloring, perming, and of course cutting hair. They also have a program with the Toastmasters to help students learn better communication skills. Instructors regularly attend ongoing education and the whole school will travel to haircutting competitions and hair shows to pick up new skills and show off what they’ve learned. To learn more about the business side of things, Matrix Hair Care Products and other barbers will come in and share tips and tricks of the trade.
Mojave Barber College is located in Old Town in Victorville. “My mom has been involved with the committee to revitalize downtown,” Janet said. “Its an affordable place with lots of parking and space. We want to see local businesses grow in the area and work with our neighbors when we can.” The school also participates in the Relay for Life and donates haircuts to wildfire evacuees when they are housed at the nearby fairgrounds.
Advanced students are ready and willing to make you look your best as well. Supervised by instructors, you can get a great deal. Haircuts are $5 and kids are only $3. There are weekly and monthly specials as well as Father’s Day and Mother’s Day deals. If you are interested in becoming a student, you can contact Janet Barnicoat at (760) 955-2934 or walk in at 15505 7th Street Victorville, CA, 92392. You can also find Mojave Barber College on Facebook and MySpace for more information.
If you would like to see your locally-owned business highlighted on this blog, please contact Alyssa Penman by email at AlyssaPenman {at} RelyLocal {dot} com or call her at 760-246-5400. RelyLocal.com is a locally-owned business that connects local consumers to local businesses for a thriving, robust and vibrant local economy.
Since so many citizens of the High Desert have moved here in the last decade or so, we may not realize what a long and interesting history the Victor Valley has. Fifteen years ago, three area residents, Joy Robertson, Mark Ward and Dan Harlow had a vision to both celebrate the heritage of Victorville and give people an interesting place to visit. The California Route 66 Museum and Information Center was born.
The Route 66 Museum was started as a grassroots volunteer organization in a storefront on what is now D Street. Signs of Victorville’s importance along The Mother Road can still be seen, but as years pass more landmarks are being torn down. In the museum, though, these pieces of American history live on. The building is filled with historic cars to posters advertising Route 66 and everything in between.
The mystique of Route 66 has an international appeal, as is evidenced by the many groups of tourists who stop in. They come from 77 countries spread across every continent and leave their mark on a world map. When asked why they come, they say “We love America – the wide open spaces, the cowboys, Steinbeck and the Grapes of Wrath.” Although there may not be too many cowboys traveling The Mother Road today, the dream of hitting the road and finding a new life still appeals. Volunteers told me that one group from Europe actually ships their perfectly restored classic American cars to Chicago, the start of Route 66, and drive all the way to its endpoint in Santa Monica.
International visitors aren’t the only ones taking advantage of access to thousands of historical artifacts. Locals visit as well, often noting they have driven past the museum for years and finally just had to stop in. They are never disappointed, either. Local students take field trips to the museum as well and of course it is staffed by a group of 25-30 dedicated volunteers.
Paul Chassey, a board member and volunteer, moved to the Victor Valley from down the hill. He bought a house and eventually everything was all finished. “So now what do I do?” he asked himself. He was interested in the history of Route 66 and old cars, so when he saw ad in the paper nearly eight years ago, he came down to volunteer and has been hooked ever since. The museum has no paid staff and is primarily supported through the gift shop. They also take donations from members and have a few fundraising events through the year. Local individuals also contribute in other ways. One businessman with a construction business repaves the driveway for them every year.
Board President Emerita and long time volunteer Chick Kirk shared with me the passion for preservation that is behind the museum. “Route 66 is being destroyed. For example, Popoff’s Gas Station, a famous icon on Route 66 had fallen into disrepair. The new owner decided it wasn’t worth saving and bulldozed it. It’s gone. And that happens all the time. There is another famous Route 66 gas station in Rancho Cucamonga. If we don’t save it, it will be bulldozed to make room for a shopping center.”
There is a tour map at the gift shop that lists points of interest from Victorville to Barstow and the museum makes sure to connect visitors with other local services. New Corral Motel is one of those historic places, but they also refer tourists to other hotels. The hotels also make sure guests know that there are interesting things to see in the area. Restaurants are starting to pick up in the area. The museum volunteers will tell visitors about Emma Jean’s Holland Burger and The Iron Hog, and vice versa. They make a special effort to show guests that the High Desert has a lot to offer them. “We need a few more things around town that would encourage tourists to stay the night instead of heading to Vegas,” suggested Kirk. “We are trying to revitalize Old Town but we can’t do it on our own. The economy puts a lot of things in a hold pattern, but we are glad to work with city, county, and local businesses to see change happen.”
“I can tell you this about the road,” Kirk explained. “It really grabs a piece of your heart. It’s really not the road, it’s the people. This museum is just junk without the people.” She shared an experience with a couple who visited the museum, 92 and 95 years old. They lived in Barstow and wandered through the exhibits, chuckling over this and that. Then tears started as they looked at things and reminisced, telling museum volunteers about coming from Oklahoma on Route 66 and leaving everything behind. The exhibits evoke the memories of these people who have lived the road.
If you’re interested in keeping up with the museum, they are active on Facebook, Twitter, and have a website. Most importantly, take time to stop in and visit. I was blown away by the variety of history included. The museum is open five days a week, Thursday through Monday. If you are interested in volunteering, or making a donation, email them at cart66musm@aol.com. They also welcome Route 66 artifacts that can be loaned for display, or given outright.
If you would like to see your locally-owned business highlighted on this blog, please contact Alyssa Penman by email at AlyssaPenman {at} RelyLocal {dot} com or call her at 760-246-5400. RelyLocal.com is a locally-owned business that connects local consumers to local businesses for a thriving, robust and vibrant local economy.
Book lovers know a great used bookstore when they walk in. The smell of aged paper is intoxicating. Racks of books, comfortable chairs and coffee are so refreshing in a go-go-go world. That is what you will find at Hi Desert Book Oasis in Hesperia, CA.
Owner Lou Grantt, originally opened the shop in Lucerne in 2008. “I was retired and didn’t like it,” Lou explained to me recently. “I had a ton of books at home.” The fit was natural. For many years she was a script consultant in Hollywood and produced an industry magazine for scriptwriters. After 9/11, things changed so drastically that she had to close the magazine down. She and husband Bob, a corporate puppeteer, eventually decided to fulfill their dream of moving to wide open spaces of the high desert. After a few years they landed in Lucerne and love the small, friendly community. “It’s like Mayberry. Neighbors say hi, they ask after you,” she told me.
People came from all over to visit Hi Desert Book Oasis, but Lou realized that the loyal traffic she got simply couldn’t support the store. Though she hated the thought of leaving another empty commercial space in the town she and her husband have grown to love, she knew that a more prominent location would bring the joy of books to more people. Janette Wehrmann of Coldwell Banker Real Estate helped her find the right location. After visiting a number of places in the early fall of 2010, they found the perfect location in the Pueblo building at the corner of Jacaranda and Bear Valley Road, right across from Victor Valley College. “Everything has worked out really well,” said Lou. They have been open since late November 2010.
The store is about 1000 square feet, with the kids corner and fiction in the front room, and nonfiction in back room. There is also a sitting area and a piano that customers can play. It is cozy but not cramped, with wide aisles. “We offer a coffee bar,” Lou explained. “There are greeting cards, a place to sit and drink coffee and read a book. Along with the piano we have a record player with records to play. There are chess and checkers sets too.” Everyone who comes through the door gets greeted and helped and Lou and her staff have decorated and made it a welcoming and comfy place to relax. She also is planning to have regular book signings for local authors and story time for children.
As the store grows, more people are donating books, which the staff is busy cataloguing and shelving. (You can use store credit earned by donating books to pay for up to 40% of your book purchase! They do have a handout to explain the book donation standards.) If you are used to getting your books at, say, Barnes and Noble, you will find that prices at Hi Desert Book Oasis are much more reasonable. They have books by many bestsellers, including James Patterson, Stephen King, Janet Evanovich (my personal fave!), John Grisham, James, Michener, and Danielle Steele. You can also find older titles that you won’t find on the shelves any more at national chain stores. There are also rare and out of print books and if they don’t have it in stock, they can usually help you find.
Although she was sure how a used bookstore could do to improve the economy, Lou is a strong supporter of locally-owned businesses. The China House in Lucerne is one of their favorite restaurants and since they were located right next to each other in the early days, they have referred a lot of business back and forth. Lou also loves Starlight Video in the Lucerne Valley shopping center, who has just expanded into a secondhand store. (You can see one of the treasures she found there hanging over the piano in the back room.) Stallone’s Pizzeria in Lucerne “makes really great pizza,” according to Lou. And her new neighbors have been really welcoming and helpful. “I go to Mad Hackers across the courtyard for pedicures,” Lou shared. “And Don over at DB Music and Sound was a big help when I needed a piano tuner. He recommended a piano player for the grand opening as well.”
As the overall economy improves, Lou hopes that more people will feel comfortable buying books again. When compared to paying your electric or gas bill, it might seem like a luxury, but as book lovers know, it is so much more. And with a great used bookstore now in our midst, it’s definitely a more affordable luxury. I know I’ve finished the books I bought during my visit, so I’ll be heading back soon for more!
If you would like to see your locally-owned business highlighted on this blog, please contact Alyssa Penman by email at AlyssaPenman {at} RelyLocal {dot} com or call her at 760-246-5400. RelyLocal.com is a locally-owned business that connects local consumers to local businesses for a thriving, robust and vibrant local economy.
Magician and Corporate Speaker Steven Steele
After spending some time over coffee getting to know Steven Steele, I was satisfied that I understood how his business worked, his history with the High Desert, and his thoughts on our new recession culture. Then he pulled out a deck of cards, told me to pick one and that is when he made the magic happen. The illusion is probably a standard one, and perhaps I’ve experienced it before, but when he pulled my card out of the deck, I was completely blown away. The effect every magician wants was written all over my face. My mouth agape, I asked, “How the heck did you DO that?”
According to Steele, he does it with years of practice. Like music, a magician starts by mastering the basics. Scales take a long time, but once you are proficient, it is easier to pick up a new song. The same goes with magic. For Steele, the talent behind the business The Magic of Steven Steele, a trick can take 2 weeks to six months to master. He spent 1-2 hours a day for a year and a half practicing the art of the Linking Rings. That kind of devotion and mastery leads to the effortless illusion like the one that surprised me.
Steele began his magic career as a hobby in elementary school. In high school, in a public speaking class, he used magic to illustrate points and as a shy kid the props made it easier to engage people. As a student at UC Riverside he gained a reputation as a magician in the dorms. This led to an invitation to perform at the local college coffee shop. Each performance generated requests to do more resulting in his first stage show.
Even as he grew in popularity, Steele didn’t consider magic a real career possibility. Without much support for a career in magic from his family, he did it on the side for nightclubs as a strolling magician. He built a career in business and began a family while continuing to delight people with his hobby. After a number of years in management, he finally decided to make his lifelong hobby a career.
Now Steele travels around the country as well as internationally presenting to corporate audiences with his business The Magic of Steven Steele. He combines the wonder and amusement of magic with practical business experience to motivate employees and entertain groups. He is also active at The Magic Castle, a social and professional club for magicians, located in Los Angeles. Once or twice a month he will get together with his fellow magicians to talk shop. The goal is to present and preserve the performance of magic. They even have prestigious annual awards akin to the Academy Awards. Among Steele’s fellow magicians are well-known actors like Neil Patrick Harris, who is on the board of directors and Jason Alexander (you may know him as George Costanza) who is an accomplished mentalist.
But Steven Steele is looking to grow his local business too. He frequently provides strolling entertainment for birthday parties of all ages, company events, networking mixers, and restaurants. He is usually fully booked for the holidays by September and generally at least 30 days in advance throughout the rest of the year. He also enjoys speaking to students, encouraging them to think creatively about how to turn a hobby into a career and build the skills necessary to succeed.
Eventually our conversation turned to how the High Desert has changed over the years and how the recession has affected our culture. When Steven’s family moved here in 1968, he shared, “I used to ride my bike across Hesperia Rd at Bear Valley and not see a single car. There wasn’t even a stop sign there.” For those of us who are relative newcomers to the Victor Valley, such an image is unfathomable! The growth of the region from about 30,000 then to approximately 350,000 now has given businesses new opportunities, but only if business owners are willing to step up to the plate. “We need to act like a real market before others will take us seriously as a significant market,” he explained. Thankfully, he added, there are more marketing opportunities now in the High Desert. Magazines such as High Desert Living and new business networking groups seem to be raising the standards for quality and customer service. It can still be a struggle, though, as area businesses still expect great quality talent to come cheap simply because it is in the Victor Valley. “People down the hill understand the real cost of providing a product or service more than they do up here,” he said.
These kinds of changes happen slowly. Meanwhile, the effects of the recession are deep and likely long-lasting. “People have shifted their spending habits,” Steele commented. “And it probably won’t come back. It has brought us to a more basic way of life.” I agreed, noting that my own thought process about spending is 180 degrees from a few years ago. “Many people see that no company, no government, no agency is going to save them,” Steele said. Indeed, nor will they turn our region around for us. As I frequently tell local business owners, we will have to do it ourselves. Steven added that he tries to support local businesses whenever possible. Mary Ann’s Restaurant in Hesperia is one of his favorites and High Tech Signs has given him great service for his business.
One way to continue growing the High Desert economy is to embrace our local resources. And that includes performers like Steven Steele. If you would like to hire Steven Steele he is available for everything from strolling magic, where he amazes from table to table, to full stage shows where he can saw someone in half. Graduation parties, dinner cruises, and company events – anywhere you want people to be engaged and entertained. The Magic of Steven Steele provides all the lighting, backdrops and materials needed and can customize the experience for your group. You can find out more information on his website, www.MagicSteele.com.
If you would like to see your locally-owned business highlighted on this blog, please contact Alyssa Penman by email at AlyssaPenman {at} RelyLocal {dot} com or call her at 760-246-5400. RelyLocal.com is a locally-owned business that connects local consumers to local businesses for a thriving, robust and vibrant local economy.
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