Downtown Lowdown

The Scoop on Downtown's New Convenient Amenities

Downtown convenience stores recently added fabulous new services for "Downtown Tucsonans". Simply Convenient, entering into its seventh month at 25 N. Stone, now sells lottery tickets and has added a deli inside the store to cure those gnawing hunger pangs. Looking for a place to nosh without having to go back to the office? Well, the store has thoughtfully placed 2 tables outside for your sidewalk dining pleasure.

Raymond King of Pennington Street Market.

In other convenience store news, Pennington Street Market has implemented the sale of hard ice cream scoops on a waffle cone. (You can also get in it a cup if you aren't keen on the cone). They are the only place downtown that sells this summertime savior, along with super yummy root beer floats.

Owner Steven Monks, who is also looking to re-open the OK Market at 600 S. 4th Ave., said he had his eye on ice cream from the beginning. "It was just a matter of timing. It was always my intent because no one had it downtown." He said he also likes the idea of "providing a sense of place and stuff that people can afford." How's this for affordable: One scoop is $.75, two scoops cost $1!

Tucson Children's Museum Hires New Director

The Tucson Children's Museum recently welcomed its new Executive Director, Sandy Napombejra. Napombejra, who started her new position on July 1, has over 20 years of experience raising funds for non-profit organizations and has previously worked for the Southern Arizona Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation and the Tucson Museum of Art. She is also a Certified Fund Raising Executive through the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Napombejra replaces Sheila Saxberg, who left TCM last year.

Italian Kitchen to expand at new digs

After 18 years at its current location of 27 W. Congress St., the Italian Kitchen will relocate to 58 W. Congress (former home of Eegee's) at the end of the year. While the move is necessitated by the sale of their current space to the Rio Nuevo District for use by the Fox Theatre Foundation, proprietors Fiore and Kathy IannaconeÑwho have developed five downtown restaurantsÑconsider the new address to be an opportunity for expansion, calling it their "best location yet." Along with the new space will come a new name and a slight format change. The Italian Kitchen will become "Enoteca Pizzeria/Wine Bar." While the new restaurant will still feature great pizza, salad, soups and desserts, Enoteca "will also introduce cuisine Napolitana," said Fiore. "We will highlight Italy's heritage of food and wine." The grand opening is slated for January 2004.

Notes from the Village

Christina Early of Chris' Café

Breakfast and lunch nook, Chris' Café, is celebrating its first anniversary at La Placita Village at the end of this month. Co-owner Christina Early said the last week of August will feature numerous specials to commemorate the café's first birthday—such as 2-for-1 deals, drawings for free lunches and featuring a frequent diner card. Chris' Café is on the Plaza in the village and offers eggs, pizza, sandwiches, soup, pastries, desserts and candies. The proprietors of the café also do their part to reduce waste at the village by utilizing RISE Inc.'s Downtown Don't Waste It program. You can drop off your bottles and cans in their recycling container in front of the café.

The Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau (MTCVB) recently welcomed the Tucson Film Office into its fold as a solution to streamlining the city's budget. Tucson Film Office Director Shelli Hall and Location Coordinator Peter Catalanotte recently moved into their new offices with MTCVB, a non-profit organization that promotes Tucson as a convention and visitor destination. For more information, check out www.visittucson.com or www.filmtucson.com.

Senior Housing available in Barrio Viejo

The elderly housing complex at the old Drachman Elementary School is nearing completion and interviews are being conducted for citizens applying for housing. Sixty units are committed to affordable rents for seniors. Call (520) 791-5580 for more information.

New Business Around The Bend

For 28 years, Peggy Erhardt-Gray and Maria Acevedo have dreamed of opening up a woman's thrift shop. In the last week of July, that dream came true. The two friends opened Around the Bend, located at 422 N. Church Ave, on Monday, July 28. "We're the little white house with the bright red door and purple around the windows!" The owners' goal is to carry quality used woman's clothing that is reasonably priced. Check this out ladies: $4 for a blouse or pants. Oh yeah! The shop is opened Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm.

Claudette Myers of Desert Bloom

The Desert Blooms on Stone

June 21 was more than just another birthday for Claudette Myers. It was the opening day of her business, Desert Bloom Downtown. As customers flooded the store, they ate strawberry cake while admiring the arrangement of fashion jewelry sparkling under hanging light fixtures.

"What women want more than diamonds and gold is fashion jewelry," Myers says. But beaded necklaces and matching earrings aren't the only things for sale at Desert Bloom.

"Because I'm in the heart of all the offices, I'm doing a lot of innovative, handmade office gifts," like indoor plants and photo frames. She also carries home and garden accessories like switch plate covers, lanterns and French linens. Everything is either limited edition or one-of-a-kind, like the floral paintings and pottery made by Don Swanson, a well-known artist who sells his work to many Hollywood celebrities. Desert Bloom is the only place in Tucson where his work can be purchased.

Desert Bloom was part of Old Town Artisans, but Myers chose to relocate to 27 N. Stone because she wanted to be closer to the daytime foot traffic of the office core. Her gallery is located on the west side of Stone, near the Bank of America Plaza. Hours are Monday through Friday, 10am to 5pm, with the possibility of an earlier opening time in the future.

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