Asian Star to be rebuilt at Big Curve

Plans are moving forward to rebuild Asian Star, the Oriental restaurant at the Big Curve Shopping Center that was destroyed by a fire shortly after opening last December.

Irene Crites, shopping center property manager, said plans have been submitted to the city to build a nearly 9,000-square-foot building where the restaurant had stood. Asian Star will take about 4,000 square feet, with the rest of the space available for retail.

She said the new building will have a design that includes a clock tower - "an eye-catcher."

Asian Star owner Huamei Chen will operate the new restaurant.

Crites also reported that a Subway will be going into the Yuma Mesa Shopping Center at 4th Avenue and 16th Street. Tenant improvements are now under way for the restaurant, which is going into the space north of Big Lots where a Mexican jewelry store previously was located.

In other city of Yuma building activity, Alan Kircher, assistant building official, reported:

• Plans have been submitted for a new 2,000-square-foot office and warehouse for Arizona Land and Construction at 4592 E. 30th Place in the Curtis Industrial Park.

• A certificate of occupancy has been issued for CFX Battery, an Azusa, Calif.-based company that makes high-tech batteries for use by the auto industry, consumers, health care, military and industry, according to its Web site.

The company is occupying about 4,970 square feet in an existing building at 7211 E. 30th St. in the Yuma Commerce Center.

A new tenant is coming to Yuma Palms Regional Center, announced manager Lorene Becker.

The business, Euphoria Perfumes, will occupy the former Alltel space between Sunglass Hut and Regis.

Owners Ivan Valdez and Elizabeth Torres expect to open in the next week or two and carry name-brand perfumes. The phone number will be 782-5221.

This is the fifth store for the couple, who also have stores in San Luis, Ariz.; San Luis Rio Colorado, Son.; Calexico and Rocky Point.

Jason Linn and his wife, Carrie, have started a new business, Linn Mobile Welding & Fabrication. The business provides 24-hour mobile welding and fabrication - MIG, ARC and oxy-acetylene welding.

"Being mobile means I come to you and that’s not just limited to Yuma," Linn said.

A Yuma High School graduate, Linn is certified by the American Welding Society, has 15 years' experience and has been teaching welding at San Luis High School and Arizona Western College.

Linn can be reached at 446-4423.

Alan Hagan has opened a new motorcycle shop called One Percent Choppers. He explained that he was looking for a name that would be different and stick in customers' minds.

The shop, 2786 E. Highway 95, is an after-market parts dealer for all brands of bikes, and also carries a line of leathers, helmets and other biker apparel.

In addition, One Percent Choppers provides services from oil changes to building a custom frame and installing custom parts. The shop also builds street rods and can make custom parts for them.

For more information, call 276-9113.

A reader called to report that one of his favorite restaurants, Pupuseria y Taqueria Cabanas, was closed. The phone number has been disconnected with no forwarding information provided.

Troy Love, LCSW, PHR, is starting a new private counseling practice named Courageous Journeys at 2260 S. 4th Ave., Suite C. The practice will specialize in helping those who have experienced trauma in their life such as from warfare and other life-threatening situations.

The office will open Dec. 7 and can be reached at 276-9535 or visit www.courageous-journeys.com.

The Optimist Club of Yuma has relocated its traditional holiday See's Candy sales and will now be at Southgate Mall by the Sears southeast entrance, beginning the day after Thanksgiving through Dec. 24.

The club has been selling the candy for Christmas for more than 40 years to help support its community youth programs, in particular scholarships. Originally held at Southgate Mall, the sales had been held more recently at Mervyn's until that store closed last year.

After a break for Thanksgiving, the Assistance League of Yuma will open its Christmas Room Dec. 1 at its Thrift Store, 1075 S. 4th Ave., where shoppers can stretch their holiday dollars with gently used decorations and gifts.

Proceeds benefit community programs supported by the Assistance League.

Pam Dusek has become a chocolatier with Dove Chocolate Discoveries.

For more information about purchasing Dove Chocolate products, call her at 314-3826 or visit www.dove-chocolate-discoveries.com/sites/pamdusek.

I keep misplacing the Foothills-area Walmart. It - and the newly opened Panda Express - have not suddenly been transplanted to Avenue 3E.

They really are at 32nd Street and Avenue 8E.

Sorry about that.

Guess this comes of my having lived off 32nd Street and Avenue 3E for several years.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Report Comings and Goings to jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853.