Comings and Goings: New coffee shop opens
A new coffee shop, Turtle Bay Cafe, is now open at 1400 S. 4th Ave. (where Java Oasis previously was located). The cafe will be serving sandwiches, soup, snacks and coffee along with a helping of free Wi-Fi Internet access. It's open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Funding for the cafe was provided by supporters of The Living Center and the Cenpatico Behavioral Health of Arizona.
The project provides vocational training and support services to Friends in Recovery who are receiving support services at The Living Center and community behavioral health agencies in the Cenpatico network. All profits will go toward additional services and activities for those seeking to rebuild their lives.
---
AEA Federal Credit Union’s buildings are boasting new signs — Ucu. Denise Sweet-McGregor, executive vice president, explained that it stands for U Credit Union: "It's about U."
It’s a new program - actually a virtual branch - launched by AEA dedicated to young adults ages 16 to 30 years as they open their first checking accounts, finance their first cars and purchase their first homes.
Ucu’s microsite is at u.aeafcu.org.
---
Arizona Gold and Silver owners Jorge and Amy Garcia have opened the second location for their business at 1599 S. 4th Ave. in the former bank building - the round one. The store can be reached at 343-9108.
They buy gold and silver, such as broken or no longer wanted jewelry and coins, at fair market value from customers, who walk out the door with cash in hand. The metals are melted into bars at the family-owned refinery in California, with the gold usually sold to the Federal Reserve, Jorge said.
He said his family started the business 35 years ago in Mexico and he's been in business in Yuma for a year. The first location is at 1700 S. 1st Ave.
---
The February issue of Yuma Business Direct is now available online at businessinyuma.com.
The cover story features Window World, started last summer by franchise owners Reni Dillon and Ko Das. Dillon has a strong background in business, and Das has 22 years' experience in the window business, including opening the Alside Window Plant in Yuma as its manager. Today the plant is the supplier for his window business.
The issue also features Susan Sternitzke, hired to take the reins of Heritage Festivals after the death in November of coordinator Dorothy Young.
Also, Doug Nicholls and his firm, Core Engineering, are featured as the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce Member of the Month for January.
---
Yuma's Honda dealership, 1000 E. 32nd St., has a new name and new ownership. The dealership is now owned by CJZ Automotive Inc., doing business as Yuma Honda, the new name on the door.
"It will be the same location, the same brand and many of the same employees, but it will be a different company," Bob Zamora, president of CJZ Automotive, said of his purchase of the assets of Country Club Honda owner Brent Dana.
Dana, who owned the Honda dealership for nearly 21 years, will remain involved as one of the managers and 25 percent stockholder.
Zamora has been in the car business in California since 1973 and today has 20 automotive dealerships of various brands in California, Reno and Mesa. Yuma Honda is his fifth Honda dealership.
His son, Christopher, who is based at Honda of Superstition Springs in Mesa, will be the dealer of record for Yuma Honda. Rick Gremillion is the new manager and his wife, Dee Ann, will be the dealership's community liaison.
Zamora intends to make some minor improvements in the near future, including paving the dirt lot (work was underway last week on that project). He has plans to build a new state-of-the-art facility within two years.
---
Patients 1st, which had been in a temporary office, has moved into its permanent - and larger - home. It has the same address at 2270 S. Ridgeview Drive in the ProMed building and it's still on the second floor, but it's now in Suite 2007. The office can be reached at 276-4381.
The office is the practice of Dr. John Gietzen, D.O., and physician assistant Wade McBride.
---
Jim Newton, who was the customer sales manager for Desert Edge Coffee Southwest when it was owned by the Lane family, has purchased the business.
He is now the distributor of the company's products to businesses such as restaurants, convenience stores and offices. Products include a wide variety of coffees from regular joe to cappuccino and espresso as well as teas, iced teas and coffees and the creamers and sweeteners that go with them.
Newton said he goes directly to the sources in other countries for his coffee and tea blends.
He can be reached at 246-7480.
---
Nature's Express, 2905 S. 4th Ave., has started a breakfast menu and is now featuring breakfast burritos and a breakfast sandwich. For the breakfast crowd, the restaurant is now open at 6 a.m. weekdays - on weekends, go through the drive through at that early hour.
And the restaurant, which opened its doors in Yuma in January 2008, continues its expansion to other communities. in late January, owners Dr. Carl and Jean Myers opened up their latest Nature's Express in Berkeley, Calif., bringing their health-food alternative to fast food to the college crowd there.
The Myerses also have a restaurant in Rancho Mirage and an agreement to wholesale healthier grab-and-go sandwiches through Clark's Nutrition and Natural Foods in Southern California.
---
Bad news for the patrons of the Dairy Queen at 801 W. 8th St. The store has gone out of business, according to another Dairy Queen in the city.
---
Hair Dimensions Family Haircuts, in Mission Valley Plaza at 24th Street and Avenue C, just celebrated its second anniversary, quite an achievement in these difficult times, observed owner Rebeca Melgoza.
---
The Clarion Suites hotel of Yuma recently received a prestigious 2010 Gold Hospitality award from Choice Hotels International Inc., franchisor of the Clarion brand.
The Clarion Suites hotel is among the top 10 percent of properties within the Clarion brand, and one of only nine hotels in Arizona and one out of eight hotels within the 290-strong Clarion brand to receive “Gold Award” status.
The award is based on guest service and satisfaction and evaluation by Choice Hotels.
In other news, Yuma's Clarion Suites recently was purchased by Chun and Gloria Yim of Encinitas, Calif.
---
In news about a former Yuma business, Imperial Home Galleries in El Centro closed its doors in late January, reported the Imperial Valley Press.
Phil Heald, president of parent company Imperial Hardware Co., was quoted as saying that the company was closing the furniture store to focus on its hardware business.
Imperial Hardware Co. had a presence in the Yuma area for 77 years going back to 1926, with four stores at one time. In its final years here, it had a furniture store at 1701 S. 4th Ave. The store closed in 2003.
---
Report Comings and Goings to jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853.
