Tuesday Morning planned for Big Curve

Ask and you shall receive, all you readers who have requested a Tuesday Morning in the annual Wish List.
 
Irene Crites, property manager for the Big Curve Shopping Center, called to say a Tuesday Morning store will be moving in where Dollar General was located (next to Michael's).
 
Renovations are now under way, and the space is expected to be ready for move-in by May 1.
 
Tuesday Morning is "more than just a day of the week." The retailer sells name-brand closeouts of "a little of everything," such as bedding, cookware, housewares, home decor, toys, pet supplies, gourmet foods, clothing and lawn and garden accents.
 
As the company's Web site says, "Tuesday Morning - the world's best treasure hunt."

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Owners of a Mexican restaurant in Somerton for three years have expanded to a second restaurant in Yuma. Alex Morales and wife Hortencia Rosalez have opened Mariscos Mar Azul at 1314 S. 4th Ave., Suite 5 (near Gonzo's) in a location that previously housed Roberto's Restaurant and before that a Chinese restaurant.
 
Mariscos Mar Azul specializes in Mexican seafood, either dine-in or orders to go.
 
It is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays.
 
For more information and to order ahead, call 329-6606.
 
Morales and Rosalez also have a restaurant by the same name in Somerton at 109 E. Cactus St. 
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Patrick Parker has started a new business to pick up recyclable materials.
 
For a small charge, he will come by residences and businesses twice a month to pick up recyclable materials, including paper, cardboard, all metals and No. 1 plastics such as soda and water bottles.
 
A former Sierra Vista resident, Parker said he kept hearing complaints here about the lack of a pickup recycling service and decided to fill the void. "Everyone wants to help ... they want to do the right thing for the environment."
 
Green Recycling Service initially is operating within the city of Yuma to see how the business is received, Parker said. He is now writing contracts for the service and setting up routes. For more information, call 271-2729.

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It's time to go, decided Rhea Carlisle, owner of Prickly Pear, 324 S. Main St. After 16 years in the business, she is selling off the inventory, has placed the building (or business if someone is interested) on the market and is making plans to retire.
 
"My husband retired and he decided it would be nice if I did, too." Besides, she added, it's been a struggle in recent years to keep the doors open.
 
For now, she's offering 30 percent off all merchandise except the coffees and teas. Prickly Pear is divided into two sections. One is a gourmet, tabletop side. The other carries decorative items, home accessories, jewelry and other gift items. For more information, call 343-0390.
 
The 5,500-square-foot building is listed with Jon Matheus of A.T. Pancrazi Real Estate Services, 782-0000. In addition to the two spaces for Prickly Pear, the building has offices in the back and a partial second story that could be put to a variety of uses.

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Plans have been received for the Yuma Community Pool Complex to be built at Cibola High School as a joint school-city project, said Alan Kircher, city of Yuma assistant building official.
 
In other activity, he reported:
 
-The Allstate Express Claims Center building is completed. It's off Giss Parkway north of Las Palmillas. The center is slated to open in June.
 
-Permits have been issued for the Christ Lutheran Church family life center, a 16,731-square-foot building.
 
-Plans have been received for tenant improvements to the former Rite Aid building at 600 W. Catalina Drive. The property was purchased by Salvation Army to move the thrift store and administrative offices there and sell the current property at 1701 S. Arizona Ave.

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After years of doing photography as a hobby, stay-at-home mom Aimy Smith has decided to apply her interest and skill to others. She recently started PBandJ Photo, specializing in candid and portrait child photography. But she's also available for other photography projects, such as capturing those party pictures for busy hostesses.
 
"The cake, the games, the presents ... you are busy entertaining and making sure your party is a success," she e-mailed. "You manage to pop off a few photos in the middle of the chaos, but at the end of the day, the event is a blurry memory. PBandJ Photo can capture the memories while you have the fun."
 
She offers two party pricing packages. Mention Comings and Goings and receive one free 8-by-10-inch photo of the guest of honor.
 
Smith can be reached at 246-2855 or visit www.pbandjphoto.com.

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WOW Electronics has become a licensed electrical contractor. In addition to low-voltage wiring and installation, WOW now is able to provide lighting and lighting controls as well as motorized window shades and coverings for both residential and commercial projects from Lutron and Crestron.
 
Also, plans are still in process for WOW's new design center to be located at 1881 S. 4th Ave. Until its completion, you can find WOW Electronics at 1965 S. 4th Ave. For more information, call 782-1400.

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The Flower Mine, 2855 S. 8th Ave., is now owned by Mike Esquivel, who previously managed the floral shop for Loma Clark.
 
Esquivel has been in the flower business for 21 years, having started as a delivery man in 1987 and working his way up to owning a shop in Los Angeles. With the economic downturn in California, he sold out and he and wife moved to Yuma, where she had a job.
 
Esquivel thought he was done with the flower business, but it wasn't to be. He was hired as a floral designer for A Bloom'n Florist, then in 1999 took the management position at The Flower Mine. With Loma's retirement, Esquivel took over ownership.
 
It's business as usual, except he has extended the shop's hours to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. The shop can be reached at 344-0100.

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Sandra Rogalski, owner of Contours Express, is having to give up the business for health reasons. But she's hoping someone will buy it and keep the fitness center going for the sake of its customers.
 
Contours is located at 11274 S. Fortuna Road at the Pioneer Shopping Center in the Foothills. The center offers a customized, strength-training circuit workout - whether customers are looking to tone, lose inches or simply live healthier, stronger lives.
 
Rogalski has placed Contours on the market to sell the business at a bargain price of $35,000, or she will sell the equipment to be moved. For more information, she can be reached at 345-0101 or e-mail sandrarogalski@ yahoo.com.
 
Mike Mendenhall of Commercial Brokers, 344-8300 or 581-3649, has the listing.

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A caller wondered what happened to the Papa John's Pizza at 1150 W. 8th St. Owner Dale Hiles said the lease was up on the property and he decided to move the business to a more central location. So he closed the 8th Street restaurant and is now open at 2816 S. 4th Ave. To order ahead, call 726-5400.
 
That's close to another of Hiles' businesses, Long John Silver's at 2970 S. 4th Ave., where he just completed a major remodel and invites people to come and enjoy the new look.

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Closure of the 8th Street Papa John's became an opportunity for Doug Woodall, who purchased the pizza-making equipment for the pizza parlor he and his wife are in the process of opening at the Coyote Wash shopping center.
 
Woodall said he doesn't have an opening date yet for Desert Dugs Pizza, but is hoping for early summer.
 
Woodall said he had 18 years experience in the pizza business before going on to other endeavors. Lured to the desert after retirement, opportunity to get back into the pizza business called between the lure of Coyote Wash and the availability of Papa John's equipment. So Woodall has unpacked his recipes and is getting ready to set up shop.

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Join the Yuma County Free Library District and Somerton's mayor and council at the groundbreaking ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Monday for the expansion of the Somerton Branch Library, 240 Canal St. The expansion will take the library to approximately 12,500 square feet. Target completion is late 2008.
 
For more information, visit the library's Web site at www.yumalibrary.org or call 782-1871.


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