Checking in on Yuma's business wish list

With Santa taking a well-deserved vacation, Comings and Goings is responding to some of his correspondence. Here is a follow-up on some of the most requested stores and restaurants in Yuma's Wish List:

• Trader Joe's — “At this time, Yuma is not in our two-year plan of opening a location. Thank you for your interest in Trader Joe's and I hope you have a wonderful week,” responded Alison Mochizuki, director of public relations for the retailer so many desperately want to come to Yuma.

• Costco — Rumors surface from time to time of Costco activity here. However, Yuma is not on a list posted on the company's website of new stores Costco is planning to open through early 2013 across the United States and in Canada, Japan and the U.K. The company policy is to not comment on possible future store locations, a spokeswoman said.

• Whole Foods — A call and email to the company weren't responded to by press time.

• Sweet Tomatoes — “At this time we do not have plans to expand into Yuma in 2012 or 2013. We will be looking at 2014 and 2015 potential sites this year and I will let our director of real estate know about the Yuma community,” responded Tracy Marks, spokeswoman for Garden Fresh Corp.

• Hobby Lobby — A call and email to the company weren't responded to by press time.

• Chipotle — Construction is well under way on the multitenant building near Red Lobster where Chipotle will be a tenant.

• A bigger water park — There's one now under construction at Z Fun Factory and is slated to open by June in time for the hot summer.

• Chick-fil-A — All I can say is that the plans for this much anticipated eatery seem to be in a holding pattern. The company has purchased land for the restaurant next to Five Guys Burgers, and the city has completed its plan review process. The developer has until March to take out the building permits, but an extension likely would be approved, said Alan Kircher, city of Yuma deputy building official.

Ken Rosevear, Yuma County Chamber of Commerce executive director, offered a word of caution about wishing for new chain retailers and suggested instead that people support existing businesses that provide the goods and services we have available in this community.

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Beginning Tuesday, a new business in town, Yuma Sanitized Washout, will offer the cleaning and sanitizing of semi-trailers used to haul produce and other food. It uses hot water and double disinfectant to ensure that the trucks are free of bacteria that could cause foodborne illnesses, explained Tom Fanoe, co-owner of Sturdy Oil Company that is offering the service in Yuma and Salinas, Calif., for truckers who haul for the produce industry.

It's especially important as the trailers may not otherwise be regularly cleaned or may have just hauled a load of chicken or other meat, Fanoe said.

Yuma Sanitized Washout is located at 3474 E. 32nd St. and can be reached at 726-0373. The sanitizing wash takes about 10 minutes.

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Apostle, a Christian clothing and accessories store, is now open for business in the Yuma Mesa Shopping Center, 333 W. 16th St. Owners are Jesse Demara and Octavio Godoy.

The store offers “cool” Christian fashion wear for teens and young adults as well as jewelry and accessories. It also will stock Christian music.

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and can be reached at 782-3122.

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E&V Sport Shop, 1613 S. 4th Ave., Suite B, in the Yuma Mesa Shopping Center, has a variety of sports-related apparel, sport souvenirs and leather accessories . It's owned by Airam and Hector Hernandez. The initials in the store name are for the couple's boys.

The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and can be reached at 261-1336.

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Nohemi Munguia, who does facial threading, is opening Nohemi's Threading Studio on Monday at 281 W. 24th St., Suite 142, in Century Plaza (behind Sombreros). The studio can be reached at 344-1087.

Threading is a centuries-old hair removal technique that has been commonly practiced in East Asia and the Middle East, according to the Internet. By using a piece of thread, hair can be removed swiftly yet meticulously from the most delicate areas of the face as an alternative to waxing or tweezing, especially for sensitive skin.

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Law enforcement officer Adam Freedman and businessman Dan McCloud have started a gym called Emancipation CrossFit at Club Yuma, 3131 S. Winsor Ave., where they have rented racquetball court No. 4. The partners are affiliated with CrossFit and hold level 1 certificates as trainers.

The gym offers fitness training in small classes for individual attention for all ages from 12 to seniors, combining gymnastics movements, weightlifting and running. The training is particularly effective for those in public safety and the military as well as clients who are pursuing a specific goal in a sport.

Classes are offered at 5:30 a.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For more information, Freedman can be reached at 580-0063 and McCloud at 941-1084.

Joyce Lobeck can be reached at jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/jlobeck or on Twitter at @YSJoyceLobeck.

Comings
and Goings

Joyce Lobeck