Comings and Goings: Nissan adds shopping aid
A state-of-the-art customer-driven automotive shopping process is making its debut in western Arizona at Sonora Nissan in Yuma this week.
The system, "I'm a Looker," provides car shoppers with a personal assistant in the form of a PDA programmed to give them a complete vehicle demonstration as they move from vehicle to vehicle at the dealership.
This allows customers to access all the information that might available online while getting to touch and look over the vehicle, enabling them to shop at their own pace without being bothered by a salesperson.
"I'm a Looker" will debut this week at Sonora Nissan, 2000 E. 32nd St.
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A new veterinarian has joined the staff of Chaparral Veterinary Clinic, 1963 S. Arizona Ave., enabling the clinic to extend its hours six days a week, accept new clients and offer emergency services.
The new veterinarian is Dr. Kira MacKinnon, who received her doctor of veterinary medicine in 2006 from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts, West Indies. She initially worked at Desert Veterinary Clinic, then left Yuma for a while.
She is now back in Yuma and and has joined the staff at Chaparral. MacKinnon is experienced in small animal medicine, surgery and emergency care. She can be reached at 782-9219.
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The January issue of Yuma Business Direct is now available online at businessinyuma.com. The cover story features Dr. Carl Myers, owner of Nature's Express. An oncologist, he and his wife, Jean, saw a need for healthier fast food and so started the restaurant in January 2008. They have since expanded to locations in California, and Myers has closed his practice to devote full-time to the business, where he says he still feels like he's serving people as a physician by offering healthier food choices.
YBD's January issue also features Yuma Private Industry Council, honored as the latest Yuma County Chamber Member of the Month for its efforts to help the unemployed.
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A crew was busily at work late last week at the old Del Taco at the corner of 4th Avenue and 20th Street.
According to Alan Kircher, deputy city building official, the tenant improvements are for a company called Select Management Services, which plans to open an office in the former indoor dining area of the former fast-food restaurant. Kircher said the sign permit was issued for Loan Max.
No further information was available last week about the business.
The building has been vacant since Del Taco closed the restaurant at the end of 2008.
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Kircher also reported that a grading permit has been issued for La Posada Apartments, an 80-unit family housing complex to be developed just east of the Yuma Main Library at 30th Street and 21st Drive.
Workers have begun the site preparation work.
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In other city building activity, Kircher reported:
• An interior demolition permit has been issued for the former JB's Restaurant, 2198 S. 4th Ave. The demolition is the first phase of renovation to the building for Coco's, which has taken over the lease for the building and plans to open a restaurant there this spring.
• A permit has been issue to begin work inside JCPenney to create a Sephora Shop inside the store. Sephora offers high-end cosmetics and skin and hair care products. The shop will be located near the jewelry and watches section of JCPenney.
• Building permits have been issued for a shell retail and office building at the Big Curve Shopping Center that reportedly will also include a rebuilt Asian Star restaurant.
• Plans are still under review for Big Swirl, a self-serve frozen yogurt shop to be located at Yuma Palms Regional Center near Starbucks.
• Permits have been issued for tenant improvements plans at ProMed for a new medical office for Dr. John Gietzen's practice, Patients 1st. Gietzen and physician's assistant Wade McBride currently are occupying a temporary office at ProMed.
• Permits also have been issued for improvements at Yuma Diagnostic Imaging Center to make room for new CAT scan equipment.
• Construction of the Chevron convenience store at 32nd Street and Avenue B is nearing completion. The project is doubling the size of the store to 3,000 square feet. The store is expected to reopen in early February. The pumps remain open during the project.
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There's a new pet store in the Foothills, Paws and Tails, located at the Pioneer Shopping Center in Space B1 next to the Tiki Hut frozen yogurt shop.
Paws and Tails carries pet accessories and food for birds, dogs and cats and is open seven days a week. It can be reached at 345-2200.
The shop is owned by Mike and Lora Worley. It's a second location for the pet store business they've had for three years at Arizona Market Place.
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Just in case someone hasn't heard: El Pollo Loco, 2401 S. 4th Ave., closed its doors last week because of slow business, putting 20 employees out of work.
El Pollo Loco ("The Crazy Chicken") had opened for business in the spring of 2007 in a building purchased from Popeyes Chicken.
The 2,907-square-foot building will be available for sale or lease. For more information, call A.T. Pancrazi Real Estate at 782-0000.
This is the second time Yuma has lost El Pollo Loco. The first restaurant opened in 1991 at 2905 W. 4th Ave. and closed in 1994. That building now is home to Nature's Express.
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The board of directors of The Foothills Bank has announced the 2009 annual dividend of 35 cents per common share was payable Jan. 15 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 31, 2009.
The bank ended 2009 with $204 million in total assets, $171 million in loans and $165 million in deposits.
The Foothills Bank, founded in 1997, is a state-chartered commercial bank with four branches in the greater Yuma area.
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Report Comings and Goings to jlobeck@yumasun.com or call Joyce Lobeck at 539-6853.
