Underground Silver City D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
November 2009
Bigger and Better
New things are perking at a.i.r Coffee Company in Bayard. As if the alluring scent of the company's in-house roasted fine coffees isn't enough to draw customers in the door, owner Louis Baum has added a number of other incentives at his little corner of the world that already is fast becoming a happening local gathering place with its wi-fi and live music. Football fans now can catch Sunday and Monday Night Football at the caf, starting at 6 p.m. Have an espresso drink and you'll have no problem staying awake for the game, even if it goes into overtime! And Baum's new "Tell A Friend" is a program designed to introduce newbies to a.i.r.'s fine brews and tasty treats, rewarding already-addicted customers who pass the word. The "Friend" gets 50% off his or her drink by mentioning who sent them. And the "Teller's" name goes into a drawing for a gift certificate at the end of the month. Baum says he's got more up his sleeve, too. Coming soon: a Friday night movie, showing some classic flicks with the likes of Spencer Tracy, Audrey Hepburn, Bogie and more. 208 Central Ave., Bayard, 537-3967
Bank '34 is expanding its service in Las Cruces with a new building planned at 200 N. Telshor Blvd. The company, previously known as Alamogordo Federal Savings & Loan, changed its name when it decided to grow beyond Alamogordo, opening its first Las Cruces branch last year at 1115 Commerce Dr. The name comes from the fact that the business was started in 1934. The new branch will be full service, with a drive-through banking lane, and will eventually replace the smaller Commerce Drive branch. A spokesperson for the company did not have an estimated date of completion for the new construction or when the change-over is slated to occur. www.bank34online.com
New in Town
Got his eye on YOU, kiddo! Arthur Quintana has registered as a professional to provide services for JPPO, performing surveillance of juveniles for the state of New Mexico. (Wish he'd had an eye on the alleged youths who spray-painted obscenities all over adobe walls and garage doors in the Yucca Heights neighborhood last month!
Dig this! Evatt Contracting is the Arenas Valley-based new business owned by Phil Evatt, providing excavating services in and around the area. 538-1502.
Moses Clarke and John Bigler are getting the word out. The duo have registered Gila Community News, an online newspaper serving southwestern New Mexico. 956-7094.
Can you hear me now? No? Call Ashley Torpid. She has opened The Hearing Company, a Silver City-based business providing hearing aid dispensing and services. 1120 Hwy. 180 E. 523-9838.
Get yer motor runnin'! Motorheads Garage has opened at 9 Ridge Road in Silver City, providing auto repair. Frederick Guljas is the owner. 538-1517.
Leslie A. Holman has opened Essential Massage, providing — what else? — therapeutic massage services. 857-3 Silver Heights Blvd. 313-9266.
Now Open
Your room is ready and waiting at the Hilton Garden Inn, 2550 Don Roser Drive in the Telshor Crossing development near Don Roser Drive and University Avenue. The 114-room hotel, with a restaurant and liquor license, opened in mid-October. Garden Inns represent the mid-priced brand of the Hilton company, and offer high-speed Internet in all rooms and a 24-hour business center to serve its clients traveling for business. 522-0900, hiltongardeninn.hilton.com
On the Move
Sierra Community Counseling Center is on the move again. (See Desert Exposure, October 2007.) Teresa Danlin, who co-owns the business with her husband Michael Danlin, has completed the paperwork to move the business to 310 W. 6th St. in Silver City. The center offers art and experiential therapies to individuals and families. Michael holds bachelor's degrees in psychology and criminal justice and a master's in counseling. Theresa holds a bachelor's degree from the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as a master's in arts-therapy program development and another in counseling. 313-0251.
Laine Burnworth, owner of Mesilla Valley Bookkeeping, Inc., reports that the company has moved to a new location at 1100 S. Main St. in the Pueblo Plaza. The company now resides in Suite 113, former home of the Real Estate Press. Year-end fast approaches, so if you're looking for bookkeeping services, contact Burnworth at 526-7155.
Kudos!
Congrats to the Silver City-based Southwest Women's Fiber Arts Collective (SWFAC). The 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, with a mission of stimulating and supporting successful cottage industry for fiber artists, received a check from the Wal-Mart Foundation in support of the group's educational programming within Grant County.
SWFAC organization operates The Common Thread, a gallery of handmade fiber art products — such as purses, garments and decorative pieces — created by its members. The downtown storefront provides a professional venue for the artists and artisans to sell their work. The group boasts nearly 100 members on its Web site. SWFAC teaches fiber arts to underserved youth, has an ongoing knitting program for adults with developmental disabilities, and offers a variety of fiber arts classes to area residents at modest costs. The new funding will allow the organization to provide additional classes and to draw in additional Grant County residents who may benefit from their services and resources. SWFAC executive director Rebecca La Fleur said, "We partner with other organizations to serve a broader audience, to avoid duplication of effort and services and simply to accomplish more. Especially in these tough economic times, this support from Wal-Mart will enable us to broaden our reach and better serve our local communities." For additional information, stop by The Common Thread, 107 W. Broadway, or call 538-5733. www.fiberartscollective.org
Silver City-based Ambank recently was awarded a VIVA Award by the Association of Commerce and Industry at an awards banquet in Albuquerque. VIVA is an acronym for Vision, Investment, Vitality and Action. AmBank is a full-service, locally owned and managed independent bank chartered in May 1997. It has grown to over $88 million in assets. The company's main office is located in Silver City, and it operates branches in Bayard and Hurley. 1609 N. Swan St., 534-0550, and 411 Silver Heights Blvd, Silver City, 388-1681; 512 Carasco Ave., Hurley, 537-2111; 102 Hurley, Bayard, 537-2481.