Gift Shop: Olive The Best Oils and Vinegars 61 Shopping winners list

Gifts

From Page 57

and order more.”

McPeak is quick to point out Olive the Best has several hundred Google reviews, and each one has no less than five stars. Any problem with a shipment gets quickly resolved, often with extra product.

“I just kill them with kindness and everyone’s happy,” McPeak said. “We try to give really good customer service and make it an experience.”

The same model of operation exists at the Birch Avenue shop where the McPeaks, except for an occasional day off, meet and greet every customer. Customers have fun as they sample plant-based, no-preservative olive oil from all over the world, balsamic vinegar from Italy and flavored balsamic. The shop also offers flavored salts, maple syrup and related tableware made by local artisans.

When sales dived the pandemic, the McPeaks decided they could either be bummed or find a way to morph. They decided to deliver gifts and products for free to locals.

“So you could go on our website, order a gift for a friend, and we’d take it to the destination for free,” McPeak said. “No one else ships free. People nowadays use Amazon because it’s easy, but they’d rather support a local small business. So you just have to find an avenue to make that happen. That’s probably what really helps us.”

That, and the fact that Scotty McPeak knows no strangers. When his wife, Laura, became pregnant after 16 years of marriage, Scotty described the customer reaction when baby Hailey Mae was born three months ago.

“Some of our biggest business was when my wife had the baby,” McPeak said. “We were told to never have children because she has cystic fibrosis disease and we adopted two girls who are now 6 and 9. We had so many gifts sent to the store from customers I’ve never met.”

And that’s the way the McPeaks like to do business. Give people a good product, go above and beyond expectations, and create a fun family atmosphere.

“When you come into the store, it’s a fun experience. We joke. We ship stuff,” he said. “I can’t believe I get paid to do this.”

The Best: Gift Shop

1. Olive the Best Oils & Vinegars of Flagstaff 2. Flagstaff General Store 3. Crystal Magic

“No one else ships free (locally). People nowadays use Amazon because it’s easy, but they’d rather support a local small business. So you just have to find an avenue to make that happen. That’s probably what really helps us.”

-Scotty McPeak, co-owner of Olive the Best Oils & Vinegars of Flagstaff

PHOTOS COURTESY OF OLIVE THE BEST OILS & VINEGARS OF FLAGSTAF

The Best: Art Gallery

1. Art Loft Collective 2. Museum of Northern Arizona 3. Arizona Handmade Gallery/Fire on the Mountain

Art

From Page 50

time,” she said. “I was very honest with people, like ‘Hey everyone I am out of work.’”

Matelski offered everything at a discount and very quickly sold out of every available piece.

“And I thought, ‘Well shoot, if I can do this now, what is stopping me from doing this forever?’”

Matelski’s main medium is pyrography, burning delicate southwestern botanical scapes onto pieces of wood of varying sizes. A recent collaboration with Canyon Coolers, as well as an upcoming one with Absolute Bikes are just a handful

RACHEL GIBBONS, ARIZONA DAILY SUN Ellen Bennett views art pieces on display at the grand opening of the Art Loft above FLG Terroir. The new gallery features local artists of many different styles and mediums.

of the projects Matelski, who also won Your Favorite Fine Art Artist, has embarked upon since making art her primary breadwinner. Her goal is to help facilitate the same for her fellow artists and Art Loft has aided in her own career, but more importantly that of her colleagues – no matter the medium or an artist’s experience level.

Opening to the public in July, Art Loft has functioned in part as an incubator for others to pursue their dreams, with new resident artists nearly every months, free Saturday classes for kids, adult study hall for those hoping to start or grow their small business, workshops off all kinds and First Friday Art Walks that see the space full to the brim every time. In short, the space is thriving.

“My mission, my goal is to have a hub for our town to make art more accessible and to have community support in following your artistic dreams,” Matelski said.

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SHOPPING WINNERS

ANTIQUES

1. Fourth Street Vintage 2. Maude’s Antique Mall 3. Barn Bros.

ART GALLERY

1. Art Loft Collective 2. Museum of Northern Arizona 3. Arizona Handmade Gallery/Fire on the

Mountain

AUTO DEALER

1. Findlay Toyota 2. Flagstaff Nissan Subaru 3. Findlay Honda

AUTO PARTS

1. NAPA Auto Parts 2. O’Reilly Auto Parts 3. AutoZone

BIKE SHOP

1. Absolute Bikes 2. Flag Bike Revolution 3. Cosmic Cycles

BOOKSTORE

1. Bookman’s 2. Bright Side Bookshop 3. Barnes & Noble

BUTCHER

1. Proper Meats + Provisions 2. Randall’s Fine Meats 3. Casey’s Processing

CANNABIS DISPENSARY

1. Noble Herb (formerly Greenhouse of

Flagstaff) 2. High Mountain Health 3. GreenPharms Dispensary

CLOTHING BOUTIQUE

1. Shoes & Such 2. Rainbow’s End 3. Sage Brush Trading Co.

CONVENIENCE STORE

1. Butler Mobil 2. Majestic Marketplace 3. Maverik

CRAFT, HOBBY, FABRIC & SEW STORE

1. Wee Scotty 2. Odegaard’s Sewing Center 3. JOANN Fabric and Crafts

DEPARTMENT STORE

1. Dillard’s 2. Target 3. REI

FLORIST

1. Sutcliffe Floral 2. Dirty Boot Farms 3. Flagstaff Floral Arts

FRAMING SHOP

1. Michael’s 2. Hidden Light LLC/The Framing

Department 3. Aficionado Framing

FURNITURE STORE

1. Furniture Barn 2. The Lite Company 3. Designs West Home Furnishings

GIFT SHOP

1. Olive the Best Oils of Flagstaff 2. Flagstaff General Store 3. Crystal Magic

HOME DÉCOR

1. Flagstaff General Store 2. Cost Plus World Market 3. The Lite Company

HOME IMPROVEMENT SUPPLIERS

1. HomCo Lumber & Hardware 2. Home Depot 3. Heath’s Paint Center

HUNTING OUTFITTER

1. Bull Basin Archery 2. Sportsman’s Warehouse 3. C-A-L Ranch

JEWELRY STORE

1. Frederick Fisher Jewelers 2. Jeff Karl Jewelers 3. Gold Wolff Jewelers

MUSIC STORE

1. Arizona Music Pro 2. Bookman’s 3. Flagstaff School of Music

NON-PROFIT THRIFT STORE

1. Cedar Closet Thrift (Assistance League of

Flagstaff) 2. Habitat for Humanity of Northern

Arizona’s Flagstaff ReStore 3. Sharon’s Attic

OUTDOOR/SPORTING GOODS

1. Peace Surplus 2. Babbitt’s Backcountry Outfitters 3. REI

PHARMACY

1. Walgreens 2. Safeway 3. Mortar and Pestle Compounding

Pharmacy

PLANT NURSERY

1. Plantae 2. Warner’s Nursery and Landscaping 3. Viola’s Flower Garden

RETAIL BEER SELECTION

1. Majestic Marketplace 2. Beaver Street Liquor 3. Mother Road Brewing Company

RETAIL LIQUOR SELECTION

1. Majestic Marketplace 2. Beaver Street Liquor 3. Grand Canyon Spirits

RETAIL WINE SELECTION

1. Majestic Marketplace 2. FLG Terroir Wine Bar & Bistro 3. Vino Loco Wine & Bottle Shop

SHOE STORE

1. Run Flagstaff 2. Shoes & Such 3. REI

TIRES

1. Discount Tire 2. Big O 3. Anderson General Tire

WINDOW TREATMENTS

1. Flagstaff Custom Window Coverings 2. Budget Blinds 3. Heath’s Paint Center and Blinds

Pickin’ in the Pines

YOUR FAVORITES