Best of Flagstaff Winners edition 2020 by Arizona Daily Sun

Winners E dition

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BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

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CONTENTS 9 DINING & DRINKS 10 Fine Dining: Josephine’s Modern American Bistro 12 New Restaurant: Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery 14 Pizza: Fratelli Pizza 16 Brewery: Mother Road Brewing Company

19 Thai: Pato Thai Cuisine 20 Burger: Mama Burger 24 Dining & Drinks winners list

25 SERVICES 26 Plumbing: Assurance Plumbing and Heating 29 Home Builders/General Contractors: Capstone Homes 30 Home, Kitchen, Bath Remodelers: Kitchen Tune-Up of Flagstaff 33 Yoga Studio: The Yoga Experience 34 Brake Service & Oil Change: University Auto Repair

37 Fitness/Gym Club: Flagstaff Athletic Center 40 Services winners list

41 SHOPPING 42 Floor Covering Retailers: Cunningham Flooring Direct 44 Medical Dispensary: Greenhouse of Flagstaff 46 Clothing Boutique: Shoes and Such 48 Nursery Plants: Warner’s Nursery and Landscaping 52 Shopping winners list

53 YOUR FAVORITES 54 Public Agency: Flagstaff Public Library 56 Place to Take Kids & Local Attraction: Bearizona Wildlife Park 59 Favorites winners list

Note: Some of the photos in this publication were taken before the COVID-19 pandemic and before masking and social distancing measures tightened.

Publisher/ Advertising Director Colleen Brady

BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Editor MacKenzie Chase

Sales Manager Zachary Meier

Sales Contributors Lydia Smith

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BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

EDITOR’S NOTE

TO BEST OF FLAG 2020 ‌A

s another year comes to a close, another Best of Flagstaff is in the books. Congratulations to all the winners! A big thank you, as always, to Flagstaff businesses and residents for their votes in the annual listing. Your voice has been heard, and this year’s winners in more than 150 categories reflect the togetherness of the community. When COVID-19 cases began rising in northern Arizona this past spring and businesses shut their doors while they made plans to implement safety measures, something beautiful happened. I remember neighbors offering to pick up take-out and grocery orders for each other. People

voting to “Shop local” with their dollars. Kind words exchanged on signs and in Facebook groups to essential workers keeping the city going while others transitioned to working from home. Best of Flag has always been a place for the community to show their appreciation for all the hard work of local businesses. Of course, this year is a bit different with several longtime favorites that typically appear in these pages— like Mamma Luisa for best Italian and Horsemen Lodge for best steakhouse— no longer in business. The crawl of tourism hasn’t been kind to these businesses that rely on Flagstaff’s often bustling summer and fall months. With Best of Flag results in for 2020, let this be a guide that gently directs you toward some new local businesses to fulfill all your needs. Your friends and neighbors have voted for their favorites

in popular categories like best breakfast burrito or Thai food—difficult distinctions to make with so many quality restaurants gracing Flagstaff—as well as more exclusive ones like best martial arts training or travel agency. When Google results become overwhelming, you can feel confident that fellow Flagstaffians know what you might like best. As we approach the holiday season, we all must continue to vote to “Shop local” again. Keep as much of your money in the community when shopping for yourself and loved ones rather than giant companies like Amazon. It’s the least we can do to ensure the character of Flagstaff survives beyond the pandemic.

MacKenzie Chase

Flagstaff, Thank you for this year’s wins!

• Best Brunch • Best Lunch • Best Waitstaff Brandy’s Restaurant & Brandy’s Cafe Bakery 18 S. Beaver St. 1500 E. Cedar Ave. 7am - 3pm brandysrestaurant.com

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BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

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T H A N K Y O U F L A G S TA F F

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BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

DINING & DRINKS PHOTO COURTESY FIRECREEK COFFEE COMPANY BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

PHOTOS BY TONY MARINELLA‌

Josephine’s Modern American Bistro boasts a cozy patio for outdoor dining.

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osephine’s Modern American Bistro sits on the hill in a Craftsman bungalow just above downtown. It is an icon as far as the building’s historic stature—built in 1911 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places—as is the restaurant, which has striven to offer classy, classic fare since 2002. Such diligence and happy patronage has earned Josephine’s the Best Fine Dining award. Owners Tony Cosentino and wife Marlene, who manages the operations, shared, “We are honored and proud for the award. What makes us stand out is that we are owner-run; it is not just about business for us. We are and have been a part of the community for decades. We love Flagstaff and want to put our contribution into making it a special place.” As the bistro is chef-owned, the menu of comfort foods with 10 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Classics with

flair Josephine’s Modern American Bistro 503 N. Humphreys St. By Gail G. Collins

a fancy twist is forefront. Cosentino is notable in his own right, gathering experience as Executive Chef at Forest Highlands and L’Auberge Restaurant in Sedona before founding Josephine’s. Still, Cosentino, a Chef of the Year recipient, gives enormous credit to his chefs, Manny Ramirez and Ivan Fuentes, who total 15 years’ com-

bined experience at Josephine’s. Remaining teachable and humble are their team strengths. “Often you meet chefs, or for that manner, people in many professions, who think they know all there is to know. We are not afraid to step back and learn something new,” Cosentino said. “That gives us the ability to continue to im-

prove.” Improving on gold standards keeps their menu lively and engaging—the kitchen has offered a fried green tomato dish each summer for years. This past season, the chefs varied the prep to create pepita cornmeal fried green tomatoes with grilled panela cheese, pepita pesto and pickled red onions. “This is a good example of how we keep things fresh,” Cosentino said. “We aren’t afraid to take an old restaurant standard item and change it up to improve on it.” Southwestern influences are natural, too, and expected by tourists and locals alike. A headline choice is the osso buco, a traditional Italian dish of braised pork shanks. The bistro puts a twist on the herbs and spices to showcase an achiote demi-glace served with sweet, green chili polenta for regional flair and a side of sautéed baby vegetables. A Lapis Luna Zinfandel is suggested for pairing.

The Best Fine Dining 1. Josephine’s Modern American Bistro 2. Brix Restaurant & Wine Bar 3. 1899 Bar & Grill Joesphine’s makes comfort food, elevated. Alongside popular menu items, seasonal showstoppers arrive with the harvest produce. Menus regularly reflect updates on favorite dishes or innovative new ideas, sometimes found on a trip to Mexico or a cruise in French Polynesia. Overall, Josephine’s menu is comfort-food driven. Many people have mouth-watering memories of meals that tug at the heartstrings, especially in the winter months. Perhaps that is why entrees like Diablo Shrimp Macaroni and Cheese with its seashell pasta in smoked Gouda sauce, topped with sun-dried to-

matoes and pickled red onions and wild Mexican shrimp, retains firm footing with diners. Cosentino recommends sipping a St. Francis Chardonnay alongside this one. The menu gently guides diners to perfect pairings with the bistro’s creative cuisine, but an extensive wine list broadens the choices. It has been featured on the Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence for years running. The casual and comfortable bistro is open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Two fireplaces chase away the chill of wintery weather and add roman-

tic ambiance. On warm days, the landscaped patio beckons. That garden space is set for expansion with new decking, pavers and more umbrellas to make the most of our elevated summers. “Food and service are crucial in the fine dining experience, but the whole package includes the atmosphere, and our patio rocks it,” Cosentino said. As others in the industry coped, Josephine’s also met the pandemic challenges with safety protocols and procedures, and the patio afforded pleasant, outdoor seating options.

Josephine’s owners Marlene and Tony Cosentino. Like the heritage home on the hill, Josephine’s Modern American Bistro appreciates the classics, but focuses excitedly forward. “Whether it is in the kitchen or the front of the house,” Cosentino said, “we keep on top of our game to provide the full experience for our guests. It truly is the people working on our team who make the difference.”

BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

PHOTOS BY JO WILLIAMS‌

The seasonal Pumpkin Springs Porter is brewed with the essence of pumpkin pie and named after the Pumpkin Springs Pool at the Grand Canyon. Grand Canyon Brewing Chef Shawn Burns creates exciting food specials almost every week, like the Beast Burger.

Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery | 1800 S. Milton Rd. | By Gail G. Collins

A GRAND CANYON state of mind ‌ hen John Peasley returned W to Arizona following a four-year stint in Hawaii where he was stationed with the military, he chose to settle in Williams, his former vacation spot. In 2007, Peasley opened Grand Canyon Brewing Company in the historic downtown, behind Cruiser’s Café. With a decade of success brewing in his 15-barrel copper tanks, he moved the production a few doors down to expand. There, Peasley created a complex, housing a production facility, company offices, vacation rental property, cold storage warehouse and a distinct building for barrel aging and wild fermentation. The result was a 27,000-square-foot 40-barrel four-vessel “rustic pub,” according to Peasley, with 16 tap handles and enough production 12 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

space to double the beer volume, meeting keen demand in Arizona and Nevada, and allowing him to explore global markets. The goal was set to double the volume again by this year. In 2017, GCBC opened a distillery. A 250-gallon pot still produces standard, prickly pear and orange blossom vodkas, rum and gin with bourbon, whiskey and a single-malt whiskey for upcoming release. GCBC “came home to Flagstaff,” in August 2019, Peasley said. After attending Northern Arizona University, it was the next logical location. Taking over the previous Trail Crest Brewery spot in Greentree Plaza on Milton Road, Peasley upped his game with a new menu geared to burgers, sandwiches, salads and flat breads. Such boldness won Grand Canyon Brewing + Dis-

tillery the award for Best New Restaurant. “It’s been a roller coaster year to claim the title,” General Manager Kristin VanPelt said. “The team was all in and worked hard to achieve it. We look forward to involvement in the community and contributing to the city’s growth.” The 10-year resident with extended hospitality experience said the brew pub is popular with local families and tourists. Guests rave about the Bavarian pretzel, designed for sharing and dipping in beer cheese and whole grain mustard. The bone-in chicken wings are dry-rubbed with regional herbs and ancho chili, smoked and finished in the fryer. Served with bourbon BBQ, buffalo honey and garlic sauces on the side, there is no need to choose. A range of international

GCBC’s Mai Tai is made with its handcrafted rum and passion fruit liqueur to create a unique and flavorful cocktail. bruschetta flavors beckon. As a main, there are flatbreads, like BBQ chicken featuring pickled red onion and house BBQ sauce or shrimp with bacon, pineapple salsa and smoked Gouda cheese. A root salad with roasted beets and sweet potato vie against the southwest salad, featuring avocado and cotija cheese with a charred jalapeño Caesar dressing. Specials, like the recent Beast Burger, are the handiwork of

GCBC shift leads and bartenders Ellyn and Alex.

The Best New Restaurant 1. Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery 2. ATL Wings Flagstaff 3. Jersey Mike’s Subs

kitchen manager Shawn Burns. This unique burger features a peppercorn encrusted wild game patty made with boar, wild elk, bison and wagyu topped with blue cheese crumbles, bacon and blueberry compote. “Shawn cares so much and is directly responsible for our suc-

2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

THANK YOU FLAGSTAFF FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!!

Thank You Flagstaff for your continued support and for selecting us

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cess,” VanPelt said. Peasley embraced a more modern approach to address the college clientele and extend broader appeal. The pub offers 26 brews on tap, shared between GCBC’s brand and other local beers and ciders. From the U.S. Beer Open

Championship to the High Mountain Beer Fest, Can Can Festival and Brewers Bowl—to name only a few competitions—GCBC measures up. A team of managers, brewers and sales representatives keeps the brand expanding. Medals have been awarded in Olympic fashion for White Water and Expeditions Wheats, Sunset Amber and Black IPA to niche categories for Winter Bourbon Barrel Brown and Coffee Bean Stout, people’s choice Hop Bomber plus a gold and best in show for Direwolf. That’s the short list. Like the team at Grand Canyon Brewing Company, who thrill to the outdoors, they encourage their beer lovers to live curiously, seek adventure and discover a Grand Canyon State of Mind through the enjoyment of its handcrafted brews. “We treat you as if we were inviting you into our home,” VanPelt assured.

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Simple done

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PHOTOS BY CAMERON CLARK

Enjoy Flagstaff’s best pizza at any of Fratelli’s three locations.

Fratelli Pizza | 119 W. Phoenix Ave. & 2120 N. Fourth St. & 1850 N. Fort Valley Rd. | By Gail G. Collins From the beginning, brothers Brent and Pete Schepper were all in and motivated to succeed in the pizza business. In 2002, they opened Fratelli Pizza in a 500-square-foot space that seated four and focused on the grab-n-go lunch crowd. Two slices from a 20-inch pie— which is still cut into six substantial pieces today—plus a drink cost $4.25. At first it was mainly service industry folk bound for work who swung by. The brothers also strolled the streets, offering free slices and catering to small businesses with limited staff restricted from stepping out for a bite. In 2004, Fratelli Pizza expanded and moved to the former location of a Pizza Hut— the first in Arizona—and again three years later, to their current downtown location. Add the Fourth Street space and, three years ago, the Fort Valley Road spot, and their feat is multiplied. It’s no wonder the local pizza 14 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Pizza dough is hand-tossed to get the perfect thickness. shop has garnered the Best Pizza award each year since they began. Brent Schepper spoke for the brothers. “It’s let us know we’re keeping standards fair and continuing to be a strong part of the Flagstaff community.”

Of course that doesn’t mean he’s letting his guard down anytime soon, hoping to keep the title for many more years. Fratelli attributes its favor to high end ingredients like Wisconsin whole-milk mozzarella, house made sauce and dough topped

with quality, cured meats. Even during the pandemic, when supply issues caused prices on cheese and fine meats to spike, Schepper said, “We always strove to get the best and ours cost more—we pay that.” As far as handcrafted pizza, he qualified, “We’re still competitive.” Despite the crashing waves of 2020, Fratelli righted its ship quickly, according to Schepper. With the take-out business at the forefront, a loyal customer base supported them in tandem with longtime fundraising efforts for schools and charities. Respect is universal at Fratelli Pizza. The business moved to a minimum $15 per hour wage before the law required it. “Employees had paid vacations 15 years ago and health insurance 12 or 13 years ago—always ahead of the game on state initiatives,” Schepper said. That is reciprocated by pizza makers, staff and managers, who strive to create the best product with attention to preparation, cooking and customer service. Partnering with Door Dash offered the latest delivery option. Pete brought the pizza experience to the mix, crafting recipes and building the menu, and with a little “dough” from their parents, Schepper said, “We were all in.” Fratelli’s lunch special is $10 today, but as plate-filling as ever. The traditional pizzas sell best, like the Works with red sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, olives, onion and bell pepper, or the Margherita with red sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, basil pesto, Roma tomatoes and garlic. The specialty pizzas at Fratelli are truly unique. The best seller Route 66 pizza hon-

Thank you FlagsTaFF!

Voted The Best Thai Food for 11 Years!!

The Flagstaff pizza is topped with pesto, sun dried tomato, mozzarella, artichoke hearts, ricotta and garlic.

The Best Pizza 1. Fratelli Pizza 2. NiMarco’s Pizza 3. Pizzicletta ors the Mother Road with BBQ sauce, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, bacon, roasted Hatch green chiles and red peppers, grilled chicken and red onion. The Pesto Cashew pizza layers basil pesto with mozzarella, grilled chicken, roasted cashews, red onion, mushrooms and bleu cheese crumbles. “This one stands out—roasted cashews on the baking pizza release oil from the nuts and a pop of salt,” Schepper said. “We

don’t see anything like it at the pizza shows.” Guests can also grab a salad to get their veg on. Whether it is the Anti-Pasta medley of mixed spring greens, topped with genoa salami, ham, pepperoni, mozzarella, banana peppers, green olives, artichoke hearts and grape tomatoes or a simple garden salad of fresh greens, cucumbers, black olives, shredded carrots and tomatoes, it is the ranch dressing that maintains a fervent following. Guests come with mason jars to see them through until their next fix. “Pizza is simple—crust, sauce and cheese made right, and it’s all good,” Schepper said. “We’re grateful for the continued support and will continue to provide the best.”

20 E. Route 66

928-213-1825 www.patothai.com

BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

The Best Brewery 1. Mother Road Brewing Company 2. Lumberyard Brewing Company 3. Historic Brewing Company

Hop pellets are added to a batch of beer to impart complex flavors and balance malts.

PHOTOS COURTESY MOTHER ROAD BREWING CO., AMANDA WARDA

Finding joy in the adventure with Mother Road’s flagship Tower Station IPA.

‘F

inding joy in the adventure” is the creed and winning strategy for Mother Road Brewing Company as they clinch Flagstaff’s Best Brewery award. “We take a lot of care to hire talented and passionate people with values in line with our mission,” said Oliver Adams, director of people and culture. “This allows us to do what we do.” What they do at Mother Road is brew distinguished beers and build community one pint at a time. The main component for both is beer. The goal, of course, is to make beer people want to drink, 16 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

especially Arizonans. Resisting the urge to produce niche recipes, Adams said, “The main rule is to brew what Arizonans enjoy drinking most and tailor that, modifying and improving those beers over time.” Standouts include Tower Station IPA. Tower Station opened in 1936 to impart hospitality to parched motorists on Route 66. The fluffy head on this copper-tinged, unfiltered India Pale Ale imparts aromas of tangerine and pineapple with paired pilsner and pale malts to balance hops-generated grapefruit peel and pine on the finish. Nielsen rated Tower Station IPA #1 in Ar-

izona. Conserve and Protect Golden Ale highlights the brewery’s partnership with Arizona Game and Fish Department, donating a portion of the proceeds to help with on-the-ground conservation of more than 800 wildlife species. Beyond raising money, they are raising awareness that this critical work is done without any general fund tax dollars. Beer drinkers do not need to hunt or fish to help preserve and sustain our wild spaces—just tip back a can of clean, crisp, refreshing golden ale. The golden ale was a change to Mother Road’s line. It was for-

merly a hybrid Kölsch style—part of the brewery’s constant tweaking to provide the right process and product. “We felt golden ale was a better recognized ale and improved the recipe,” Adams said. “When the beer does better, Game and Fish can see more success as well.” First and foremost, Mother Road is a manufacturer and distributor of beer across the state through Hensley Beverage Company. The outfit has two locations: one brews and distributes product and the other functions as a taproom and patio. That requires two main teams of more than 25 employees to operate in a united effort. “The original tap room had space limitations,” Adams said, “so we utilized the spaces for their respective strengths.” The brewery and tap room always functioned as a free-flowing space, merging tables as people met and struck up conversations. That has been curtailed somewhat, but the hospitality of the Please see BREWING, Page 18

THANK YOU FLAGSTAFF for voting TACOS LOS ALTOS EASTSIDE As BEST TACOS for 2020!

Thank you for all the support - Love the TLA family

3650 E Route 66 Flagstaff, AZ Get Directions (928) 714-1012

Gracias por su preferencia Con mucho agradecimiento La familia TLA BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Brewing From page 16

crew and customers has not lagged at all. “The times have forced us to silo parties unless specifically requested, but community finds a way, and it’s still lively,” Adams said. The good news is the revamping and modernizing of the downtown site to increase its seating capacity. Renovations are scheduled to finish in early 2021. During the pandemic, predicting who would be open and when or for how long presented ongoing challenges to the manufacturing and distribution end of the business. As Adams pointed out, 30 percent of the industry’s restaurants and bars are not expected to survive. Mother Road Brewing, however, is thriving. People, who identify with their mission, bring it to life each day. Every brewer follows a

set of processes, designed to brew consistent beer. The brewers weigh in and factor in improving it. A robust quality program with various lab equipment and trained sensory panels analyze different control points on the beer through the twoweek process. Consistency is key. As the story goes, on a dark stretch of highway, the Marquess family pondered their creed. The result? Mother Road resides along a lost portion of Steinbeck’s storied Route 66, symbolizing the journey they have made in their passion for beer, motoring and history. Adams added, despite a tough year, “We’re still here brewing beer and will continue to do what we love to do.” Mother Road is always looking for talented people to join their team. If interested, email: info@ motherroadbeer.com. Or partner with Arizona Game and Fish to contribute directly at: www.azwildlifehero.com/join

Golden

Dragon

Thank you for your support. We truly appreciate your business and look forward to serving you for many years to come.

Thank You for voting us Best of Flag for 2019! Mention this ad for 10% off anytiMe 2708 N. 4th Street, Ste. A-5 928-526-3900

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FORT VALLEY ROAD 1850 N. Fort Valley Rd. (928) 440-5441

18 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

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comforting Pato Thai Cuisine | 20 E. Route 66 By Gail G. Collins

Thai culture treats every ‌ meal as a social occasion. Generally, dishes are ordered and shared family style—colorful stir fries and fragrant curries eaten in happy company. The meal does not contain courses as much as choices from many categories arriving all at once. These include a variety of meat and fish dishes, served with GABRIEL GRANILLO‌ rice and noodles, plus egg Pato Thai’s Tom Ka is a warming coconut-base soup with chili, mushrooms, soup and simple fruit, such as cilantro, lemongrass and your choice of meat, shrimp or tofu. pineapple or mango, for des-

The Best Thai 1. Pato Thai Cuisine 2.. Dara Thai Restaurant 3. Swaddee Thai Cuisine sert. Within these dishes, a mix of sweet, salty, sour and spicy elements balances out a satisfying meal. Please see THAI, Page 22

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BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

DINER NOSTALGIA Mama Burger | 991 N. Fort Valley Road | By Gail G. Collins

When we nurture things, they grow. So it has been for Mama Burger, even during these difficult days. After a decade, crafting vintage and trendy burgers has earned the restaurant the patronage of neighbors, schools and the medical community. With a win in 2019, it has doubled down as the Best Burger in Flagstaff. “It’s a good feeling,” owner Bernadette Chavez said. “This time, it solidifies everything. It’s a boost of confidence for us and the business and validation for all the blood, sweat and tears.” Co-owner and husband Pete Schepper agrees as their two daughters follow in their footsteps, supporting the family business. The couple chalks up their success to an amazing crew that runs the day-to-day show, developing customer relationships with guests, advising on community contributions to school events and more.

The Best Burger 1. Mama Burger 2. Diablo Burger 3. Annex Cocktail Lounge Mama Burger recently brought on a new general manager, Ryan Boser, who has delivered with creative problem-solving. The pandemic demanded it, and crises are when innovators shine. As staff numbers fell and rose again, Boser built a team, meshing former employees with a new crew. “It’s been tough navigating the past seven months,” Schepper said, “but Ryan helped us think through problems as they arose and devise solutions.” For example, when the delivery truck backed into their drive-through sign board and voice box, Mama Burger was caught short. Boser brainstormed

BERNADETTE CHAVEZ

A long list of milkshake flavors, like the seasonal pumpkin, complement the best burgers in Flagstaff. an outdoor menu board, gathered materials from Home Depot and helped construct it. “It’s easy to say something doesn’t work, but it’s rare when people come to you with solut i o n s ,” Chavez said.

Under COVID-19, Mama Burger changed its entire sales format, transitioning from a 90-percent dine-in model to 100-percent drive-through. “What had been an after-thought—our drivethrough—was now our priority,” Schepper said. Mama Burger has continued that strategy to keep employees safe. Running the drive-through presented a challenge to service as far as speed. With one grill and one cook, they worked to become more fast and efficient. “We have no warmer, and food is cooked fresh to order, and that takes time,” Chavez said, “but those who wait are rewarded with a great product.” Please see BURGER, Page 22

Located just north of downtown, Mama Burger’s drive-through often has a line of cars snaking down Fort Valley. MICHELLE KOECHLE 20 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Burger From Page 20

The namesake burger is the most popular menu item by far. Made with house sauce, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, American cheese and pickles, it accounts for three-quarters of orders. “The Mama Burger is a traditional throwback to diner days,” Schepper said. “Fresh meat smashed on a flat-top griddle— there’s nothing better.” According to Schepper, that sandwich epitomizes Mama Burger’s nostalgia, located in an old building, where time seems to have stood still. The MOAB, or Mutha’ Of All Burgers, is the runner-up. Built on a foundation of two patties, French fries are packed on, adding tomato, lettuce, grilled onions, green chilies, bacon, cheddar cheese, house sauce, pickles and jalapeños. The burgers are a bargain as handcrafted goods, ranging from less than $5 to $7.50 for the MOAB. One can fashion a niche burger as well, adding patties or

Thai From Page 19

In Flagstaff, we are spoiled for choice with authentic restaurants owned by Thai people. Such is the case at Pato Thai, where a strong clientele has been keeping its door swinging for years. Customer input has a great deal to do with their specific recipes. They strive for authenticity, but stress each restaurant in town meets their customers’ tastes. It has earned Pato Thai this year’s award for Best Thai Restaurant. Pato’s veggie wraps are en22 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

EMILY FRANKEL‌

Mama Burger has the classic diner burger down to a science. swapping cheeses and sauces, like ranch or A-1, extra toppings like red onions or jalapeños, plus primo toppers like green chilies, guacamole, mushrooms or pineapple. The world is your burger. There is also a local, plantbased patty or gooey grilled cheese for those who might be giving beef a break. Extra deals include creating a combo with fries or tots and a drink or trad-

ing up for a milkshake. As for adapting, Mama Burger was born of inspired ideas. Brothers Brent and Pete Schepper own Fratelli Pizza, another Best of Flagstaff winner. As the pizza place expanded and moved, they ended up with an empty lease spot. Pete pitched the idea of a burger joint, and his wife leapt at the notion. Mama Burger opened with a bang,

outgrew the original location and moved to bigger digs and expanded the menu. The drive-through lane often snakes into the neighborhood, but no one minds. They love Mama B, as she is known around town. “I got her into this,” Schepper said, “and Bernadette has done a fantastic job of making it her own success.”

ticing and eaten like sushi rolls. The vegetable Panang curry is available with any meat, seafood or tofu and incorporates bell pepper, green beans, peas and carrots in thick gravy made of chili paste, peanut sauce and coconut milk. The tom ka soup is a reddish coconut broth with two kinds of fresh mushroom, tomatoes, lemongrass, lime juice, cilantro and choice of meat or tofu—lively on the spoon. The papaya salad is large with zingy sweet and hot flavors in a crisp, shredded mix of vegetables and green papaya with a shrimp atop. A favorite among regulars is the pineapple fried

rice, adding sharp and sweet to sticky comfort food. The atmosphere at Pato gives the impression of eating in a roadside stand with a row of worn, pastel doors as a backdrop along the wall. Tight tables remind guests of busy Asian food halls, but with current safety guidelines in place as necessary. Dark wood, pale paint and chandelier sparkles contrast for casual glitz. Asian philosophy centers around good luck, and Pato has channeled that local love. It has also enjoyed the serendipity. As Paul McCartney and his girlfriend Nancy Shevell,

now his wife, traveled the storied Mother Road in a 1989 blue Ford Bronco, they stopped over in Flagstaff. Like past celebrities, McCartney booked into the historic Monte Vista Hotel. Craving a curry, the pair popped into Pato Thai for a late bite. The low-key couple sought no attention, but the doors were locked, and a private party ensued. Special vegetarian dishes were prepared, and Pato Thai guests enjoyed an unforgettable evening. A small photo of the staff and McCartney plus a signed menu remind guests that hospitality is always the best gift.

FLAGSTAFF 1800 S. MILTON ROAD WILLIAMS 301 N. 7TH STREET BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

DINING & DRINKS WINNERS ‌ akery B 1. Mozelle’s Downtown Bakery 2. Biff’s Bagels 3. A Dog’s Walk Bakery

Cocktail 1. Annex Cocktail Lounge 2. Rendezvous 3. The Oakmont

Hot Dog 1. Dog Haus 2. Proper Meats + Provisions 3. Sam’s Club

Bar Food 1. Annex Cocktail Lounge 2. Lumberyard Brewing Company 3. Beaver Street Brewery

Coffee House 1. Macy’s European Coffeehouse 2. Late for the Train 3. Firecreek Coffee Company

Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt 1. Cold Stone Creamery 2. Dairy Queen 3. Baskin-Robbins

Barbecue 1. Satchmo’s BBQ 2. Bigfoot BBQ 3. Agee’s Barbecue Market

Coffee Roaster 1. Firecreek Coffee Company 2. Late for the Train 3. Matador Coffee Roasting Company

Bartending Staff 1. Annex Cocktail Lounge Deli Sandwich 2. Mother Road Brewing Company 1. Crystal Creek Sandwich Co. 3. Dark Sky Brewing 2. Proper Meats + Provisions 3. Aspen Deli Breakfast 1. MartAnne’s Dessert 2. Brandy’s 1. Mozelle’s Downtown Bakery 3. The Toasted Owl Café 2. Tourist Home All Day Café 3. Oregano’s Breakfast Burrito 1. Dog Haus Dive Bar 2. Tourist Home All Day Café 1. Monte Vista Cocktail Lounge 3. Tacos Los Altos, East Sde 2. Sportsman’s Bar & Grill Brewery 3. Museum Club 1. Mother Road Brewing Company 2. Lumberyard Brewing Company Family Dining 1. La Fonda Mexican Restaurant 3. Historic Brewing Company 2. Fat Olives Brunch 3. Himalayan Grill 1. Brandy’s 2. MartAnne’s Fine Dining 3. Josephine’s Modern American 1. Josephine’s Modern American Bistro Bistro 2. Brix Restaurant & Wine Bar Burger 3. 1899 Bar & Grill 1. Mama Burger 2. Diablo Burger Food Truck 3. Annex Cocktail Lounge 1. 3’s in the Trees Candy Store 1. Sweet Shoppe Candy Store 2. Flagstaff Chocolate Company 3. Sweet Sting Honey

2. Alejandro’s Mexican Food 3. Tres Amigos

Chicken Wings 1. NiMarco’s Pizza 2. ATL Wings Flagstaff 3. Fratelli Pizza

Happy Hour 1. Annex Cocktail Lounge 2. Criollo Latin Kitchen 3. Fat Olives 3. Grand Canyon Brewing Company + Distillery

Chinese Food 1. Golden Dragon 2. Hunan West 3. Hunan East

Hole in the Wall Restaurant 1. Aloha Hawaiian BBQ 2. Satchmo’s BBQ 3. Bigfoot BBQ

24 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Indian Food 1. Delhi Palace Cuisine of India 2. Himalayan Grill 3. India Palace Italian Restaurant 1. Fat Olives 2. Oregano’s 3. Pizzicletta Japanese Food 1. Karma Sushi Bar Grill 2. Hiro’s Sushi Bar & Japanese Restaurant 3. Lotus Lounge Late Night Snack 1. Aloha Hawaiian BBQ 2. Beaver Street Brewery/Brews & Cues 3. Cornish Pasty Lunch Food 1. Brandy’s 2. Jitters Lunchbox 3. Proper Meats + Provisions Mexican Food 1. La Fonda Mexican Restaurant 2. Salsa Brava 3. El Tapatio New Restaurant 1. Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery 2. ATL Wings Flagstaff 3. Jersey Mike’s Subs Outdoor Dining 1. 1899 Bar & Grill 2. The Oakmont 3. Annex Cocktail Lounge Overall Restaurant 1. 1899 Bar & Grill 2. La Fonda Mexican Restaurant 3. Fat Olives Pizza 1. Fratelli Pizza 2. NiMarco’s Pizza 3. Pizzicletta

Restaurant Wine Selection 1. FLG Terroir 2. Brix Restaurant & Wine Bar 3. Fat Olives Salad 1. Oregano’s 2. Wildflower Bread Company 3. Ahipoki Bowl Salsa 1. Salsa Brava 2. La Fonda Mexican Restaurant 3. El Tapatio Soup 1. Wildflower Bread Company 2. Café Daily Fare 3. El Tapatio Sports Bar 1. Sportsman’s Bar & Grill 2. Majerle’s Sports Grill 3. Buffalo Wild Wings Steakhouse 1. Texas Roadhouse 2. Black Bart’s Steakhouse 3. Outback Steakhouse Sushi 1. Karma Sushi Bar Grill 2. Hiro’s Sushi Bar & Japanese Restaurant 3. Lotus Lounge Tacos 1. Tacos Los Altos, Eastside 2. La Fonda Mexican Restaurant 3. El Tapatio Thai 1. Pato Thai Cuisine 2. Dara Thai Restaurant 3. Swaddee Thai Cuisine Vegetarian Selection 1. Red Curry Vegan Kitchen 2. Brandy’s 3. Café Daily Fare 3. Pita Jungle Waitstaff 1. Brandy’s 2. Agee’s Barbecue Market 3. Annex Cocktail Lounge

SERVICES

MAXIMUM MARTIAL ARTS PHOTO BY JAKE BACON BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

The Best Plumbing 1. Assurance Plumbing and Heating 2. TCR Rooter & Plumbing Repair 3. Harper’s Plumbing

JAKE BACON‌

Assurance Plumbing and Heating has been voted 2020 Best of Flagstaff by the readers of the Arizona Daily Sun. Pictured are Chris Wilson, left, Joe Wilson, center, and Kayla Wilson holding baby Oliver.

Three

generations

STRONG

Assurance Plumbing and Heating | (928) 779-1589 By Adrian Skabelund ‌Most people won’t look back at the year 2020 fondly but that may not be the case for Joe Wilson and his family who, after a five-year hiatus, restarted the business that has now been in their family for three generations. For the past five years, Joe and his two adult children, Kayla and Chris, have been working for TCR Rooter and Plumbing Repair. Joe said that was nearly a dream job but he just couldn’t shake the desire to run a business of his own. So in April, he and his daughter Kayla organized Assurance Plumbing and Heating under their own parent company called Good Works Services, LLC, so named to always remind them of their community-oriented goals, Joe said. Since then, things have only gotten better. Joe said Assurance Plumbing is already back to the same size the company was before the Great Recession and they have many of the same people back working with them as well. Likewise, many of the customers they have worked with for years are back, some having 26 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

never realized they were gone. “A lot of people who have actually called us up didn’t even realize we were gone, they just hadn’t seen us around,” Joe said. “We took this hiatus, and it’s like, as soon as we walked back out, it was right back to where we were.” Simply by the nature of what they do, Joe said they have also been able to weather the pandemic with relative ease compared to other business. They are, by any definition, essential workers. “Beyond the actual medical staff themselves, you have to have operating plumbing,” he said. Kayla, who runs the office and oversees their finances, said they’re less than a year in and it already feels like the company is one big family. Of course that is literally true in the case of her father and brother Chris, who leads the service department. But she said that is also the case with the rest of the employees at Assurance. “We’re so fortunate here, all of our work family is just an extended family. And we talk

so much about building this place out and putting a pool table in the shop and a barbecue grill outside because we enjoy hanging out with each other,” Kayla said. Plumbing, it seems, runs in their family and it is something all three of them have come to, even if some might have hoped to avoid it at first. Kayla and Chris represent the third generation of Wilsons who have operated Assurance Plumbing in Flagstaff, and perhaps even the fifth or sixth generation of Wilsons working in plumbing, Joe said. His uncle moved to Flagstaff in 1979 to start a plumbing company, followed shortly after by Joe’s father Bob Wilson. Soon, he too had his own plumbing company, although more focused on new construction rather than repair and maintenance. And although it is impossible to know, one day they may give way to yet another generation of Wilson plumbers. Kayla gave birth to her son Oliver just this fall and Chris’s son Kamdon helped “Grandpa Joe” with his first mainline just last month. “[Kamdon] hung out with us on Monday and of course he played in the snow more than he worked but it’s pretty fun,” Joe said. It’s somewhat ironic as Joe said when he was young, hearing his father and uncle talk about the job, he wanted nothing to do with plumbing. “As a kid, I was adamant that I really never ever wanted to be a plumber and I used to hear my dad talk about how his dad and uncles were plumbers,” he said. Chris said he had been working as a guide fisherman at Lees Ferry but after two years, he found that plumbing had a certain allure. For his part, Chris said he wouldn’t mind if his son joined the family business when he was older as well. “I think he’ll probably grow up hating it,” Chris said. “For me personally, I would really like it if he was really good at it for his own sake. And then he can decide whatever he wants to do, but it’s just a good skill to have the rest of your life.”

928-526-9333

THANK YOU FLAGSTAFF

Thanks Flagstaff for voting Behmer Roofing the BEsT Roofing Company for the 2nd year in a row!! We really appreciate it.

ROC #200895

2020 BesT auTo repaIr - mechanIcal Thank You To our wonderful cusTomers for Your supporT ThroughouT The coVId-19 pandemIc and for Your conTInued paTronage oVer The Years!

THANK YOU FLAGSTAFF For voting us Best Home, Kitchen & Bath Remodeler 4 Years in a Row!

Locally owned by Andy & Laura Leigh Mathis. ROC # 303301

928-707-0315 kitchentuneup.com 1 DAY WOOD RESTORATION REFACING & REDOORING NEW CABINETS + DESIGN â&#x20AC;¢ CABINET PAINTING ACCESSORIES BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

THANK YOU FLAGSTAFF! For Selecting Us BEST DAY SPA and BEST SKIN CARE again in 2020! We truly appreciate your support and continued business throughout the past 11 years! For every $100 gift card purchase we will give you an additional $10 on that card Purchase $600 or more and we will double the offer starting with the first $100!* *Gift Cards cannot be used until after 1/1/21 and are valid until 12/31/21.

530 E Picadilly Dr. Suite 105 â&#x20AC;˘ 928-226-9355 â&#x20AC;˘ facebodyspa.com

Thank you for voting us Best of Flag Plumbing. We appreciate it! Locally owned and operated by the Wilson family, we are a full service company providing 24/7 emergency service, remodel and new construction plumbing. Call us at 928-779-1589 for your next plumbing service.

Good Works Services LLC 28 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

ROC # 328367

Capstone Homes | 3605 S. Flagstaff Ranch | By Kaitlin Olson

The business of building lives ‌ or the Capstone Homes team, F being named Flagstaff’s Best Home Builders seems an especially fitting distinction for its most productive year ever. Whereas in a normal year the 40-person team might sell 100 of the houses it creates, it will close 2020 with more than 165 home sales. In custom homes alone, the team is currently working on 40 homes in contrast with its normal 11-per-year average. The company, which has been building in Flagstaff since 2010 and is currently expanding into Prescott and surrounding areas, is the creator of communities including Flagstaff Ranch’s Aspen Ridge and Aspen Shadows, Crestview and Flagstaff Meadows. Lately, more buyers are coming from urban areas of California, as well as Phoenix, as families use their savings from the lack of travel this year to invest in a second home, said Marketing Director Janell Wilson. Custom home requests have also seen some changes in light of the COVID-19 pandemic as families seek larger homes with enough space for home offices and study rooms for their children as they complete school remotely. Wilson said part of the appeal of Capstone Homes as a builder is their environmental friendliness, which goes beyond installing energy efficient appliances to include the structure of the building itself, from sealants and insulation to windows and air filters. “At the end of the day, when you walk into a Capstone home you can feel really confident you have the best home possible to be kind to the environment, to be kind to your pocketbook,” she

COURTESY CAPSTONE HOMES‌

A five-bedroom estate home in Pine Canyon sits on a large lot with golf and lake views. ‌

The Best Home Builders/General Contractors 1. Capstone Homes 2. JKC, INC General Contractor 3. R & J Services said. Creative Director Christina Woodward added that pricing is another distinguishing factor for the local home builder. “It’s an experience that anybody can have here in Flagstaff, whether it’s an affordable home in Crestview as a part of the City of Flagstaff affordable [Community] Land Trust Program, or even million-dollar homes on your custom lots at the base of Snowbowl, we build it and everything in between,” Woodward said. “We pride ourselves in making good homes at good price points for everybody.” The company has spent the year focusing on improving its

customers’ experiences and Wilson said the team is excited that the community—its community—has recognized these positive changes through their Best of Flag votes. “We’re not a fly-by-night builder-developer here,” Wilson said. “We live in the communities we build in. And I think one of the greatest commitments that Capstone has made is that we only focus on northern Arizona and that’s never going to change. We’re not interested in being the biggest, we’re interested in being the best. We’re interested in enriching the communities that we build in.” To adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, Capstone Homes has been taking its services online with virtual home tours and online interactive floor plans and renderings. The team itself is also expanding its capabilities with the addition of artificial intelligence: internet bot employees are currently training to answer client

questions when Capstone staff are not available due to their recent increased call volume. This chat feature is expected to be up and running by January 2021. With its most productive year almost at an end, the goal at Capstone Homes is to continue to not only make home buying more enjoyable for those seeking to live in northern Arizona, but also to be an involved member of the family that is the Flagstaff community. “As a builder, we’re building the most intimate purchase a person will ever make in their entire life. We’re building their home,” Wilson said. “They’re expecting that home to protect their family, they’re expecting that that home is going to give them the opportunity to build memories for a lifetime, so this is a very intimate and emotional purchase. It’s not like going to the store and buying a sweater or getting that really cool pair of boots you’ve wanted for a month. This is a person’s home, this is a person’s life.” BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

PHOTOS COURTESY KITCHEN TUNE-UP‌

Kitchen Tune-Up co-owners Andy and Laura Leigh Mathis approach the business with customer satisfaction in mind.

A MODEL OF

SUCCESS Kitchen Tune-Up of Flagstaff | (928) 707-0315 | By Scott Buffon

‌ ne co-owner of Kitchen Tune-Up feels O the business’ repeated wins in the Best of Flag’s home, kitchen and bath remodeling category are due to their personal touch. Andy Mathis, who co-owns the business with his partner Laura Leigh Mathis, said he thinks people appreciate having a husband-and-wife perspective when considering refacing, remodeling or redoing their kitchen. Beyond the two of them, they have one other employee who helps manage all of their remodeling services from refacing to contracting. “Our mentality has always been, when we get through with a job we want the process to have been easy and fun for the customer,” Mathis said. “We want them to be totally satisfied and happy.” The Mathis family moved to Flagstaff in 2015. The couple started their business in 2016, and it won Best of Flag for the first 30 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

The Best Home, Kitchen, Bath Remodelers 1. Kitchen Tune-Up of Flagstaff 2. HomCo Lumber & Hardware 3. Mammoth Restoration time in 2017. The company has won Best of Flag every year since. Mathis believes that the business soared because it offers refacing as a large part of the business. For customers, refacing means their kitchen layout will stay the same, but the company will change the look of the kitchen’s cabinets and countertops to give it a new aesthetic. The process can be done in two to four days, and prices depend on the look a person is trying to achieve. Otherwise, Kitchen Tune-Up offers reconditioning older cabinets to refresh its

James Wagner gives an outdated kitchen a new lease on life as an employee of Kitchen Tune-Up. worn look. The business also can repaint, replace doors and completely redo countertops and cabinets in order to meet the client’s needs. Mathis said he looks at his job as being an adviser, where he is willing to tell people the truth about different designs based on his experience, to ensure his clients know exactly what they’re getting. “I feel like if I can help somebody find what they want at a price they’re comfortable with, I don’t have to sell it. It’s about working with the customer until they say, ‘Yeah, that’s what we want and a price we’re comfortable with,’” Mathis said. To make the process easier for customers, Please see KITCHEN, Page 32

THANk YOU FLAGSTAFF FOR VOTING US BEST CHIROPRACTOR IN 2020! Timothy Munderloh D.C., F.I.A.C.N. Fellow, Chiropractic Neurology

Thank You For Voting Us #1!

-2020

VOTED BEST OF FLAG … FOR 12 CONSECUTIVE YEARS!

• Chiropractic Adjustments • Manipulation Under Anesthesia Certified • Lumbar & Cervical Decompression • Cervical Rehabilitation • BioMechanical Taping • Graston Technique • Soft Tissue Therapies • Custom Orthotics • Motor Vehicle Accidents

Most insurance plans accepted. Patient financing available. We carry CBD products, Biofreeze, Sombra, dietary supplements, Tens units, support braces and TheraGuns 1501 S. Yale St. #250 Flagstaff, AZ 86001 928.556.0707 azintegratedmedical.com

Travis Stiegler D.O.

Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Non-Narcotic Pain Management

• Osteopathic Manipulations • Trigger Point Therapy • Joint Injections • IV Vitamin Therapy Drips • Regenerative Medicine • Peptide Therapy • Allergy Immunotherapy Treatments • Osteoarthritis T

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Fellowship Trained Regenerative Medicine & Hormone Therapy Board Certified Fellowship Trained Sports Medicine

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Thank you Arizona Daily Sun readers for voting Wells Fargo Best Bank This distinction inspires us to work even harder for you and for the good of the community. We strive to do our best today, in the future, and every day in-between. We’re proud to be a part of the community. wellsfargo.com

BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Kitchen From page 30

Kitchen Tune-Up doesn’t have a store, and instead prefers to bring the business to the customers’ homes. “All of the work is done in the customer’s home. They don’t have to leave. We bring the samples to them—the different products and all,” Mathis said. “I think they like it.” Working out of people’s homes has caused some challenges this year, especially during the economic and public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mathis said the business has had to make some changes to the way they conduct their business, including wearing proper masks, maintaining safe distances and not shaking hands. Another challenge this year has posed is that the business has received more inquiries this year than in 2019, while it has also had to wait longer for individual shipments. “We’re convinced that people have been sheltered in their homes, spent more time in their kitchens, looked around and gone, ‘Y’know what, it’s time we fix this, time we

Refacing is a large part of the business and offers customers the opportunity to upgrade the look of their kitchen in two to four days. change this,’” Mathis said. “More and more people are wanting to do that at a time when it’s actually taking longer to do everything.” He said 2020 has been different for both them and their clients. “We do whatever we can do, whatever we need to do, to say at the end of the day that our customer is happy with everything,” Mathis said. He said he loves the community of Flagstaff and values the relationships the company has built with other home craftsmen and designers in town, and with their cli-

ents. He feels honored to have been named Best of Flag multiple years in a row, especially with the talent of other contractors in the industry. “I just want to say how excited we are to be in Flagstaff, to have met so many awesome people over the last few years and how grateful we are that they appreciate what we do,” Mathis said. “It has been noticed—that gives us a good feeling to know that people out there recognize what we’re trying to do and how we’re trying to help folks with their homes.”

Thank you for your continuing support! You bring out the best in us! Please stay safe and stay healthy!

https://flagstaffit.com/ 32 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

JAKE BACON

Carrie Hoffman gets ready for a livestreamed yoga class at The Yoga Experience this past spring. Hoffman was alone with her laptop propped on a chair in a room that can normally accommodate up to 30 people practicing yoga together.

GROWGO as you

Since 1997, The Yoga Experience has provided students a place to develop their yoga practice. And, for the past 11 years—as long as the yoga studio category has been included in Best of Flagstaff voting—

The Yoga Experience | 1071 E. Old Canyon Ct. | By MacKenzie Chase

Please see YOGA, Page 36

““Best Place to Adopt” t” Thank you to the readers of the Daily Sun for voting us “Best Place to Adopt.”

Thank you for Voting Mammoth Restoration Best of Flagstaff 2020!

Clean It. Restore It. Get It Right. AZROC#: 220541 AZROC#: 318625

Available 24/7 at 928-714-0003 | www.MammothRestorationAZ.com Serving Northern Arizona

COVID has made this a challenging year for all of us and we're very proud that we kept our shelter open and safe so that families could continue to adopt new furry family members. We truly appreciate this recognition and support from the community. We hope you will consider High Country Humane, and the animals we care for, when making your charitable donations this holiday season. High Country Humane 11665 N. Hwy 89 Flagstaff, AZ 86004 www.HighCountryHumane.org BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

The Best Oil Change 1. University Auto Repair 2. Planet Chrysler Dodge 3. Flagstaff Nissan Subaru

SAM MCMANIS‌

University Auto Repair is one of three repair shops owned by Heath and Tobey Harris, each carrying different specialties.

PAIN-FREE auto repair

University Auto Repair | 1864 S. Woodlands Village Blvd. | By Sam McManis ‌ hat goes on down there in W the bays of an auto repair shop can be a mystery to most. All we, the customer, know is that our check-engine light is flashing, the transmission is sputtering and the exhaust fumes are wafting in a sinister swirl. Something’s not right, clearly, but we have no clue. So people must, out of necessity, put their cars and their faith in a mechanic to fix the problem swiftly and effectively and at as little cost as possible. At University Auto Repair, owners Heath and Tobey Harris say they take this responsibility seriously, as almost a sacred trust with customers. Whether it’s a minor tune up or a major overhaul, the Harrises say they engage the customer from start to finish. Heath calls it “over-communicating,” the purpose being to keep the car owner informed throughout and avoid surprises. “Commonly, people drop off 34 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

their cars and then it’s like it’s in the abyss,” Heath said. “They think it’s just sitting in the bay the whole time. But our objective is just to take care of people. . “We want to make the customer’s pain go away as quickly as possible. When most people come in, it’s the unknown. We want people to feel comfortable. We want them to feel, when they’re in our front office, that they’re in our living room. A lot of people say there’s nothing personal about business, but business is very personal—especially something like auto repair. You need to have full trust in the capabilities of the shop as well as the communication.” This business model certainly seems to be working. The 2020 Best of Flag honor is kind of a three-peat for University Auto, which was voted Best Oil Change in 2018 and Best Brake Service in 2019. This year, it nabbed the combined award.

The Best Brake Service 1. University Auto Repair 2. Heath’s Auto Service 3. Brake Masters 3. R & A Import Auto University Auto is one of three repair shops owned by the Harrises. The original is Heath’s Auto Service on West Kaibab Lane, which opened in 2000. (It also won a Best of Flag distinction for the Auto Repair – Mechanical category this year.) The couple expanded in January of 2018, buying University Auto from Tim Neal, the original owner, who wanted to retire. The Harrises also have recently purchased Ascot Automotive in Flagstaff’s Sunnyside neighborhood. Auto repair is a competitive business in Flagstaff, but the Harrises have staked their claim with three shops that Heath maintains differ in the type of service rendered but similar in culture and expertise. “We want to keep everything separate, all the businesses,” he said. “They aren’t the same by any means. We try to manage it the same, but the specialty and the way they are operated [are different]. I mean, this place

[University Auto] is pretty. It’s a beautiful facility—a 12-bay facility on the west side, across from Home Depot. A great location. And the guys I have assembled up here I’ve had relationships with for 20 years. We handpicked them for the service and knowledge. “We don’t have a lot of turnover with our people and that’s part of the recipe for success. We try to hire right the first time and try to retain the employees by really taking care of them. We’re all about culture here. It gives the business a feeling; the customers can sense that.” As with most businesses, including other auto-repair shops, 2020 has been challenging for University Auto. But Heath said he takes pride that the business has weathered the coronavirus pandemic well. No worker was laid off at University or the other two repair shops, and no worker has contracted COVID-19. The shop never closed, even at the height of the pandemic in late spring. A strict sanitation regimen was adapted. “We implemented sanitized pick-up and delivery, hung Plexiglas shields, sanitized cars before and after,” he said. “There are a lot of protocols to make people feel safe and keep it safe. A lot of people made it about what they thought was right and wrong, politically, but the bottom line is that we just feel it’s our duty to do what we need to protect our staff and everyone else. “I think our customers appreciate that.”

University AUto repAir

Thank you Flagstaff for voting us Best Painting. We are very excited! We paint homes, businesses, new construction and more. Call us for a free estimate.

Thank You FlagsTaFF! VoTed BesT Brake serVice and BesT oil change in 2020!

928-600-5944 | heberpropainting@gmail.com | heberpropainting.com

928-779-3144 1864 s Woodlands village Blvd. Flagstaff, Arizona 86001 Monday to Friday: 7:30 AM - 5:30 pM www.universityautoflagstaff.com BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Yoga

The Best

From 33

Yoga Studio

TYE has come away with the top spot. Erin Widman, who began teaching at the studio in 2000 and took over ownership in 2008, said it feels good to have that continued recognition. “I do feel like what even puts us in the running for that is just our amazing students and the people who turn to us for support,” she said. “They really encourage us to be the best.” As the city has grown, so has people’s interest in yoga with more studios opening to accommodate the variety of goals and skill levels present in the community. Yoga classes are also offered at local fitness gyms as well as Northern Arizona University.

1. The Yoga Experience 2. Northern Arizona Yoga Center 3. Barre 3

“There’s a lot more options,” Widman said. “There’s more accessibility and visibility so more people become aware of it and kind of shop around to see where they fit. We provide a broad range of class styles and types for many different needs, so we are able to grow our population.” And many people settle in once they find the studio that works best for them. Widman said she can recall a handful of students who began taking classes with her 15 to 20 years ago and still show up ready

to further their practice, albeit more so in the virtual realm these days during the COVID-19 pandemic. “As they’ve grown we’ve grown and adapted how we practice as we all age,” Widman said. Given that many of its students are older, often ranging from their 50s to 70s, the bulk of TYE’s schedule currently consists of online classes although regular outdoor socially distanced classes were held as well this past summer. Widman said she also hopes to continue a partnership with Warner’s Nursery to host classes in the greenhouse during colder months. “We call it Rainforest Yoga, we’ve done that for the last year or two and it’s just done really well,” she said. Necessary adjustments will

be made to adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to ensure the health and safety of students. For those who may feel more comfortable practicing from home for the foreseeable future, the studio sells yoga props at a discounted rate for students to set up their at-home practice with tools for success. One-on-one personal training is also available through video. Of course, Widman knows The Yoga Experience’s continued success would not be possible without its dedicated teachers. “My staff has been incredibly flexible and innovative and generous,” she said. “They have done everything they can to help us stay vibrant and afloat during this challenging time.”

Dorothy’s K-9 Grooming Sedric cade 524 N. Humphreys 928-774-3090 800-441-4651

Mark Frank 1016 W. University Ave. Suite 106 928-774-4766 866-998-4766

Ben BreWSTer 319 S. Regent St. Suite 213 928-526-0064

eric FernandeZ 2405 N Rose St, 928-522-6166

JaYne POWeLL 9 N. Elden Suite 103 928-556-8655 800-556-9450

rOSS nichOLLS 1403 S. Plaza 928-226-1012 877-928-1012

SABRINA CARLSON SAMUEL PROCTOR 1500 E. Cedar Ave. 2405 N. Rose St. Suite 50 928-774-5993 800-406-3581

www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC 36 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

928-522-6166

Thank You Flagstaff for making us your favorite pet salon 2 years in a row! We look forward to keeping Flagstaff pets looking fabulous. Come in for a pawdicure or give us a call to make your styling appointment.

(928) 522-0788

HEALTHY

and

HAPPY

Flagstaff Athletic Club | 1200 W. Route 66 & 1500 N. Country Club Road | By Svea Conrad ‌When Carla Caslin first began working at Flagstaff Athletic Club, she was a fresh-faced college student on track toward a parks and recreation management major with a minor in health promotion. “I thought, ‘I’ll do my internship and I’ll be on my merry little way,’” she said with a laugh. Now 28 years later, Caslin is the general manager of FAC, helping owners Holly and Jim Garretson continue the local gym’s nearly 42-year legacy in Flagstaff.

The world looks a lot different than it did when the west side FAC opened in 1979; it doesn’t much resemble the world of 1984, when the east side location welcomed its first customers in 1984, either. With COVID-19, FAC has undergone major changes in daily operations, all with the health of its patrons front and center. “When we first got shut down in March, we used that as opportunity to thoroughly deep clean Please see FITNESS, Page 38

SVEA CONRAD‌

Longtime FAC employee Michelle Wesson greets guests and takes a temperature as they arrive for their workout.

Thank you Flagstaff for Voting us Best Electrician 4 Years in a Row!

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Fitness

The Best

From 37

Fitness/Gym Club the clubs—we’re talking paper clips and base boards,” Caslin said. “We started top to bottom so when we were able to open back up in May we were able to adhere to, or exceed, the local, state and health department and CDC guidelines.” Being in the business of health, she added, keeping people safe and well remains the top priority. Temperature checks are required of everyone who walks through FAC’s doors, as are masks and the cleaning of gym equipment prior to and after a workout. The air in the facility is also constantly being turned over using several coolers that pull in fresh outside air while expelling old inside air. FAC also added staff to both gyms whose sole focus is to wipe down all surfaces and equipment. Both

1. Flagstaff Athletic Club 2. Momentum Aerial 3. High Altitude Personal Training

locations also close two hours earlier to allow deep cleaning of the facility before the beginning of the next day. Several exercise classes have also been moved outside. A recent Body Combat class following the early November snowstorm saw more than 20 people in FAC’s parking lot at a frigid 37 degrees Fahrenheit working out joyfully, energies high. Come December, FAC will also offer more Zoom classes, Caslin added. “We’re just trying be super creative and think outside of the box,” she said.

The community-centered nature of FAC, something that keeps many of its original members coming back for 42 years, has persisted throughout the pandemic—though it might look a little different, Caslin said, it has held strong. “I think that FAC is a community in and of itself and we really strive to make sure we get to know our members and that we’re exceeding expectations while they are here,” she said. “One of our core values is, ‘The only constant is change,’ so we are always trying to be at the forefront of the industry and trying to provide those things to our members as well as making sure we hold onto the things that they really love.” Another change FAC has made in light of the pandemic is providing a space for children to do their remote learning at their east side SportStop complex.

Parents can drop off their kids at 7:30 a.m. and pick them up at 5:30 p.m. During that block of time, FAC staff members help kindergarteners through fifth graders from several Flagstaff schools navigate their entire school day—from snack times and recess to arts and crafts breaks and an end-of-day swim. The space, the patrons, the students, they’re all part of what Caslin refers to fondly as the FAC family. “I love that every day is different, that all the interactions with our members are so rewarding. I like knowing that I am in an industry that helps people with their physical, mental and social wellbeing,” she said. “I love working for [Jim and Holly], they’re incredible people and have been in this community for 42 years providing a service that is so important. It makes me feel good about what I do everyday.”

THANK YOU Thank you FlagsTaFF for all of your love and support in voting us Best Photographer! We Love You!! www.GraceMarieStudios.com

for Voting us Best Travel Agency 20 Years in a Row! 2100 E. Cedar Ave. Flagstaff, AZ avenuesoftheworld.com (928) 556-0853 • 1-800-230-3322 38 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

A Cleaner You Two in a row!! Thank you Flagstaff for voting us “Best Home and Residential Cleaning Services” again. Our clients really are The Best!! 928.699.2109

Thank you! Here at Capstone Homes we feel fortunate every day to be building quality houses for the families in our spectacular community to call HOME!

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BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

SERVICES WINNERS ‌ dvertising Agency/ A Marketing Company 1. Overdrive Media & Printing Services 2. KNAU 3. Mountain Mojo Group Apartment Community 1. University Square 2. Highland Village 3. Woodlands Village Auto Repair-Collision 1. Terry Marxen Chevrolet Cadillac 2. Latham’s Collision, Inc. 3. Flagstaff Collision Center Auto RepairMechanical 1. Heath’s Auto Service 2. Terry Marxen Chevrolet Cadillac 3. Flagstaff Nissan Subaru Bank Services 1. Wells Fargo 2. Chase Bank 3. Bank of America 3. National Bank of Arizona Barbershop 1. Val’s Workshop 2. Kuttz Barber Shop & College 3. Gossip Girl Salon Body Waxing 1. Allure Aesthetics AZ 2. Flagstaff Face and Body 3. Red 115 Salon & Spa Brake Service 1. University Auto Repair 2. Heath’s Auto Service 3. Brake Masters 3. R & A Import Auto Car Wash 1. Clean Freak 2. Speedi Car Wash 3. Findlay Honda Flagstaff Carpet Cleaner 1. Spots Carpet Care 2. Mammoth Restoration 3. Bare Carpet Cleaning Catering 1. Simply Delicious (Café Daily Fare) 2. Satchmo’s BBQ/Roux 66 3. Bigfoot BBQ 40 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Chiropractor 1. Munderloh Chiropractic 2. Wilkens Sports Chiropractic 3. Moseng Chiropractic

Heating & Air Conditioning 1. Boyer Heating & Cooling 2. Intermountain Plumbing & Mechanical 3. Your Plumber, Heating & Air

Computer Repairs and Services Home and Residential 1. Flagstaff IT Cleaning Services 2. Best Guy Geek Squad 1. A Cleaner You 3. Flagstaff Computer Guys 2. Two Divas and a Broom Credit Union 3. Merry Maids 1. One AZ Credit Union Home Builders/ 2. Arizona Central Credit General Contractors Union 1. Capstone Homes 3. Coconino Federal Credit 2. JKC, INC General Union Contractor 3. R & J Services Day Care 1. Abundant Life Preschool Home, Kitchen, Bath 2. Crystal Charette Remodelers 3. Kingdom Kids Preschool 1. Kitchen Tune-Up of Flagstaff and Play Center 2. HomCo Lumber & Day Spa Hardware 1. Flagstaff Face & Body 3. JKC, INC General 2. Allure Aesthetics AZ Contractor 3. Spatique Day Spa Hotel Services Dentist 1. Little America Hotel 1. Stephanie Collins DDS 2. DoubleTree by Hilton 2. Flagstaff Dentistry 4 3. Starlight Pines Bed & Kids Breakfast 3. Flagstaff Downtown Insurance Company Dental 1. State Farm Electrician 2. Allstate 3. Farmers Insurance 1. Darren Lance Electric 2. Goodman Electric Interior Design 3. Colter Electric 1. Pam Edwards, Event Planning 1. Shadows Foundation 2. Peak Events 3. Kilted Cat (Thornager’s)

Cunningham Flooring Direct 2. Herron Interior Design 3. Hailey Ingols

Financial Services 1. Edward Jones 2. Absolute Tax & Financial Solutions 3. Benefit & Financial Strategies

Landscape Company 1. Agassiz Landscape Group 2. Morning Dew Landscaping Inc. 3. Warner’s Nursery and Landscaping

Fitness/Gym Club 1. Flagstaff Athletic Club 2. Momentum Aerial 3. High Altitude Personal Training

Mani/Pedi 1. Unique Salon 2. Spatique Day Spa 3. Flagstaff Nails Salon

Hair Salon 1. Gossip Girl Salon 2. Wildflower Salon 3. Unique Salon

Massage Retail 1. Message Envy 2. Bod-E-Healer Massage Therapy 3. Bodies in Balance Massage Therapy Mortgage Company 1. PrimeLending 2. Academy Mortgage Corporation 3. Wallick & Volk Mortage Oil Change 1. University Auto Repair 2. Planet Chrysler Dodge 3. Flagstaff Nissan Subaru Painting 1. Heber Pro Painting LLC 2. Major League Painting 3. Brothers of the Brush Painting Personal Trainer 1. High Altitude Personal Training 2. New Roots Personal Training 3. Geiger Coaching Pet Adoption 1. High Country Humane 2. Coconino Humane Association 3. Northern Arizona Animal Search and Rescue Pet Boarding 1. Kingsmark Kennels 2. Cinder Hills Kennels 3. Canyon Pet Hospital Pet Grooming 1. Dorothy’s K-9 Grooming 2. Kingsmark Kennels 3. Our Dog Wash & Pet Bakery Photographer 1. Grace Marie Studios 2. Jake Bacon 3. Simply Sweet Photography Plumbing 1. Assurance Plumbing and Heating 2. TCR Rooter & Plumbing Repair 3. Harper’s Plumbing

Print Shop Martial Arts Training 1. Overdrive Media & 1. Maximum Martial Arts Printing Services 2. Sacred Mountain 2. AEC Reprographics Fighting and Healing Arts 3. International Minute 3. Flagstaff Krav Maga Press

Propane 1. Superior Propane 2. John Graves Propane 3. Orion Energy Property Management 1. 928Rentals.com 2. Coldwell Banker Northland—The Pavlik Group 3. Bella Investment Group Property Restoration 1. Mammoth Restoration 2. Bio-One Flagstaff 3. Superior Restoration Services Real Estate Agency/ Company 1. Coldwell Banker Northland 2. RE/MAX Fine Properties 3. Realty Executives of Flagstaff Roofing 1. Behmer Roofing Co. 2. Prostruct Builders 3. Coconino Roofing Storage Facilities 1. Woodlands Village Self Storage 2. Armour Self Storage 3. Aspen Mini Storage Tanning Salon 1. Tanning Time 2. Flagstaff Athletic Club 3. Angie’s Hair and Nail Salon Tattoo Parlor 1. Avail Tattoo Studio 2. Mirror Gallery 3. Burly Fish Tattoo & Piercing Travel Agency 1. Avenues of the World 2. Journeys Around the World 3. Grand Canyon Adventures Veterinary Services 1. Canyon Pet Hospital 2. Westside Veterinary Clinic 3. Kaibab Veterinary Clinic Yoga Studio 1. The Yoga Experience 2. Northern Arizona Yoga Center 3. barre3

SHOPPING BOOKMANS PHOTO BY GABRIEL GRANILLO

BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

SCOTT BUFFON‌

Francesca Maselli (left), Pamela Edwards and Benny Vargas stand behind their employer Scott Smith inside the Cunningham Flooring District building on East Lakin Drive on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2020. Smith said his great employees are a key to the business’s success.

STYLISH LIVING Cunningham Flooring Direct/Carpets of Dalton | 2720 E. Lakin Dr. | By Scott Buffon

‌Cunningham Flooring Direct has won Best of Flagstaff in the flooring and interior design category again in 2020 despite being under new ownership and an economic recession. Considering the difficulties brought by this year, owner Scott Smith said he’s happy with where the company is at the moment and he feels it continues to succeed because of good management and great employees. Smith felt his employees are a large part of the business’s continued success. “It’s the people that work here that set us apart from everybody else; their ability to do a superfluous job to help design people’s dreams,” Smith said. “I couldn’t 42 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

The Best Floor Covering Retailers 1. Cunningham Flooring/ Carpets of Dalton 2. Home Depot 3. Flagstaff Wholesale Flooring do it without them.” Cunningham Flooring is a flooring retail business that offers thousands of flooring samples—from hard and carpeted surfaces—for people interested in changing up their floors. The business has a list of licensed installers customers can choose from if they like, and has several exclusive brands unique to their business. It is one of multiple

flooring retailers in town. Cunningham Flooring has won Best of Flag 18 years in a row. “I feel privileged to win it again,” Smith said. “It’s just a boost for the store to be able to continue the same traditions as [the former owners] had grown this thing into.” As for trends, Smith said he has seen carpets go out of style for main living areas, although some still enjoy it in their bedrooms. Cunningham still offers both, but said he has heard people really enjoy transitioning into hard surfaces. “It’s easier to clean. They’re finding out it doesn’t hold as much germs and bacteria,” Smith said. “A lot of people are liking

the ease of cleaning up a luxury vinyl plank floor.” Luxury vinyl plank is a type of flooring in high demand, because it’s easy to install and customize. “It looks like real wood, but it’s not. It looks like real tile, but it’s not,” Smith said. “It’s easy to clean and maintain, and a little bit less expensive.” Many customers have a sense of what they’re looking for when they walk into the business. He said the best flooring for a home can depend on what colors the customer wants, what decorations they have in their home. Smith said that’s why the business tries to have as wide a variety of samples as possible to ensure the customer can find

what they want. Cunningham Flooring has thousands of samples spread around the store, which exclusively carries brands like Caristan, Surface Art, Western Pacific Tile and Unique Wool Carpeting. Smith said the company used to hold a full stock of samples on-site, but due to the massive supply previous owners decided to part with that aspect of the business to save money. He said whatever gets chosen their employees can order for a contractor to install. An independent contractor by trade, Smith purchased the business as an investment for his retirement. Smith purchased the business and started work on Feb. 1. Little did he know the global pandemic and economic downturn would hit Flagstaff the following month. “The first month was fabulous with over the top record

TThank you, flagstaff, ffor voting

delhi Palace

SCOTT BUFFON‌

Cunningham Flooring District is stocked with thousands of samples to help ensure customers find what they need. sales, because the economy was booming,” Smith said. “Then COVID came and hit for four or five months. It’s just starting to get back to normal.” Cunningham Flooring has made it through the pandemic without having to shut down because their jobs were deemed essential. Smith hopes that people feel

comfortable enough to come into the store and look around. The vendors give them plenty of facts and details about the products to ensure people know everything about what they’re getting. “We have plenty of space, feel free to roam around. If you have any questions about our products, we have all the answers and we can get you the answers.”

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BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Getting the

GREEN

LIGHT JAKE BACON

Different strains of marijuana sit in display cubes on shelves at the Greenhouse of Flagstaff dispensary.

hen Greenhouse of Flagstaff first opened in 2013, the world of legal marijuana distribution was decidedly different. Ryan Hermansky, who owns the local medical marijuana dispensary with brother Brandon and friend Doug Daly, remembers how difficult it was to start the business— navigating strict zoning rules, finding a landlord willing to rent to them and approaching banks for loans were just a handful of barriers despite Proposition 203 passing three years earlier. Also known as the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, the legislation did not translate to an immediate change in public opinion on the drug. Now, nearly a decade and the recent approval of Proposition 207 later, Hermansky said

44 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

The Best Medical Dispensary 1. Greenhouse of Flagstaff 2. High Mountain Health 3. Mortar and Pestle Compounding Pharmacy the landscape has undergone drastic shifts. Prop 207, dubbed the Smart and Safe Act, legalizes the adult recreational use of marijuana, allowing people 21 and older to, among other things, purchase pot legally. “It’s been fascinating watching the dynamic change. Seven-plus years ago when we opened, there was a lot of stigma toward the industry, a lot of times we weren’t even comfortable telling people

what we did,” Hermansky said. “Now it’s the complete opposite, there is excitement, there are a million questions and all positive that lead to great conversations with people.” But nothing has been more powerful than accounts from patients, or family members of patients, and what marijuana has meant for their health. “We had people who said things like, ‘I was against it and then my wife got sick, or my husband was dying and [marijuana] enabled him to eat and take medicine and have an enjoyable last six months of life,’” Hermansky said. “We’ve gotten some exceptionally powerful letters and had some incredible conversations and we see just how positive and overwhelmingly supportive people are now.”

Greenhouse of Flagstaff sells everything from baked goods and candy edibles to vape pens and concentrates, honey and hot sauces. The brightly painted business on Switzer Canyon sources from several state-licensed farms as well as offers its own line of edible chews and gummies called Pure Edibles, which are cooked up by its very own resident chef. Patients are referred to Greenhouse by medical professionals and receive medical marijuana cards for various reasons, from treating the side effects of chemotherapy to aiding in the treatment of depression, anxiety and eating disorders—the uses are vast. Please see DISPENSARY, Page 46

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FlagstaFF!!! For VoTing us The BesT Jewelry sTore For 2020

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BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

MORE THAN JUST SHOES Shoes and Such | 17 E. Aspen Ave. | By Katie King ‌ pen later than its neighbors on O Aspen Ave., Shoes and Such has lived in prime downtown Flagstaff real estate for almost 20 years. Hues of pinks and purples surround guests with warm and inviting display windows—designed in house by creative employees with a keen eye for fashion—beckoning passersby in to join them. “We enjoy bringing smiles to our community and visitors as they walk by,” Liz Bianco, owner, said. The center of the store sells gloves perfectly laid out in a vintage suitcase as though props for a play and a clearance rack offers a rotating selection of items. Shoes and Such is a polished and pressed machine making sure that mountain town women of all shapes and sizes are up to date with the latest trends with everything from cute

The Best Clothing Boutique 1. Shoes and Such 2. Sage Brush Trading Co. 3. Rainbow’s End bralettes and fuzzy mittens to long skirts and Pinterest-worthy tops. It is a convenient stop for the passerby who just wants to fit in, while generously supporting local small business. Here are some of the questions Best of Flagstaff recently sent to owner Liz Bianco: What encompasses the “Such” in Shoes and Such? The “Such” in Shoes and Such is a wide variety of women’s current and seasonal fashion and accessories, such as jewelry (including items made by local art-

ists), purses, backpacks and our famous “Mystery Bags.” We are so much more than shoes! How do you curate the items sold in the store? Each item sold in our stores is carefully hand picked for quality, current style and variety. We strive to fulfill women’s different needs and tastes and help make them feel even more beautiful than they already are. You are a 14-time Best of Flagstaff winner. Who do you have to thank for your votes? Our wonderful community, of course, who we have been serving for 17 years. We have so many wonderful customers, local and from afar, who make up our extended Shoes and Such family. We thank each and every one. How have you seen Heritage Square and your clientele change

Dispensary From page 44

Greenhouse staffs its space, often lively with crowds browsing the plethora of products, with so-called Bud Tenders. A clever take on “bartenders,” all Greenhouse’s Bud Tenders are highly trained and on hand to help customers choose what will work best for them. “Everything is thoroughly tested, labeled and makes for a safe environment where people can know and understand exactly what they are buying,” Hermansky said. Laws in Arizona surrounding dispensaries dictate that they can only buy from in-state licensed distributors, all of whom have carried out strict testing of 46 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

SVEA CONRAD‌

Greenhouse of Flagstaff also offers customers a variety of edible THC, CBD and CBG products. different plant strains. Arizona voters ensured that Prop 207 passed by a 60 to 40 margin, one Hermansky said is indicative of the times. He and his partners are excited about the legislation, he added—not just from a business standpoint, but also from a social justice one. “We were definitely big sup-

porters of the initiative, it was well written and well done to benefit all of Arizona,” Hermansky said, referencing the money it will bring in for things like public roads and education. “It also decriminalizes marijuana, so keeping people out of prison and/or getting them out of prison. What it can hopefully

over the years? We are really excited about the positive changes the Downtown Business Alliance has made to create and extend storefront areas in these difficult times to help increase business, popularity and safety for customers and employees alike. In turn, we have noticed the community and visitors more relaxed and able to enjoy our city and support our local businesses. What’s the most popular Flagstaff shoe this year? Birkenstocks! We strive to carry the current and popular footwear fashion and we have the largest selection of Birkenstocks in northern Arizona. We carry Arizona, Florida, Mayari, Yara, Granada and Bostons, as well as Birkenstock’s unique and special releases. Come in and let us fit you into your perfect pair.

do to help people who have been screwed over for marijuana-related charges is really important.” Things have come a long way since a younger Hermansky found himself leaving graduate school as a business major thinking he might enter into the medical marijuana field with his brother and their friend from high school. “I feel like the landscape has changed dramatically in the last four years, nationwide,” Hermansky said. “It shows overwhelming support from Republicans, Democrats, young, old, that 60 to 40 landslide shows that Arizona citizens are really voting and crossing party lines and that is pretty spectacular; it exceeded everyone’s expectations.”

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US

FLOORING COMPANY

IN FLAGSTAFF FOR 18 YEARS IN A ROW! We couldn't have done it without you!

(928) 526-9100

cunninghamflooringdirect.com

BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

LARRY HENDRICKS‌

Warner’s co-owner Misti Warner-Andersen stands in front of the Flagstaff nursery with staff members.

For the

love of

plants

‌ here are aspens and maples. T There are dogwoods and potentias. There are the rainbow colors of perennial and annual flowers—not to mention soils, bulbs, seeds, house plants, pottery and even coffee. It’s a warm, safe place for people looking to beautify their homes with trees, shrubs and 48 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

plants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Warner’s Nursery and Landscaping Co. adds 2020 to its long roster of Best of Flagstaff wins during its 50th year in business. “I think that our success really depends on the community,” said Misti Warner-Andersen, co-owner and general man-

Warner’s Nursery and Landscaping | 1101 E. Butler Ave. | By Larry Hendricks The Best Nursery Plants 1. Warner’s Nursery and Landscaping 2. Viola’s Flower Garden 3. The Arboretum at Flagstaff ager. She’s the third generation of her family to run the business. “We’re always grateful for that. They’ve been with us through thick and thin. They are here for us like we are for them.” The business began in Page when her grandmother Dot opened a plant nursery. The

coffee shop in the location off Butler Avenue in Flagstaff is named in honor of her grandmother. The shop moved to Flagstaff at a location off North Highway 89 when Warner-Andersen was still attending high school in Page. She later worked summers at the nursery while she attended Northern Arizona University, and when she graduated with a degree in business, she wanted to continue in the family businesses. The family’s style of doing business is “honest and open,” Please see PLANTS, Page 50

QUALITY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS GIFTS & ACCESSORIES LESSONS • RENTALS • REPAIRS

THANK YOU FLAGSTAFF for Voting HOMCO the

....for your support of original fine art in Flagstaff. Our artists are truly grateful for your patronage.

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BEST HOME IMPROVEMENT STORE Thank You

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for 2020!

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122. E Route 66, Flagstaff AZ (928) 556-9054 AZMusicPro.com Your Musical Instrument & Accessories Headquarters since 1994!

At HomCo, the health and well-being of our customers and the Flagstaff community is our top priority. In response to concerns amid COVID-19, we’ve decided to offer free in-town delivery on any size order. Call HomCo to place your order. Working together, we can ensure the health and well-being of our community. Stay safe, Flagstaff!

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BEST TRAILS. BEST VIEWS. BEST SHOES. THANK YOU, FLAGSTAFF!

BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Plants From 48

Warner-Andersen said. “It’s ethical, the right thing to do,” she added. “When you live openly and honestly, a company keeps a good relationship with vendors, growers and customers.” Which is why the company has survived ups and downs for 50 years. The company strives to stay fresh, exciting and comfortable for the customers. Staff and customers are educated on what plants have the best chance for success in Flagstaff’s challenging growing environments. The point is to make all customers be as successful as possible—even the ones who aren’t blessed with green thumbs. The landscaping portion of the business that was established in 1985, run by Warner-Anderson’s husband, operated by the motto: “We Create Environments.” The business offers design, installation and horticultural services for both commercial and residential properties. Additionally, the business offers rainwater harvesting systems to help customers save on their water bills. “We’re constantly working to improve,” Warner-Andersen said. “We stay sustainable and never become complacent.” Family-owned nurseries are a dying breed, she said; therefore, the business can never be idle, and she and her staff are always looking for better ways to serve the customers. “We’re like farmers,” she said, laughing. “We’re never comfortable. It keeps us excited and motivated to grow.” The COVID-19 pandemic has provided a small boon to the industry, Warner-Andersen said. People are at home and they 50 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

MACKENZIE CHASE‌

A monarch butterfly rests for a moment on some flowers at Warner’s this past summer. want to garden, to make their home spaces more beautiful, and Warner’s can help with that. At the same time, the industry has a hard time with online service because it deals with “alive” products that come from faraway places. The business is challenged with having a supply available to meet the demand. Although Warner’s does some curbside service in response to

the pandemic, Warner-Andersen said she and her staff strive to make the brick-and-mortar store a respite for customers to get out of their homes and come to a place that is safe and welcoming. Warner-Andersen enjoys the family legacy, and she keeps her sights firmly on the presence of her grandmother, who was a presence herself.

She said, “Hopefully, I’m doing a good job.” Regarding the win, Warner-Andersen said, “Thank you to Flagstaff and all of our customers for voting for us and supporting us.” She smiled and added, “We’re going to keep on going.” For more information about Warner’s companies, visit www. warnercompanies.com.

Thank you, Flagstaff for 76 great years and voting us...

Best Florist

since 2002!

THANK YOU Thank You for choosing Warner’s as Your #1 Nursery in Flagstaff. TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION

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BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

SHOPPING WINNERS ‌ ntique Shopping A 1. Old Highway Trading Post 2. Victorian Moon Antiques & Enchantments 3. The Barn Bros – Estate Sales and Liquidation Artist Gallery – Retail 1. The Artists’ Gallery 2. Artists’ Coalition of Flagstaff 3. Museum of Northern Arizona Auto Dealer 1. Findlay Toyota Flagstaff 2. Flagstaff Nissan Subaru 3. Terry Marxen Chevrolet Cadillac Automotive Parts Store 1. Flagstaff Nissan Subarau 2. O’Reilly Auto Parts 3. NAPA Auto Parts Bicycle Retailers 1. Absolute Bikes 2. Flag Bike Revolution 3. Single Track Bikes Bookstore 1. Bookman’s Entertainment Exchange 2. Bright Side Bookshop 3. Barnes & Noble Clothing Boutique 1. Shoes and Such 2. Sage Brush Trading Co. 3. Rainbow’s End Convenience Store 1. Majestic Marketplace 2. Maverik 3. Hoot Mart Craft, Hobby, Fabric & Sew Store 1. Michaels 2. Board & Brush 3. Hobby Lobby Department Store 1. Dillard’s 2. Kohl’s 3. Peace Surplus 3. REI 52 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Floor Covering Retailers 1. Cunningham Flooring Direct/ Carpets of Dalton 2. Home Depot 3. Flagstaff Wholesale Flooring

Medical Dispensary 1. Greenhouse 2. High Mountain Health 3. Mortar and Pestle Compounding Pharmacy

Florist 1. Sutcliffe Floral 2. Viola’s Flower Garden 3. Robynn’s Nest Flowers

Motorcycles & Motorsports 1. Go AZ Motorcycles 2. Grand Canyon Harley Davidson 3. Mike’s Bikes

Framing Shop 1. Michaels 2. Hidden Light LLC/The Framing Department 3. Abandoned AZ Photography Furniture Store 1. Furniture Barn 2. Designs West Home Furnishings 3. Flagstaff General Store Gift Shop 1. Flagstaff General Store 2. Olive the Best of Flagstaff 3. P.J. Chilcottage Home Accessories 1. Flagstaff General Store 2. Cost Plus World Market 3. Bed, Bath and Beyond Home Improvement Store 1. HomCo Lumber & Hardware 2. Home Depot 3. C-A-L Ranch Store Hunting Outfitter 1. Bull Basin Archery 2. Sportsman’s Warehouse 3. Timberline Firearms & Training Jewelry Store 1. Frederick Fisher Jewelers 2. Jeff Karl Jewelers 3. Gold Wolff Jewelers

Musical Instrument/ Accessory Store 1. Arizona Music Pro 2. Bookman’s Entertainment Exchange 3. Flagstaff School of Music Native American Jewelry Store 1. Museum of Northern Arizona 2. Winter Sun Trading Company 3. Crystal Magic Nursery Plants 1. Warner’s Nursery and Landscaping 2. Viola’s Flower Garden 3. The Arboretum at Flagstaff Office Supply 1. Staples 2. Office Max 3. Quality Connections, Inc. Outdoor Shop 1. Peace Surplus 2. REI 3. Bull Basin Archery Pet Supply 1. Olsen’s Grain 2. PetSmart 3. Petco Pharmacy 1. Walgreens 2. Safeway 3. CVS

Mattress Store 1. The Mattress Center 2. Mattress Firm 3. Furniture Barn

Place to Find Cheap Gas 1. Sam’s Club 2. Maverick 3. Speedi Car Wash & Fuel

Meat Department 1. Proper Meats + Provisions 2. Randal’s Fine Meats 3. Sprouts

Produce Department 1. Sprouts 2. Fry’s Food Store 3. Safeway

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. Fry’s Food Store Retail Wine Selection 1. Majestic Marketplace 2. FLG Terroir 3. Fry’s Food Store Shoe Store 1. Run Flagstaff 2. Shoes and Such 3. REI Skin Care 1. Flagstaff Face & Body 2. Ulta Beauty 3. Allure Aesthetics AZ Smoke/Vape Shop 1. Majestic Marketplace 2. Rebel Smoke Shop 3. Mr. Smokes Sporting Goods Store 1. Bull Basin Archery 2. REI 3. Peace Surplus Thrift Store 1. Savers 2. Cedar Closet Thrift Shop 3. Goodwill Tire Shop 1. Discount Tire 2. Big O Tires 3. Anderson General Tire Western Wear Store 1. C-A-L Ranch 2. Boot Barn 3. Babbitt’s Backcountry Outfitters Window Treatments 1. Flagstaff Custom Window Coverings 2. Budget Blinds 3. Home Depot

YOUR FAVORITES MUSEUM CLUB PHOTO BY JAKE BACON BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

LARRY HENDRICKS‌

Flagstaff Public Library Director Jared Tolman with library staff stand in front of the west side library on Aspen Avenue.

MOVING TIMES

with the

Flagstaff Public Library | 300 W. Aspen Ave. & 3000 N. Fourth St. | By Larry Hendricks

Curbside pick-up. Online ‌ books, music, films, newspapers, magazines and reference materials. Virtual story time for children and book clubs. This isn’t your parents’ library anymore. The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way the Flagstaff 54 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

City-Coconino County Public Library does business—and business is going gangbusters. And it’s a drive for a better library experience that has won the library Best of Flagstaff yet again. “I think it speaks to our love for serving the community,” said

Jared Tolman, Library Director. “The number of community members using these services tells us we’re doing things right and providing great customer service.” Flagstaff City Manager Greg Clifton said, “The library consistently provides exceptional

service and programming, it’s no surprise they were recognized again by the community. The library’s commitment to continuing this level of service and programing during COVID-19 and the way they adapted their offerings to meet the community’s need is no exception. Con-

The Best Public Agency 1. Flagstaff Public Library 2. Flagstaff Police Department 3. Coconino Humane Association gratulations to the library and keep up the great work.” Tolman said that the pandemic, especially with the lockdown early on, brought the steady flow of customers into the library to a stop. County residents were keeping safe at home, but they were in need of the library’s services even more. “So, we had to revamp how we do things and take the service to the community,” Tolman added. The first thing they developed was curbside pick-up, where customers could go online, look at the library’s catalog, make their selections and then pick up the items they checked out at the front door—safe and effective. Patrons could also call into the library and staff would help them place a hold on an item. All library locations continue to be closed to in-person browsing in order to combat the pandemic. Therefore, these remote services remain key for customers until the library locations reopen for in-person service. The library has also begun offering computer reservation slots for those without computer access. Customers check out e-books and audiobooks online, especially after the library launched Hoopla, which is an online service that also provides movies, comics, TV shows and more. With Hoopla, several customers can check out the same item at the same time; they don’t have to wait for the item to be returned to the library before they can check it out.

Each year the library would hold its annual Summer Reading Challenge, to encourage youth to read each year during the summer, Tolman said. But this year, the library has experienced some of the highest numbers of youth participants in the program. The library is also experiencing more attendance in Children’s Story Time, which has gone online. Book club meetings have gone online via videoconferencing, too, and the approach has led to more participation than in-person meetings. “It’s helped us see where we can grow and change in a digital age,” Tolman said, adding that in the future, once the country emerges from the pandemic, many of the online services could stick around. Parents, busy juggling work, daily commitments and making time for their children’s growth, obviously see the value of library services for their children, even when they can’t bring their children into the library. “We’re finding better ways to serve our community.” The library has two locations in Flagstaff, and has branches in Grand Canyon, Tuba City, Forest Lakes and the Coconino County Detention Center. Additionally, Flagstaff Public Library has affiliate libraries in Williams, Page, Fredonia and Sedona. Finally, the library has a roving bookmobile, and a Preschoolers Acquiring Literacy Skills (PALS) mobile. As for the win, Tolman said, “We’d like to say, ‘thank you’ for everyone who voted for us and to our community for being there for us to serve.” For more information about the public library, its services and its hours, visit www.flagstaffpubliclibrary.org.

SAM MCMANIS‌

During the pandemic, the Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library may be closed physically, but patrons have checked out scores of books via curbside service. The most-checked out books include those covering current affair topics like racism and politics.

BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Arctic wolves stand in the snow at Bearizona during a spring storm last year.

Reindeer, Arctic wolves and black bears, oh my! Bearizona Wildlife Park | 1500 E. Route 66 | By Natalie Eickmeyer

estled in the forested hills near Williams, visitors will find the coveted nature reserve Bearizona, which is home to dozens of stunning wildlife rescues inhabiting the 160-acreage property. Just a 30-minute drive west of Flagstaff, the accessible destination awaits all who seek adventure and a little bit of whimsy. Worthy of its five-year winning streak in multiple categories for Best of Flag, this family-friendly attraction is an impressive drive-through wildlife park that offers a high quality interactive experience with some of nature’s most fascinating creatures. Upon arrival, visitors will encounter a family-like crew of employees who offer stellar customer service and a sense of genuine gladness, which is just as refreshing as the 56 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

wintery mountain air. Program Animals Supervisor (and my tour guide for the day) Kyle Alexander brought me straight to the otter habitat first where Louie, Isaac, Juan and Dip swam to us in an adorable flurry as soon as they heard Alexander’s voice. It was so cool to witness animals onsite all day long respond to him when he called them each by name. While extremely knowledgeable in his field, Alexander also possessed a true love and respect for the creatures in his care. Ranging from badgers with big personalities to stunning jaguars residing in luxurious living quarters, each animal here has their own story and caregivers who, come rain or shine, are dedicated to their role as ambassadors for their furry friends. On top of the hard work involved in caring for nature’s

BEARIZONA, COURTESY PHOTOS

Two black bears lounge in the snow at Bearizona. precious commodities, the park excels in providing exciting encounters on foot and on wheels. And, if visitors get the munchies, the park also offers a visually captivating dining hall and full bar to satiate all their hunger needs. Though features such as bus tours and educational animal shows are currently on hold

due to COVID-19, a visit to the park could easily still take up an entire day and leave one satisfied with all there is to see. Though the pandemic created unique challenges, things have been “business as usual” as workers continued showing up daily for Please see BEARIZONA, Page 58

aff

Public Li

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ThE LibrarY ThriVES bECauSE oF CoMMuniTY SuPPorT. The Flagstaff Libraries wish to thank the community for your support during this unprecedented time. We are working very hard to provide as many resources as possible during this time to help build up our community and help you find what you need. We appreciate your continued understanding and patronage. Please continue to access the library resources through our curbside service, phone-in reference and holds placement, appointment-based computer access, and our digital resources. We look forward to the time when we can see you in person again. a ry

Fl ag

BEST OF FLAGSTAFF 2015-2020

THANK YOU FOR VOTING SHADOWS

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3404 E. Route 66 | (928) 440-5214 | museumclub.net BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

Bearizona From 56

the needs of the park’s wildlife. As things have slowly picked back up, Bearizona’s dedicated employees have been pleased to see the business continue to thrive. During the walk-through portion of the visit, children and adults alike will be dazzled by the three little bears Crockett, Hanna and Sky. (They were named after the Boone and Crockett ranch where they were found, animal conservationist Jack Hanna who has supported Bearizona through rescuing grizzlies and after Montana, the Big Sky Country.) These grizzly siblings were rescued in June after they lost their mother and are currently awaiting their new 40,000-square-foot habitat to better accommodate their rapid growth. But perhaps the neatest part of the whole experience is the drive-through portion where visitors come face-toface with massive black bears in their forested expanses. It’s an incredible experience and perhaps even a little nerve-wracking as not many people can say they’ve been that close to a bear before—let alone six of them all around the vehicle. Rest assured, however, visitors’ safety is of the utmost importance. It is no surprise why this place has received such positive attention, and on behalf of the Bearizona team, Alexander expressed deep gratitude in winning the BOF award for best place to take kids and best local attraction. He added the park strives for excellence in every way imaginable and employees never stop seeking out opportunities to improve and learn. Personally, I was extremely 58 BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

KARI ST. CLAIR, BEARIZONA WILDLIFE PARK‌ NATALIE EICKMEYER‌

The Best

Flagstaff Attraction

Place to Take Kids

1. Bearizona Wildlife Park

2. Arizona Snowbowl

2. Flagstaff Aquaplex

3. Coconino National Forest

3. Tinkergarten Flagstaff

impressed by the entire operation. As a mom to a young kid, I think this is a spectacular place to take children. Not only does it provide up-close wildlife encounters, but the architecture and carefully crafted artistry that goes into every detail of the property creates a magical feeling that would excite any child. Wyoming artist Jonathan “The Bear Man” Labenne is responsible for every detailed backdrop visitors see throughout the park, including the arched entrance darning lifelike sculptures of animals. Having grown up going to theme parks throughout my youth, I was brought back in time and felt like a kid again. Bearizona is truly the Disneyland of zoos. Open year-round, and with reasonably priced admission fees, this wonderland is the perfect excursion for adventurers and families alike.

Bearizona offers viewing opportunities for a number of animals like otters, jaguars, bison and more. (right) Program Animals Supervisor Kyle Alexander said Bearizona employees strive for excellence and never stop seeking out opportunities to improve and learn.

Thank you once again for making The Orpheum Theater Flagstaff’ss Best Live Music Venue!

orpheumflagstaff.com

YOUR FAVORITES WINNERS ‌Annual Event of Festival

Nonprofit

1. Flagstaff Community Farmers

1. Shadows Foundation

Market

2. High Country Humane

2. Coconino County Fair

3. Flagstaff Family Food Center

3. Flagstaff Hullabaloo Place to go Dancing Flagstaff Attraction

1. Museum Club

1. Bearizona Wildlife Park

2. Monte Vista Lounge

2. Arizona Snowbowl

3. Orpheum Theater

3. Coconino National Forest

Place to Take Kids

Live Music Venue 1. Orpheum Theater 2. Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill 3. Museum Club Local Artist (Fine Art or

JAKE BACON‌

An audience of one listens as Viola & the Brakemen get ready to play a virtual concert on the Orpheum Theater’s stage this past summer as part of the At Home With The Orpheum streaming concert series. 2. Flagstaff Eagle Pride Marching Band

Local Band or Musician 1. Flagstaff Eagle Pride Marching Band

1. Bearizona Wildlife Park 2. Flagstaff Aquaplex 3. Tinkergarten Flagstaff Public Agency 1. Flagstaff Public Library

Performance Art)

3. Larry Hendricks

2. Black Lemon

2. Flagstaff Police Department

1. Kayley Quick

3. Shonto Begay

3. Pass the Butter

3. Coconino Humane Association

BEST OF FLAGSTAFF | DECEMBER 2020

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