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Businesses spring up in the Kern Place area
Meet some of our new neighbors Plus:
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Let’s get growing
By Ted Escobedo
A quick tour around our neighborhood and one can see that change is in the air. I welcome it with open arms and a renewed enthusiasm for Kern Place. As I popped into some of the new shops that have opened their doors, I was greeted by cool people that share my enthusiasm.
Kern Place has been known for many things throughout its history. In our last issue of onekernplace, we highlighted some of the different trends that our neighborhood has gone through in the past. From college party headquarters to a more family oriented business community, the pendulum has swung back and forth since the 1960’s. Now, we are in the midst of yet another renaissance. And it is one that I am especially excited about. In a matter of just a few months, many little shops have begun to add to the vibrance and variety of our community. For example, If you are looking for a unique gift that can only be found in El Paso, then look no further than your own neighborhood. Businesses
spring 2016
like, So El Paso and Cheep Antiques can offer what so many other shops can’t originality. Or, let’s say that you are looking for an alternative to the beverages offered in the cups of cold corporations. Well then, Tippi Teas and Kopi Coffee will hit the spot! Both offer unique beverages and warm, neighborly hospitality. When you are looking for your next caffeine fix or yearning for herbal relaxation, consider supporting our new neighbors. You, your friends and your taste buds will be happy you did. And speaking of taste buds, I think that I am most excited about Frozert Yogurt opening up in our neighborhood. It offers a stylish and friendly environment to enjoy healthy and delicious treats. I am on a mission to try all of their inventive flavors. Something tells me I will succeed. So let’s welcome our neighbors and wish them great success. They each add to the unique spirit of Kern Place. You can learn more about each of these on pages four and five. Every merchant was asked about: • what they offer • why they opened their business in Kern Place • what is the coolest thing about their business • what they want the residents of Kern Place to know about them
On the Cover: The Hoover House, located at 711 Cincinnati Ted Escobedo is the owner of Snappy Publishing which specializes in targeted, niche publications, web content and newsletters. His current publications can be viewed at: www.snappypublishing.com
Spring is real estate season
You live in a very desirable area. Many buyers are looking to enjoy the neighborhood and lifestyle that your home has to offer, but the real estate market has changed and expectations must be realistic to sell your home in a timely manner. While some homes take longer to sell than others, I am happy to report that your neighborhood remains desirable and property values are stable. And that is why my listings have sold in a fraction of the average marketing time. The keys to a successful home sale are accurate pricing, realistic expectations and an experienced real estate professional who understands your area.
If you are considering selling your home, I urge you to call me. As a professional Realtor速 who specializes in your neighborhood, I can assure you that a competitively priced home in good condition can and will sell.
Just ask some of my recent clients.
Barbara Berliner 920-9385 www.barbaraberliner.com babstexas@aol.com Barbara Berliner & Co.
If your home is currently listed with another agent, this is not a solicitation.
New businesses spring up in Kern Place
Meet some of our new neighbors
onekernplace•com
Kopi Coffee 915-261-7633 Owner: Ahmed Orozco 205 Cincinnati Ave www.facebook.com/KopiCoffe e.SpecialtyCoffee/ Hours:7am - 11pm M-F 9am - 9pm Sat & Sun
So El Paso Owner: Anne Hussmann Mitchell 2717 N. Stanton St
“There is no alternative to achieve excellence.”
• We offer the only SCAA coffee grade AND world Champion beans, loose leaf teas and local pastries. • I think Kern Place has a large bar scene and not many other options. With Kern, Mission and UTEP so close I think a coffee shop is a must. • I think the coolest thing would be our brewing machines, beans and attention to detail • I would love to let our community know that when they spend a dollar here, it stays here. If you got to a Franchise who knows what that number is.
Frozert Yogurt Owner: Amanda Ozer 2609 N. Mesa El Paso, TX 79902 915-532-3453
“Home of the Horchata Flavored Yogurt!”
• We offer frozen yogurt, Boba Tea, frappes and smoothies. We offer flavors El Pasoan's love like mango, pomegranate and horchata. Plus great seasonal flavors every one loves. • We like that (Kern Place) is a good area for walking and exploring. Plus, the Kern Place location has a good mix of families, professionals and students. • We serve great desserts in a relaxing atmosphere with beautiful blue floors. • Frozert has the most No Sugar Added flavors in El Paso that still have great taste. A must try!
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El Paso, TX 79902 915-777-0803
“Your go-to gift store for El Paso products”
• So El Paso offers a retail and website (www.soelpaso.com) where folks can buy El Pasoinspired gifts, including salsas, pecans, t-shirts,
Mexican curios and a list of ever-changing “souvenir” items. • As a native to El Paso there are many, many things that make El Paso unique. I named my business So El Paso, because I find myself and many others say… wow, That’s So El Paso! Not in a good way, not in a bad way but in a way that differentiates us from other cities. • I opened my shop in Kern Place, because, Kern is So El Paso! (my mom bought me my first bra, years ago, at Tina’s right next to my current shop!! LOL!!) Plus, my landlord, Clinton Dean, is a longtime El Pasoan, whose Dad built the shopping center forever ago and he welcomed us with open arms. • The coolest thing about my business is that there are no other companies, that I know of, who have branded the name of our great city on their products. The pride of El Paso is swelling, the tide is turning and we are happy to be the go-to gift to show that pride. Cheep Antiques Owners: Terry Jimenez and Judy Jimenez (brother & sister) 3233 N. Mesa Ste.208 El Paso, TX 79902 915-351-4471 Facebook.com/cheepantiquestexas Hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
“Cheep Antiques vs. Cheap Antiques. We chose the name because we wanted to offer quality antiques at an affordable price.”
• Cheep Antiques offers a variety of antiques, uniques and collectibles including antique furniture, German steins, antique stoneware, dolls, paintings and a bottle collection to name just a few. Cheep Antiques has a little something for everybody. • We liked (Kern Place) the feel of being in an older more established part of town with a beautiful view of the mountains. The tenants in the center are all very friendly and very welcoming. • There are many cool things about our business. We enjoy sharing a piece of history and the stories about the pieces with the customers who come in to our store. We share fond memories with many of our customers about the antiques they have and the antiques we have. • We are new! Cheep Antiques just completed its fifth month open, and we are starting on month number six. We continue to add new inventory to our store weekly. We have something different to look at regardless of the number of times customers come in to the store. We also have items listed on Craigslist.
Tippi Teas Owner: Jose Murguia 2501 N.Stanton (915) 239 1755 facebook.com/tippiteas Open: Mon-Sat 9 to 9 Sun 11-6 “Enjoy tea Enjoy Life!”
• We are a local Tea Room offering over 70 healthy, allnatural loose leaf TEAs and HERBs, from all over the world. Enjoy them hot or iced cold; or buy them in bulk to make at home. Organic Matcha, Super Food Smoothies and complete Juice Bar also available :) • We believe in Raw + Fresh made to order drinks will benefit our bodies the most. We offer drinks that simply make you feel good, with a clean energy to work with. • Kern Place is a beautiful and unique neighborhood, not a lot of places you can walk to your destination to either shop eat or drink, you can do it all here, we greatly encourage local business and kern place is a great place to make more of them. • (What is the coolest thing about your business?) Everything ! =) I• We want to share the pleasure of tea, conversation and community.
House&Home 5 tips for a successful vegetable garden
By Jacqueline A. Soule, Ph.D
Ample sunshine and lack of rain, surprisingly, make for healthy gardens in the West. Since you have to add water only when and where you need it, far fewer weeds sprout. And the great thing about even a small vegetable garden — greener living! Here are five simple tips to get verdant vegetables here in the Southwest:
1. Start small. Until you get a good feel for how much time you actually have, don't invest massive amounts of time, money and space in a garden. The smallest start is growing a container garden utilizing a few big pots. For spring greens, shallow pots 10 to 18 inches deep are ample. Some large decorative ceramic pots on your patio will do fine.
2. Location, location, location. Greens are fast growing leafy plants that need a lot of sun. In spring, this means direct sun for at least half a day. That said,
when a seed packet reads "full sun," most have "back East" in mind. Our Western "full sun" in summer is too much for greens. Shade in the afternoon will be better. 3. Soil. If you plant in the ground, loosen your soil and blend organic matter including compost or rotted cow or horse manure. If you don't make your own, you can buy it at a garden center or scoop some up at a stable or farm.
Loosening Western soil for the first time isn't done with a mechanical tiller. Also called hardpan, it requires a pick ax and sturdy shovel. Water the site where you want your garden so
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the water soaks into the soil. Return to the spot the next day to dig. It will be much easier. The tough soil makes another great argument for gardening in containers where you can use any good potting mix.
4. Plant selection. For the spring garden, plant green leaf crops. These include arugula, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, Swiss chard, collard greens, corn salad, endive, kale, kohlrabi, leafy lettuces, mizuna, mustard greens, radish, radicchio, spinach and winter purslane. In the West, it's very important to look for varieties that will do well in our conditions. Cultivars with short growing seasons do best. These vegetables will taste better if grown and harvested quickly. In Denver and Albuquerque, harvest by July 4. Harvest by Memorial Day in Phoenix and San Antonio.
5. Fertilizer. Fertilize plants only after they're established. This is generally two to four weeks after planting seedlings, and four to six weeks after sowing seeds. Too much fertilizer can burn tiny baby plants as they emerge from their seeds. Err on the side of saving money and wait to fertilize.
Sprucing up for Spring By Barbara Berliner
March and April traditionally usher in the “selling season” for residential real estate in El Paso. Families who will be relocating here typically begin their home search during this time in order to be settled before school starts in August. Spring break (very early this year) and the Easter holiday are typically high traffic times for buyers to be searching for homes. This peak buying season usually ends in July as parents and children settle into their new homes and neighborhoods to begin new jobs and the new school year.
For those of you who are considering selling your home, NOW is the perfect time to get it on the market. You might be hesitating because the thought of getting your home ready for this competitive market sounds rather daunting and overwhelming. I would like to give you some easy tips on preparing and staging your home to sell fast and bring top dollar. It takes a little careful planning and organization but it will turn your house into an irresistible and marketable home.
1. De-Personalize Pack up your personal photographs and family heirlooms. You do not want buyers to be distracted and they are always fascinated by personal items. You want buyers to imagine their personal photos on the walls—not yours!! Instead of a buyer wondering “what kind of people live here”— you want them to say “I can see myself” living here.
2. De-Clutter We all tend to collect an amazing amount of junk. Use the old rule:
Real Estate Update
If you haven’t used it in a year, you probably don’t need it. * If you don’t need it—throw it away or donate it to charity. * Clean out your bookshelves. Arrange a few books but primarily leave that space very open. * Pack up your knickknacks. Nothing is more distracting for a buyer than knickknacks everywhere. * Clean off your kitchen counters. * Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet or under a counter when not in use.
3.Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets Buyers do love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Messy closets and overstuffed cabinets do not create a good impression. Imagine what a buyer thinks about you if everything is neat and organized. It means you take good care of your home as well. A few simple tricks: • Organize your spice jars. • Neatly stack dishes. • Arrange your pots and pans. • Hang shirts together—buttoned and facing the same way. • Line up your shoes. • Clean out your closets.
4. Rent a Storage Unit Almost every home looks better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways. Put these pieces in storage. Remove extra leaves from your dining room to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room’s purpose with plenty of room to walk around. You don’t want buyers wondering “What is this room used for?” 5. Remove or Replace “Attached” Items . If there are items that are considered attached such as window treatments, a built-in
appliance or a light fixture that you intend to take with you, remove them before you put your home on the market. Once you tell a buyer that they can’t have something, they will covet it and it could blow your deal. Pack these items and replace them if necessary.
6. Make Minor Repairs • Replace cracked floor or counter tiles • Patch holes in walls • Fix leaky faucets • Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to pink or purple walls. • Replace burned-out light bulbs 7. Check Curb Appeal The exterior of your home and your front yard is the first thing a buyer sees. If a potential buyer doesn’t like the exterior of your home, you will never get them inside. Make sure: • Walk-ways are clear of toys and clutter. • Lawn has been mowed and free of weeds. • Faded trim has been painted • Shrubs and trees have been trimmed and pruned.
While this process might truly seem overwhelming at times, these tips will help a Seller present an attractive, neat and organized home that any potential buyer will love. Take one room at a time and scrutinize its appeal to that prospective buyer. Does it have an impact and pizzazz? Go outside and open your front door. Do you want to go inside and does the house welcome you? If the answers are “yes” then you are ready to list your home. Home Buyers will be ready to write a contract and be anxious to move in and you will be getting top dollar for your home in the shortest amount of time.
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