Stayin’ Alive

Every year in this Gift Guide, we profile independent, locally owned
stores that carry great gifts for the holiday season. We’ve found all
sorts of original stores owned by hard-working, creative locals,
selling all sorts of unique items.

This year, as I drove around town looking for a fresh batch of
stores, I noticed something troubling: Many of the stores I’ve profiled
in years past have closed. Some of them have been replaced by new and
equally exciting locally owned stores, but many of them are just
gone, leaving a definite void in Tucson’s local economy.

On the plus side, I still found plenty of new and creative shops
around town—places where local business owners are doing their
small part to keep Tucson’s fiercely independent and locally focused
spirit alive.

All of the shops mentioned here have something special about them,
whether it’s what they carry, how they approach their business or the
niche they fill. Money may be tight this year—so it’s extra
important to spend it wisely.

Savaya Coffee Market

5350 E. Broadway Blvd., No. 174

747-3200, www.savayacoffee.com

Walk past Savaya Coffee Market, and you can’t miss the coffee
roaster in the front window; depending on the time of day, you may even
be able to smell the beans roasting. Every day, owner/coffee guru Burc
Maruflu roasts small batches of his organic beans from South America,
Mexico, Africa and Indonesia—and the result is incredibly fresh
and delicious coffee.

“Most people, when they start drinking coffee from us, they don’t go
back to what they were drinking before,” said Maruflu. This is
understandable: Once you’ve had a taste of Savaya’s freshly roasted
organic coffee, it’s hard to imagine why you’ve ever subjected yourself
to anything else.

Savaya, which, Maruflu explained, doesn’t really mean anything (“so
that the meaning is formed here, with what we are doing”), has only
been open since April, but has already nurtured many followers. The
market hosts coffee classes every other Saturday, and everyday
customers who are willing to relax and spend some time in the market
can often benefit from lessons as well. Although Savaya is not a
café, Maruflu and company do make incredible lattes (with a wide
variety of milk to choose from—even organic) and coffee, which
you can enjoy as you’re waiting for Maruflu or one of his staffers to
measure out beans.

Savaya sells everything related to the full coffee experience, from
beans to water filters to grinders, French presses (about $20) and even
a small home roaster ($300). Savaya offers special cuts of tea as well;
for the holiday season, Maruflu, who is Turkish, will be selling
baklava imported from Turkey, as well as gift jars containing roasted
beans. Costs vary depending on market prices.

Rockin’ Queen

45 S. Sixth Ave.

461-1075, www.therockinqueen.com

Rockin’ Queen is not an ordinary women’s clothing shop. Inside,
you’ll find a variety of unique garments, free guitar-pick earrings and
a vintage glam-rock David Bowie aesthetic adorning the walls. Owner
Lizette Trujillo opened the downtown boutique about a year and a half
ago, and she stocks her store with things that she finds interesting,
“things that I think speak to me,” she explained. “It’s kind of
narcissistic.”

The items that speak to Trujillo are indeed noteworthy—when I
was there in mid-October, she was already offering a selection of
holiday dresses that were simple, elegant and yet unlike anything one
would find in more traditional stores. One black dress had a series of
square gold grommets along the back, reminiscent of a punk Cleopatra
($147); another featured Victorian-style black lace ($111).

What makes the Rockin’ Queen even more unique is Trujillo’s focus on
eco-friendly items. She strives to ensure that at least 40 percent of
the merchandise is eco-friendly, with items by Nuvula, which are made
with recycled materials, as well as items by Peel, made from
sustainable fabrics. Trujillo explained that the eco-friendly goal is
getting easier and easier to meet.

“A lot of companies are going more in that direction,” Trujillo
said. “There’s more of a demand for recycled pieces, and different
fabrics.”

The items that are not eco-friendly, though, have to be
super-special to make it into the shop, so no matter what, you’ll be
able to find something for your loved one that will be thoughtful on
multiple levels.

June’s Corner Store

10 E. Broadway Blvd., No. 108

622-8100

June’s Corner Store is actually on a corner—the corner of
Broadway and Stone Avenue, to be exact. Although, upon first glance, it
may seem like an average hotel gift shop or office-building drugstore,
June’s Corner Store is stocked floor to ceiling with, as owner June
Hale put it, “Something for everyone.”

If you’re looking for one-stop shopping, this is the place to go.
Within the small store, you’ll find gifts for your niece, grandmother,
creepy uncle, work friends, outside-of-work friends, mother-in-law,
father-in-law, neighbor, mailman and even, possibly, yourself.

For the children on your list, June’s has a whole rack of small
stuffed animals. Who wouldn’t like a stuffed Snuffleupagus ($6.99) or a
bear in a bunny suit ($7.99)? For the grandmothers: angels, in all
sizes, shapes and colors, or an expandable plastic insta-flower vase
from Vazu ($9.99). Perhaps your out-of- state in-laws would like a
Tucson Painted Pony ($52), or a Diana Madaras print. For your
co-workers: cards full of seeds that you can actually plant ($4.95).
June’s has University of Arizona merchandise, CDs (everything from
Maroon 5 to Ziggy Marley), ornaments, jewelry and even snacks and
lottery tickets.

Embellish Home Etc.

6761 E. Tanque Verde Road

512-5200, www.embellishhomeetc.com

Walking into Embellish, created by interior designers Kim Samuels
and Dawn Scully, is like walking into an English castle: Crowns and
fleurs de lis are everywhere, as are beautiful items that express an
Old World style. Silver candle snuffers ($22) were on a small table
near the cash register, and apothecary jars of all sizes ($42 for a
tall one) were arranged nearby. Scattered around the store were
incredible lamps—one with a lampshade made of velvet was $306,
and another for $280 was decorated with what looked like etches of
bugs.

But the accessorizing doesn’t end there, and even gets more
affordable. Embellish also has a large selection of flip-flops
decorated with rhinestone peace signs, crowns, crosses and paws, to
name a few designs ($42)—as well as jewelry and tank tops studded
with rhinestones ($32 for one with a fleur de lis). Small items like
napkins with embroidered bees ($10) and old-looking liquor tags ($12)
would add a touch of finery to anyone’s home. We even saw some
wild-game marinades in jars with names like “Wild Boar No More” ($10)
for the royal hunter on your list.

For the holiday season, Embellish plans on stocking a wide variety
of classic Christmas items that fit the Old World and royal flavor of
the rest of the store. You could even arrange for an in-home design
consultation for the less-aesthetically inclined person on your
list.

The Tucson Audubon Society Nature Shop

300 E. University Blvd., No. 120

629-0510, www.tucsonaudubon.org/nature-shops.html

You would expect to find all things bird-related at the Tucson
Audubon Society’s Nature Shop, and you would not be disappointed:
You’ll find a carefully selected assortment of binoculars, guides and
hats, as well as bird feeders, bird food, bird jewelry, birdsong CDs
and even bird pop-up books. Store manager Sara Pike showed me a pop-up
book that was enormous and gorgeous, with intricate dioramas of bird
habitats complete with accurate sounds ($60). She said she keeps her
copy of the book by her front door, and it’s a steady conversation
piece.

As for actual birding gear, Pike recommended the society’s own
guidebook, Finding Birds in Southeast Arizona ($24.95), and a
pair of Vortex Diamondback binoculars ($240), which she said are great
for beginning birders. There’s really no better place in town to find a
good pair of bird-watching optics; as Pike explained, their selection
is geared specifically toward bird-watching, and, naturally, Audubon
Society staff members have ample field experience.

For the less-active nature-lover on your list, the store stocks CDs
of birdsongs (Know Your Bird Sounds Vols. 1 and 2 are $19.95
each), bird-watching DVDs (try Hooked on Hummingbirds for
$29.95) and the Friends of the San Pedro River DVD series, which
spotlights select native desert animals such as the coatimundi and the
javelina ($4 each). Pair the javelina DVD with a stuffed javelina
($12), and you have quite the unique Sonoran Desert gift.

All proceeds from the shop go toward conservation, and the store
will be holding its only sale the day after Thanksgiving, when
customers can get 20 percent off their entire purchase (15 percent off
optics). And if you’d like to do your gift-shopping in a more scenic
location than University and Fifth Avenue, you can check out the
smaller Agua Caliente Park location.

A Children’s House of Books

2624 N. First Ave.

822-8211, childrenshouseofbooks.onlinestreams.com

A Children’s House of Books is aptly named: This is a bookstore with
kids in mind. The shelves are kid-height; the walls are decorated with
kid-created art; and the books are classified in kid-friendly ways: by
subject, and in boxes, so kids can easily pull out every book about,
say, dinosaurs. There are chairs and tables and couches, plenty of
space for kids to sprawl and spread out and relax and read. Plus, the
store specializes in buying and trading used books, so parents don’t
have to worry if little Johnny drools a little on the copy of Lyle,
Lyle, Crocodile he pulled off the shelf and is busily reading on
the couch.

Owner Pat James started the store to promote literacy; she is a
longtime storyteller who offers book readings at various events around
town—and she knows what to do to get kids excited about books.
She explained that oftentimes, parents walk into the store with their
kids and don’t know what to look for, and before they know it, their
kids have found all kinds of books they want to read. The store feels
more like a school library or a classroom than a store, which invites
more exploration, and this is by design: James even sells thematic
lesson-plan kits for $15 that include books, activities, worksheets and
displays. The store stocks toys, videos, games and new books as well,
but James joked that if she has too many toys out, the kids go for
those first. “I had to hide my toys!” she explained.

All used books are half of their original price, and they range from
50 cents up to about $8. Customers can also trade up to $10 worth of
merchandise. The store has a busy schedule of readings and events,
which you can read about on the store’s Web site.

Salvation Army Boutique

6715 E. Tanque Verde Road

722-6525

Maybe you’ve driven down Tanque Verde and seen all of the furniture
placed in front of the tiny Salvation Army Boutique—or maybe you
haven’t; the place is so small that it’s easy to miss. But in
actuality, the small store is packed with big finds, and even extends
from the curbside display into an outdoor furniture area under a tent
in back.

From curb to tent, you’ll find items among the best donations
received by the Salvation Army—designer-label clothes,
extra-special antiques, upscale furniture and bags that look brand-new.
On a recent visit, I saw several BCBG garments for less than $10 each,
$10 Tommy Hilfiger boots, an antique brass menorah for $35 (that is the
spitting image of my great-grandmother’s menorah), several small Ansel
Adams prints for $5 each, a full set of dishes that looked like they
hadn’t been used since 1940, and some truly incredible pieces of
1950s-era furniture. On top of that, everything was half-off the day I
visited. This collectibles store may take some of the fun out of
thrift-store shopping, but rest assured, you’ll find some serious deals
and high-quality gifts.

Sticks N Strings

8796 E. Broadway Blvd.

296-3479, www.sticksnstrings.com

Musical instruments are gifts that keep on giving, and at Sticks N
Strings, you’ll find good deals and a knowledgeable staff to assist
you. If you’re looking for something for the budding guitarist on your
list, the store has acoustic guitars starting at $99, and Fender Strat
packs—which include an amp, a guitar, a gig bag and a
strap—for $199.

For the budding percussionist, a Mapex backpack percussion kit
includes a xylophone, a stand, mallets and sticks for $249—or you
could get him/her an electronic drum set complete with headphones (so
no one else has to listen to the same beat played incessantly for three
hours). You could stuff stockings with cowbells ($22-$54) and
harmonicas ($10 and up), or a colorful frog ukulele ($29.99). Sticks N
Strings stocks a large selection of Line 6 gear and used band
instruments, too. Depending on the day, who knows what kind of crazy
deal on a used guitar or amp you’ll find?

J. Renee Fine Linens and Indulgences

7121 N. Oracle Road

219-1515

J. Renee Sleepwear and Temptations

7111 N. Oracle Road

219-8568, www.jreneeonline.com

Both of J. Renee’s Casas Adobes retail shops specialize in comfort:
In the linen store, it’s luxurious sheets and towels, and in the
sleepwear store, it’s pajamas and robes. As co-owner Renee Wolin
explained about the linen store, “We focus on the luxury end of the
linen spectrum, on traditional Italian linens, versus what’s trendy or
what you can find in a department store.”

She showed me some sheets made out of beechwood, as in the tree,
which run $1,000 for a king-size set; on the slightly more affordable
side, the store stocks bamboo sheets, which are $400 for a king-size
set.

But the real stars of J. Renee’s shop are the towels—towels
made from bamboo, towels from Portugal that Wolin says are “soft from
day one” ($60 for a bath towel), beautiful French hand towels from Le
Jacquard Français ($24), thick Swedish hand towels from Ekelund
that were first made in the 19th century for royalty ($25), and a wide
selection of colorful and unique Missoni towels ($52 for a bath towel,
$18-$20 for hand towels). There are even incredible shower curtains,
rugs, pillows and placemats; for the holiday season, the shop also
stocks smaller bed-and-bath gift items, like soaps and lotions.

Over in the sleepwear shop, it’s all about eco-friendly pajamas; the
front of the store is filled with all things bamboo, like bamboo
nightshirts ($42), two-piece bamboo sleep sets ($95), bamboo menswear
sleep clothes ($62 for pants, $47 for a short-sleeve shirt) and a
bamboo dress that could pass as regular clothing ($52). Toward the back
of the store are robes in all sizes, shapes, fabrics and colors (priced
from $78 for a Sheepy Fleece all the way up to $340 for a Missoni), as
well as underwear—the Argentinean offerings, made of wicking
fabric, were especially interesting ($30)—and tons of sale
items.

Toward the front is an adorable selection of baby and toddler
clothing and accessories, including plenty of eco-friendly clothing.
And just try to resist the charms of Ze Super Zeros, stuffed-animal
superheroes from France wearing masks and capes ($30) that come with
stories; consider the Mouse, who says, “I can crawl through super small
spaces, but I am scared of ze dark.”

TriSports.com Retail Store

4495 S. Coach Drive

884-8743, shop.trisports.com

Locally owned and operated TriSports.com is predominantly an online
store for all your triathlete needs, but luckily for us Tucsonans,
there’s a sizable retail store off South Palo Verde Road. Inside is
everything the runner, swimmer and/or cyclist would ever need. For
cyclists: a huge selection of bikes, hydration gear, clothing—and
shoes, of course. For runners: a selection of compression socks, shirts
and pants to help you get through that marathon or recover from longer
runs, as well as the usual shoes, hats, watches and hydration gear. For
swimmers: goggles galore, paddles, suits and kickboards. There’s even a
whole wall of wetsuits next to the large pool you can hop into to try
out your prospective purchase.

What makes TriSports.com‘s
retail shop truly unique is the indoor pool that you can rent out. It’s
$20 for one 30-minute session, and the $90 endless pool punch pass
gives you 15 30-minute sessions in the pool. The staff is friendly and
knowledgeable, and to top it all off, there’s even a play area for the
kids.

The People’s Studio Gallery

980 E. University Blvd.

943 E. University Blvd., No. 145

(602) 206-5644 (Courtney Kelly, Vila Art Foundation publicist),
www.vilaart.org

The Vila Art Foundation—founded by Vila Jarrell, the owner of
Vila Thai Restaurant—has turned University Boulevard into a
series of art galleries. First, there are the ghost galleries that seem
to float into whatever empty store front is available; then there is
the art hanging on the walls of many of the stores and restaurants
between Park and Euclid avenues. All you have to do is wander down
University, and you’re bound to find many affordable local art
pieces.

“Our goal is to foster and nurture local artists,” explained
Jarrell.

In the People’s Studio Gallery, upstairs from American Apparel and
directly across from Vila Thai, there were incredible pencil drawings
of Barack Obama by artist Robert Jackson ($39 for a print), and pieces
ranging in price from $30 all the way up into the hundreds of
dollars.

Downstairs, in the other location, are colorful pictures of curious
creatures—what the artist, I. David Ernst, calls “Whimsical
Animal Characters,” like a “Snailosaurus,” or another called “Dangerous
at Both Ends,” which is a cute little guy with jagged teeth and tail.
The prints range from $30 for a 5-by-7 up to $65 for an 11-by-14. Large
colorful tile mosaics by Diana Rix run about $180, and brightly colored
cutouts of fruit by mural artist Gonzalo Espinoza are $15-$55 a piece.
There’s also jewelry, small stained-glass Stars of David and crosses,
and new work by artists arriving constantly; every first Thursday of
the month, there is an Art Walk along University, with a new featured
artist in each participating location.

This article appears in Nov 19-25, 2009.