SAFFORD — Two businesses that have won a Best of Safford award every year they’ve both been open kept their streaks alive Wednesday.
At the Safford Downtown Association’s Appreciation Luncheon Wednesday at the Venue, the Best of Safford Business Excellence-Service 2022 Award was presented to Ginaveve’s Marketplace, and the Best of Safford Business Excellence-Retail 2022 Award went to Copper and Cotton Lifestyle Co.
Jenny Howard, owner of Ginaveve’s Marketplace, said the secret to her eight wins is her team practicing concentric customer service.
“It’s not only what happens when we have a visitor in the store, but it’s also how they feel when they walk out the door,” Howard said.
Wednesday’s win was the third for Tricia Garrett, owner of Copper and Cotton Lifestyle Co., although her first two were under the business’ previous name of Gila Valley made. She said the community responds to her commitment to support the Gila Valley.
“The base of our business is that we support business,” Garrett said. “We have 96 small businesses within the store, and I’ve always said, ‘You can shop local multiple times over in one location.’ ”
Casa Manana won its fifth consecutive Best of Safford Best Dining Experience award, while Best of Safford Best Customer Service 2022 award went to Howard’s other business, the Tiny Bean Coffee Co.
The Best of Safford Best Business Remodel in 2022 award went to Kym Gifford’s The Venue on Main and Vignette, the Best of Safford Best Newcomer in 2022 award was presented to The Shelf and the Best of Safford Best Food Truck in 2022 award was presented to Dug’s Blow’n-Smoke BBQ LLC.
Two special awards were presented during Wednesday’s event — Brandt Woods, the man behind the Downtown Mural Project, was presented with Gypsy Souls’ CNC plasma cut mock-up of his first mural, a guitar made of cactus, that can be seen on the side of the Richard’s Music building; and a plaque thanking the Downtown Association for support was presented by Carpe and Zen Productions, the organizers of the Gila Valley Film Festival in the historic Safford Theatre.
Danny Smith, the president of the Safford Downtown Association’s board of directors, said there are 117 businesses in the Downtown, creating 890 jobs. Through the years, the Downtown Association and its sponsors and partners have been responsible for $912,000 worth of improvements to the area.
“We work hard to make the cash registers ring,” Smith said.
Nominees and winners (in bold):
Best Dining Experience in 2022
● Casa Manana
● Branding Iron Steakhouse
● Ginaveve’s Marketplace
● Copper Steer Steakhouse
● El Charro
● Jerry’s
Best Customer Service in 2022
● Tiny Bean Coffee Co.
● Copper and Cotton Lifestyle Co.
● Casa Manana
● Skin Studios
● Josie James Co.
Best Business Remodel in 2022
● The Venue and Vignette
● Skin Studio
● 19 Double X Studio
Best Newcomer in 2022
● The Shelf
● Skin Studios
● Josie James Co.
● Winterhawk Outfitters
Best Food Truck in 2022
● Dug’s Blow’n-Smoke BBQ LLC
● Shelby Cake
● Nana’s Kitchenette
● Sushi Queen Uno
● Isabel’s South of the Border
Business Excellence-Service in 2022
● Ginaveve’s Marketplace
● Skin Studios
● The Fix Med Spa
● Tiny Bean Coffee Co.
● Kempton Chevrolet
Business Excellence-Retail in 2022
● Copper and Cotton Lifestyle Co.
● Josie James Co.
● Enchanted Boutique
● The Wear
● The Shelf
● Winterhawk Outfitters
Editor’s note: Reporter David Bell is a member of the Safford Downtown Association’s board of directors.
