Monday, November 23, 2009

This new salon and spa is a must see! Urbanna Natural Spa & Salon just had a spectacular grand opening celebration and they’re off and running, making Spokane not only look good but feel great as well. Owner Linda Biel has transformed the old Pine Creek Dairy building at 168 South Division, (just North of the Starbucks at 2nd and Division), into a beautiful, comforting, eco-friendly spa and salon that offers an array of nurturing services and treatments. Urbanna features organic products and sustainable practices; and Biel is seeking Green Spa Certification. Urbanna Spa’s upstairs treatment and massage rooms have an international theme, with each room styled and named after a different continent. The name "Urbanna" is a hybrid of the words "urban" and "nirvana," which is exactly what they are for their clients. The building has been refurbished in remarkable style with state-of-the-art technology including plasma TVs and WI-FI. Visit www.urbannaspa.com or call 509-747-7076 for more information or to make an appointment.

Spokane’s Buy Local logo has been spruced up with holiday cheer, thanks to GSI member, Magner Sanborn. You can download the logo at http://www.greaterspokane.org/buy-local.html and use it in your promotion to urge customers to spend their money locally this holiday. Display the logo on posters at your business; (GSI has 8"x10" pre-printed posters at their offices, 801 W. Riverside, Suite 100). You can also use the logo to print on receipts, put on your website, include in your advertising (the Journal of Business and The Inlander both have special Buy Local holidays sections), and give flyers to customers with a discount for their next purchase. You'll soon see more Buy Local TV spots on local network affiliates, thanks to sponsor Sterling Savings Bank. If you'd like to sponsor TV or radio ads contact Dawn Picken at GSI, her email is dpicken@greaterspokane.org.

The Spokane Symphony Associates make a notable difference for the Spokane Symphony. This is the 27th Anniversary of Christmas Tree elegance, a festival of exciting events to begin the holiday season which is the Associates' largest fundraiser in support of the Spokane Symphony. Enjoy tree viewing from December 1 to 12 on the mezzanine of The Davenport Hotel, four luncheons with Style Show, Gala Dinner Dance, tree raffles & more! The festivities begin December 1. For more information, visit the website, www.spokanesymphonyassoc.org.

Finders Keepers has the O factor! This month Oprah magazine features hair art from Spokane’s favorite fashionista, Deena Moe Caruso, the owner of Finders Keepers and finders Keepers 2. The D. Caruso collection features completely unique and one-of-a-kind headbands, hair clips, and bobby pins. Each piece is custom designed and hand-made by Caruso, and inspired by the fashion found in her stores. Trendsetters and brides alike are scooping them up - and reveling in the fact that no one will ever have anything quite the same. Finders Keepers is located at 112 S Cedar, and Finders Keepers 2 is at 18 W Main Ave.

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Bonita K. Bell-Andersen has earned the Chartered Life Underwriter® professional designation from The American College, Bryn Mawr, PA. Born and raised in Spokane, Bell-Andersen is a graduate of Lewis & Clark High School and Washington State University with a BA in Communications. A graduate of the 2009 class of Leadership Spokane, her involvement in the community includes Rotary International and the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. She is affiliated with, and securities offered through, LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.

Nosey Parker Guidebooks has expanded their popular shopping guide to Oklahoma. In addition to the Spokane area’s local guidebook, creator and publisher Margaret Croom has Nosey Parker directing women to all the unique and service-oriented businesses in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area. Our local guidebook for the Inland Northwest has been a huge hit and can be purchased at the area’s finest establishments throughout Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. Nosey Parker is a British term that implies curious. The stylish Ms. Parker is your guide to the best boutiques, spas, restaurants, hotels and various specialty shops. She believes in shopping local and giving back to the community. The new guidebook has been embraced warmly by OKC residents and travelers to the metroplex may purchase the guide in listed retailers, top notch hotels, Barnes and Nobles, Borders, airport terminal stores and at Amazon. There is obviously no stopping this shopping sleuth and it leaves us with just one question. Where she will go next? For more information on Nosey Parker guidebooks go to www.noseyparker.net.

Cornerstone Property Advisors recently hired Amanda Swan as Marketing Coordinator for their commercial real estate team. A Spokane native, Amanda is a recent graduate of Eastern Washington University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Journalism and Studio Art.

Long-time general contractor and custom home builder, Larry Kloetsch, President of RSVP Construction Inc. has announced the opening of a new real estate brokerage in Spokane under the name of RSVP Real Estate Group Inc. Kloetsch will be the Designated Broker and says that "opening a real estate brokerage is a natural extension of his construction experience and knowledge and that he has understood all aspects of real estate during his career." A separate company, RSVP Real Estate, Inc. located in Bellevue WA and brokered by his brother and CEO, Steve Kloetsch, has been met with much success, awarded "Best of Seattle" by Seattle Magazine for the last three consecutive years and has grown to 181 agents in just nine months. RSVP Construction is an award-winning construction company established locally in 1971 and will continue providing custom homes, remodeling, and commercial construction. Larry Kloetsch is the current 2009 Past President of the Spokane Home Builders Association (SHBA) and has served on the SHBA Executive Committee for five consecutive years. He also holds two committee chairs at the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW).For more information on RSVP Real Estate, Inc go to http://www.rsvpRE.com.

Before you deck the halls, paint some walls. Call The Paintworks for a free estimate. Over 25 years of quality workmanship, quality paint, affordability, and on-time schedules.
Call 509-838-6067.

Williams and Webster public accounting firm has changed its name to BehlerMick PS after managers Brian Behler and Melanie Sexton Mick. The website is www.behlermick.com and the phone number is 509-838-5111.

GSI has announced their new officers; Chair Tom Quigley, Kiemle & Hagood Company; Chair-Elect Greg Bever, Journal of Business; Immediate Past Chair Betsy Cowles, Cowles Company; General Counsel Bill Symmes, Witherspoon, Kelley, Davenport & Toole; Treasurer Kurt Walsdorf, Bank of America; New board members are: Dennis Barts, Valley Hospital & Medical Center; Kent Caputo, Kalispel Tribal Economic Authority; Jack Fallis, Global Credit Union; Marcelo Morales, Hollister Stier Laboratories; Anupam Narayan, Red Lion Hotels Corporation; Malcom Unsworth, Itron, Inc.; Jennifer West, Hill & Knowlton, Inc.; Bill Wrigglesworth, Payne Financial Group; Rory Nay, Proto Technologies; Mayor Matthew Pederson, City of Airway Heights; Jeff Phillips, Rosauers Supermarkets; Dr. Bill Robinson, Whitworth University; and George Schillinger, Millwood Manufacturing, LLC.

Rob Crick, of Rob Crick Law firm is the new chairman of the Washington State Bar Association executive committee’s Construction Law Section.

Santa Express is the holiday store just for kids that opens today at 707 West Main Avenue in the Crescent Building, Skywalk Level. It’s open until December 23 Monday-Saturday, 10am-8pm, and Sundays, 11am-6pm. At Santa Express, children between the ages of 4 and 12, assisted by volunteer elves, can find fun and affordable gifts for everyone on their shopping list. The elves help the children pick out their gifts and wrap them. Most presents range from 50 cents to $7.50, and the proceeds benefit the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery. While the children shop, their parents can relax in "Vanessa’s Village," a beautifully decorated shop with a variety of unique gift items. For more information visit www.vanessabehan.org.

Good news on home prices. Median prices for Spokane County homes sold in October increased 3 percent over September, according to the Spokane Association of Realtors. This is the first upturn since March, as the number of sales jumped 15 percent compared with September, and also was up 15 percent from October 2008. The gains were due in part to the "first-time homebuyer tax credit" of $8,000 that some lenders credit toward the down payment.

It’s a gift bag you can feel good about giving. Everything in a BumbleBag – including the bag – was made with the environment in mind. No shrink wrap. No excess packaging. No baskets made in factories with questionable labor practices. In addition to BumbleBar’s five great flavors – Almond, Chai, Lushus Lemon, Cherry Chocolate and Awesome Apricot – you’ll also get a long list of gluten- and dairy-free favorites. They include products made by local and regional companies such as Thomas Hammer Coffee in Spokane; Amy E’s in Moscow, Idaho; Bare Fruit in Omak, Wash.; and Fruitabu, located on Stretch Island in the Puget Sound. The Breakfast and Snack BumbleBags are enviro-totes made of 80 percent recycled cotton and 20 percent recycled soda bottles. The Kids’ BumbleBag – created by WrapSacks in Spokane -- is a reusable batik fabric that zips into a wallet-sized pouch and made with environmentally friendly dyes. "BumbleBags are the result of the life’s experience in social and environmental activism, natural foods and being a frugal mom," said Liz Ward, a mother of three who came up with the original sesame seed-based BumbleBar in her own kitchen almost 15 years ago. Since then, Ward has created other BumbleBar flavors using only organic, gluten-free, dairy-free and ethically-sourced ingredients. BumbleBar has stood out among the hundreds of bars in the marketplace – not only for its yummy flavors but because of the way it conducts business. At this small, family-owned company, decisions are based on relationships. For more information on BumbleBags or BumbleBar products go to www.bumblebar.com.

Kevin Sell has joined Heiskell McGillvary and Associates as a certified public accountant. A graduate of the University of Washington School of Business, Sell has 25 years of public accounting experience and was previously with a regional accounting firm for 16 years.

Sean Finley has joined Magner Sanborn as an animator/designer. He will touch work for all Magner Sanborn clients as needed. Finley graduated from the graphic design program at Spokane Falls Community College in 2006. Most recently he has worked as a freelance designer doing video, motion, and web work. Prior to that he worked as a designer and animator at Digital Itech. Magner Sanborn also hired Jesse Scheller as Art Director. He’ll manage the design and execution of interdisciplinary marketing communications, including both print and online media. Scheller graduated from the graphic design program at Spokane Falls Community College. He most recently worked for Pierpoint Design + Branding. His graphic and web design background includes work for MTV, AT&T, McDonalds, and Cricket, and Black Rock Development.

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