Saintless

It’s time for another installment about how great local companies can be. This time, it’s Freshmans Jewelers, on 353 East 500 South in downtown Salt Lake City.

I was recently jabbering on Twitter about not knowing my ring sizes, and I got a message from @Freshmans1895, offering to size my fingers for me. I checked, and since they were right around the corner from my office, I let them know I’d be down later in the day.

I went in to see Zach and get my fingers measured. (Side note: this isn’t for an engagement ring. Though I do have that size also. :) Zach was working in the back, but came out front to help me. He got out a big ring with ring sizers on it, and was a bit apologetic because the rings were hard to read. He mentioned that his grandfather had made the rings years ago. Talk about a family business! I don’t think there are many more around like this one.

Walking into the store reminded me of the small, family owned jewelery stores I went into when I was little, except this one seems to also cater to hobbyists. I am not certain what all of the shelves of equipment and pieces were for, but I bet you could get an idea by looking around on their online store, if that sort of thing interests you.

There were also well-lit cases with jewelery, stones and various empty settings in them. I asked Zach whether they made all of the jewelery in house, and he said they made some, but not all. They have other designers’ pieces, as well. From looking around and from talking to him, it looks as if the pieces ranged from inexpensive silver that might have even been mass produced, to very custom and unique pieces. Zach mentioned that custom wedding sets is what they specialize in. They also seemed to have some very old looking “estate pieces” that would be fun to look through.

I had originally wondered if they scanned through Twitter for sales opportunities, but apparently Zach had recently found my blog through the Salt Lake Tribune’s Culture Vulture blog, and then ran across my tweets.

I adore jewelery, but I rarely wear it, as of late. I am pretty picky about what I wear, but I don’t really have any “nice” jewelery, so I stopped wearing most of it. I sucked it up when my hair got cut short, and have been wearing some pretty cheap earrings, just so I don’t get called a boy (true story). But, I might have to visit this store in the near future for some decent earrings and necklaces to wear “everyday”, and also pick out some nicer pieces that I can make googley eyes at my boyfriend for, next time he’s out of ideas for what to get me for a present.

Oh, and just in case anyone might have need of this information:
Left pinky: size 5
Left ring (wedding band) finger: size 7
Right pinky: size 6 1/2
Right ring finger: size 7 1/2
And if it’s a wider band, add 1/4 of a size

Zach also stored a copy of the sizing information under my name, so that next time, the surprise doesn’t have to get spoiled.

I really enjoyed my brief experience there, and look forward to next time!

Tags: Freshmans Jewelers

I’ve been meaning to write this blog for a while now, and now seems to be the perfect time. I adore the Play N Trade in Sugar House. Really, truly adore them. I’ve been a customer for at least a couple of years.

Now, Play N Trade itself is a national chain. But, each of them are independent franchises.

I have always had good experiences at their store. Almost anytime my 9 and (almost) 11 year old sons get extra money, they can’t wait to head to Play N Trade to spend it. They can trade in games they don’t want anymore, because the store sells both new and used video games. One of my biggest reasons for using this business is that when my boys go into the store, they are treated with respect. The employees aren’t dismissive of them, and they are happy to answer all of the kids’ questions. They let them try almost any game before they buy it, which has helped the boys to make good decisions on what games to buy.

Last fall, we moved across town, so the Sugar House store isn’t around the corner from me, anymore. Preston, my 9 year old, wanted to buy Nintendogs for his DS. Since there was a national chain nearby, we went there. I immediately saw the difference between the national chain, and my Sugar House PNT. When we were finally greeted, the employees talked to me. I let them know my son had some questions.

Now, Preston sometimes is hard to hear. He’s got an appliance in his mouth for his teeth, and until his recent adult teeth came in, in the front, he had been missing one front tooth since he was a toddler. He kind of mumbles sometimes, especially when he’s feeling intimidated.

So, Preston begins to ask about the game he wanted. The employee gave him a short answer and then, as Preston began to ask another question, the guy turned around and walked away. Preston went browsing, because he wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted to spend his money on. He came back a few minutes later, hoping to play the game, to see if he wanted it for sure. We waited patiently while another customer was helped, and then the employees again walked away. I called them over, and Preston asked to try the game. He was told they don’t do that there.

There were actually 2 employees, but because I wasn’t the customer, and my son was, I guess the second employee had better things to do.

This sort of thing continued, and we were in the store for about 20 minutes. I finally pointed out to Preston how rude they were being to him, and told him that I didn’t want to spend money at a store like that. I reminded him of how the PNT employees treat him, and asked if he would wait a day, so we could go there, instead. Being a kid with money burning a hole in his pocket, Preston decided to buy Nintendogs anyway.

A couple of weeks later, after Preston’s birthday, he again had some money to spend, and some games to trade in. So, we headed off to Sugar House to Play N Trade. The owner, Patrick Murphy, was in, and recognized us. He asked how the games we had bought for Preston’s birthday turned out, and we chatted. One of the employees greeted both Preston and Drake, and patiently let them try what seemed like a bazillion different games. Sometimes one of the boys would ask the employee about a game, and the employee would tell them that they didn’t think he’d have much fun with that game, and suggest a different one instead.

Thinking back over my experiences, I recall one time that I was considering letting Drake (my older son) get a Play Station Portable (PSP). The guy advised me that, while there were kid games available, that most of the games were aimed at adults for that system, and that he’d be better off buying the Nintendo DS, even though that was less expensive. Another time, I was considering a game that the boys had been asking about, and mentioned it to an employee. I was told there’s no way I should let them have that game, because it was had graphic violence and was gory.

I love the personal service and great advice that I get at this store, and have let the boys know why I value PNT. We don’t buy anything video game related anywhere else now, if there’s a choice. Being a local company, they sometimes can’t get products that are hard to find, like when the Wii was the it Christmas gift. But, they usually tell me when I’m going to need to go somewhere else, and where the best place to find that product is.

So, if you are in the market to buy or sell anything video game related, do consider checking out this great store. And don’t forget the Tournaments!

Play N Trade
1126 East 2100 South
Sugar House, Utah, 84106
801.433.2552
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm

Tags: video games

Local blogger Marie LeBaron writes the MakeAndTakes blog. As a craft junkie, or at least wannabe craft junkie. I do some crafts, and I read about 15 craft blogs and dream about making the projects. Or, sometimes I buy everything I need for a craft project, and then never do it. But, I think that still makes me a junkie of some sort.

Anyway, I’m also very fond of the idea of local first, and the MakeAndTakes blog is celebrating their 2nd birthday with a “Locally Grown in Utah Giveaway” with prizes from 7 Utah companies. You can enter by commenting on the blog. While you are there check out some of the other posts, like Giving Out Kisses For Valentines.

The companies featured are:

The Girlie Shop
The Sassy Shoppe
Fall Down Tree
Kelly McCaleb Handmade
Cheeky & Swank
Sarah Jane Studios
The Sweet Tooth Fairy Bakeshop

And yes, I am writing this blog so I can get an extra entry in the contest – I really want that Four Girlies Necklace. But, it also reminded me that I am lagging on my Local First blogging, so it’s not all a shameless contest entry. Next up for local first blogging: Play N Trade.

“Cage free”, “Free Range”, “All Natural”, “No Antibiotics or Hormones Administered”, “Omega-3 of 225mg in Each Egg”, “Vegetarian Fed”, “Organic Vegetarian Feed”, “75 mcg of Folic Acid”

What do all of those mean, what are the differences from one label to the next, and why should you care? Well, to sum it up, here are things to look for on your egg cartons:

• Free Range
• Omega-3
• Organic Vegetarian Feed

Eat Well Guide goes into the specifics about which egg labels are BS, and which are the ones to look for.

Although these types of labels seem to be gaining ground due to consumers’ increasing demand for natural, safe and healthy food products, the labeling frenzy may at times confound rather than help the customer in making purchasing decisions.

And if you’re wondering why you should care, check out Sustainable Table, or watch The Meatrix:

The above post is Ezra Klein’s fault, if anyone cares. He’s got a good blog up today about why more people will be caring in the near future.

One last thing….later this week, a new restaurant is opening in Sugar House, called Au Naturel. If you’re anywhere near, you’ll want to check it out. Hopefully, I’ll be interviewing the owner soon, and can bring you all the delicious facts!

Remember the fiasco last year, where your beloved Granite Block suddenly was scheduled for demolition, to be replaced by some big box store, and now it’s a gaping hole?

Well, you were so easy to pull one over on last time, that Wal-Mart is about to move in where the old K-Mart was, on Parley’s Way. Here’s the email Wal-Mart Watch just sent me:

Dear Misty, The Salt Lake City Planning Commission is voting tomorrow on a controversial Wal-Mart project, and we need you to take action and urge a ‘no’ vote to help preserve the local economy and environment. A little background on the issue: Wal-Mart is desperate to build a new store at the site of the old K-Mart building on 2705 E. Parleys Way in Sugar House. The area, on the east side of Salt Lake City, is one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods, and is known for its distinctive local stores and small-town charm. But before it can build, the commission must vote to bend the rules and rezone the property, so that Wal-Mart can rip down a perfectly usable old K-Mart building to build an entirely new store. The reasons to oppose the Sugar House Wal-Mart project are numerous: The Fehr Traffic Study shows that traffic congestion under current background conditions is already at a failing level, and traffic with yet another Wal-Mart would only get worse. This project is incompatible with the Downtown Rising project, and looks to endanger the area’s local businesses. Wal-Mart has a history of bringing air pollution and water runoff pollution, which threatens to drain into local tributaries. A variety of neighborhood groups, including The Sugar House, East Bench, Greater Avenues, Bonneville Hills, Wasatch Hollow, Sunnyside East and Yalecrest community councils, have all voted to oppose the rezoning. TAKE ACTION NOW! Concerned citizens should contact the Salt Lake City Planning Commission immediately by emailing nick.britton@slc.gov or calling (801) 535-6107 – let the commission know that a new Wal-Mart is not a good fit for Sugar House. All opinions will be taken into consideration before tomorrow’s vote. Remember, if you don’t let the planning commission know how you feel by tomorrow, it could be too late!

This is really going to suck if it happens. Sugar House is an awesome community, and a store like Wal-Mart doesn’t belong there for a lot of different reasons. Pick your favorite, and call and/or email the planning commission!

Don’t just sit there, DO SOMETHING!

Update 1: The email address above is incorrect. I have called Mr. Britton to find out the correct address, and will update it as soon as I can. In the meantime, give him a call to express your opinion!

I really, really, really can’t wait for the Downtown Farmer’s Market to open! I’m excited to get fresh, local produce, and see the vendors. I’ve had the opening date (June 14th) set up on my calendar for months. Here’s the information on the opening celebration:

Market Merriment
Gather with the Growers

The Downtown Farmers Market celebrates the opening of its 16th season!
Enjoy a festive evening with farmers, fun, food, and famous ale.

Monday, June 9th, 2008
5 pm – 8 pm
Squatters Pub Brewery
147 West Broadway

$25 in advance, $30 at the door
Local flavors and spirits provided
Proceeds benefit the Farmers Market

For more information contact Danica Farley at 801.333.1105 or
danica@downtownslc.org.

And the info on the actual Farmer’s Market:

The Downtown Farmers Market opens on June 14, 2008. We can’t wait to see you there.

When: Saturdays – June thru Oct Time: 8:00am to 1:00pm Where: Historic Pioneer Park (300 South & 300 West) The Downtown Farmers Market is a local growers’ market, featuring fresh produce from over 70 Utah farmers. In addition to the produce, the Market also offers a variety of fresh baked breads and pastries, cheeses, meat and seafood, jams and honeys, house and garden plants, arranged planters, and numerous handmade arts & crafts. Unique food vendors also are a part of the Market, offering prepared foods and beverages. Sign up for to recieve “Fresh Peaches” , the Farmers’ Market email newsletter twice monthly to your inbox. http://www.downtownslc.org/newsletter.htm

I think that I’ll get the boys up early that day and find our way over to Trax. They love riding the train, and that will be a great way to start the day. To go along with the food, is the Art & Craft Market:

Downtown Art & Craft Market 2008

Dates: Saturdays – June 14 thru Oct 18 When: 8:00am to 1:00pm Where: Historic Pioneer Park (300 South 300 West) Downtown Salt Lake City The Downtown Art & Craft Market features vendors who create all categories of handmade, non-imported crafts and visual arts; including original paintings, photography, jewelry, pottery, household wares, leather goods, dried flowers, bath products, furniture, and one-of-a-kind gifts.

While I’m writing about local events, I should include these, from the Local First newsletter.

• Attend the Salt Lake City Open House on Conditional Use Zoning on June 11th

Consultants working with the Salt Lake City Council are holding a public open house to review the Conditional Use Zoning Ordinance refinement process and to discuss potential changes to the ordinance amendments. The open house will be held Wednesday, June 11th from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Salt Lake City’s Main Library Branch (210 East, 400 South) on the 4th Floor. For more information email Robyn Geist at robyn@wfandco.com.

• Join Local First and Partners at Salt Lake’s City Weekly Summer Rec Fest on June 14th

Salt Lake City Weekly’s Summer Rec Fest was created to boast Utah’s greatest outdoor assets. The festival will include Dutch oven cooking competitions, fly-fishing demonstrations, a climbing wall, live music, food, and prizes! Local First and partners will have vendor booths. Come support the Local First community and enjoy the atmosphere on June 14th from 12 PM to 6PM at the Gallivan Center in Downtown Salt Lake City. Email info@localfirst.org for more information or visit http://slweekly.com.

• Visit the Zion Canyon Art and Flute Festival June 9th Through June 15th

The Zion Canyon Art and Flute festival is a gathering of world flute recording artists performing live on stage, flute makers and native artists displaying their original work. Admission is $1.00 per person and takes place in Springdale, UT. For directions and more information visit www.zioncanyonartandflutefestival.com.

Side Note: While I was on the Downtown Alliance web site, I noticed a poll asking if I agreed with the proposed change to downtown parking, requiring payment on evenings and Saturdays. Let them know what you think.

I love buying from local businesses, for a variety of reasons. Partly, I believe this is the answer to Wal-Mart. Buying locally made products or from local businesses helps Utah’s economy, and stimulates small businesses. One of my favorite reasons was reaffirmed for me last night, though.

I crochet a lot, and the yarn store around the corner from me recently moved, so I was buying my yarn from chain stores. But, they have such a limited selection. It’s 90% acrylic, with maybe 3 colors of cotton and some mohair thrown in. My recent projects have been cotton, and I’ve realized how much I despise the feel of acrylic.

Last night, I had about 2 hours before the Salt Lake Democratic Central Committee meeting, so one of the things I decided to do was find a new (local) yarn store.

The first place I stopped had mostly sewing items, and the lady talked to me about how when she first opened 20 years ago, she had lots of “yarn craft” items, but that the big stores were selling yarn for the same price she was able to buy it for, so she had stopped. She was able to tell me where the store around the corner from me had moved, but pointed out that Wool Cabin was just across the street.

Mind you, “just across the street” isn’t as easy as it sounds. 3300 South near 2000 East is a mess, due to a pipe that’s being laid in the middle of the road. So, I had to get back on 3300 South, turn right on 2000 East, pull into H&R Block’s parking lot, get back on 2000 South and then go through the light. Anyhow, I finally made it there, and what a treat!

There were 3 big rooms, just full of a variety of yarns, in a rainbow of colors. When I went in, the lady greeted me with a smile, but didn’t hover. When I asked her a question though, I found a wealth of information just waiting for me. Although she was a self-described “wool snob”, she showed me that not all acrylics are the rough “fiberglass” texture that I don’t like. She also showed me some great cottons, linens and wool yarns, along with blends. She was a knitter, not a crocheter, but she was very helpful when I was trying to determine what yarns I would need for the two patterns I had selected. They have tons of patterns in binders for very low cost (about $3) as well as some great books.

And that brings me back to my favorite “buy local” reason. The service! It was so nice to find the staff so pleasant, along with how knowledgeable she was.

I can’t wait to finish the projects I’m working on, so I can go back and find something to make out of the linen yarn!

I’m proud to admit that I’ve joined Wing Coop’s Hall of Shame. Recently recommended by City Weekly, my sister and I set out to prove that we are “not chicken”.

We went to the Olympus Hills location Saturday afternoon, along with Jacob, and ordered the “11 in 11″, which consists of 11 damn hot wings. You can drink all you want prior to beginning the wings, but once you start, there is no food or drink or even ranch dip to cool your burning mouth until you’re done! If you finish within 11 minutes, you get a free t-shirt and your (red-faced) photo up on their “Wall of Shame”. I’ve always liked hot food, and I have to say that their sauce is great! It’s extremely hot, but it’s got a lot of flavor, too. Apparently, there are 11 spices in the sauce, which is where the name comes from.

If you ever decide to try your tastebuds at it, have a jug of milk ready for when you finish. And prepare to let your sinuses run! And note that when they say that it helps to be crazy, they aren’t kidding.

Apparently, they had a lot of response to being in City Weekly, so the t-shirt is on backorder, but when I get it, I’ll be sure to post a photo of me proudly displaying my free advertising souvenir.

I definitely plan to go back for more, but next time, I’ll be enjoying them with a side of ranch and a beer at a much more leisurely pace. If hot isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other options, including the mild teriyaki flavor, to enjoy.

Thanks to JM Bell for leading the effort to getting the word out about this.

The United States Marine Corps Reserve in Utah is in dire need of volunteers to help out with this year’s annual US Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Campaign.

90% of the Marine force in Utah is busy this holiday season. 180 Marines currently deployed in Iraq and another 100 busy training for their 2008 deployment means that there are not enough Marines in Utah to pick up and distribute toys.

The Marines are very short staffed for the distribution weeks and need your help. They especially need some people that speak Spanish to assist with translation.

Round up your family and friends and join the US Marines for a grand holiday experience.

Please, cut and paste this post and email to anyone you know who can make the time to do a little with the men and women who do so much.

CONTACT TO VOLUNTEER

Laura Sexton
435-783-5806
435-640-7223
laura@sextonoffroad.com
military@allwest.net

For readers in other states, visit Toys For Tots.org and look for a volunteer opportunity near you.

Tags: Toys for Tots, United States Marine Corps

As if we don’t already have enough reasons to buy local, the King of Burgers has given us an extra one, apparently worth an entire penny.

Migrant farm workers in Florida earn 45 pennies for each 32 pound bucket of tomatoes they pick. A whopping 45 cents. And Burger King wants to reward them by giving them a 40% pay cut for Christmas.

In 2005, Florida tomato pickers gained their first significant pay raise since the late 1970s when Taco Bell ended a consumer boycott by agreeing to pay an extra penny per pound for its tomatoes, with the extra cent going directly to the farm workers. Last April, McDonald’s agreed to a similar arrangement, increasing the wages of its tomato pickers to about 77 cents per bucket. But Burger King, whose headquarters are in Florida, has adamantly refused to pay the extra penny — and its refusal has encouraged tomato growers to cancel the deals already struck with Taco Bell and McDonald’s.

And in case you don’t think the immigration debate is worthy of much attention, here’s one that should make you rush to one side or the other:

Migrant farm laborers have long been among America’s most impoverished workers. Perhaps 80 percent of the migrants in Florida are illegal immigrants and thus especially vulnerable to abuse. During the past decade, the United States Justice Department has prosecuted half a dozen cases of slavery among farm workers in Florida. Migrants have been driven into debt, forced to work for nothing and kept in chained trailers at night. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers — a farm worker alliance based in Immokalee, Fla. — has done a heroic job improving the lives of migrants in the state, investigating slavery cases and negotiating the penny-per-pound surcharge with fast food chains.

That’s right. Slavery, right here in the Good ‘ol US of A in the 21st century.

Back to the topic, though. The Florida Tomato Growers Exchange, which represents about 90% of the tomato growers in Florida, is making threats against any grower who accepts the extra $.01 for the workers.

Not sure how any of this fits together? Well, if Burger King hadn’t refused to pay the extra penny, McDonalds and Taco Bell would not be backing out of their new agreements which amount to about $.77 per bucket, up from the current $.45.

Burger King has justified its behavior by claiming that it has no control over the labor practices of its suppliers. “Florida growers have a right to run their businesses how they see fit,” a Burger King spokesman told The St. Petersburg Times.

Yet the company has adopted a far more activist approach when the issue is the well-being of livestock. In March, Burger King announced strict new rules on how its meatpacking suppliers should treat chickens and hogs. As for human rights abuses, Burger King has suggested that if the poor farm workers of southern Florida need more money, they should apply for jobs at its restaurants.

I’m adding Burger King to my list of places not to spend money at. They’re right up there with Wal-Mart, in my opinion.

If you’d like to do more, you can always write:

John W. Chidsey
Chief Executive Officer
Burger King Corporation
5505 Blue Lagoon Drive
Miami, Florida 33126

If you’re an investor with Bain Capital, the Texas Pacific Group or Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, you should be aware that these three control most of the stock – which means that could be another avenue of action.

And, again, don’t forget that buying local benefits you and your community. Check out this list of Food and Beverage companies from Local First. And if you know of businesses that should be on this list and aren’t, encourage them to get listed.

(h/t Geekesque, one of my favorite Kossaks)

Tags: big business, Burger King