Desert Messenger

September 21, 2011

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October 5, 2011 Perspectives Quirky Quartzsite's Contributed by Violet Kiss Now that we're back to business here in Quartz- site – let's get back to BUSINESS! Our "Snowbirds" will be starting their annual migration here shortly. The varied vendors will spread over Quartzsite soon to feed, supply and entertain all of us. We welcome them back with open arms and offer them many new changes this past eventful year. Our 4-corner Granite Quartzsite Monument Markers are being finished, the beautification of Quail Trail and Plymouth Roads are done, the landscaping of Central has been completed, and new businesses have been added. New businesses such as: Daniel's Jerky Store, Free- way Tire, The Eatery, The Smoke Shop, Times Three Family Restaurant, a new Thrift Store , have been popping up and down Main Street for all to enjoy. Many new vendors have become full-time residents this summer. Although Ari- zona is still feeling the recession, it's looking like this will be a better year for Businesses and Vendors. My "Perspectives" this month is to talk about 'marketing' Quartzsite. We're missing some great opportunities that others are cashing in on during this weak economy. There has been a huge paradigm shift occurring in the United States that we can benefit from. What is a para- digm shift? It is basically a dramatic change in methodology or standard practices. Our U.S. dollar has shrunk considerably versus currency in Canada, Europe, Asia, South America and others. That makes traveling to the U.S. much more reasonable. Americans used to travel abroad more in the past and take advantage of a favorable exchange rate. Now the roles are re- versed and we're seeing more droves of foreign visitors to the U.S. Traveling back and forth to Blythe over the last several months this paradigm shift is evident. As I went about shopping, business, eating, etc. I've met and gotten to speak to many interest- ing foreign visitors. These were mostly visiting Europeans on Tour Buses going through the West and Southwest experiencing various parts of our large, wonderful country. Two Tuesdays ago I was shopping in Albertson's and having a www.Desert Messenger.com light lunch. A couple asked to share my table and sat down. We talked and found that they came to the U.S. (from England) for the first time in their lives since it was so much more af- fordable now. Their tour was of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Scottsdale, and later Las Vegas and the Hoover Dam on their way back. Their en- tire bus was filled with Brits. I asked why they stopped in Blythe out of curiosity. They, Mary and William, said they had a 45 minute stop to dine since the bus was getting 'petrol'. Hello? They could have fueled up here in our town at a real Truck Stop and at 40 cents less per gal- lon! We all finished eating and said good-bye as they rushed back to their waiting 'home-on- the-road' Tour Bus. Two days later, my husband and I made a hasty trip back to Blythe. After completing our business there, we decided to eat at The Sizzler. While we were eating, two different unrelated Tour Buses stopped at the restaurant. This was a Thursday afternoon about 3:00 PM, not normally a busy time for restaurants. In came the visitors, this time Basques from one bus and French from the other. Again, they stopped in Blythe for lunch and 'petrol'. Are you starting to see the picture? We have great opportunities here to advertise and mar- ket Quartzsite. We have a Business Chamber of Commerce that should be cultivating friend- ships with all of the tour companies that visit or pass through Arizona. We have heard there may be a PR Spokesperson coming for this town which would be wonderful! Whatever we can do from the Town, the Business Chamber, col- lections of businesses, organizations or individ- uals, we need to get the word out on "The Rock IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO AL'S YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO QUARTZSITE! Famous Gourmet Pizza Thursday Specials: $ 1 Tacos • $ (in house only) KARAOKE Thurs. Fri. Sat. 7pm Full Service Bar 10am-noon & 3:30pm-5:30pm $ $150 Daily Drink Specials Kitchen Open 10am-10pm HAPPY HOURS: 1 Draft 175 W. Main St. 928-927-5585 Serving Quartsite at Same Location for over 20 years! 150 Magaritas Page 15 Capital of the World", Quartzsite. All Tour Bus Companies, all freight Logistic Companies, Travel Agencies should be called, befriended and made 'warm and fuzzy' about our Town and all we have to offer. It shouldn't be too diffi- cult to sell these tour companies on how much their patrons would LOVE a day at the wonder- ful rock shows and fantastic food in Quartzsite, plus save a fortune on gas prices. We just need someone to make the calls and help them make the arrangements! When rock shows are not going on, we still have great restaurants, great tourist shopping and great gas stations with lower priced gas than California. Why can't we have billboards (ad- vertising Quartzsite) starting before Vicksburg heading West on I- 10 and before Blythe and again before the Ehrenberg exit heading East on I-10? We also need to market our Town's website, make it better, more useful and have it link up to other websites for traffic. We all can benefit from this paradigm shift, as Quartzsite grows with infrastructure in- creases, the added benefits of diversified visi- tors and its rewards of more sales revenue for businesses and vendors and sales tax revenue for our state, county and town just makes ev- erything better. Our trek 10 years ago began in the winters for the 'Pow Wow', then decid- ing to make this our home since 2009. Others who stop here, like it so well they come back again and again and move here permanently as well. This is a circle of good change, good economic change, and good for Quartzsite. MOUNTAIN QUAIL CAFE FOR THE SEASON! NOW OPEN Open Tuesday-Sunday 7 a.m.-2p.m. (closed Mondays) 490 N. Moon Mt. Rd., Quartzsite (corner of Moon Mt. & Quail Trail) N CALL IN FOR TAKE OUT! 928-927-8890 Credit Cards Accepted! B-10, Main St. Quail Trail X Moon Mountain Rd. Hwy. 95, N. Central

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