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Two new businesses, one in Holbrook and one in Sun Valley will be opening in the not too distant future. Ofelia Lange and Jerry Stark, owners of Knife City, located at 7699 Sun Valley Road in Sun Valley and The Holbrook Mercantile, located on the corner of Hopi Drive and Navajo Blvd., said that not only will they be opening a restaurant in Holbrook next year, they are in the process of opening a convenience store in Sun Valley next to their knife shop this month.
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Lange and Stark have been business owners in the area for nearly 30 years combined. Lange, who first moved to the area in the 1990s opened the knife shop in 1997 in Sun Valley, which she has owned and operated since. In 2011, she and Stark opened Donuts Plus, but later sold the property which is now the Chameleon Restaurant on Navajo Blvd.
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Though Donuts Plus was successful, as business progressed Lang and Stark realized that the building and location just weren’t suitable for the direction they intended to go with the business. So, in 2013 the couple made sure the building was fully operational for the new restaurant coming in and took their business down the hill.
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“I didn’t want to be in the uptown area for business. I preferred downtown, it needs rebuilding,” said Lange.
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They eventually purchased and remodeled the building located at 200 Navajo Blvd. and opened the Holbrook Mercantile, a western apparel store in 2014.
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In recent months, there’s been a lot of buzz surrounding tourism and how to attract more of it to support local businesses. While Lange and Stark agree that tourism is a major component in how businesses stay alive in Holbrook, they recognize that the success is a joint effort and the locals are just as vital.
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Lange acknowledged affordability and variety as two main reasons locals seek dining and entertainment outside of Holbrook. By providing services needed in the area, the couple hopes to bring some of the revenue brought. “To be honest, not enough people shop local,” said Lange. “We understand it may not be affordable for some but hopefully with the tourists and the locals both, we could maybe change that.” Stark added, “It takes all of us, local people, people from Winslow, people coming in from the highways.”
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Because the opening of the restaurant is so far out, not too many details were available but Lange did say she aspires to bring somewhat of a different variety to the area. “I’ve wanted to open a restaurant here in Holbrook for years,” she said, explaining that she hopes it will be more of a dine-in type restaurant “where people can have a good steak and a beer and relax.” Reiterating Stark’s point that in their experience the business tends to dictate its own direction Lange chuckled, “Maybe we’ll start with a steakhouse and end up with a Mexican restaurant.”
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Regarding the Sun Valley convenience store, the couple expressed that part of their mission is to provide convenience to locals. “A lot of people in Sun Valley don’t have cars and they have to wait for rides into Holbrook,” said Lange. “For some, it will be a saving grace.”
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Stark said that although the section will be small, they plan to offer a small grocery section with basic items such as milk, bread and eggs, so Sun Valley residents don’t have to make the seven-mile drive to Safeway in Holbrook.
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Stark said they will carry the typical convenient store products like snacks, drinks and basic toiletries one might need on a road trip.
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Aside from the convenience store, the couple have also renovated the two garages attached to it that will house what they say will be “fine art” for sale. As part of their continued support for local growth, a portion of the area will eventually be designated for local artists and crafters to showcase and sell their work.
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While there is no shortage of Mexican food in Holbrook, Lange has decided that Sun Valley needs a little authentic cuisine as well. As part of operations at the convenience store, which they named Sophie’s after their granddaughter, they have also purchased a food truck, Ofelia’s Authentic Mexican Food, which is already up and running and operates on the property.
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Along with their never-quit attitude, the couple obviously wants to see the area flourish. So, when asked why they continue to build their empire in Holbrook and Sun Valley, Lange simply said, “We are creating jobs for others while creating jobs for ourselves.”
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Sophie’s Mini Mart is located across the street from Knife City in Sun Valley and is set to open sometime in October, but hours have yet to be determined.
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