We meet Sharon Cunningham of CC's on Central. She already owns a Creole restaurant in California, but with her two grown children living here, she decided to move to Phoenix and open a Southern comfort restaurant here—offering all the favorites like jambalaya, wings, and po'boys—so she could be close to her kids CC's on Central is a great space to …

Kimberly Pak has a heart for the local maker. She throws some of the biggest markets in the Valley, bringing together hundreds of makers in one location for a celebration of everything local. She opened a storefront to provide a fulltime space for her makers to sell, then she opened another, and another. Now with two Scottsdale locations and one Ph…

Valley natives, Geri Hormel and Hunter Rodgers, are passionate about animals. At home, they have dogs, chickens, and goats. At work, Geri rescues pregnant mom dogs and puppies at Almost There Rescue. ATR has 19 kennels, offers a Puppy Preschool Program, and daily enrichment for the dogs in their care. Next door, Hunter is manning the 10,000 pound h…

He's long been "The Festival Guy" around the Valley, throwing food fests focused on tacos and pizza. In this episode, we meet David Tyda of Taco Fest and Phoenix Pizza Festival, and now he owns a bar too. Barcoa Agaveria in downtown Phoenix celebrates the art of creating and tasting tequila but Tyda says he never set out to be a bar owner. Find out…

A former truck driver and a singer find romance online and go into business together. We talk to the owners of Old School Grub Cafe in Mesa. Frank and Carlotta Perla give you a taste of nostalgia with a restaurant filled with vintage toys and comic memorabilia, all with a huge menu of comfort food like meatloaf and homemade pie. When you visit Fran…

The Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival and Scottsdale Fashion Week are two really big events that bring big names to the Valley. In this episode, we meet the local couple doing the legwork behind the scenes. Steve and Jamie Levine own Steve Levine Entertainment and Public Relations. Steve, a former DJ, and Jamie, a master of PR, combined their passi…

If you love coffee and country music, you're going to love this episode. We talk to Aaron Lopo, the owner of Dapper and Stout Coffee and Horse and Hyde Barroom. The coffee shops came first, some eight years ago. Then a little over a year ago, Aaron opened Horse and Hyde which quickly became popular because of daily live country music. His parents o…

Luke Irvin and Eric Walters of “A Taste of AZ” love telling stories about the Arizona restauranteur, chef, bar owner, and mixologist. They travel the state to tell their stories in print, in podcasts, and at festivals, where food lovers can connect in person. The work is something Eric felt was a long time coming as he'd searched for a career that …

We meet the designer behind Lucky Star Jewels. Dawn Baiden created her jewelry line to be light and easy to wear, yet made with love that could go from day to night. You’ll find her beautiful necklaces, rings, bracelets and more in spa boutiques around the valley and the nation. She tells us about where she finds inspiration for her designs, the se…

Azfoodie is the OG when it comes to Arizona food content creators. She started before it was cool by taking beautiful pictures of beautiful food around the Valley. Her pages went viral and pretty soon, Diana Brandt found herself Instagram and TikTok famous. She tells us about handling a new form of fame while always keeping in focus, and why she st…

Shantelle and Kenny Girard want to create the next big name in hats. They say they eat, sleep and breathe Rancher Hat Bar. It's a company they started out of a vintage trailer they converted into a hat bar. On the very first day they opened, they had a line around the corner and knew they were onto something! While the Rancher Hat Bar brand is stil…

That's the idea behind Jenny's Dresses in Scottsdale. Owner Jenny Weinstein has always loved fashion, and when she found a treasure trove of high-end couture, she knew she had to share the one-of-a-kind pieces. Her collection grew from there and is now expanding to a bridal collection too. Hear how Jenny attended ASU, met her husband at Manzanita, …

In this episode of Jaime's Local Love, Jaime Cerreta chats with Chef Ron Young, the mastermind behind Foodvision. Chef Ron shares his wild journey from working at Nike and Victoria's Secret to cooking for celebs like Kyler Murray, Derrick Rose, and Odell Beckham Jr. Hear how a random encounter with a supportive customer led him to cook for a Hall o…

Celebrity chef Beau MacMillan and managing partner and co-founder Mikis Troyan of Clive Collective tell us how they came together to create the very popular restaurant Cala Scottsdale and the new speakeasy Tell Your Friends. The two industry veterans talk about the ever-changing dining culture in Arizona and why they wanted to develop restaurants t…

It is the question Valley Handbag designer, Jennifer Boonlorn, is always asking herself. It's one her mother asked of her years ago. To answer the question, the Valley native made a huge career pivot. The W.P. Carey School of Business graduate packed her bags and moved to New York City to learn the fashion industry. She then came back home to creat…

An Arizona girl had dreams of opening a bakery. In this episode, we meet Lindsey Blatney of the Bakery by LMB. She was going to college when one day she came home and told her mom she was moving to New York City with $400 dollars in her pocket and a goal to work at the famed Magnolia Bakery. She made the move, got the job, and learned what she want…

At In Good Spirits Hospitality Group, "half baked" means they're not done yet. At their restaurants—Citizen Public House, The Gladly, and Beginner's Luck—chef and owner Bernie Kantak and owner-operator Andrew Fritz are constantly tweaking and perfecting their product for the ultimate guest experience, AKA "Half baked." They believe they are in the …

The 85 in 85 Local stands for the first two digits of Arizona zip codes. The store is home to 35 diverse and creative Arizona makers. Owner Misty Stachel was a vendor herself when she realized many of the maker's markets were on the east side of town. She set out to start her own in her own zip code in Peoria. Hear how Misty is creating an Arizona …

Two Arizona sisters are serving up western style apparel adorned in sequins, feathers and fringe. Their first concept, Norde Scottsdale, quickly became an online hit and Old Town Scottsdale destination. Then the space opened up next door, and Faith and Julia Ballor jumped at the chance to open Turquoise Candy Hat Bar. The two sisters were studying …

Handcrafted jewelry for your wardrobe. Artwork carved in silver adorned with beautiful stones. At Saddlebags in Scottsdale, you can find silver buckle sets with leather belts. The business is celebrating 32 years in the Valley. Owner Todd Joseph tells us how it all began with his father and why Hanny's is such a special place to his family. Instagr…

Haley Balzano of Hale Collective is changing the look of our city. She’s the architect behind renovations at State Farm Stadium, the new restaurants at Sky Harbor Airport, and the new build at the BetMGM Sportsbook. She built a business she calls a collective because she realized to create a beautiful space, you need all your creatives in one place…

One woman makes the ice cream, the other serves it in her store. Linda Moran-Whittley worked in accounting before deciding to pursue a passion project after her husband passed away. Karen Gagne of Karen’s Kreamery also worked in accounting before she decided she wanted to start a business in which she could involve the family. Karen’s responsible f…

Afi Maita comes to the Valley by way of England and West Africa. While in England, Afi graduated in media studies, but it was in Africa as a little girl that the woman who created her fashion styling company—Afi Like Taffy—learned a love of wardrobe from her father. Hear how she fell in love with an American man and moved to across the sea to start…

For decades, one Arizona family's been feeding Arizona families. The Miracle Mile Deli is celebrating 75 years in the Valley. Famous for their pastrami sandwiches, the deli serves up big portions at reasonable prices. The restaurant has long given back to the community through work like its reading program with Southwest Human Development. We talk …

The plants of Arizona hold the keys to withstand the harsh elements of our dry desert. So Earth Based Body skincare turns to nature to moisturize. We meet owner, Nancy Rimbergas. She and her business partner, a skincare scientist, started their business three years ago. They call it succulent skincare using ingredients like desert aloe, prickly pea…

We meet the women behind Frosted Bakehouse in Ahwatukee. Kristina and Celeste met nearly a decade ago while working for a fine grocery store bakery. Each went on to have their own home bakery, then right before Valentine's Day in 2024, they opened a storefront together. Hear the incredible story of how they found their space just two weeks before t…

We talk to the founder of The Sparkle Bar in Old Town Scottsdale. It's a makeup studio where you can have a professional do your make up for headshots, weddings, or just a night out. Alex Bradberry says The Sparkle Bar was born out of necessity. Unless you had a friend who's a makeup artist or wanted to make a purchase at the makeup counter, your o…

It all started with a cookie and grew into a full-size brick and mortar that really rocks at brunch. We are talking dancing in the aisles at this Scottsdale restaurant! We talk to Dana Dumas, the founder and CEO of SugarJam The Southern Kitchen, about how her corporate background trained her to be a savvy businesswoman and how her family's influenc…

We meet the woman behind C2 Interiors, who went from a career in pharmaceutical sales to interior design. Connie Lamoreaux's love of design started young—as a kid, she'd rearrange furniture with her mom at home, in college, she started designing her friends' dorm rooms, and as a professional, they call her "The Material Muse." Connie has a degree i…

In this episode of Jaime's Local Love: The Podcast, we meet the man behind Crust Restaurant Group. It serves up authentic New York Style Pizza with generous portions at a really good price. The owner, Michael Merendino, says he wants to keep his customers coming in two or three times a week, and not just when they're celebrating. Merendino came to …

Two Valley teachers loved working together so much they often created projects to combine their math and science classes. Now Lindsay and Emily are tackling their passion project together: Leaving teaching behind to create a neighborhood wine bar on Roosevelt Row called Genuwine Arizona. It was inspired by a self-serve wine machine they discovered …

You've likely seen Chris Powell on his frequent appearances on Good Morning Arizona talking about healthy food and fitness. Powell's been a regular on GMAZ for some 20 years and tells us how he garnered that coveted spot and keeps getting booked today. He has a passion for helping others invest in their fitness journey and made a promise to himself…

"If we don't make it, we don't serve it." That's the motto at Persepshen in Phoenix. The restaurant's owners Katherine and Jason Dwight met in culinary school at Scottsdale Community College. Now Katherine creates the pastries and Jason is on meats and veggies at their restaurant off Central and Highland. They started at the farmer's markets with a…

Word of Mouth Grill began with the concept of bringing people together with food. The family-owned and operated barbeque restaurant in Tempe boasts shredded pork like you've never had, a wing flight that takes your taste buds through a myriad of flavors, and heat and elevated collaborative dinners. Hear the incredible story of how the owner Demetri…

Stephanie Vasquez is a proud Arizona native. She grew up Maryvale, went to ASU and was a middle school teacher in the West Valley. She loved it! Then she went on vacation to Costa Rica and learned how tough the coffee industry can be on the people it employs and on Mother Earth herself. She had to do something. Vasquez opened Fair Trade Coffee in 2…

We meet Joey Lucidi of Westside Concepts. He grew up in the restaurant business and loves creating a welcoming dining experience, a neighborhood place where you can come to hang. Lucidi started with the original Haymaker restaurant in 2013 and now has nine locations, with more coming this year. Joey tells us what it takes to be an restauranteur wit…

A husband-and-wife team with three kids and two businesses. That's what you'll find behind the brand of Naked Rebellion. Owners Jessica Wenger McPhaul and Jay McPhaul started the clothing brand after Jessica was fired from her costume job in L.A. because she couldn't find inclusive bras. So she and Jay started their own underwear line and now the t…

In this week's Jaime's Local Love, we mixed it up a little. Instead of interviewing a local business owner, we invited Ian Schwartz on, calling him the Arizona Insider. It's a name he gave himself around the Super Bowl last year as he highlighted events happening around the big game. Ian grew up in Mesa, and when not working at Arizona's Family, he…

We talk to the founder of Local First Arizona, Kimber Lanning. The Arizona native started her own record store as a teenager. That's when she realized small businesses had minimal support in our state. She would spend the following decades working to change that through her foundation, Local First Arizona, which provides businesses with education, …

A former banker turned BBQ pitmaster joins us in the podcast studio. Sterling Smith—AKA Smitty—is Jaime's brother-in-law. Smitty and Jaime's sister Molly met when Molly was in high school and Smitty was in the Navy. We talk about building a business and a family while smoking meat, creating rubs and sauces, and winning a lot of trophies and checks.…

A New York style deli where freshness comes first That's what you'll get at Rinaldi's in north Scottsdale. Owner John Sayegh is celebrating 30 years in the Valley where you can always count on—breakfast burritos filled with just-cracked eggs topped with his wife Bolivia's homemade salsa, amazing deli sandwiches, and Italian dishes like chicken parm…

A Phoenix native bears the nickname "The Fry Guy". In this episode, we learn how Flip Isard of Frites Street—a graduate of Shadow Mountain High School—launched a potato company, making the fries you'll find in Phoenix's fine restaurants. His journey took him around the world as a roadie for Jared Leto's band, eating from late night frites shop in E…

Wally's American Pub 'n Grille is a neighborhood bar and grille where you can take the family or meet a friend for a drink. It has a cozy environment offering comfort food like meatloaf and pot roast. Wally's has been family owned for 22 years and much of the staff has been there for decades too. We talk to owner/operator Matt Collins about running…

Divya Yoder works full time and is a dedicated mom trying to keep her husband and two young boys healthy. She says when one person in the house got sick, the illness ran through the whole family. To stop the colds, she found the healing power of the elderberry. Her continued research revealed many elderberry products on store shelves contained ingr…

If you are looking to explore what Arizona has to offer, learn, and laugh, ya gotta try Rydables! These are motorized large stuffed animals that roam Scottsdale, Mesa and Wildlife World Zoo on guided tours. On this episode, the creator of Rydables said he thought it would be something fun to do to entertain people. But he soon learned that these st…

The holidays can be filled with indulgence. Food and drinks flow with every celebration. And that's why The Nixer wants to provide an inclusive experience whether you're drinking alcohol or not. On this episode, we talk to Kristine Abrams-Petersman of The Nixer, a pop-up cocktail bar slinging non-alcoholic drinks. She says she saw major life change…

In a year-and-a-half, two Arizona entrepreneurs went from one location to four. The business is called Retail Therapy AZ. It is a makers' market, supporting small business owners, with locations in downtown Glendale, Westgate, Scottsdale Fashion Square and coming soon to the Phoenix Convention Center. But first, the two owners, Jacqueline Thomas an…

A former TV reporter takes what she learned in the field to create grapes and hops at Tatum and Greenway. Arizona native Jen Rogers took one of her first TV jobs in Washington wine country where she'd interview the farmers growing grapes and fell in love with the work behind the wine. Fast forward to today when she just opened a neighborhood bottle…

Showing people how to enjoy the beauty of the desert is the job Laurel Darren of Wild Bunch Desert Guides gave herself. She created her own hiking and mountain biking tour group and shows visitors and locals the best practices when it comes to taking on Mother Nature on two wheels or two feet. Hear how she works with many first timers and loves hel…

Paul Hoffman of Desert Rock Winery and Distillery has long worked in the world of wine. Founded in 2006, this is his 20th vintage making wine and 13th year in spirits. He gives back in many ways to our veterans and our animals and works with soldier's best friend. Hoffman's facility is by Kierland Commons and is the only one in the Valley where gue…