December 2025 – Gail G. Collins

Queen B Vinyl Café blends music, meals and makers into one vibrant hub

FlagLIVE! December 18, 2025

Written by Gail G. Collins

Current food industry aims are centered on sustainability—maintaining an ecological balance. This core principle fills the larder at Queen B Vinyl Café. Its diverse interests involve an immersive, niche record shop, barbershop, restaurant and roastery. The mingled spaces beg one to wander from one teasing thing to another.

The color scheme is a showstopper to start. Bright orange and blue exudes a happy energy and eccentricity. Customers of all ages and backgrounds flick through records while an historic hearse parked in front wears the bumper sticker, “Honk if you love vinyl.”

The indie record shop curates select latest releases from across genres, while boasting exclusive, limited and rare releases from the owner, Maynard Keenan’s bands. It’s also a proud outpost for Record Store Day.

A wine bar serves selections from Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards, part of family operations only a stone’s throw away, where Hilltop Trattoria and a gelateria are built into a ridge accessible by tram.

The traditional barbershop with two chairs often has a tattoo artist as well as a hair colorist on deck. There is also an in-house custom seamstress for tailoring needs that has blossomed into an informal sewing club. More, the café invites all to grab a bite and hang around.

Plenty of parking, seating and varied curiosities create an appealing venue.

“We wanted to bring a little culture to Old Town Cottonwood,” said co-owner Jan Keenan, an eclectic force herself. Besides administration duties, she curates branded items for the shop and record selection with an executive board position on the nonprofit Women in Vinyl, explores and books bands for events, brainstorms activities, and for fun, races crap cars in an annual rally and practices falconry.

For Keenen, sustainability is the plan. Both eateries are supplied via four acres of cultivated land with stone fruit trees, chickens, ducks and quail, plus three greenhouses growing lettuces, bok choy, tomatoes and more rotationally. The menu descends from all that can be produced and is supplemented from local purveyors, according to award-winning chef Brett Vibber.

“We are hyper-focused on what’s growing at the farm, like seasonal fruit. It’s food the way nature intended, not a manipulated climate,” Vibber explained. “Good food is good medicine—it’s most beneficial for the body because it is local.”

Menu faves include the Judas Burger, which begs to betray your waistline with a 6-ounce smash-style Terra Farms Wagyu beef patty, pickles, sharp cheddar and Queen B sauce with onion jam on a brioche bun, served with fries or a green salad. The local beef is crossbred for high fat content and flavor. God’s Favorite, an all-beef Fripper dog, is dressed with pickled pico de gallo and garden chili aioli and a side of salad. Quiches, whether it is the Cain veggie with seasonal goods or the Abel meat with spicy turkey sausage and veg, the crust is a family recipe. Among three ramen bowls, the tonkotsu contains traditional pork broth, pork belly chashu, local mushrooms, bok choy, bamboo shoots, spring onion and a soft egg. Many dishes abound with farm-raised eggs.

Brunch Beat Sundays liven it up with a DJ to bring both sides of the shop together.

Queen B Vinyl Café evolved from a record shop that came home to the family’s Verde Valley vineyards after 16 years in Jerome.

Keenan emphasized the roastery. “Coffee is a natural transition from wine in its flavors and notes.”

Manager Christopher Grgurich explained, “The basic concept is a micro roastery, solely for shop use.” Globally-sourced beans are espresso-focused, New Wave, light roast single origin and European style. The beans are roasted on a Loring S7 Nighthawk. “It sounds like a fighter jet—the Ferrari of roasters,” he said grinning. Popular drinks include espressos, cappuccinos, Americanos, lattes, specialty seasonal offerings as well as teas.

A devoted wife and mom, Keenan said of the myriad opportunities at Queen B, “It’s important with my daughter near her teens to have a place to be with things going on.”

There are things going on, like listening parties for new music coming out. Every Friday and Saturday, the shop hosts free movies. A design and print studio allows anyone to create original art with a DTG printer.

To celebrate their first anniversary in October, Queen B Vinyl Café held poetry nights, bands of all kinds, puppets and more.

“It’s a neighborhood vibe, community café. It’s safe, all are welcome whether you’re a local or a traveler passing through,” Keenan said. It’s definitely the Queen B. FLGLive!

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Flagstaff’s most trusted fix: True Blue Handyman & Maintenance takes top honor

Best of Flagstaff 2025

Written by Gail G. Collins

A reliable handyman is worth his weight in gold. Whether you need rain gutters cleared, tile repaired or HVAC maintenance, he is a one-stop shop for knocking out a list of chores. Most handymen hone their broad skills through apartment maintenance, advancing to supervisor before running properties or acting as service managers of rental units.

It was no different for Chris Lacy, who began True Blue Handyman & Maintenance in 2023 when the opportunity presented itself.

“I saw a need in the community,” he said. “Other companies were charging a fortune, and there was a need for an honest company with good services at a better price. People recommended me here and there, I ran into realtors, who needed help, and it is just blew up.”

Voted Best Handyman, Lacy’s 20 years of experience have branded him as dependable, timely and fairly priced for quality work. He is licensed, bonded and insured and works for both residential and commercial clients. The work scope is the same: repairs and maintenance, installations and inspections. Those jobs encompass a wide range of general tasks, such as electrical, gutters, plumbing, painting, drywall, carpentry, mice remediation and emergency services.

Often, it comes down to a problem or a project. Problems come in all sizes, such as a leaky faucet, a plugged toilet, an outlet that doesn’t work or a door that won’t shut properly. Projects run the gamut from installing a sink, a door or an appliance to painting a room, refitting plumbing to accommodate a garbage disposer or laying linoleum.

An enormous advantage in hiring a handyman is in bundling jobs. Seasonal maintenance is a good example. Instead of hiring a slew of contractors to work inside and outside the home, True Blue can clear the rain gutters, check the furnace, drain and flush the water heater, service the dryer vents and more in one visit.

A bonus, Lacy said, “is with a steady customer, I have ongoing knowledge of the home.” In the case of a minor plumbing problem, he suggested, “A plumber charges a fortune. I can offer the same experience at a fairer price with the same peace of mind because of my certifications.”

True Blue offers the same confidence commercially. Vacation rental owners need eyes on a place for repairs and upkeep performed. Property management companies and realty turns have similar requirements. In addition, before a house goes on the market, Lacy can do an audit to assess damages and do repairs or maintenance. This knowledge and reliability has built trust in True Blue to form familiar, working relationships with clients.

True Blue has an honored list of regulars with a busy phone of new customers calling.

“We’re all about customer service, putting them first with quality work.” Regarding untrustworthy and unlicensed work, Lacy added, “We don’t sell things customers don’t need, only whatever is called for. We cover the whole range of commercial and private needs.”

A free quote is available by phone, and the fee for an in-house estimate is waived when the service is performed. Hourly rates cover most problems at lower rates than servicemen, and many projects are gauged by flat fees.

Lacy credits his office manager, the first line of friendly contact, for managing customer relations.

“My wife Cynthia is amazing and runs the place, schedules and makes everything happen, so I can just go out there and fix stuff,” he said. “She is a wonderful partner, and our company’s success is based on both of us.”

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Fresh, fast and Flagstaff’s favorite: Freeman’s eateries claim 2 Best of Flag awards

Best of Flagstaff 2025

Written by Gail G. Collins

Some people seem to fly from success to success. In reality, their achievements are the combination of dedication, hard work, risk and purpose. It is more impressive to perform such feats at a young age, relying more on instinct than experience. Such is the rapid, remarkable resume of Christa Freeman.

Freeman opened Juice Pub & Eatery at age 22 while attending classes at NAU, and two years later, opened Urban Pine Eatery. The recent college graduate earned wins for Best Juicery and New Restaurant simultaneously.

She admits the learning curve was scary starting from the ground up. “But people have been so great. The place is popping always. It’s outdoing what I thought!”

The enthusiastic entrepreneur of two eateries in historic downtown Flagstaff confessed that no one in the family has experience in the food industry beyond a former familial franchise investment. Like other students, Freeman gathered her know-how working front of the house positions at Juice Pub and more. She was the ideal candidate to take over the reins.

After owning the juicery for a year, the honing began, first adding more breakfast options, like eggs, bacon, bagels and tacos, the latter two proving popular. Attention is given to allergies with prep on separate machines and anything can be created gluten-free. Next, opening up the interior space and refitting it with new tables and comfy chairs built a more engaging atmosphere, encouraging customers to linger.

Juice Pub uses products from Single Speed Coffee Roasters, and specialty coffees are a hit. Freeman noted drip coffee has taken off, serving Wake Up and Kiss Me blend with free refills.

Smoothies, Juice Farmacy choices and shots offer health in glass. All veggies and fruit are cold-pressed with a centrifugal force extractor, effective for maximizing nutritional benefits. Healthy Habit is close to Freeman’s heart and a best-selling juice, containing beet, carrot, orange, apple, celery, lemon, ginger and turmeric. Top shots include the ginger—which can aid conditions from nausea to joint soreness—plus apple and lemon, and the turmeric shot adds orange and pepper for sunshine and some bite.

“Juice Pub is the well-oiled machine,” Freeman said with a satisfied sigh, “and Urban Pine is my baby, still in motion and so amazing. I am not a chef, but many items are family recipes. I listened to what people wanted in town.”

The classic menu of pizzas and salads and subs is a winner. Item choices run the gamut of standards and trends. The house creation salads come in two sizes, and the favorite is the Superfood Boost. It builds a bed of spinach, topping it with avocado, black beans, corn, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, corn nuts, tomato, feta and parmesan, drizzled with cilantro lime vinaigrette.

The flatbread pizzas run from simple, a Tuscan Sunrise—a margherite with fresh basil—to wild, the Buffalo Bliss with alfredo, chicken and buffalo drizzle. Customers, though, rave about Sweet Heat, pairing up pepperoni with jalapeño, chili flakes and honey drizzle.

“We like drizzles,” Freeman joked. “People love something extra on their food or to dip.”

When Urban Pine opened in February, it served a traditional meatball sub, but its success spurred expansion to include the Herbivore, Chicken Parm and more. Their signature knots are hand-tied to order, spiced with cinnamon or garlic plus marinara for dipping. As for sweets, the banana pudding is unapologetically, old-fashioned comfort food. Made once a week when the shop first opened, Freeman can’t keep up with demand now.

Housed in the previous Pita Pit space, Urban Pine Eatery is designed to bring people together with the welcome of warm wood in the long bar and wall-mounted cutting boards. In the limited kitchen area, everything is cooked on display. The shop seats 18, but spills out onto a dog-friendly patio. To extend their reach and free up seats, Urban Pine delivers food to Mountaintop Tap Room, Hops on Birch and Drinking Horn Meadery, benefitting guests in all locations.

Freeman believes her successes are grounded in customer service. “We teach employees to help people feel welcome. Their experience is as important as the food made with healthy, natural ingredients. Our favorite feedback is about our smiles and greetings. Thanks for giving us a try.” BestofFLG

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Standing tall: Cut Rite Forestry tops the list for Best Tree Services

Best of Flagstaff 2025

Written by Gail G. Collins

Our mountain town is surrounded by national forest. With such abundance, it’s easy to take trees for granted. They seem to grow without much help from us, yet how much do we know about maintaining a healthy tree? As a public service, we understand fire management, avoiding pest and disease spread, thinning woods for better balance of resources, curbing safety and interference with infrastructure. Similarly, the trees in yards, apartment complexes and urban spaces are a microcosm of those same needs, while adding beauty and value.

In 2005, Ryan Gardner bought out his buddy and created Cut Rite Forestry, winner of Best Tree Services. He handles commercial and private clients alike. Specializing in golf courses in Munds Park and Flagstaff, Cut Rite also aids in emergencies, such as flash storms that may cause a tree to fall on a home. Gardner was born and raised in Flagstaff, so has a vested and knowledgeable interest in the community.

“I’ve spent my whole life in Flagstaff and have been around these trees all my life. I’ve learned through work and study and built a great company,” Gardner shared. His wife Rebecca added, “Ryan is well-known for his history, integrity and fair pricing, working to client’s standards to make them happy. He makes me very proud.”

Locally owned and operated, Gardner has grown his staff in the “tree world,” as he calls it, through mentoring and apprenticeship. The work is hard and best learned through doing. Those services include tree cutting, removal, trimming and pruning plus stump removal.

It all seems straightforward until we stand under ta Ponderosa Pine in our front yard and wonder how to clear the deadwood or whether the apple tree needs limbing to let in more light or if another needs feeding to keep it robust.

Trees need to be felled to provide products commercially, but privately, removal can protect a roofline or prevent disease spread. It must be done properly and thoughtfully for a safe outcome that avoids trunk collapse and destruction. Professional help is necessary. Likewise, stump removal is more than pulling roots from the earth with hazardous possibilities. Instead, grinding it in place can add fresh mulch to the garden.

Lot clearing requires foresight, and Gardner can walk a property, offering expertise on protection and tree standoffs.

“Lot clears are important. I see plots ahead of building and advise on which trees to remove. It’s expensive to do later and dangerous, too” he said.

Trimming and can improve the safety, beauty and health of a tree. Eliminating dead or diseased branches encourages growth of strong, new foliage. Pruning improperly can do more harm than not pruning at all. Done right, pruning can provide shape and balance, lower the risk of pest and disease threats and produce an attractive landscape.

Like any living thing, better nutrition leads to better health and resistance to decay. Gardner fertilizes trees to guard against disease, improper pruning or limb loss, burned or wilting leaves, drought conditions and so on.

Fire is an enormous threat. Our forests have undergone clearing to avoid excess fuel. The same should be done in commercial or private landscapes to be firewise. Too many small trees, placement or limbs to close to the home affect safety and insurability. Assessment for snowloads is also vital to avoid horizontal limbs that gather snow and snap, causing injuries and damage. Trimming promotes branches reaching upward, not outward.

Cut Rite Forestry is a full-service tree company original to Flagstaff with 20 years of experience. An assessment or diagnosis is free. Their advertising is word of mouth with a thunder of positive shout-outs on social media. They are known and loved for their veracity, reliability, efficiency, speed in emergency, diligence and fair appraisals.

The business also contributes to community by selling firewood and partnering with Mike Steinecipher who transforms fallen trees into yard art with his chain saw skills.

Making customers happy drives Cut Rite. As Gardner said, “You’re only as good as your last job. We take great pride in getting it right. We want the next call to be for the next job.” BestofFLG

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Confidence delivered: bare. medical aesthetics earns Best Med Spa

Best of Flag 2025

Written by Gail G. Collins

Confidence comes from looking and feeling our best. It energizes us for busy days and ripples outward as our lives touch others. While most of us might look in the mirror and wish to change something, the staff at bare. medical aesthetics would ask you to come in, enjoy a free consultation and simply become a better you.

“We make everyone feel like the most refreshed versions of themselves, not change who they are,” said Angie Hayes, co-owner with husband Jim Hayes of bare. Medical Aesthetics, which opened in early 2025. The 20-year veterans of Flagstaff have a passion for wellness and helping others feel their best. “People have many misconceptions about a med spa making you look fake. With a free consultation, you can get correct information, not hear rumors and see what your journey looks like. Come and talk with a provider, so we can meet your needs.”

The atmosphere at bare. is bright, light, quiet and welcoming with upscale touches, like sparkling water. As med spas go, what is the bare. difference? “It’s the care and customer service and true relationships going above and beyond any other med spa in Flagstaff.”

bare. prides itself on genuinely knowing each of their clients. That earned bare. Medical Aesthetics the winning spot as Best Personal Care—Med Spa.

The inspired, cohesive team includes Angie Hayes, registered nurse and experienced injector; Jim Hayes, doctor, ensuring safe and effective treatments; Sarah Preston, certified family nurse practitioner and skilled injector; Kekoa Sabino, licensed esthetician; convivial office manager Nicole German; and marketing manager Kelsey Melton with experience in medical aesthetics.

The bare. website is a trove of information of the broader services and specifics within them. Services are grouped into five categories: Injectables, such as fillers and neurotoxins; medical weight loss; skin care and facials; lashes, brows and waxing as well as hair restoration. That said, bare. is not solely about treatments, but about transformation. Refresh, restore or indulge in self-care.

The most sought after care includes Botox and fillers, but restoring skin is desirable, too. While traditional facials pamper with a double cleanse, Diamond Glow aesthetically changes the skin with its diamond tip, applying serums geared to skin type and removing dirt and grime. VIPeels removes the first skin layer in a five-day peel, resurfacing and reducing acne scarring. Microneedling with Skinpen is clinically proven to rejuvenate the skin by stimulating production of collagen and elastine, which gives the skin stretch and recoil. This treatment creates micro-injuries in the skin, triggering the body’s natural healing response for smoother, firmer and more youthful-looking skin.

A unique feature in helping to make self-care more affordable is the “bare. bank.” Through membership, money is banked monthly by bare. clients to be used for any service. This spreads out the cost for budgeting. Members also receive 10-percent off of skin care products or services and first notice of specials, like Peel Season, a fall-winter promotion.

“It’s an aesthetic savings account—always there and able to break larger dollar amounts into affordable costs,” suggested Hayes.

At bare., they believe in the power of connection and giving back through local partnerships, events and workshops. They understand that support goes both ways as they sponsor multiple companies and organizations in town, many extracurricular activities, the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra and more. A recent drive to provide women’s shelter hygiene needs exemplifies the mission to enhance confidence and wellbeing.

The door to bare. is open. “We want to mainstream information and take away that stigma, so you feel welcomed,” Hayes explained. “We take the time to know you and your needs. I have great relationships with every patient as does every other provider. We’re more than a med spa; we’re your neighbors, friends and partners.” BestofFLG

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