Tag: legacy business in flagstaff

Best of Flagstaff 2023

Family is the framework that makes the Flagstaff Roofing team the best in town

Written by Gail G. Collins

Family is legacy, and a legacy business undergirds and promotes its core principles—its values, its shared and meaningful goals as well as its character within the community. Such family mentorship designs the framework that allows an economic venture to pass from one generation to another.

This is the story of Flagstaff Roofing, which logs three generations since 1967. Jon and Calli Salcido celebrate this uniting of family and financial aims as patrons voted Flagstaff Roofing as our Best Roofer. It’s also a vote endorsing consistency and integrity for Calli’s father and grandfather.

When the Salcidos took over the reins 10 years ago, they rebranded the original business from Havasu Roofing to reflect its Flagstaff base. The couple worked diligently to respond rapidly to customers.

“People are complimentary about how prompt we are,” Calli said. “If they call today, we will be at their home within five days to survey the roof and have an estimate to them by the next day.” The quick reaction, quality service and word of mouth recommendations keep the business coming to Flagstaff Roofing.

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Honesty is the watch word in an industry that harbors its share of storm chasers. After a gale or blizzard, roof sellers often come knocking on doors, offering free inspections and creating anxiety for homeowners. They offer free roofs through insurance claims, drumming up business. So how does a customer get a straight answer on whether someone actually needs a new roof?

“I don’t see a roof,” Jon explained, “I’m not a corporation going door-to-door looking for hail damage. I give an honest opinion about whether a roof needs replacement. And if it does, we give the customer a good price—as low as we possibly can.”

Jon advises people to go local and hire a company with a stake in the area. He advises against feeling bullied to sign a contract on the first contact. And there are genuine concerns around hiring contractors from Phoenix. “They don’t know the codes required and so on for installing a roof in Northern Arizona,” Jon said.

According to Jon, a customer once received a quote for $16,000 to replace a roof from an out-of-town entity, but uneasy about the price, the man called Flagstaff Roofing for a second opinion. “We charged $7,000 to do the job. The storm chasers try to scare customers,” he warned.

Flagstaff Roofing has a family reputation in town and has earned community support. It is the first time they have invested energy in trying to earn the Best of Flagstaff title and are thankful for the win. “People have done a lot to help us to get here. We’re blessed to have what we’ve built together,” Jon said.

He credits Junior and his crew, which he claims is the best. “Together, we make it a good company.”

But family is the glue in a legacy business, like Flagstaff Roofing, where Jon praises Calli’s commitment. “She has been Employee of the Month for 10 years in a row.”

Legacy businesses stand the test of time and act as cultural anchors, sources of town traditions and history. As Jon reminded, go local. BofFLG

Best of Flagstaff 2023

Rooted in resilience: Warner’s Nursery & Landscape perseveres in Best of Flag and in business

Written by Gail G. Collins

Digging in the dirt. The benefits and joys of putting plants into the ground are multi-fold. We exercise, we commune with nature, we nurture, we provide food for ourselves, birds or insects, we de-stress, and we grow personally.  Overall, gardening is a rejuvenating act.

Warner’s Nursery has been supplying quality plants to satisfy gardening dreams since 1970. “We’ve always been mostly a retail garden center,” said Misti Warner-Andersen. “In the beginning, my dad helped my grandma take over the nursery after he returned from Vietnam.”

The original nursery location in Page, run by Dorothy and Bill Warner, then moved to a spot on Highway 89A. When Butler Avenue was commercialized, Warner’s relocated to its current setting. Brothers Dugan and Fred Warner made a great team during the transitions, according to Misti, and still do, though they concentrate on residential and commercial landscape construction now.

When it came to building the Butler Avenue nursery, the brothers rejected the idea of a standard greenhouse. Instead, they focused on creating a unique backdrop, reminiscent of garden centers in England. Working with Nexus, they spearheaded production of the first airy, custom-built garden center in the U.S., a concept which was replicated many times over on the East Coast.

Of course, it is what you fill your garden center with that keeps customers coming. “I am tenacious about finding a good selection of hardy, quality plants especially for harsher environments, like Northern Arizona,” Misti said. And since the Crash of 2008, that has been difficult as many growers went out of business.  Despite this, she stressed, “We sell with integrity and good info. The most important thing is the right plant for the right homeowner—what will grow. We’re open about that—our reputation is important to us.”

Since the pandemic, the desire for plant types has shifted. Customers are more eager for perennials, vegetables, trees and shrubs, some of which are trickier to source. As a private garden center, Warner’s would be pushed to compete on price points with corporate box stores, yet they can impress homeowners with explicit knowledge of area growing conditions and can pass on their plant wisdom.

Warner’s staff are passionate plant people, brought under the wing by senior members, teaching one another what works best where. This makes growing a garden in a challenging environment more effective and enjoyable.

Resources are available as well. Misti, a third-generation operator, mom, businesswoman and outdoor enthusiast, writes a blog, called Planting it Forward, to help gardeners make the most of their efforts. Classes are also an option. The Houseplant Club offers classes, some with small fees to cover materials, but spotting guests a 20-percent plant discount. On Warner’s website, Gardening Week by Week suggests jobs to do around the yard, while gardening seminars and guides, such as Best Plants for Bees, round out topics of interest.

Warner’s is big on community. They contribute to local causes, like Climb for Cancer, Camp Colton and local schools, and they offer gratis hosting to non-profits for fundraising events, such as Big Brothers and Sisters. Outreach can be fun, too, especially when Warner’s sponsors a free Easter egg hunt or Fall Festival.

Family works well together at Warner’s and always has. A bit of trivia, Dot’s café is named for Misti’s grandmother, who launched the nursery.

For all of these reasons, Warner customers voted them Best Nursery and Garden Center. Misti said, “We’re really excited about winning Best Nursery. I’m so pleased with the team I have—their hard work day in and day out—and thankful to the community.” Regardless of a crash or COVID, business acumen and public support build success that never wavers, Misti offered gratefully. BofFLG