Jaime's Local Love Podcast

We meet Wendell Crow of Crow's Dairy.  Wendell grew up in Buckeye in the dairy farming industry. He raises goats and makes cheese to sell to big name chefs and clients all over Arizona. He delivers the cheese himself. Wendell says the key to success is to keep his goats happy. The animals are his life. If you're a cheese lover, you must try the Crow's Dairy chevre: It is so good! You can find it at places like Shea Cheese and Arcadia Meat Market. Instagram: @crowsdairy 

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 Phoenix location, Kimberly says she’s learning to trust her gut as a business owner. She also shares with us a very personal struggle and how she says her faith showed her the way out. www.themerchantileofscottsdale.com/

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 Frank and Carlotta, they want you to feel like family. Old School Grub is kicking off a brunch and a dinner buffet so you can get a taste of everything. They offer daily specials and Carlotta, the singer, leads you through karaoke sessions on the weekends.

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 passions to create events that enrich the lives of Arizona families. Hear how they make marriage work in the workplace, how they survived COVID when live entertainment stopped, and how Steve and Jamie met years ago when Steve was spinning records and Jamie was a cheerleader for the Arizona Rattlers.

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 owned food trucks when he was growing up, and Aaron wanted no part of the food and beverage business. He thought he'd become a neonatal ER surgeon! Now, Aaron has two brands and four locations: Two Dapper and Stouts—one in Glendale and one in downtown Phoenix—a Horse and Hyde in Arcadia, and a brand new Horse and Hyde at Uptown Plaza in Phoenix. Hear how he gets it all done. Plus, if you sing, how you could get on stage.

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 just “felt good” and celebrated others. Luke, too, wanted to help others excel and came to the table well prepared to shoot, edit, and write. Hear about their new book, how to get the magazine, and the festival—with big name chefs—you’ll want to attend.

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 serendipitous way her business began and the way she has to protect her brand. Hear more about how dawn’s found success for two decades and counting. https://shopluckystar.com/

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 still rather new, it's already grown to three locations with more coming soon. Plus, learn the longtime valley entrepreneur who shantelle calls "Grandma"! 

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 wanted to know. Then Lindsey moved back home to Arizona to open the bakery she'd been talking about since she was a little girl. Hear about the magic moment that kept her on track and the YOLO moment to build The Bakery. The Bakery by LMB offers gift boxes for you to share with your loved ones.
Lindsey makes banana bread, sugar, lemon crinkle, chocolate truffle cookies, chocolate chip and more. thebakerybylmb.com
Social media:
Instagram account: thebakerybylmb
Facebook account: thebakerybylmb

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 business of making people happy and there's one menu item that's made people happy for a very long time. It's something Chef Bernie came up with very quickly and now has a cult following and the nickname "The unofficial salad of Arizona."

thegladly.com | citizenpublichouse.com | beginnersluckaz.com | igshospitality.com

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 gift destination, plus how a throwback t-shirt from Smitty's proves love of local runs in the family. https://85localaz.com/

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. Instagram: @saddlebagsaz www.Saddlebagsaz.com