Damaged neighborhood marketplace has optimistic vision for future
SARAH PELLEGRINO
Editorial Intern
The July 17 fire that demolished Richardson's restaurant at Bethany Home Road and 16th Street in Phoenix also damaged the growing and vibrant coffee shop and market next door, Luci's Healthy Marketplace. After only three months in business, the colorful corner market is being completely renovated because of water and smoke damage.
Luci's is scheduled to reopen on Sept. 1.
The owners, Ken and Lucia Schnitzer, have an optimistic outlook on the situation.
"It's a little hiccup in the road," said Lucia Schnitzer. "We have to look at the bright side, step back and re-evaluate our business and make changes that we otherwise could not have made."
Schnitzer said it is an opportunity to look at what products sold and what didn't and restock accordingly. She also said they plan to move the cash registers and make other changes.
This optimism traces back to when Ken Schnitzer first told his wife his idea of opening a healthy food market - inspired after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
"I said, 'Wait, you want to what? You're crazy!'" said Lucia, recalling the conversation.
Three years later, Schnitzer is a survivor of breast cancer and owner of Luci's, which had its grand opening May 17. In April, the Schnitzers had their second child, a baby boy. Their daughter is 3.
"There's life after having been diagnosed with breast cancer," she said.
Ken Schnitzer's family had been in the food distribution business for 35 years and after getting out of that, he opened up a medical billing company. After realizing he didn't enjoy that business as much, he decided Luci's was the right way to go.
The marketplace features many healthy foods such as gluten-free products and on-the-go healthy options. However, it also caters to the sweet tooth with pastries from Chompie's, whose wholesale bakery is certified kosher by the Greater Phoenix Vaad Hakasruth. Being Orthodox and very involved in that community, the Schnitzers wanted to provide kosher foods in their market, hence they included the Chompie's baked goods, as well as Simply Bread products and sausages from Neshama Gourmet Kosher Foods.
The Schnitzers designed the marketplace with not just the Orthodox community, but also the surrounding Phoenix neighborhood, in mind, wanting to help people along the way in whatever situation they're going through.
"(Some people) are looking for healthier food, friendly on the digestion system," said Lucia Schnitzer. "You never know what history someone might have coming through your doors."
She emphasizes how Luci's has become a gathering place for the neighborhood, a place where people can feel comfortable.
The warmth radiates from Luci's not just because of the friendly staff and clientele but also because of the dĒcor. Schnitzer said the retro-vintage, Americana theme came to the couple while strolling through downtown Prescott.
She gives great credit to their graphic designer, Erik Von Weber of Headwerk, who helped create the playful atmosphere.
"What are those things that bring us back home?" said Schnitzer. "It's home cooking, television shows, things that spark up the memory, such as 'Gilligan's Island' and my mom's meatloaf."
The Schnitzers wanted Luci's to be a place that invokes a nostalgia for home, such as meatloaf sandwiches and apple pie, which are on the menu exactly for this purpose.
Luci's has had plentiful community support in the wake of the fire. After customers, vendors and employees helped get water out of the building (two feet of it), others from the community extended themselves and have offered to help restock the neighborhood market.
And, in turn, Luci's is planning to give back to the community by establishing a charity in honor of the fire firefighters who helped save the market.
Lucia Schnitzer is not worried about the prospects of Luci's, because the community support is so strong. She said the fire was "a blessing in disguise."
