ApexNetwork, Legacy Feed make their debut in Wellton
Data IV sells Flags Etc., Yuma Signs to Blue Streak Signs
Nathan Biggs, a police officer in Highland, Illinois, suffered an almost career-ending injury. He refused to go on disability. He was out of work for six months, but he underwent very intensive physical therapy and bounced back.
So when Biggs found out that his friend,
Brad Pfitzner, owner of ApexNetwork Physical Therapy, which is based in Highland, Illinois, wanted to expand into the rural areas of Arizona, Biggs pointed him towards Wellton. His two brothers, both Border Patrol agents, live in the area so he knew that there was a need for such services.
The ApexNetwork team researched Wellton and discovered that it definitely had a need. Pfitzner told Biggs: “It’s a nobrainer. Do you want to be involved?” Consequently, Biggs entered into a partnership with him, and last month, the Wellton location opened at 28873
Commerce Way, Suite B4. His mother, Barbara
Biggs, co-owner and clinic manager, explained that their goal is to help Wellton and Tacna so residents don’t have to drive 20 miles into Yuma for physical therapy. ApexNetwork can treat a wide range of clinical diagnoses affecting the back, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, ankle and foot. This may include diagnoses encompassing soft tissue, muscles, joints, bone, and neurological problems.
Treatment methods include orthopedic manual
therapy, strength and conditioning, and functional rehabilitation. ApexNetwork also offers hand therapy and sports, vestibular and industrial rehab.
The Wellton clinic is part of a greater conspiracy, according to Barbara, who wants to lure her son to Yuma County, where the rest of his family lives. I wish her the best in her sneaky plan!
By the way, it looks like we’ll be seeing more ApexNetwork locations in Yuma County. Nathan said that the company plans to open more clinics in the area.
To reach ApexNetwork Physical Therapy in Wellton, call 928-785-4977. *** And while visiting ApexNetwork, I learned of another new business in the same plaza in Wellton. The family-owned and -operated Legacy Feed and Supply recently opened at 28841 Commerce Way, Suite A1.
Tony and Cassie Nieto, who live in Wellton, and Robbie and Jaime Hohlbein, who live in Antelope, opened the store because it was a need they had themselves.
“Both families have livestock, and it was a pain to drive to the Foothills if we needed something right away,” Cassie said.
Legacy offers feed for large and small animals, supplies for pets and show animals and an array of other items. And if they don’t have what you need, they’ll try to find a way to accommodate you.
The store also hosts a farmers market once a month. And if you visit the store, watch out for Teal, the rambunctious house kitty, who likes to greet customers. Although, the friendly Teal will probably find you first!
Reach Legacy Feed and Supply at 928-366-2050.
***
Data IV Inc. has sold Flags Etc. and Yuma Signs to Blue Streak Signs, 4228 E. 32nd St.
Data IV started in 1971 when Ken Stanhope left his managerial job with IBM and moved to Yuma to take over a small data processing company that was struggling.
Shortly thereafter, he brought in his good friend Bob Tippett as a full partner in the operation. The company had the only computer in Yuma at the time, a IBM 1401 mainframe computer that took up a whole room and required a lot of air conditioning just to keep it running.
“Unlike today’s computers, this one required punch cards and big reels of tape to operate,” Stanhope recalled.
The company was housed on the second floor of the then-named Citizens Title building on 4th Avenue and 16th Street (now PMG Building) but moved to the new Citrus Plaza building on 4th Avenue as the company grew significantly over the next few years.
Their data processing clients included most of the larger companies and organizations in Yuma, like the City of Yuma, Yuma Regional Medical Center, Yuma County, most of the CPAs and citrus packing houses, and they even did student/class scheduling for the high schools.
Eventually, new, smaller and better minicomputers were developed, and Data IV soon became a dealer for both IBM and Apple. That led to the opening of Data IV Computer Store in the Big Curve Shopping Center in the space now occupied by Las Palapas.
Meanwhile, the partners had also purchased a tiny office supply store in the Crescent Center called Williams Office Products. It was promptly renamed Data IV Office Supply, and shortly thereafter, it was moved along with the data processing division into Century Plaza on 24th Street, which they had helped to build with partners Curtis Lee and CPA Keith Robertson.
The office supply occupied most of Building 1 (the northwest corner of the complex), and the data processing division occupied nearly all of Building 2 (the southwest corner of the complex). The remaining two buildings contained tenants.
The office supply continued to grow, and office equipment sales, service and supplies were added shortly after moving in.
“Everything changed considerably over the next few years as computer and office equipment sales continued to increase while the data processing business declined,” Stanhope said.
The opportunity then arose to sell Century Plaza and move the office supply into a much larger building at 1660 S. 4th Ave., which was owned by Al and Helen Minerva. The data processing division was closed as part of the move.
A year later the company was split in two with Tippett taking the computer division and Stanhope taking the office supply. Stanhope also retained the Data IV Inc. name.
Data IV Office Supply grew rapidly into a super store with office supplies, office furniture, office equipment and a complete service department. It also had a copy shop, a full service print shop, and a sign shop called Data IV Instant Signs, all under one roof.
It was also becoming one of the largest office supply companies in Arizona, with branch offices or stores in Flagstaff, Prescott, Lake Havasu and Bullhead City, and El Centro, California. The company was then a large dealer for Brother, 3M, Casio, HP, IBM and Canon office equipment, including copiers, electronic typewriters, fax machines and scanners.
In the middle of this, the company also opened the first Copytime USA full service copy shop in the Big Curve Shopping Center, in the space formerly occupied by The Pub.
By now however, automation was taking a toll on the office products industry, so Stanhope sold the office equipment division to Danke Corp. out of Phoenix, closed the office supply, and moved the corporate office, the sign shop and the print/copy shop into new quarters in the strip mall on Avenue B next to the Chevron station at 16th and Avenue B. The copy shop was renamed Copytime USA No. 2, and the print shop became Wee Bee Signs & Graphics.
A couple of years later, the Copytime stores were sold to Butch Opsahl, the former president/director of the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce. Stanhope then moved Wee Bee Signs (now Yuma Signs) to the present building at 3010 S. Pacific Ave., along with Flags Etc. which he had recently purchased from Craig Crossland, former owner of Yuma Office Supply.
Most recently, on Dec. 31, after 48 years in business, Yuma Signs and Flags Etc. were sold to Blue Streak Signs, which is owned by Eddie and Sujuey Aguilar.
Stanhope is now retired, playing golf, lifting weights and running marathons. “It was a great ride,” he said.
The Aguilar family has more than 15 years experience in a variety of professional services, including banners, decals, car wraps, magnetic signs, T-shirts, posters, and more. For a free quote, call 928-503-6869. *** You’ll notice in the weekly update below that the Dutch Bros. Coffee has been issued a certificate of occupancy, which means the company has the thumbs up to move in.
The company held a hiring event last week, however, at the time of this writing, I don’t have an opening date yet. I reached out to corporate, but have not heard back.
So it should open very, very soon, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s happened by the time you read this since I prepared this column on Thursday. Either way, I’m keeping my eyes out!
Also, in another interesting development, Yuma Building Corp. has submitted plans for the site of the former Palagor Asian Fusion Cuisine restaurant. The owners plan to turn the building into three office suites. *** Here is the Yuma Commercial Construction Project Update for this week:
Certificates of Occupancy Issued: City of Yuma, Figueroa Water Pollution Control Facility, 289 N Figueroa Ave., after electrical building/renovations; Dutch Bros. Coffee, a new coffee shop, 1512 S. 4th Ave.
Building Permits Issued: Yuma Senior Living, 2600 S. 4th Ave., for alterations.
New Plans Submitted for Review: Vertical Church, 3142 S Arizona Ave., for a new worship center and site grading/utilities work; Yuma International Airport, 2191 E. 32nd St., for baggage carousel improvements; Yuma Building Corp., 771 S. 4th Ave., for a remodel into three office suites.