I.F. commercial building up dramatically in first quarter

Visiting the city of Idaho Falls Building Department office for another story Wednesday, I was struck by the building permit numbers for the first quarter of this year.
Last year, the total valuation for commercial construction through March 31 was a measly $6,500. This year, it was $855,000, a jump so big that that I don't even want to try to guess the percentage.

With the new elementary school projects due to start in June -- $53 million in bonds -- and the Idaho National Laboratory's new $30 million research center in the starting blocks, it's safe to say that we're looking at some big numbers for the year. Likewise, in unincorporated Bonneville County, Meleleuca is planning a multi-million headquarters near Interstate 15 Exit 113.

Other standouts for this year included an warehouse expansion for Northwest Cosmetics Laboratory on Boge Drive, more than doubling its space.

We are also trying to run down information on what might be happening on the southeast corner of West Broadway and Skyline Drive. Never want to get ahead of ourselves, but there are rumblings of commercial activity (though not Costco).

Alpine Heating and Air Conditioning moves to new location

Derek Anglin of Alpine Heating and Air Conditioning

Alpine Heating and Air Conditioning is moving from West 19th Street to a new location at 170 Eastern Avenue, with an eye toward an April 23 grand opening and ribbon cutting.

Manager Derek Anglin said the new store will give them twice the showroom space, allowing them to show their line of Napoleon Fireplaces. The location, across Elm Street from the Museum of Idaho, will also give them better visibility than they've had in the past.

"It was time to expand and be optimistic about things," Anglin said. Founded in 1997, Alpine now has 14 full-time employees. It is a dealer for Carrier Furnace and Air Conditioning and the factory-designated service provider for Carrier as well.

For more information, call (208) 523-5542 or visit their Web site, www.AlpineHeatingAir.com.

New bike repair shop offers valet service

Aaron Arave, the wrench man at Intergalactic Bicycle Service, which opened April 2.

Everybody knows what a pain it is to push a bike with a flat tire to the shop or to load it into the back of a truck or car.

One of the things Aaron Arave is offering at his new shop, Intergalactic Bicycle Service, is valet pickup-and-dropoff, to spare customers the hassle of getting their hands dirty.

An Idaho Falls native who recently came home, Arave opened his shop April 2. It is located at 263 North Woodruff Ave., near Sarah's Candy Cottage. His partners in the business are his father, Brian Arave, and Doyle Nelson.

Arave has 15 years experience fixing bikes and is certified by the United Bicycle Institute. He was voted Best Bicycle Mechanic by Boise Weekly in 2004.

"We'll fix everything from Huffys to high-end racing bikes," he said. The shop sells individual bicycles, plus accessories like helmets, gloves and locks, but Arave said he prefers to keep the focus on service and repair.

His charge for a basic tune-up is $35. Basic flat repair is $5 to $15. As for valet service, they will pick up individual or group bicycles within a 100-mile round trip. Individual family service must be at least $100 and groups $250. For more information on valet service, call (208) 360-9463. To call the shop, (208) 360-9542.

Reflections on a decent day in sales

Yamaha Clavinova

As lessons in sales go, Saturday was an interesting day at the store where I work, the Piano Gallery/Music Superstore, on 17th Street.

It was pretty much me and Mike Brown holding the fort. Mike's job is to sell pianos, and his special expertise is in the Yamaha Clavinova. I sell guitars, and my passion is for acoustic guitars from C.F. Martin & Co., of Nazareth, Pa. It turned out to be a good day for both of us.

In the late morning, a family came looking for an electric keyboard. Something basic would have cost them around $1,000, but Mike showed them a Clavinova. Why? Because he gets excited about them and likes to talk about them. His demonstration had them laughing, singing along and practically dancing. Watching from the cash register, I was sure the sale was his for the closing, and it was.

A few hours later, a couple walked in looking for a Martin guitar. They gravitated toward the little mahogany 00-15, a fine instrument that normally sells for $1,149. They liked the warm tone (rosewood is bolder and more direct). I agreed they'd get a lot of enjoyment from the 00-15. But since they liked the sound of mahogany, why not try out the 00-18V?

Right away I could tell they loved it, but at $2,499 it was more than they had in mind. But you know what they say: Love will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no love. We kept talking.

I've been a Martin player for more than 23 years. When I first got my D-19 (after 20 years on the Epiphone I got for Christmas when I was 13), the first thing that went through my head was, "I have never sounded this good in my life." It was like getting out of a Buick Regal and into a Porsche 911.

This is a lifetime purchase, so why not spend more on something special? My new friends went home with the 00-18V (they got it for less than they would have paid if they'd bought it new on the Internet, by the way.)

On reflection, it occurred to me was that when you're in sales you can be one of two types. Some people sell because they're naturals at it. It doesn't matter whether it's insurance, advertising, automobiles or club memberships. They go at it because it's who they are.

Martin 00-18V

"She takes advantage of people and they thank her for it," a woman I know told me about her sister, who is one of these types.

Then there are those of us who really need to focus on a particular product, who need something they can hold or touch and get fired up about. I gravitated toward guitars because I love playing them, and there's nothing that turns me on more than playing a really good one. If I could sell one every day, I guess I'd be doing great.

Whichever category you fall into, you have to sell as though your life depends on it. Everybody's in sales, whether or not they believe it. You sell yourself at a job interview. You sell yourself on Facebook. Unless you're dependent on charity, something that's not exactly abundant these days, you don't eat if you don't make money.

Do you believe in yourself and what you do? It's nice to have a day when you can answer that question with a "yes."

Capital Press names sales rep for southeastern Idaho, Utah

Kathy Lisle

Kathy Lisle is the new advertising sales representative for Capital Press, one of the largest subscriber-based agricultural publications in the Pacific Northwest. She will be responsible for a sales territory encompassing all of southeast Idaho and the Salt Lake City area.

Originally from Southern California, Lisle worked for the Idaho Falls Post Register for 15 years, 12 with Eastern Idaho Farm & Ranch.

Based in Salem, Ore., Capital Press has a circulation of about 38,000, with subscribers in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and into Central California. It was founded in 1928 by A.M. Church.