Page 42 - the NOISE December 2012

THE PENDERS
A RIOT ALONG THE VERDE
PHOTO COURTESY VINTAGE VIXEN
PHOTOS BY COLE LAHTI STORY BY ANNABEL SCLIPPA
Zonie
Tom Pender was born in Flagstaff and moved to Cottonwood when he was two. His father Lloyd Pender worked on I-40 until Tom was nine, at which time Pender Sr. commenced ownership and operation of his own aggregate pit. His mother, Kath- leen Pender, was from Flagstaff. Knowing that Kathleen Pender’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Klopping, were the biggest builders in Flag- staff in the 40s and 50s is already impres- sive news, but add on to that the fact they were both deaf might explain some of Tom Pender’s adaptability, determination and exceptional “root stock.”
He was raised on 5th Street and his mom worked for Yellow Front in Old Town. He and his three siblings, Albert, Nina (Staple- ton), and Liesa (Kavakovich), all graduated from Mingus High School.
During high school, Mr. Pender worked for Stapleton’s Painting in Cottonwood, and for Tony Grimalda as a maintenance man. He then went to NAU, graduating in 1989 with a degree in civil engineering. Afterwards he worked for Gulf Asphalt in Panama City, Florida, then for Entranco, a civil engineering firm in Phoenix, and from
1990-1996 was the City Engineer for City of Sedona, before opening Pender Engineer- ing in Cottonwood in 1996.
Lisa (Cox) Pender was born in Scottsdale and raised partly in Montana. She moved with her family to Sedona during her fresh- man year of high school and stayed. They came to Cottonwood, after high school. She then attended Yavapai for accounting and business, while working for Arizona Benefit Solutions (and Valley Academy of Career and Technology.
When Mr. Pender met Miss Lisa Cox in August 2001, he was the football coach at her sons’ school, and they both worked in the same building, Mr. Pender at his own
firm, and Miss Cox for VACT. At the time Miss Cox’s sons, Allen and Travis were four and six, respectively. The new family got along smashingly, and made plans for the future. Lisa Cox and Tom Pender tied the knot in Laughlin, Nevada in April 2003.
Taking It Down to Old Town
Mrs. Pender’s first interest in Old Town was after she and Mr. Pender bought the Willard Building, now housing Bent River Books and Pillsbury Wine Company, in 2002. The original purchase was to house the Pender’s businesses, Little Lisa’s and Pender Engineering, which remained there until 2011.
In 2005, Mrs. Pender became the Old Town Association Treasurer. Within six months she was tossed into becoming its President after a mass exodus of the board, which left her holding it up. She carried it with Richard Stites alone until late 2006 when karen Piper of Desert Rose Antiques joined. Then in August 2007 this writer, Tre- cia Taylor of Orion Bread Company and Nick Hunseder of Nick of Time Productions, all came on board. Not too far after, Patt Manheim of The Manheim Gallery joined. And of course Susan Cox, Mrs. Pender’s mother, was there supporting all along.
After this point, things picked up pace very quickly. Notices were sent out regard- ing meetings, more merchant members joined, a large amount of events were cre- ated, and then Brian Mickelson died in Au- gust 2006. With the loss of the current City Manger, and the introduction of the new one, Doug Bartosh, came many changes in the City, changes to Old Town and its OTA, creating, as Mrs. Pender states, “fluxes in the world as we knew it.”
Mrs. Pender started running the Choco- late Walk in 2005. Although not a current OTA member, she will still be playing a
major role this year as the new OTA board learns to take the reins. The Chocolate Walk has remained a successful event each year, selling out of its 400 tickets, with folks of- ten wishing there were more. OTA events that have proven to be fun, successful, and brought a draw to Old Town were the quar- terly cruise-ins. “They were a lot of work, but a lot of fun too — thankfully,” says Mrs. Pender laughing.
At that same time Mrs. Pender was on boards for High Desert Youth Football and the Verde Valley Wine Consortium. When serving on the VVWC board, many conver- sations were presented regarding what could help drive tasting rooms to Old Town. In addition, Mr. Bartosh and Casey Rooney were always chirping about Old Town. As Mrs. Pender stated, “After the mantra con- tinued, they finally started hearing it, and their move-in has been a large part of its current change. It was a new territory, an untapped resource.” It was ripe for the pick- ing, with many tourists ready for sipping.
Rendezvous In Old Town
Rendezvous in Old Town opened Febru- ary 3rd 2011, the result of Mrs. Pender win- ning the liquor lottery for her license. She had been managing Pillsbury Wine Compa- ny North, and now had an opportunity to open and run her own place. With the help of one of her husband’s companies, J&N Painting, plus friends and family, the Pend- ers “did the renovations, drew the plans and got anyone to help that we could drag off the street and bribe with food and beer.”
RIOT originally opened with a kitchen by Bill Murray of the Verde Lea, and is now serving up plates by Old Town Red Rooster. On the current menu, one will find sumptuous comfort foods that pair well with wine and beer, such as mac-n-cheese, nachos, burritos, salads, cheese plates and according to Mrs. Pender, “amazing soups.”
RIOT currently serves 24 beers on tap and 10 in the bottle, 35 wines plus another 10 Arizona wines. Mrs. Pender’s favorites are Orange Blossom beer, Cougar wine (RIOT’s
private label), and for a beer cocktail, the Napoleon, a mix of Guiness and Lambic’s Frambois.
There are reasons to stop in seven days a week. Select from your favorite atmo- sphere, between Karaoke Mondays, Open Mic Wednesday, Sinner Sundays, DJ Thurs- days, Live Music Fridays and Saturdays, or 1⁄2 off AZ bottles and glasses on Tuesdays.
In addition, the RIOT hosts a unique range of special events from Luau for Habi- tat for Humanity, Wetnose Wednesdays for Adopt a Life, Save the Boobies for breast cancer awareness, Vintage Vixen Lingerie Show, even a Stronghold Vineyard Mem- ber’s Event. This last one came in to RIOT in- stead of staying in their own location. Now, that is community love.
With some months having three on-site events and most months having at least one, there is always something community related, primarily supporting non-profits. Said Mrs. Pender, “It’s important to give back to the community that gives to you.” She has been working strongly in this arena, as there have been at least a couple dozen events in the short time they’ve been open.
When I asked Mrs. Pender her favorite event she stated, “They’ve all been a lot of work, but have all been fun and they are each so different. I know they’ll be good because I won’t do an event I don’t think I’ll have fun at.”
| annabel Sclippa now features several of her fine works of art at the Manheim gallery, among other select galleries
throughout Norhern arizona.
quillandpaper@gmail.com
42 • DECEMBER 2012 • the NOISE arts & news • thenoise.us