Page 51 - the NOISE December 2013

fizzy BellA:
A chAt with chief fizzicist eilise fisher
story & photos by steele Wotkyns
As you cross the threshold of Fizzy Bella, the scents are marvelous; you’re reminded of the power of smell. Right after that, you’re greeted by the downtown boutique’s Chief Fizzicist, Eilise Fisher — and she opens up a new, inviting world of bath salts, balms, body butters, scented sugar scrubs, lip polishes, shower steams, even a Fizzy Bee line for kids.
Perched on stools in her convenient shop on Birch Street in downtown Flag- staff, our conversation ranged from how she got here, to what makes her a perfect fit for Fizzy Bella Bath Boutique, to new and seasonal products, how she names her product lines ... a fully de- lightful chat.
To the uninitiated, the shop was wafting cinnamon. Ms. Fisher’s discern- ing nose was mostly picking up orange and clove. “I have an uncanny ability to pick apart scents,” she noted. “I can smell things that nobody else can, I have heightened senses.”
We plunged in, discussing her new seasonal products and an exciting new mens’ line Ms. Fisher dubbed Fizzy Fella. There’s Soothe Move aftershave, Stubble Troubble shaving cream, Care- less Whiskers pre-shave oil and even Wooly Manmouth mustache wax. As I write, I have a sample of this latter twisted onto my own Wooly Man- mouth; perhaps it’s helping me here?
Anyway, also for the Holiday season, Fizzy Bella has new scents: sugar and spice, vanilla, and a candy cane scent coming out soon. I sniffed the vanilla and the Fizzy Bel- la difference started to permeate. “Every- thing is essential oils, nothing is artificial,” said Ms. Fisher. The vanilla smells exactly like essence of vanilla. “It’s true vanilla, it’s
100% natural, it’s an oleo resin, similar to an essential oil,” explained Ms. Fisher. “Our va- nilla is a more light, true vanilla scent.”
Ms. Fisher said some customers come in expecting what their noses discern as vari- ous true scents, but instead they have im- printed on something artificial, scents that are overpowering, even cloying. “Some customers are expecting an artificial scent; they come in with a scent in mind,” said Ms. Fisher. “That’s not a natural true scent. It’s like you can’t compare a Taco Bell to a really good restaurant.”
Our chat was wide ranging and engross- ing, based on Ms. Fisher’s background and outlook. “I’m originally from San Francisco,” she said. “So there’s always been a little hippie undertone to me.” She added that she has a “bohemian trendy thing going on.” But I sense her persona as a genuine, wonderful combination of Flagstaff-style customer service, small-business savvy, in- stinct, intuition and being a super helpful resource for her customers. Eilise Fisher is unabashed, straightforward, refreshing, helpful and personable — those qualities help define the Fizzy Bella difference ema-
nating from its Chief Fizzicist.
Ms. Fisher still loves but left San Francis-
co partly because “I got stuck in traffic one night for a couple of hours.” She said she realized she didn’t like that “feeling of be- ing stuck,” adding, “I caught myself. I don’t want to see people as obstacles, it’s not the person I wanted to be.” Ms. Fisher remem- bered coming to Flagstaff with her par- ents when she was 13 and because of bad weather ended up spending more time in town, so Flagstaff kind of imprinted on her memory. “I was ready to leave a large urban place,” she remembers of leaving The City. And in Flagstaff, “I love the fact that I can drive across town in under 30 minutes.”
It’s partly Ms. Fisher’s keen instinct, but also her dream that led her this April to re-fashion Fizz Bath Shop into Fizzy Bella.
“I always wanted to open a little boutique downtown,” said Ms. Fisher who bought the recipes from her “Jedi mistress” Kim Yuhl. “Kim was moving to Thailand and she had people who were interested in buy- ing her recipes,” said Ms. Fisher who was a longtime Fizz customer. She mentioned to Kim almost offhandedly in an email that if she ever wanted to sell ... and, “the next day were in talks for me to buy her recipes.”
Ms. Fisher’s also a researcher, a problem solver. She looks up, delves into maladies and thus is a super-helpful resource person. Customers come in and she can tell they’ve got troubles. “It’s also like I’m a naturopath and a psychologist,” Ms. Fisher explained.
“It’s not just what I can do for them in the sense of what I can sell them ... I’m a resource.”
Ms. Fisher’s dedication, her love of deriving product names reflects her passion for this boutique. She said of her naming of the new Fizzy Fella line, which includes ... “It was a very late night with me coming up with those. The mens’ line is really going to shine.”
Another key to Fizzy Bella’s success is small-mountain-town-style customer service with details like the What a Girl Wants Wish List. “I get a lot of men com- ing in here looking like little lost pup- pies,” explained Ms. Fisher. The wish list takes the boring, the stressful out of a guy’s shopping experience, plus she helps make shopping convenient. She said, “I have people text me: what can you do for $40?” When they arrive, it’s ready: a 100%, all-natural, PETA-cer- tified, vegetarian-sourced, gift-boxed, perfect gift. “I want shopping to be easy.”
“I love it,” said Ms. Fisher. “This is ... I feel like this is what I was meant to do.”
Visit Fizzy Bella Bath Boutique, 113 E. Birch Avenue in Flagstaff or at fizzybella. com, (928) 774-1717
| Steele Wotkyns is an aspiring writer and principal of the public relations firm, WotkynsPRplus. steelewot3@gmail.com
thenoise.us • the NOISE arts & news • DECEMBER 2013 • 51