“I didn’t just get into cooking, I chose it. And then, somehow, I feel like it chose me.” Kyle Williams’s journey to opening Marcato Kitchen has been anything but conventional. Raised in Southern California in a family that loved to cook, Kyle never felt drawn to the kitchen himself. “I liked to eat, that’s for sure, but cooking felt like work, and I didn’t want to work.”

“Everything has to be world-class: the beer, the service, the space.” That simple yet powerful statement from owner Kevin Templin captures the essence of Templin Family Brewing. From the moment one steps through the doors, there is a sense of passion and precision that define everything they do. The warm, welcoming atmosphere, the finely crafted beers, the sense of community - none of it is by accident. It is the result of years of dedication and hard work.

“Every day, I feel that life is a gift, and working at RubySnap has given me the opportunity to connect with incredible people from all over the world,” says Michelle Brockman, the store manager.

“I’ve spent my whole life in the business, one way or another —since I was a little kid running around on the cutting tables,” Joe Starks, the current owner of Zion Furniture and Upholstery, shares. Originally founded in 1937 by Barney Barnhill, the shop has seen several owners and moved locations before settling in its current spot in the early 1980s. "Barney ran it until he was too old," and then his son took it over. John Harper purchased the shop next. When he became ill, his daughter took over, and then Joe's uncle bought Zion's in 2002, but not before asking Joe if he wanted Zion's.