Staying Fit at Snap Fitness

Exercise is one of the key pillars to maintaining one's health, and at Snap Fitness Ashland (310 Oak St., #4, behind the Armory), they want to make it fun and enjoyable for you.

Eric Acevedo, Regional Manager for the franchise which owns and operates 11 fitness centers in Oregon and California, opened the Ashland location in February of this year. There are also centers in Talent, Medford and Jacksonville.

"The Snap Fitness model is all about convenience and quality," Eric said. "Our locations have top notch equipment and group fitness classes at an affordable price. Members can use any of four great locations in the Rogue Valley or any of the 1400 locations nationwide 24/7 any day of the year."

Eric grew up in Alaska and Montana, where his family owned and operated fitness centers for twenty years. He moved to Ashland to attend SOU, then returned in 1998 for graduate school.

"I was fortunate enough to meet my wife Nada, who was attending SOU on a basketball scholarship," he said. "We moved to Portland for about ten years and worked in the corporate world. Once we had children we decided to get out of the city. Ashland had all of the great qualities we wanted for raising a family."

Exercise and staying fit has been a big part of Eric's life, so it was only natural that he gravitate toward owning a fitness center.

"I feel fortunate to be able to work in an industry that I believe in and enjoy so much," he said. "It's so positive to be able to offer a service and help motivate people to do something so important to improve the quality of their lives."

Snap Fitness boasts some of the best strength training and cardio machines in the industry. They also have a newly expanded free-weight area and large group fitness room. Classes such as Zumba, Body Toning and Tabata Time are included as part of the regular monthly dues.

"We have a fantastic team of certified personal trainers," Eric said. "New members can schedule a complimentary 1-hour session to help them get started. Our clubs are clean, conveniently located and affordable."

Snap Fitness also has some online tools where members can log in via their own personal fitness portal. Once a personalized profile is created, members have access to exercise programs, instructional videos, and goal-specific nutritional programs with over 17,000 recipes and daily meal plans.

The phone number is 541-201-2444.

The Old Farm House Comes to Ashland

The newest restaurant to hit the Ashland scene is the Old Farm House Restaurant, located at 2345 Ashland Street in the Tolman Creek Plaza. Owners Greg and Cheryl Cordova have both been in the food service industry for 25+ years, and in May 2006 they opened their first restaurant in White City.

"We ended up in the Rogue Valley by chance," Greg said. "We got stuck here when I-5 shut down due to snow, and we spent two days exploring the area. We knew this was the place we wanted to call home and raise our kids."

The Old Farm House Restaurant became popular very quickly in Medford, and on June 21, 2012, the Cordovas opened their fifth one in Ashland. "I had been district manager for Shari's for twelve years, but it was always our goal to own our own restaurant," Greg said. "Cheryl and I love people and enjoy serving our community. We have over 63 employees, and we love to support children and programs that donate to children."

The accent at the Old Farm House is on large portions of country-inspired food. "We go back to the basics with a homey atmosphere and an all-American breakfast/lunch menu filled with comfort food cooked from the heart," Greg said. "We have gained quite a few loyal fans of our food, atmosphere and friendly service."

The menu is all-encompassing, from Eggs Benedict, omelets, pancakes and scrambles at breakfast to sandwiches, baskets, wraps, burgers, soups and salads at lunch. Once again, the servings are abundant, and they even warn you that "if you go away hungry, then you more than likely didn't finish the food on your plate."

The Cordovas are also available for catering weddings, anniversaries, birthdays or other special events. For more information, call 541-488-9239. There are also restaurants in White City, North Medford, South Medford, and Phoenix. The website is www.farmfries.com.

Hair, Nail and Esthetics at Imani Institute of Cosmetology

The Imani Institute of Cosmetology, located at 2425 Siskiyou Boulevard, is more than just a great school. According to owner Kate Wasserman, it's also an upscale spa in a private and serene environment.

"The Institute offers full-service hair, nail and esthetics programs with individualized curriculum in a hands-on clinical setting," Kate said. "We also offer a full menu of hair, nail and esthetic services to the public at a reduced rate. Clients receive quality services, with quality products, by well-trained students."

For Kate, the Institute is a natural extension of her career in the field of esthetics.

"I grew up in Ashland and graduated from Ashland High School," she said. "I graduated from UNLV with a degree in Kinesiology, then went to massage school in Santa Barbara, where I practiced for four years. I moved back to Ashland because of a lower back injury, and in 2006 attended the Oregon Institute of Aesthetics. It was an instinctive transition from massage to esthetics. I worked with many estheticians and found their work to be interesting and valuable."

When owner Shelley Lotz decided to sell the business, Kate bought it in April of 2006. In August of 2011, she moved the Institute to Ashland, where it has enjoyed considerable success.

"I renamed the business Imani Institute of Cosmetology after my 2-year-old daughter Imani. The word "imani" means "faith" in Swahili, and I've had to have a lot of that being a small business owner. Owning this business has been a great learning experience and very rewarding, having helped many women learn new skills, grow and transition."

I.I.C. prepares students beyond the basics so that they can begin their careers with a thorough understanding of the cosmetology industry. "With a focus on overall health and wellness, students study and train in a nurturing environment which prepares them for careers in a variety of settings, including spas, salons, private practice and consulting," Kate said.

The phone number at I.I.C. is 541-488-6766.

Inti Imports To Close; Big Sale in October

Inti Imports Marketplace, a long-standing Ashland retail business on the Plaza for the last 24 years, will be closing its doors in order to focus on their e-commerce business, Manta Wear, which can be found at yogaclothes.com, mantaclothes.com and intiimports.com.

"I have enjoyed the last 24 years of providing quality products and great customer service," said owner Sean Van Ausdall. "I will sorely miss the interactions I've had with the great array of customers I have met from the Rogue Valley and beyond. It has been some of the most gratifying and enjoyable experiences imaginable."

Van Ausdall plans on continuing his e-commerce business of 12 years. Manta Year features "the most comfortable clothing in the world," as it is 100% pre-shrunk cotton.

To honor its many loyal customers, Inti will be hosting a huge sale through October. Refreshments will be provided on selected weekends (see their ad in this issue of the Sneak Preview for more details).

For info about a great business opportunity, e-mail Inti at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 541-488-2714.

Ashland Directory Goes Online

The Ashland Directory, a full service telephone directory for businesses and residents of Ashland and Talent, will now be worldwide at ashlanddirectory.com

Publishers Kevin and Diane McKelvey have been working with Jim Teece and his team at Project A, an Ashland based website development company, to make an online phonebook that will be used by locals as well as visitors from around the world.

The site will contain business listings and white page residential listings for Ashland and Talent. This new and easy to navigate site will include maps to locate businesses and links to their advertising sites. The search engine can find specific business listings and search by categories.

With connection to Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and more, users will find the site very accessible. The website will also contain Yelp reviews. Smart phone users will appreciate the mobile application for direct connection to a resident or business.

BUSINESS BRIEFS:

• Anna Cassilly, M.A., will be holding a "Communicating in a Conflict" workshop on Oct. 22, 29 and Nov. 5 from 6:15-9pm in Ashland. Call 541-301-7993 for details.
• The Self & Soul Center in Talent will host a meditation session, "Connecting with Mystery: Medidtations from the Wisdom Traditions," on Sun., Oct/ 7, from 10-11am. Call 541-535-3338 for more info.
• Ashland resident Heidi Merker has launched a new business, Heidi's Real Nutrition. Through one-on-one education and food counseling sessions, Heidi "guides clients through how to make conscious food choices, healing emotional eating patterns, and learning the European art of aging later and living longer. For more information, the phone number is 541-646-5560.
• Rose Yoga of Ashland is offering an introductory course on Sat., Oct 13 and 20 from 11:30m-1pm. Call 541-292-3408 for more info.
• To celebrate its move to Ashland, specialty publishing company Dark Regions Press will be giving Ashland First Friday participants over $5,000 in its published books for free all day on Friday, October 5.
• Peggy Severson of Salon Juliet (366 Lithia Way) is celebrating 30 years of doing business in Ashland. A 1981 alumnus of AHS, she has always been interested in hair styling.

"I practiced on all my my friends and family and knew right away what my calling was," Peggy said. "Three weeks after high school I started at Creative Institute of Design in Medford, which was a brand new L.A.-based beauty school with great instructors. I graduated from there in the fall of 1982 and immediately went to work."

She owned Peggy's Salon at the Windmill Inn for 16 years and is now an owner at Salon Juliet.

"Over the 30 years, I've seen just about everything," Peggy said. "Most of our clients love to come and get pampered and spoiled, and leave the Salon looking and feeling more beautiful. We're not only their hairstylists, but we also are there as counselors and therapists. Even after 30 years, I still have to say I love my job."

Peggy admits it's hard on the body standing 8-10 hours a day, 5-6 days a week. "I've been blessed, though," she said. "I'm thankful I'm still able to do my profession and am still healthy and strong. Some of my long-time clients ask when I'm going to retire, but I always want to keep my foot in the door."

Peggy is proud to announce that in January she is planning on going part-time, "cutting" back to three days a week.

"I'm looking forward to spending time with my family and friends and doing some traveling to see the world," she said.

For an appointment, the phone number at Salon Juliet is 544-488-0044.