BUSINESS
Paris Goodnight, Business Page Editor, 704-797-4255 pgoodnight@salisburypost.com
SUNDAY August 29, 2010
SALISBURY POST
www.salisburypost.com
TRADITIONAL MEXICAN CUISINE
Business owner attends luncheon with governor
Two chefs join forces to make El Patron special
Salisbury businesswoman Traci Williams, who owns Crescent Construction Services, was invited to a luncheon hosted by Gov. Beverly Perdue for female company presidents. Williams sits on the Greater Women’s Business Council.
BY SARAH CAMPBELL scampbell@salisburypost.com
eorge Moreles Jr. and Angel Ruiz have been serving up authentic Mexican cuisine for more than 14
G
years. The pair of professional chefs, who have owned multiple restaurants throughout the state, recently opened up their latest venture, El Patron Mexican Grill and Cantina, 130 Freeland Drive. “Teamwork is important for everybody here,” Moreles said. “If we work together we’ll have good service and good food, and that means we’ll always have good business.” The eatery, nestled inside the Salisbury Shopping Center, across from Walmart, is outfitted in traditional Mexican decor, creating a festive dining atmosphere. Moreles and Ruiz wanted to bring their flair for authentic Mexican flavors to Salisbury by using fresh ingredients to make signature dishes like chile a la mexicana, which features ranchero style chunks of grilled chicken or steak cooked with ranchero sauce. Favorites such as chimichangas, tacos, burritos and quesadillas are also on the menu. “We are going to try to change the menu every three to six months,” Moreles said. “We don’t want to bore our customers with the same food all the time.” Each meal begins with free tortilla chips and salsa. Patrons can add a variety of cheese dips or guacamole, which is made fresh at the table. To wash everything down, Moreles recommends a margarita. “We make very fresh, authentic margaritas,” he said. “We think we have the best ones. Moreles said margaritas come in a variety of flavors including lime,
Thrivent honors Salisbury rep Brad Brady, a financial representative with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, has qualified for the organization’s Sierra level for 2009 achievements by demonstrated outstanding sales and service to members. Brady, of Salisbury, is with Thrivent Financial’s Southeast Regional Financial Office, serving Lutherans and their family members in Salisbury and the surrounding communities by providing financial guidance and solutions to help them achieve their financial goals. Brady has been with Thrivent Financial for four years and has been recognized for his performance four times.
Business Roundup
sarah campbell/sALIsBUrY Post
George Moreles pours a margarita for a customer at el Patron, which strives to serve the best in authentic Mexican food. strawberry, mango, peach and pina colada. Locals become stars each Wednesday during the restaurant’s Karaoke Night, extending its hours until 1 a.m. The night offers a variety of bar specials including discounts on mixed drinks and draft or bottled beers. The full menu is available with a special American twist — wings. Moreles said he hopes to add Sunday brunch featuring a mariachi band in a couple of months. Contact Sarah Campbell 704-7977683.
news@salisburypost.com
Don’t call Just Ink a tattoo parlor. It’s a studio, says owner Larry McDaniel. McDaniel, a 2002 graduate of South Rowan High School, owns Just Ink, which opened Aug. 1 in the Shoppes at the Mall at Jake Alexander and Statesville boulevards. McDaniel, freelance artist Joey Miranda and apprentice Ian Cole have put into play an idea that the studio should be unlike anything stereotypical of a tattoo parlor: No selling of questionable items, nothing dark or dingy. “This should be a place that I could feel comfortable taking my grandmother or children into,” McDaniel said. It’s definitely not what you might think of when you think tattoos; walk-
Hours • 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday • 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday • Lunch specials are served daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
September 1 — Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership rowan steering Committee, Chamber, 7:30 a.m. 2 — Chamber executive Committee, Chamber, 8 a.m. 8 — Chamber Industrial Association lunch and tour, rowan-Cabarrus Community College, noon 13 — Chamber Business After hours, Bayada Nurses at el Patron Mexican restaurant, 1030 freeland Drive (Behind Cracker Barrel), 5-7 p.m. Call 704-6334221 for reservations 14 — Chamber small business counseling, Chamber, 9:30 a.m.-noon. Call 704633-4221 for appointment 15 — Chamber Workforce Development Alliance, Chamber, 8 a.m.
Four designers from Salisbury took part in Celebrating Home’s national rally, held last month in Dallas. Celebrating Home, headquartered in Marshall, Texas, specializes in direct sales of home decorating and entertaining products. Salisbury designers at the rally were Susan Lohr, Kim Morris, Naomi Poole and Shellie Stubbs.
Salisbury Therapeutic Massage will celebrate 10 years in business next month. Owner Mary Zimmerman started a massage business in Concord in January 1998, which became Salisbury Therapeutic Massage in 2000. Zimmerman is certified in a variety of massage techniques and soon will offer facial reflexology, including Japanese Cosmo Facelift. The business has moved to 120 E. Council St. Suite 400 and added a fourth therapist. Missy Barnes is certified in the Alexander Technique and Somatic Move- ZIMMERMAN ment. Other therapists are Mary Gillespie and Cindy Corby. Appointments are available Monday through Saturday at 704-6337623. Take $10 off a one-hour session from Sept. 1 to 17 for the anniversary.
Third round of master’s students
ing into the studio, all you see are bright pink walls and black accents with simple art on the walls. Just Ink specializes not only in typical body art but also piercings. And McDaniel says it’s unique in offering anita overstreet/for the sALIsBUrY Post UV ink in tattoos — which glows under a Larry McDaniel, who owns Just Ink, works on the sublime logo on Matt Boan’s blacklight — and do- left shoulder. ing fingernail tattoos. In fact, he said, Just Ink is take care of any swelling of tis- “You are only limited by the the first studio in the area to sue or fading of ink. amount of skin on your body and have UV ink for tattoos and one While being a new business the creativity level in your of the only studios on the East and having unique ventures, the mind.” Coast to do finger nail tattoos. artists at Just Ink want every McDaniel has eight tattoos, McDaniel guarantees the tattoo to be a personal and indi- including his first — a paintball work obtained in his studio for vidual experience. No tattoo logo on his shoulder. life. should be the same as someone He has a permit from the Unlike parlors or shops that else’s. state and worked as an apprenuse high-priced healing treat“You have to walk around for tice in Texas and Georgia. He ments, the guys at Just Ink use life with this on your body, you See TATTOO, 2C plain hemorrhoid ointment to should love it,” Miranda said.
Business calendar
Designers attend rally
Salisbury Therapeutic’s 10th year
South Rowan grad opens tattoo studio BY ANITA OVERSTREET
1C
MOORESVILLE – Mountain State University Mooresville welcomed its third round of students in the master of science in strategic leadership program this past week. “All organizations need leaders,” said Dallas Bragg, MSU executive director for North Carolina. “Our master’s degree in leadership prepares students to lead in an ever-changing world.” The program provides students with real-life leadership training and knowledge to enhance skills in team building, communication and negotiation. The format allows students to learn from one another as they complete the program together. M.S.S.L. students attend class meetings once a week, participate in online chats, engage in research and complete group projects and individual assignments during the 18-month program. MSU is offers leadership degrees from the bachelor’s degree to the doctorate, at campus locations and online. Since 1999, more than 2,500 students have earned leadership degrees from Mountain State University. For more information about MSU’s leadership programs in North Carolina, contact Mary Beth Huskey, Mooresville enrollment coordinator, at
See ROUNDUP, 3C
Look at other options before going for reverse mortgage BY BRUCE WILLIAMS United Feature Syndicate
DEAR BRUCE: I just checked on a reverse mortgage. I am 63 years old, own my home and have no immediate family. My home is worth about $137,000. I have an outstanding home-equity loan for $10,500. The bank appraised my home at $125,000, because I have the outstanding equity loan. The interest rate is currently 5.49 percent with a mortgage insurance rate of 0.5 percent for a total of 5.99 percent. The loan officer stated that my lifetime cap on interest would be 5.49 percent. The bank quoted my available principal limit as $71,125, minus mortgages insurance $2,500 and other closing costs of $2,542. This leaves my net principal limit at $66,083 less than my equity loan of $10,500 for a total of a lump sum cash of $55,583.
Smart money I would also have to pay $380 up front to begin the reverse-mortgage process. Do you feel a reverse mortgage would be in my best interest? I would receive about $55,200 in cash if I decide to pursue this further. — Joe
not advisable for someone under 70, and the older you are the better, because the diminished life expectancy increases how much you can borrow. Reverse mortgages are more expensive than other forms of borrowing. If you are absolutely sure that you want to get the money and do not have to repay it, the reverse mortgage is certainly something to be considered. If there are any other alternatives they should be taken advantage of.
via e-mail
DEAR JOE: You haven’t indicated why you need to borrow the money. That is an important consideration. If you absolutely have to borrow, that’s OK. You indicated that you are only concerned about yourself since you have no immediate family. The down side to this is that you are very young for a reverse mortgage — although legally you may get one. They are generally
DEAR BRUCE: My brother and I recently had our mother move into an assisted-living facility because of her increasing Alzheimer’s symptoms. Because her assets are below $80,000 and her annual income under $24,000, she is eligible for “widow of a war-time veteran” benefits of $1,000 a month toward her assisted-living debts.
See MONEY, 2C