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BUSINESS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | MAY 2, 2021
Sibley’s West owners closing iconic store, moving on ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF
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he owners of a downtown Chandler landmark shop are calling it quits. John and Michelle Wolfe are closing Sibley’s West The Chandler and Arizona Gift Shop, which they opened in 2010. “Michelle and I have a lot of travel planned for this summer and, fingers crossed, an international trip in 2022,” John told the SanTan Sun News. Longtime residents, the Wolfes thought downtown Chandler needed some additional retail outlets to complement its selection of restaurants and vibrant nightlife. They had just obtained masters degrees at Arizona State University and, according to Michelle, wanted something that sold local goods to support local business. “The idea of a gift shop had some potential,” they explain on their website.
John and Michelle Wolfe are closing Sibley’s West in downtown Chandler after 11 years. (Courtesy of John Wolfe)
“Having visited many shops in Phoenix, including ones in the airport, the Wolfes were disappointed to find so many items and souvenirs made overseas.” But at some shops and local festivals, they found attractive gifts produced by Arizona craftsmen and artists and so they began identifying small and large manufacturers that call Arizona home, coming across firms like Original Dirt Shirts, Armadilla Wax Works and Cheri’s Desert Harvest. “Embracing a mantra of ‘From Arizona,’” the Wolfes explained, they found a spot in downtown Chandler and opened their shop in December 2010. The store is named after a Rochester, New York, department store that John’s great-grandfather, Rufus Sibley, started in 1868. His son, John, took over following Rufus’ death in 1928 and ran the
see SIBLEY’S page 23
Chandler yoga clinic sees exponential client growth BY KEVIN PIREHPOUR Arizonan Staff Writer
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hen the pandemic upended in-person elementary schools, Jessica Kalicki began searching for naturopathic methods to help her family cope with the stress. That’s when she found the Nicole Anne Yoga and Holistic Wellness clinic based in Chandler. “I think I was looking for meditation, something along those lines, trying to calm it down,” said Kalicki, 38, a former high school teacher and a client of the Nicole Anne Yoga and Wellness clinic. “Because my husband’s working full time in the house, I’m the only one taking care of the kids.” The clinic offers a range of alternative therapy options housed in various venues and online such as aquatic exer-
Nicole Anne Fonovich of Chandler practices sound healing on Joan Grube. (Kevin Pirehour/Arizonan Staff)
cises, spiritual coaching, yoga and neuro emotional technical, or NET, therapy – a popular form of therapy that aims to heal deep-rooted emotional triggers in clients. Kalicki found the therapies useful as she and her children adjusted to remote learning. “It started changing my kids and I felt better because they were no longer so sad and depressed and like hating life,” Kalicki said “It’s really difficult when you see your seven-year-old talk about how much he hates life and my five-year-old is throwing things across the room at people because he doesn’t know how to handle what’s going on.” Nicole Anne Fonovich, a holistic health practitioner and the owner of Nicole Anne Yoga and Wellness, said many of
see YOGA page 24