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BUSINESS
SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | DECEMBER 12, 2021
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Sisters keep mom’s legacy alive with shop BY ALEX GALLAGHER Progress Staff Writer
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or nearly 44 years, The Paper Place has been selling cards, invitations and a myriad of gift options. The business started as the expansion of a Texas-based franchise in 1978 that Judy Hendricks thought would be a perfect fit in Scottsdale. However, franchisors knew that running the business by herself would be difficult for Judy, so they approached Nancy Silver to help her mother out. “When mom had this idea, the franchisors came to me and asked if I wanted to do this with my mom,” said Silver. “Then we had about a three-month conversation as to what could go wrong. I finally said, ‘I don’t know what’s going to happen so I might as well give it a shot.’”
Nancy Silver and her sister, Betty Hendricks, run The Paper Place on Marshall Way in Scottsdale, which their mother started in 1978. Helping to keep customers entertained is their dog Oliver. (David Minton/Progress Staff Photographer)
Mom and daughter settled on an 800-square- foot space near 5th Avenue that they describe as “the artsy side” of Marshall Way. The space operated as a franchise for about two years before the franchisors stepped away, leaving the space to Silver and her mom. “The franchise was based in Texas, so it felt like we were the step-child since we were in Arizona and that was why the franchise dissolved,” Silver said. Together, the duo kept the shop going all throughout the 80’s, a time that Silver looks back on fondly. “We would always leave everything at the store and, thankfully, mom and I hardly argued,” Silver said. At the beginning of the 90’s, the two
see PAPER page 21
Puzzle Rides add mental challenge to holidays BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Progress Staff Writer
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ld Town Scottsdale’s Puzzle Rides is putting a holiday spin on its mobile escape room-style scavenger hunt in “Scottsdazzle.” Teamwork, combined with elements of the route, are used to solve a series of puzzles via golf cart before time runs out. From ages 5 to 85, there is something for everyone. “Whether you’re new to Puzzle Rides or have tried us before, our holiday excursions are an absolute blast,” Puzzle Rides founder Katie Dufort said. “We have one that’s family friendly, perfect for the kiddos, and another that’s tailored to adults where they have to think while they drink.” Both experiences combine a scavenger hunt through Old Town Scottsdale, a jolly
Cheryl Sumners, Karen Churchard, Eleanor Brillo, Jackie Contaldo and Holli Shannon go through their bag of clues trying to figure out what their first destination will be for Puzzle Rides. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
golf cart driver and lots of holiday cheer. First, the adults-only Jingle Bar Hop is a two-hour “portable pub” adventure that
invites up to 10 guests to visit local bars and try mystery drinks while solving a puzzle with clues tied to popular holi-
day music (“Silver Bells” route) or classic TV holiday specials (“Reindeer Games” route). “This is, by far, our most popular ride because attempting to solve a puzzle while enjoying a cold one is inevitably a good time,” Dufort said. “From checking out a new bar our riders never knew existed to learning something about a building they’ve seen a million times, Jingle Bar Hop offers entertainment at every turn.” A family-friendly option is Hijacked by Elves. On this experience, Santa’s Naughty and Nice list has been stolen by a mischievous elf. Riders then use clues to track down the elf and bring him to justice during the adventure. “If you have family coming to town that you haven’t seen for a couple of years be-
see PUZZLE page 21
