Out and About in Sedona

Sedona’s ST.com contributing writer, Hollywood Jim, and fan

Scott and Gracie Stevenson hail from Houston, Texas. After searching for an Uptown business location, it was love at first sight when the two discovered Sedona’s Hozho on the roundabout at the Oak Creek bridge between Hillside to the south and Tlaquepaque to the north.

On the First Friday September 3rd Art Walk, the Sedona Times Publishing roving snoops, Oceanna Laughing Cloud and the mysterious Mz C, drove to Hozho.

The Hike House, new to town and still waiting for merchandise to arrive, was a delightful find and exactly what the town of Sedona ordered!

Owner Scott Stevenson (with encouragement from a young daughter) expertly provided a detailed walk-through of Hike House amenities.

Outdoor and indoor seating in the Energy Cafe offers Make Your Own Trail Mix dispensers and an array of healthy drinks and light foods. The indoor Energy Cafe features state of the art flat screens playing a videographer’s clip of Scott traversing a gorgeous Sedona red rock trail, scenery used to introduce Hike House visitors to its customized computer-generated trail maps and hiking guides.

Scott designed hiking software that allows customization options for difficulty, distance and duration.  After the visitor selects data based on personal preferences, the Hike House computer offers the optimal Sedona hiking trail.

With practiced precision using “concierges” (store employees trained in the Hike House philosophy of service), Hike House moves the customer into its clothing and shoe store annex to discuss hydration and accessories based on the newly printed hike map.

In this annex, Scott and Gracie built a weeping rock wall with handmade iron racks to display an array of hiking boots and shoes, and included an uneven floor rockface to test the comfort and practicality of its footwear.

In this retail area, brands such as Columbia and its own Hike House logowear are stocked for men and women. Trail accessories and gear are abundant.

Scott and Gracie are concerned with proper outfitting and hydration for hikers in Sedona and provide helpful and practical advice, and the goods to back it up.

The Hike House has scheduled a ribbon cutting and open house with the Chamber of Commerce on September 17 at 10:00 a.m.  The Hike House Hozho address is 431 Hwy 179, Sedona, Arizona 86336.

Article written by Hollywood Jim Franckowiak, SedonaEye.com Staff Writer.  c2010

sedonaeye.com and Sedona Times Publishing  c2010