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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business
Jade Trees are evergreen succulents native to South Africa. In their natural habitat, their thick trunks punctuated by thick, elliptical leaves can amount to a height of six feet. In the fall the leaves begin to redden at the edges and clusters of small white flowers bloom. Unfortunately, Utah is not the best climate for these delicate trees because temperatures below 40 degrees can spell death!
Now the Jade Tree I am talking about is not really a tree -- it is a gift store! The store opened its doors in Ogden 40 years ago. Two decades after the Jade Tree opened, Carol Stavrakakis and Frankie Larsen heard the owner was interested in selling, so they jumped at the opportunity to purchase the business.
After a few years, Frankie and Carol decided it was time to relocate and they moved into a 1500-square-foot location in South Ogden. When developers decided it was time to move McKay Dee Hospital, the Jade Tree faced the possibility of relocating yet again. For two years, their fate was uncertain, but finally the developers decided to make the entrance road to the hospital pass by the building housing the Jade Tree. Meanwhile, Carol decided to purchase Frankie's share of the business.
Through all the relocation and uncertainty, the Jade Tree has survived beautifully. Carol offers a wide assortment of gifts from gourmet sauces and seasonings, to vases and jewelry. She makes it a point to visit trade shows to find unique and interesting gifts to be sold in her shop. She emphasizes that good taste does not have to be expensive and so she works hard to find items for every price range.
Carol Stavrakakis has shown that a special kind of Jade Tree can not only be adaptable to many climate changes, but can also stay in bloom throughout the seasons.
For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
