Bank opens branch in Scottsdale

 First Western Trust Bank, a boutique bank and trust company based in Denver, has expanded its operations to Arizona with the recent opening of a state-chartered bank at 7025 N. Scottsdale Road.

First Western provides private banking, investment management, personal trust and wealth planning for wealthy individuals, their families and foundations.

“We are enthusiastic about our new office and the extraordinary level of private banking services we can now provide Arizona and specifically Paradise Valley, Phoenix and Scottsdale,” said Dino Camuñez, president of the new Arizona branch.

JUST OPENED

You don’t often find stores opening smack in the middle of the holiday shopping season, but a few CityNorth shops that missed the new retail center’s mid-November debut just snuck open.

Guess; Verde Maison, which sells all natural skin care products and spa services; and Status Clothing, an upscale mostly men’s clothing boutique, are now ringing up sales at the northeast Valley’s new upscale shopping mecca at 56th Street and Deer Valley Road in northeast Phoenix.

EATERY OPENS

Restaurateur Louis Skormish, who has been cooking up Italian favorites for 12 years at Uncle Louie’s Brick Oven Pizza in Terravita Marketplace at Scottsdale Road and Carefree Highway, is expanding.

Uncle Louie The Restaurant is scheduled to open Saturday in the AJ’s-anchored Scottsdale North Marketplace on the southeast corner of Scottsdale and Lone Mountain roads.  

The new restaurant will feature traditional Italian favorites as well as Skormish’s famous crisp and thin pizzas.

MORE YUMMIES

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and Cold Stone Creamery have opened the first co-branded location at 14858 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd.

The Scottsdale shop is a pilot to try out the combo confectioneries.

The grand opening celebration, which includes samples and kiddie fare such as a bounce house and face painting, is slated for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

The Cold Stone Creamery at that location was redesigned to accommodate the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory décor and the equipment needed to craft decadent chocolate and candy apple treats.

FOR BABY

Scottsdale-based Bumkins, which makes and markets cloth diapers, organic clothing options and Dr. Seuss-inspired duds for babies, will open the retail shop attached to its warehouse daily until year end.

The shop at 7802 Gray Road in the Scottsdale Airpark is usually only open a few hours a week for retail sales. Bumkins said the outlet will be open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays through Dec. 31.