Every morning, Tom Kautz arrives two hours before his business opens to boot up the register, open the doors to any early-bird walkers on the Avenue and read the newspaper. He finishes any paperwork in the back office that he shares with his wife, Cheryl, and photographs of their grandkids.

It's been his schedule for longer than he can remember, and now, Tom and Cheryl are celebrating 25 years as owners of Cheryl’s of Fountain Hills.

“I guess we’re sort of a rarity,” Tom said, adding that most people retire by their mid-70s, but the two are quite content with their lifestyles.

Before running the women’s and children’s clothing and accessory store that the community has come to adore, Tom and Cheryl worked in interior design and decorating for Cheryl’s brother, Gary Martinson, a real estate developer whose mark can be seen throughout town.

“Everything you see out here that has ‘mirage’ on it, that’s his,” Tom said, who did flooring work for Martinson.

Tom and Cheryl’s business started in the Bashas’ Shopping Center in 1998. Working for her brother, Cheryl designed homes from floor to ceiling including pictures, plants, dishes and furniture in approximately 500 condominium and resort properties throughout Tucson, Casa Grande, Fountain Hills and Scottsdale. Meanwhile, Tom and their son, Stace, were “hauling stuff around” while their business took shape.

As they neared a decade of business, Tom and Cheryl began toying with the idea of selling clothes, even designating a small portion of the store to their growing interest. When the housing crisis hit in 2008, Tom and Cheryl needed to pivot, and fast.

“The housing market didn’t slow us down; it stopped us,” Tom said.

Soon, the small section of women’s clothing grew to become their new bread and butter.

“We had to make a decision to segue into something or shut it down completely,” Tom said, adding that mistakes were made in those first few years of transition but they soon found their niche. “Our market is primarily older women...they need stuff for their grandkids, and we found that our end-user on the kids’ clothes is not mothers; it's grandmothers.”

With a burgeoning new business, Tom and Cheryl hit the ground running, attending Las Vegas and Los Angeles vendor markets to find clothes. In their search, they found that West Coast vendors sold patterns, style and designs that best fit their target audience while offering cheap freight costs.

In 2016, Cheryl’s moved from the Bashas’ Center to their current location on the Avenue of the Fountains – a move they wished they had made earlier.

“I tried to get him to come down here two years before,” Cheryl said, “but he takes his time.”

“I’m German,” Tom shot back.

From East to West

Both born and raised in the dusty planes of North Dakota, Tom was in college when he met Cheryl who was working as a hairdresser. They got married and bounced around Chicago, Fargo and Minneapolis before heading West to Scottsdale in 1981 and settling on Fountain Hills in 1994.

The name of the long-held establishment began when Cheryl finished florist school, opened a business and called it “Cheryl’s Custom Creations.” Once she made the switch to decorating, the name changed to simply “Cheryl’s.” Now, “Cheryl’s of Fountain Hills” can be viewed in bright red lettering along the Avenue of the Fountains.

“I should probably call it ‘Tom’s’ because he’s here all the time,” Cheryl said, who has hired three employees to help run the store while she focuses on buying and merchandising.

Celebrating 25

To celebrate the silver milestone, Cheryl’s of Fountain Hills is offering a 25%-off sale storewide, every day from May 1-25. Located at 16858 Avenue of the Fountains, Suite #102, Cheryl’s is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For young businesses (less than 25 years old), Tom’s advice is to stay with it, learn to cut back inventory when necessary and anticipate the seasons.

When asked about plans for the future, Cheryl and Tom are happy where they are, living for each smile from their grandchildren and enjoying every minute of life in Fountain Hills.

“I love Fountain Hills,” Cheryl said. “I don’t know why a person would retire if you’re doing something you love.”