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Keeping the coffee hot while keeping the customers cool
November 1st, 2024
Like many cities, Tempe, Ariz., is coping with a number of urban challenges. A local newspaper regularly reports on a long list of critical issues, such as the need for more outdoor dining spaces, how to enhance the pedestrian experience (by mandating “8-foot free and clear space on sidewalks”) and (especially in Arizona) the need […]
Sails that sign: Enter here!
August 1st, 2022
The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indigenous community in Scottsdale, Ariz., has a dedicated space that is surrounded by a high-end commercial plaza on its land. Located at the crossroads of two major roads, the shopping complex is composed of numerous brick-faced masses that have tribal art affixed to the curved walls. One corner of the complex […]
Shade sails find a place in the sun
September 1st, 2021
It was only a few years ago that Amy Poe, owner of Wyckam Fabric Creations, in Portland, Ore., started hearing about shade sails. Now the company is doing elaborate shade sail projects like this shade cover for the Big Toy Playground at Keizer Rapids Park in Keizer, Ore. Photo: Wyckam Fabric Creations. For something that’s […]
Finders, keepers: long-term customer loyalty
December 1st, 2019
Attracting customers in the market for shade products is one thing; retaining them for future business is another. Managing both objectives requires establishing connections that are meaningful and lasting. by Pamela Mills-Senn A quick Google search on “connecting with customers” reveals all sorts of advice, usually in the form of the “seven best ways,” or the […]
Shade sails tackle solstice extremes
June 1st, 2019
By Bruce N. Wright, AIA Arizona is known for stunning landscapes and a warm climate. Most homes in this area have some form of shaded outdoor living space, where Arizonians can enjoy the temperate weather. Working closely with a client with a request for her residence, Shade Industries® of Phoenix designed a custom, elegant structure […]
Residential shade sail
October 27th, 2016
What is the perfect complement to a high-end residential backyard remodel? A custom-designed shade sail, of course. Red Rock Contractors of Mesa, Ariz., was working on just such a remodel when its client decided to include a fabric shade structure in their plans for a new backyard. SHADE Industries of Phoenix, Ariz., was brought in […]
Backyard patio shade
August 30th, 2016
A custom shade disc transforms a scorching residential backyard into a shady oasis. In the arid Southwest, a little shade can go a long way toward transforming a residential backyard from a scorching desert to a shady oasis. One Tucson, Ariz., couple decided to shade their yard in style by installing a custom cantilevered shade […]
Selling shade
November 1st, 2015
Conrad Masterson, president of Shade Industries, builds his business by focusing on what clients really want —and what employees need. “The first thing I learned when I entered the shade sail industry was to focus on what the customer really wants,” says Conrad Masterson, president of SHADE Industries, Phoenix, Ariz. “That may sound simple, but […]