By Charlene Dean

As of Monday, the Pahrump Nugget has a new restaurant. Capriotti’s, a franchised sandwich shop, is the fifth store opened by owners Corey Melendrez and Thomas Gurley. The pair has four other locations in Las Vegas and Henderson.

Melendrez said he considers himself “smart to open here. Some people have said it wouldn’t go, but I think it will. There are 43,000 people here and Capriotti’s is well known and the food is great.”

Between them, Melendrez and Gurley have 45 years experience in food and beverage management. Melendrez worked as a fine-dining bartender at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and Gurley has been running and managing Las Vegas bars. They have been running the Capriotti’s Vegas locations for four years.

Melendrez said the Nugget “was pretty quick about the remodel. They got the franchise specification work done and ready for us inside of seven weeks.”

Capriotti’s serves “East-coast subs,” Melendrez said. “We make orders fresh and each day we bake the turkeys and take the meat off the bone.” He said the oven roasts are baked overnight in a slow oven.

Capriotti’s makes orders to go and offers subs, freshly-made salads, party trays and catering.

Hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday, and from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday.

Call 751-3354 for orders to go or for more information. The website, capriottis.com has the menu choices online.

Stockert’s Crafts opens in stages

Iris Stockert is gradually opening her store, Stockert’s Crafts, located at 1017 E. Basin Ave. She plans to move her family here over the summer from Las Vegas.

Stockert said she used to make the drive to Pahrump and take a trip to A Crewel World, formerly located at Mesquite Avenue and Leslie Street.

“I always dreamed of having a place like that,” she said, “somewhere I could work on my crafts and be in the store selling them and having supplies I needed on hand.”

So far, Stockert has stocked her store with a large selection of items for those who like to needlepoint, knit and crochet. She has plastic canvas, embroidery floss, yarn, needles and kits.

She has a few supplies for woodworkers, and materials to hang artwork.

Stockert has plans for scrapbooking supplies, more kits and templates and pattern books. She said, “I want to cover other types of crafting as well. I won’t, however, be carrying beads.” Bead Haven, another crafting store, is located a few doors down from Stockert’s Crafts. “I don’t want to compete,” Stockert said. “I want our stores to compliment each other.”

Classes are also on her agenda, as well as providing work space for her crafting customers.

Store hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Call 751-4317 for more information.