Meet Melissa Rosenthal | Owner FH560

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Rosenthal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I never expected to start a souvenir and gift business; one thing led to another and FH560 was formed. I’ve lived in Fountain Hills, Arizona for roughly 6 years. When friends and family have come to visit over the years, I ‘d look for Fountain Hills, themed gifts for my guests. After having trouble finding options I decided to start FH560, a company specializing in Fountain Hills themed apparel and gifts. Fountain Hills is an amazing town with a lot to offer making it easy to create unique FH themed designs. Like many others I really enjoy traveling and experiencing different places, sites, parks, cultures etc. When I visit new places I like to bring back a memento along with the memories. With this in mind I started a list of items FH560 would carry in its webstore. Things like t-shirts, stickers, magnets, mugs, tote bags etc.
For me FH560 is a fun way to showcase elements of this great town and spread the word about Fountain Hills.

What should our readers know about your business?
After determining FH560 was a good idea, I created a business plan. I kept things pretty simple and am taking steps everyday to grow my business. We’re only a few months old, we launched in November of 2022. What set’s FH560 apart is it’s a locally owned business that’s 100% focused on the town of Fountain Hills, Arizona. I’m excited that I could bring something to FH that didn’t exist before; a full line of items showcasing this beautiful town. I’ve enjoyed creating a variety of designs featuring many elements that make fountain hills unique. FH is a dark sky community, home to some incredible wildlife, hiking and mountain biking trails, the Four Peaks, golf and disc golf tournaments, the famous Fountain and much more. It was important to me to screen print my designs versus using transfers or direct to film printing. The screen printing process is an art form and the quality is unmatched. I also wanted to create designs that were different from typical tourist t’s. The design mix ranges from simple to a little bit wild. Like our Javelina Javier Riding a Mountain Bike or Lazy Louie the Lizard Lounging in a hammock at Fountain Park. We don’t have a brick and mortar at this time. Our products are available in our webstore, which is always open. You can find us at the weekly Wednesday Art on the Avenue event where we get to meet some great locals and visitors. Some of our shirts, stickers and magnets are also available at the Chamber of Commerce.
Building a business isn’t easy. It’s important to keep a positive attitude and learn from my experiences. I think if you enjoy what you do, have a plan, quality products, listen to your customers you can be successful. It’s very rewarding to hear people’s excitement towards my products and even more exciting to see someone wearing one of my shirts around town. Being so new I’m proud of where FH560 is today and look forward to what the future holds.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
That’s a hard question…. There’s so much to see, do, eat, visit and experience in Fountain Hills and the surrounding areas.

Fountain Hills has some great hiking trails and parks. We’d start the day with a juice shot from Good Living Greens then head out on the scenic Fountain Overlook Hike. This is a great place to watch the fountain. After the hike we’d grab lunch on Sofrita’s patio. They have great tacos and guacamole. The afternoon could include pickleball, tennis, disc golf or an art walk around town. We’d have happy hour and watch the sunset at Cielo at the Adero. At night we’d enjoy the beautiful sky and do some star gazing.

On Wednesday in the Hills we’d swing by the Avenue of the Fountains for Art on the Avenue, featuring artists, a farmers market and lots food trucks including Batchelor’s Pad’s BBQ, a great family owned BBQ spot. After the market we’d head to Saguaro Lake. It’s just a short drive from town and is great for boating, fishing, hiking, and picnicking all while enjoying the beautiful saguaros scenery. On the ride to Saguaro Lake we’d look for wild horses that can often be found wandering the area.

One of the best reason’s to get up early in AZ is to experience sunrise at Piestewa Peak. This hike has amazing views of downtown Phoenix. You can see the night sky and city lights give way to first light and the sunrise. If you’re lucky enough you’ll be there on a day when Ken Koshio is greeting the morning by playing his drum on top of the peak. After this spectacular hike we’d head to the Churchill a container mall in Phoenix. Next we’d go to Arizona Wilderness brewing company for delicious food and local beers.
In the evening we’d go to Platform 18, a 1920s Pullman train car-inspired craft cocktail bar that offers a cocktail experience unlike anything I’ve seen before; including a 90minute ride through the Rocky Mountains.

A Day Trip to Sedona – Sedona is one of my favorites places in Arizona. The Red Rocks are so spectacular its feels like a magical place. We’d start the day with a hike to Devils Bridge, after the hike we’d head to Slide Rock State Park with a picnic lunch. After Slide Rock fun we’d climb to the top of the airport vortex to watch the sunset, feel the energy and take in the spectacular views. We’d finish off the night with a great pizza from the Hideaway House.

Old Town Scottsdale is a great place to explore. There are lots of great restaurants, shops, an art museum etc. We’d go to one of my favorite photo stops the Love sign in the middle of town. If we’re lucky the Blacksmith shop will be open for a tour and some great stories.
Scottsdale has too many great restaurants to list, a few of my favorite are -The Mission, Barrio Queen, The Montauk, and Chula Seafood has amazing Poke bowls.

A Saturday stop by the Gilbert Farmers market to stock up on Benny Blancos amazing homemade tortillas followed by Brunch at OHSO. They have great food, good beer and are very dog friendly.

There’s so much to see and do in the Grand Canyon State.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to give a shoutout to my boyfriend Art. He believed in the FH560 business concept and encouraged me to start the business. He’s right there with me on Wednesday’s at Art on the Avenue. I couldn’t do it without him. I’d also like to give a shoutout to my family who instilled in me the importance of community, hard work and following my dreams.

Website: www.FHAZ560.com

Instagram: @FHAZ560

Facebook: www.facebook.com/FH560

Image Credits
Melissa Rosenthal