[Source: Randy Cordova, Arizona Republic] — Steve and Andi Rosenstein have a photograph they like to keep close at hand. The young couple in the photo, taken 23 years ago on a vacation in Jamaica, are standing atop a 30-foot-high bridge, about to leap into the chilly waters below. The twosome seem to be equal parts excitement and nerves. “We had no money, no kids, no marriage, but we knew we were a good team,” Andi says now, examining the snapshot. “It was symbolic because we were jumping off at that point in our lives,” Steve says. “It was symbolic of a change that we were making in our lives.”
That “change” was the couple’s decision to open a business. The result: The clothing line Fitigues, a popular casual line of clothing that earned coverage on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and eventually grew into a national chain that the couple sold to Chico’s for just less than $10 million in 2006.
But the symbolism holds for the couple today. The Rosensteins are in their 40s, the parents of two healthy boys, ages 12 and 16. They live in Scottsdale’s posh D.C. Ranch neighborhood and spend summers at a waterfront home in Michigan. But the couple are not content to sit back and reap the rewards of a job well done. Instead, they’re embarking on an adventure that could change the face of downtown Phoenix. And although some people may think they’re crazy, the two are firmly committed to making this leap. “We believe in this project,” Andi says. “This is not a hunger driven by a financial motivation. This is driven by the passion to create something special.” [Note: To read the full article, visit Couple take chance on 1928 warehouse in downtown Phoenix.]
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