It was 1992, when Al, Barbara, Chad, Cinnamon, Pepper (the dogs) and Tiger (the cat) Scharnhorst relocated to the Big Bear Valley. Al had created a successful remodeling company, Foothill Builders Home Improvement Co. located in Pasadena, CA, for the decade prior. Barbara had concluded a 5-year career as West Coast Manager “Marketplace” with House & Garden Magazine. And Chad had completed a tumultuous First Grade year in the Pasadena school system.

“Seemed we really needed to slow the pace down,” remembers Al. Big Bear had been the favorite place of refuge away from their busy lives for many years, and always a wonderful time to spend with Chad and his two older sisters Julie and Amanda. It was a gamble they knew, but they sold their Pasadena home, loaded the trucks, and started up the mountain to try a new lifestyle, and new school system as well.

“We actually ended up in Big Bear two or three days after the June ‘92 earthquake.” “I remember thinking, I don’t know if this is a good omen or bad omen,” said Al. “At the time, many temporary contractors had arrived in town for hire from the earthquake, and unfortunately some were unqualified and unscrupulous,” he continued. “I didn’t want people to think we were temporary,” he remembers. “We came here with everything we had and were here to stay!”

In Pasadena, Foothill Builders and Al in particular, had been awarded the “Pasadena Beautiful Award.” Before his retirement and sale of the company in 1995, Foothill Builders completed hundreds of remodeling projects throughout the Big Bear Valley, and was considered one of the top companies in the Big Bear area.

Although Barbara had strayed career wise from her Masters Degree in “Community Service and Public Affairs”, her interests led her to the publishing field. “I had a newspaper in the 6th grade,” she confides. “I interviewed everyone in the neighborhood and reported on when they would be on vacation, and how long they would be gone.” “Those were very, very different times”, she continues. “But, I’ve always considered the press a big part of community service – especially in a small town.” “It has been a wonderful experience over the last decade and a half, and I am so looking forward to what the future brings.”

As a young adult, Barbara had worked with an advertising agency, as well as a magazine rep firm representing such titles as Playboy Magazine, Family Weekly Magazine and Cosmopolitan Magazine. This experience led her to Conde Nasts’ House & Garden Magazine as well as trade publications in the gift industry. “It was an exciting career in a lot of ways – lots of travel – from New York to Seattle.” “But, our family was very ready to change our pace and slow our lifestyle, “she recalls.

And Chad developed his love for snowboarding, which is still one of his greatest passions, as well as his love for the mountains. He currently works and resides in Huntington Beach.

“Moving to a mountain community like the Big Bear Valley, full time, does take a bit of an adjustment,” according to both Scharnhorst’s’. One of the major differences seemed to be how to advertise your services. Foothill Builders was new to the mountains, and Big Bear Magazine still hadn’t started publication.

Almost immediately, they realized the vast majority of their clients for construction owned a second home in the Valley. They also realized quickly, there were no publications or ways to advertise to this unique group of Big Bear homeowners, who own more than 2/3 of Big Bear homes.

Both Al and Barbara came from entrepreneurial families. Al’s father was a landscaper and gardener, and Al too started in the same field, until he moved into general construction in the early 80’s. Barbara’s father was a lumber broker, and her sister, after a long career in lumber sales, now owns and operates Maggie’s Dog Munchies, an organic dog cookie company. http://maggiesdogmunchies.com/

By 1995, Barbara, who at the time wrote a remodeling column for the local newspaper, The Big Bear Grizzly, coordinated a test publication to deliver to 5000 second homeowners. Readers and advertisers alike enjoyed the fresh approach to Big Bear, as well as the opportunity to connect with each other for business opportunities. The flavor of the magazine hasn’t changed throughout the years, and it is designed to introduce homeowners and visitors alike to some of the interesting people and things about our community. We’ve had the opportunity to meet some of Big Bear’s most interesting people, and some of Big Bear’s best writers and photographers have and continue to contribute to the publication.” Barbara continued.

By 1996, Big Bear Magazine began reaching the 11,000 plus second homeowners through a unique and complex list management system, and mailing the publication six times each year. Reader surveys throughout the years have always placed Big Bear Magazine as the number 1 media on the mountain for second homeowners and local homeowners alike.

Big Bear Magazine has continued to be the most respected name in Big Bear publishing. To date, the publication has published some 70 issues of the magazine, as well as creating and marketing such magazines as Mountain Homes & Properties for Realtors, and coupon booklet, Bear Valley Bonus Bucks, designed to help small businesses increase local sales and traffic. Big Bear Magazine has been a Big Bear Chamber of Commerce member since 1996, and hosted the 2006 mixer. In 2008, the Big Bear Chamber awarded Big Bear Magazine membership in the “Presidents Circle.” Big Bear Magazine also created and designed the Chambers first “Chamber Guide”, which continues today with the same content and design, and is one of the Chambers primary resources for membership. Publisher Barbara Scharnhorst, a former Soroptimist, was also founder and Chapter Consultant to the Big Bear Leads club for more than a decade in the Valley.

“Like so many newspapers and magazines, our transition is now into internet publishing, and again bringing the interesting aspects of Big Bear, to our loyal audience of readers.” We are currently producing the on-line version of the magazine in Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer. We have also added an easy blog for Big Bear businesses to communicate with our readers, which is still in the development process.

“In addition, continued Barbara, we’ve now personally entered into the market we’ve always served – as a second homeowner.” “For many years as a Big Bear local, with a second home in the Palm Springs area, we’ve spoken about the interesting connection between the two areas.” In just a little more than two hours, the entire environment has changed from the Big Bear mountain community to the Palm Springs community. “We’ve always felt it was the best of both worlds, as do many folks who have homes in both locations.” Medical reasons have taken us to Palm Springs full time, “but our hearts are still in Big Bear,” adds Barbara.

“We are pleased to have partnered with KhalsaWeb, Big Bear’s most experienced and trusted webmasters. KhalsaWeb has been designing and marketing websites since 1994, serving the Big Bear Valley, Arrowhead, San Bernardino, the Inland Empire, Southern California and the World. “We feel very fortunate to be working with such experience as we bring you BigBearMagazine.com online, and bring regular blogs and tips for homeowners and businesses.

For more information regarding Big Bear Magazine: www.bigbearmagazine.com
Info@bigbearmagazine.com For more information regarding KhalsaWeb www.KhalsaWeb.com

The Big Bear Valley is a four season resort area located about 130 miles east of Los Angeles, and is the favorite resort destination for much of Southern California and Nevada.
Spring and fall bring brilliance in color – wild flowers with huge splashes of yellow and hues of purple as you drive to the mountain community, from one of the three entrances into Big Bear. In the winter, Snow Summit and Bear Mountain are the main attractions for skiers and snowboarders. Second homeowners often use the services of one of our many talented property management companies, to assist in the winter rental of their home or cabin, as do our tourists looking to vacation in the Valley..
Summer brings bikers, hikers and is always the most attractive time of year for Big Bear’s vast population of second homeowners. Big Bear Lake – just seven miles long, supports all types of summer activities, from swimming, to water skiing, to fishing.

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