Meet Rebecca Riffel
Q: Please tell us about what you do in Cottonwood.
A: I’m the owner and operator of Main Stage Bar. We’re a hub for music and events and open six days a week. We have live music, live artists, and we also do a lot of charity events and fundraising. We’ve become pretty well-known for our Wednesday Bingo nights, which give 10% of proceeds to local charities. We’ve been able to give around $70K to charity over the past few years just from the bingo.
Q: How long have you owned the business and how long have you lived in Cottonwood?A: I’ve owned the business for 10 years, I’ve lived in Cottonwood for 11, and am actually from Sedona. I was raised in Sedona, went to Red Rock High School, left for some time to do all sorts of things, and then came back to Cottonwood and opened Main Stage.
Q: Why’d you come back
A: A multitude of reasons encouraged me to come back. I was living in Maui at the time, and my friend I was living with became sick with cancer. In addition to that, I was also exiting a relationship I was in. And Sedona has always been an ideal place for healing and for coming back home to. I didn’t intend on moving back here permanently, but when the opportunity arose to open Main Stage, I made the decision to stay.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?A: I’ve met so many amazing musicians and artists, but the person who comes to mind now is Penny Smith, a woman I started the Bingo nights with. She really inspired me with her philanthropy and the way she gave back to the community. She was a pillar of strength. She passed away a few years ago, but she lived every day to the fullest and helped me become the person I am today.
Q: If you could choose anyone (dead or alive) with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would you meet for this lunch?
A: There are so many people I’d love to have lunch with, but I’d have to say either Robin Williams, Bob Marley, or Marilyn Monroe. I could put together a really fun dinner party for all of us.
Q: What one piece of advice changed your life?
A: There’s a saying I keep close to me, that says “Don’t forget as you’re treading water, just how much you love to swim”. I use this in my life a lot because sometimes I get overwhelmed with the busy day-to-day tasks of running a business, that I forget to enjoy what I’m doing in the present. This advice helps me to remember why I started in the first place.
Q: What film could you watch over and over again?
A: I’m totally a rom-com kind of girl. I love My Best Friend’s Wedding, Jerry Maguire, and Good Will Hunting. I could watch these at any time.
Q: What song never gets old?
A: I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston. I love that song.
Q: How would your best friend describe you?
A: My best friends would describe me as very loyal. I am a die-hard friend that will always have your back and go to battle for you. I’m so lucky to have a lot of the same best friends that I had growing up in Sedona from childhood. They would describe me as someone always there for them.
Q: What is something interesting that people don’t know about you?
A: Most people don’t know about my zest for travel. I moved myself to the Dominican Republic at 23. I’ve done a lot of backpacking – hitchhiking even – and a lot of solo travel throughout my early twenties. I’ve traveled all over Southeast Asia, and Central and South America.
