You know how those people on Extreme Home Makeover look all gratified after they remodel the house of a deserving family? We’re feeling a little like that this week after helping two of our favorite local companies get the online presence they deserve. Last Friday, we launched new websites for AIRE rafts and their subsidiary Outcast Sporting Gear. AIRE is the #1 manufacturer of whitewater craft in North America. But their web site had become badly outdated.

Whitewater and fishing are certainly two sports that inspire passion and gear lust. The new sites are designed to satisfy those needs by giving visitors the opportunity to share their enthusiasm by submitting their own photos, videos, product reviews, advice and blog comments. Product pages also offer clear descriptions, rotating product views, dynamic zooming. There’s tons of product support information, including videos and downloadable instructions. And it’s all heavily optimized for search engines.

On the back end, the sites are easily updated by AIRE’s own staff who can add products, assign suggested accessories, freshen up the home page, offer specials and manage visitor submissions and reviews. Adding a video is a simple as pasting in its YouTube URL to the admin page.

Special thanks to Troy, Chris and Alan at AIRE/Outcast, and Jessica Holmes who, through her engagement with Idaho Rivers United, helped us establish this relationship.

We moved into our current location on Main St. in January of 2001. Soon after we were joined in this building by Zutto Restaurant, a sushi place owned and operated by a guy named Atushi and his wife, Kimberly. Atushi came across as a pretty private person and rarely said much when we ran into him smoking his Marlboro Lights in the parking lot we shared out back. When one of his disgruntled cooks started spitting on our car door handles in 2002, most of us stopped eating there.

But last July, Simplot asked us to create a video for Idahoan potatoes to be played at their annual sales meeting. The video required we recruit local restaurants as shoot locations. Against his better judgment, Atushi came through for us. He also generously agreed to act in it as well, also against his better judgment.

To make a long story short, he stole the show. When he saw the final product, he was quite proud of his performance, and relations with him improved dramatically. So, the other week when we learned Zutto was closing down, we were very sorry to hear it.

Atushi, wherever you are, thanks and good luck. You just may be in the wrong line of work.

Ken Stoltz does a lot for us at SMG. This year, for the first time ever, we decided to honor him on national Boss Appreciation Day by taking him to lunch. And wouldn't you know it? At the last moment, Ken blew us off for an early start on a weekend in Sun Valley. Undeterred, his loyal and hard-working employees printed a large output of his picture, placed it at the head of the table and toasted it repeatedly. He seemed to enjoy himself.

Until next year, thanks, boss. Sorry about the AMEX.