It was May 2008, and Frankie Muniz was in Los Angeles standing in line to purchase a grill for his home when a random thought struck him.
“Wait, before I buy this, do I want to live in Scottsdale?”
So the actor, best known for his role in the television series Malcolm in the Middle, left the line and hopped in his car that afternoon for an impromptu road trip.
“I’d been here before for events and things, and there was always just something about Scottsdale and Phoenix that I really liked. ... So, I left the line, got in my car, I drove here, I found my house that day. ... I saw an open house sign, I went in, I thought, ‘I love it,’ and I bought it.”
The sale closed in eight days.
Since then, Frankie has made the Valley his home.
“I really don’t plan on [leaving]. When I think of all the places I could live or want to live, nowhere tops here. I’ve traveled all over, but I love it here. I’m so happy here.”
A Spontaneous New Venture
In addition to acting, Frankie’s life has also been filled with pursuing other passions, including racing cars and drumming in a band.
But his latest career venture? It was as spontaneous as his move to the Valley.
“It was spur-of-the-moment,” he says, laughing. “I was joking around with my fiancee, Paige [Price], and I was like, ‘What if we buy this store?’ She’d been in the store and loved it. So we put in an offer, and a week later we owned it.”
The store he’s referring to is Outrageous Olive Oils & Vinegars, a retail shop in Old Town Scottsdale (7240 E. Main St.) that offers an impressive selection of ultra-premium olive oils, fused and infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars, as well as pasta, salts and rubs, hot sauces, kitchen accessories and olive oil skin care products.
“I was actually looking into a more non-operational business, like self-storage or a FedEx route—something where I didn’t need to be there because I’ve got so many things going on in my life,” Frankie shares.
But once again spontaneity won out, and again, it brought happiness.
“There’s something about being in this store that I love, and I never in a million years would have thought that,” he says.
Since purchasing the store in May 2018, both Frankie and Paige have been completely hands-on.
“I think if you want a business to be successful, especially when you’re first starting out, you need to put in the time, you need to be there.
“We’re open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but I’d say we were here 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.!” he says.
The couple has renovated the store and brought in new products. They interact with customers. They deal with the logistics of running a store. They also hand-bottle everything—sometimes up to 300 or 400 bottles a day. And of course, Frankie says, they’ve learned so much about the benefits of olive oil.
Passionate About Business
The passion he has about the products and running the store is evident when he speaks, sharing the many health benefits of olive oil, how he loves speaking with customers and how much he actually loves running a business.
“I’ve always loved business. I’ve never owned a retail store, but learning that world has been really exciting to me,” he reflects.
“You’re always learning, you’re always trying new things, and seeing what the customers accept or not. It’s a fun game to play, to bring in a new product or line and see if it works or not. I really enjoy that aspect. There are products that we’ll buy and put out, and when someone comes in and buys it, Paige and I will be in the back high-fiving each other.”
Both Frankie and Paige each have their own personal favorite products, as well. For Frankie, he likes the Espresso Bean Balsamic Vinegar paired with steaks and the Persian Lime Olive Oil and Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar on salad—but his all-time favorite by itself is the White Peach Balsamic Vinegar.
“I could drink it out of the bottle it’s so good!” he says.
As for the future of the store, the couple has big plans—but they’re keeping them under wraps.
Dedicating Himself to His Pursuits
Being the owner of a retail store is very different than many of his past careers. For Frankie, though, that’s part of the draw.
“My life has been pretty interesting in that I don’t sit back. Whenever I have an idea, I go for it; I do it. Some things I've been pretty successful with, and some things I've learned a hard lesson, but that's part of life and part of the fun of it. No one can ever say my life is boring, that's for sure!”
Whether it’s been acting, racing or drumming, Frankie always pursues his interests with a dedicated passion and a strong work ethic.
“Whenever I’ve done anything, I’ve dedicated everything to what I’m doing,” he explains. “When I was acting, that was my world. When I played in the drums in the band, that’s all I thought about. Whatever I was doing, that was my life. I’ve liked everything I’ve done.”
Giving Back
When he’s not at the store, Frankie’s calendar includes golfing as well as attending charity events, which is how he helps to give back. Some of his favorite charities include Big Brothers Big Sisters, Best Buddies and Celebrity Fight Night.
“I just like to do whatever I can, because there are so many organizations that need help,” he explains. “I’m just me, but if me showing up or donating something like a script helps, that's amazing and I’m all about it. I try!”
Putting Down Roots
Reflecting back on his life, Frankie feels happy with where it’s taken him. He’s happy here, and the Valley has been good to him.
“I’ve been here a long time, and I definitely consider the Valley my home,” he says. “I love being part of the community and owning a small business in the community, and I hope people come in and check it out. When you come in, you’re supporting a real local business, and that’s fun.”
His Biggest Piece of Advice
Frankie’s many careers and successes have had one common thread: he always puts in the work and gives everything his all. And that, he says, is what it takes.
“I’ve just been really fortunate in my life to be able to do what I wanted, but the biggest thing is that to do what you want to do, nothing is easy. You have to work hard for it, and you can’t give up. I know that’s cliché, but it’s true. Everything that I’ve done, like I said, I’ve dedicated myself to 100%."
“Do whatever you can to continue to learn and grow, and sometimes you think that you’re going down a wrong path, but it turns out to be the best thing that ever happened.”
