University Daily Kansan
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Wednesday, August 22, 1979
Business
Local franchises give consumers a choice
Bv ROBIN ROBERTS
Staff Reporter
The number of franchised and company-owned restaurants in Lawrence is amazing for its city size, a spokesman for the Chamber of Commerce said recently.
Glen West, president of the chamber, said prospective restaurant owners and companies usually contacted the chamber to receive information on the Lawrence restaurant market.
"People who are not from the midwest have the notion that Lawrence is out next to the edge of the world, that it's a virgin market, West said. "They want me to out and find out how many major franchises we have here."
Obviously, West said, the competition in the area is keen. But, he said, this competition helps the consumer.
"The result of a vigorous market is that the consumer gets a broader selection."
West said Schumm Food Company was testimony that a restaurant did not have to have an established
Good sites with a lot of parking are also important, he said.
SCHUMM OWNS Old Carpenter Hall Smoke House
79 Massachusetts St. The Lemon Tree, N 11 Ninth
St. New Yorker, 1021 Massachusetts St.
Street Delicatessen, 941
Massachusetts St.
"The Schumm restaurants do not have established names, yet they're very successful." West said.
Because Lawrence already is packed with more than 100 places to eat, it is not uncommon to see new restaurants opening up within days of other restaurants closing.
For instance, Long John Silver's Seafood Shoppe.
"We found the right property at the right time," the manager of Long John Silver's said.
1004 W. 23rd St. and Taco Bell, Inc. 1404 W. 23rd St. grab the land vacated by a hamburger place four times
HE SAID the company was not intimidated by the fierce competition because of the special product Liquid Tissue.
"It's a good market," he said. "There is no competition in our class."
But Tom Matlock, manager of Taco Bell, was not as happy with the market.
"There's a lot of taco places in Lawrence," he said. "Business has not been really bad this summer. It is the city."
West said the chamber was concerned that KU's projected declining enrollment would hurt restaurants in the area, but also said that industrial growth would make up for the decline.
Representatives of almost 40 restaurants are members of the Chamber of Commerce, along with the Chamber's executive board, and said these members paid membership fees, starting at $100, to promote and maintain a "healthy climate"
ONE OF THE NEW additions to Lawrence's restaurant community is Scholtsky's Sandwich Shop. Judy Kirk, manager of Scholtsky's said the shop also relied on the special nature of its market
one to compete with," she said. "I don't think you'll find another sandwich like ours on 32rd street."
New restaurants have to be inspected by building, plumbing, fire and health inspectors, Kirk said. The restaurant also has to meet Kansas Restaurant Association specifications.
Kirk said the biggest problem with opening a new franchise was the procedure that had to be followed.
"We bought the franchise for the Greater Kansas City area," she said. "We have 14 more to put in."
SCHLOTSKY HAS about 75 units throughout the country, she said.
The restaurant company which has the most units in Lawrence is Pizza Hut, Inc.
Rich Brown, manager of the downtown Pizza Hut that matures the menu specialized markets, the pizza company is among the largest.
"It's tough, it's awful," he said. "Everybody is a competitor, not just pizza places."
Barbara Comley, of W. C. and Me said recently that the barbecue there now was doing twice as well as the grill here.
A fairly recent addition to the pizza market is W.C. and Me Pizza Pparlor at 544 w. 28rd St. Two other pizza parliers have come and gone at that site within the last few years.
ONLY ABOUT A month before W.C. and Me opened, however, the Pizza Pedler opened in that building. Before, the Green Pepper had been an established competitor.
Kirk said the Green Pepper closed for reasons not related to competition, but would not say what the
Sirilo Stockade, also is holding its own with other local restaurants, according to his manager Bert Aarsen.
"We're on an equal basis," he said. "But the energy crunch has hurt us like it has every other day."
He said the Sirokion Stockade company rarely allows more than one restaurant in a town the size of
But if the city grows there is always the possibility of another McDonald's popping up, said Bonnie Garrett of Garrett and Associates, which owns the two McDonald's franchises in Lawrence.
She said the company usually put in a restaurant for every 20-22,000 people living in a city.
The Garrett company, which owns seven stores in Lawrence, Topek, Manhattan and Junction City, makes the most money from the Lawrence units, Garrett said.
Local business world grew during summer
By ROBIN ROBERT Staff Reporter
New commercial development in Lawrence during the summer has added several more places students can spend and earn money.
Three new restaurants have been added this summer to the already vigorous market. The restaurants are: Scholls'ky's in Westfield, Moe's Pizza and Restaurant, W4. W2. 3rd St. and the Chesapeake Creamery, on 3rd Street at the Mall's Shopping Center. One restaurant, the Great American Hot Dog Corp., has a new unit at Eighth and Vermont streets.
New shopping centers have also been developing around town.
A shopping center under construction at 23rd and Oudahdi streets is due for completion this November, according to Dave Evans of Design Build Architects. The center will not contain department stores and will feature about 43 specialty shops, he said.
Rodger Hedrick, Lawrence planning director, said a Perkins cake and steak restaurant would be built on the site in front of the mail.
DESIGN BUILD also has built an enclosed mail at mall and Massachusetts streets. This mail contains the Adventure Bookstore and a sandwich shop.
Evans said the mall replaces an old garage and parking places previously used for downtown theatre natrons.
Also open this fall is Seargent Preston's restaurant and club, which is downtown next to Quantrill's Saloon.
Other shopping centers, built last spring but new to students who were away for the summer, include a new Holiday Plaza and a shopping center at 23rd and Iowa streets.
Knifer, owner of Kiel's Records and a partner in Holt/Kiel Developments, said the area south of 23rd Street on Iowa Street was the "city's new mile of shopping."
This mile starts at the Safety store in the 21rd and Iowa streets shopping center and ends at Julie's Restaurant at 3216 Iowa St. he said.
KEIFER SAID HE ITH HE thought the Holiday Plaza site had replaced downtown as the focal point for the building expansion for the plaza would include an American Savings building and a new retail space.
But commercial development is taking place in almost every commercial district in Lawrence.
Downtown. Pier 1 Imports is moving across the street to 738 Massachusetts St., according to owner Dale Kearney. Plans for
See DEVELOPMENT page 15D
University atmosphere keeps KU grads close to Lawrence
By BONNIE DUNHAM Staff Reporter
Although no one knows the exact figures, it is generally agreed that a large percentage of professionals were KU graduates who either stayed here or returned to open school.
"I just like Lawrence," said Bob Radhoc, co-owner of General Jeans, 1000 Massachusetts SK. "It's a good place to live in, but the town itself is small."
Radcliffe graduated from KU in 1963 and stayed in Lawen to open his business.
Carrying the enthusiasm a step further, Duane Morris, owner of Morris Sporting Goods, 1015 Massachusetts St., said, "It's the only place in the world."
Morris who graduated in 1960, left Lawrence and returned in 1975 to open his own business after being in the Air Force and working for IBM.
"THE PEOPLE ARE very congenial and generally do anything they can to help. They are not cold. There are also a lot of cultural activities through the University."
"I've been all over," including visits to most states and Africa," he said, "but Lawrence is the place I chose to settle because of the people.
Lawrence is close enough to visit Kansas City and still live in a small town, he said.
He said the town had been supportive of his business, which sells athletic clothing and equipment.
Isabel Allen, who operates a children's specialty店 called Little Women, $23 Massachusetts, agreed that there was support for small businesses in Lawrence.
"It is getting better all the time," she said, "at least for specialty shoes."
Although, Allen said, she waited until her children were grown to open a shop, she has been a Lawrence resident since four years after her graduation.
MARRIED TO THE SON of Phog Alen. I uktball coach球 for 39 years, she said, "I never knew how to never left our systems. Sometimes on these hot days I wonder why, but it is an opportunity."
J. Hood Bookseller, 1401 Massachusetts St., owned by John and Gloria Hood,
tripped its floor space last January and has also tripped the inventory in the last few months.
Unlike some university schools which rely on professors to purchase books, John Hood said, KU undergraduates are also excellent customers.
Hood started attending KU in 1964 and then left to live in New Haven and Chicago. He returned and finished school in 1974.
HOOD, WHO ALSO started the used-book store five years ago, said he was well on the way to achieving his dream of a academic bookstore in the United States.
Although he said he did not want to open branches, the store has expanded its mail or phone services and is now university libraries across the country. Blackwells, the Smithsonian Institution's public library, and the American Museum of Natural History.
Jerry Nossaman, local dentist and former president of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, said the city
received an "incredible" amount of inquiries about business opportunities in Lawrence.
"THEY USUALLY have had some connection with KU and they would all want to come back here," he said.
Nossman, who graduated from KU in 1960, returned to Lawrence in 1979 after practicing dentistry in Wichita for four months.
"At that time I just thought I would rather be in Lawrence. We just moved here before I even had a place to practice," he said.
"I am sort of glad lled for ten years. If a girl came here to school and just stayed, he would know never if there were other places as nice to live."
It is the University atmosphere that appeals to him. he said.
"Since I have been here I have heard the London Symphony Orchestra, Ellton John and just on and on. There aren't very many communities that have those kind of advantages."
"If it weren't for the University, Lawrence wouldn't be nearly as neat a place to live," he said.
Lawrence has many used furniture stores
Furniture fixtures
Flov Standard, owner of the Swap Shop, 620 Massachusetts St.
stil amid the used furniture and other used items, that comprise her shop's inventory.
One of the first problems that confront many students when they return to school is finding a place to live. One problem is that problem is not a point to be considered if finding furniture.
Because increasing prices have put new furniture out of the reach of many students and rental of unfurnished apartments is on the rise, we offer an obvious solution for apartment dwellers.
Used furniture encompasses everything from pure junk to quality furniture that has simply been previously owned.
Three things determine what deals can be found: the amount of time spent looking for the furniture, the amount of effort put into arranging it and the amount of money a person is willing to spend.
One place to start looking for used furniture is the used furniture stores around town. The first store on campus of the school year was their busiest time because students were looking for the good
Dealers build their inventories by attending auctions, garage and estate sales, and buying from individual sellers.
FOY STANDARD, who owns the Swap Shop, 629 Massachusetts St., said recently. "When I was beginning the business I went to a warehouse in order of the state. Now, people come to me."
D dealers often buy a piece of furniture planning to refinish and restore it to sell at greater profit. Many, however, are willing to sell unrefined furniture.
Holder Moyer, who owns Jo and Harold's Antique Furniture, said "I don't try to make much profit on unfinished furniture. I just keep it in my drawers. If I keep too much stuff I run out of room."
Meyer said most dealers tried to double their cost on furniture that they had restored. The markup for unrefinished furniture was comparable, but varies from item to item, he said.
Most auctions and estate sales are open to the public.Watching newspaper ads and garage sales can also yield good deals.
IF A PERSON has the time to go to the source of the used furniture, he can avoid the dealer's markup.
"If a student can spot a dealer at an auction, all he has to do is bid a couple of dollars more than the dealer," he said. "Most of the time, the dealer will go up."
Jeff Grund, who owns Restoration Hall, 415 N. 2nd, said students at auctions had an advantage over dealers because the students items without worrying about a markup.
FAIR WENT TO England in June to buy furniture and returned early in August with two 10 by 10 by 40 containers full of furniture.
Although some used furniture resemble antiques to the layman, Grind said, a piece of furniture must be at least 100 years old to be technically considered an antique. Once
For those who can't make the trip to England, Ground suggested going to yard sales and auctions outside Lawrence to learn more about what develops when students return to school.
Bail Fair, who owns Emerald City Antiques, also at 415 N. 2nd, once made his living by driving all over the area buying furniture at farm sales, Ground said, and competing in competition, gas costs and a decrease in furniture supply. Fair has found new sources.
it is considered an antique, the price begins to increase.
The age, style and maker of furniture also help determine its price, and antique status.
"If you can identify the place and the time it was made, it becomes history instead of something just to sit on." Ground said.
ALTHOUGH SOME people are beginning to classify furniture that is 75 years old as antiques, most dealers agree that there are few legitimate antiques for sale in the world.
Like new furniture, antiques are often too expensive for the average student, especially when trying to furnish an apartment in the 1920's. The furniture is more expensive after molding.
Once a person has acquired a piece of furniture, repairing and refinishing can improve its appearance, depending on the skill and time put into it.
George Schmittenendorf, owner of George's Ud furniture, 1055 Massachusetts St. said what can be done with a piece of furniture that you are at making something out of nothing.
THE FIRST STEP is to clean the furniture and remove all the old finish.
The stripper is brushed on to the furniture and eats away the old finish. It can be taken off using old rags or steel wool.
After the furniture is cleaned, stains can be used to alter or accentuate the color and texture of a room. The furniture is in a wide range of colors. The number of coatings at determine the effect on the room.
The final step is applying varnish or a sealer to protect the furniture.