Restaurant business booming
By Llane Henderson Special to the Kansan
Restaurant business in Lawrence, as well as the overall attitude of customers, booms during the holiday season, said Fifi Paden, owner and manager of Fifi's Restaurant, 925 Iowa St., and the American Bistro, 101 W. Seventh St.
Shopping in Lawrence increases tremendously from Thanksgiving until Christmas Day, and this has an impact on the lunch business in Lawrence, Paden said.
"Our lunch business increases greatly during the shopping season, both at Fifi's and the American Bistro. People come in for a relaxing lunch in the middle of shopping. They are looking to warm up, to rest and to be waited on." Paden said.
Liz Linds, director of catering for both the
American Bistro and Fifi's Banquet Connection, 1350 N. Third St., said that besides an increase in business during lunch, there also was an increase in the number of banquets.
"We have a lot more small gatherings during the holiday season. There are also a lot of parties, of course, and family gatherings, all of which have an impact on the holiday business boom," Linds said.
Business booms not only for restaurants but also for the wait staff. Mark Pierce, a waiter at the American Bistro, said that because customers generally would be in better moods when they came in the restaurant, the wait staff could be more cheery than usual.
"Maybe the customer just found the perfect present for a difficult person or merely
had an enjoyable day," Pierces said. "The holiday season is easier for everyone. These overall good holiday feelings also reflect in the tips — they go way up."
But the holiday season is bittersweet. Paden said that after New Year's Eve business decreased immensely while everyone waited for bills to come in.
"It seems that everyone is either on a diet, broke or exhausted, and because of this, the desire to go out to eat rapidly decreases after the holiday season," Paden said.
Brooks Hanson, a manager at Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar, 2520 Iowa St., said that as a new addition to the Lawrence restaurant competition, he was excited about the holiday season.
"We are anticipating being a part of the Lawrence holiday tradition," Hanson said.
The restaurant began a promotion for gift certificates that will continue through the holiday season, Hanson said. Hanson also said that holiday platters would be available throughout the holiday season for parties and catering purposes.
Some restaurants are affected by semester break, when a large number of students leave Lawrence.
Lori Conklin, a manager at Dos Hombres, 815 New Hampshire St., said, "There is a lot more variation in tips during the holiday season. Either they are really good or really bad, depending on the customer."
Usually a member of the wait staff can count on a 15 percent tip, but during the holiday season, tips depend more on how the holiday season affects the customer, Conklin said.
Holidays make child's dream of shiny, new ax a reality
By Zach Emahlser Special to the Kansan
Food, folks and fun. Those words are synonymous with the true meaning of the holiday season: a season of unfulfilled wishes combated by love and generosity, a season of giving at your expense with the hopes of making someone merry. That was the spirit that Edward Ensminger of Iowa carried with him as he thought of his grandson 11 years ago.
At the time, Matt Jansen, Overland Park junior, then 10 years old, had dreams of
becoming a lumberjack. As the holiday season approached, his parents became desperate to find a solution for Matt's dream. You can't put a 10-year-old boy on the next flight to Saskatchewan, and you can't walk into Children's Palace and venture over to the lumberjack section. So what is a parent to do?
"That year my mother kept asking me if there were any other types of gifts that I might like," Jansen said. "However, my heart was set on lumberjack equipment."
Unable to find a solution for Matt, his parents went ahead with their holiday shopping. They purchased gifts for Matt that they thought would be appealing. Deep down they knew that it wasn't what Matt really desired, however, they felt that if they showed him with a plethora of gifts that he would forget about the lumberjack theme.
As the family gathered around and began to open presents, an unexpected visitor entered the scene. It was Grandpa Ensinger, but not even his presence could override the disappointing feeling that Matt possessed inside.
"My grandfather could see the disappointment on my face," Jansen said.
After everyone had finished opening their gifts, grandpa instructed Matt to go outside and get his pipe out of his truck.
When Matt returned his eyes were filled with excitement. His grandfather had done the impossible.
"When I went outside there it was," Jansen said. "A truck load of uncut wood, an ax, a pair of gloves and a flannel shirt. My dream was happening."
And all it took was love and generosity.
COMMUNITY • K-you • December 8, 1993
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