ARBY’S CELEBRATES NEW FORT SCOTT RESTAURANT

WITH GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24^TH

United States Beef Corporation (US Beef), Arby’s largest franchisee, headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is excited to announce the Grand Opening of its new Arby’s restaurant in Fort Scott, Kansas on Monday, September 24^th, at 10:00 a.m. at 2101 South Main.

The restaurant site, formerly a KFC/Long John Silver concept, has been rebuilt and now occupies 3,196 square feet, with comfortable, full-service seating for 52 guests, and a convenient drive-thru for guests on the go, employing approximately 40 full and part-time workers.

To celebrate the grand opening on Monday, guests will be able to spin the Arby’s prize wheel from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm to win free fries or shakes or other Arby’s branded prizes.

And radio station KOMB FM 103.9 will also be broadcasting live from 11:00 to 1:00 pm, giving away free station swag.

US Beef Chief Executive Officer John Davis is excited to open this new Arby’s serving the Fort Scott community, saying “If you haven’t experienced Arby’s new “Inspire” design, then you’re in for a real treat when you see this one. When you walk into our dining area, you’ll see new, authentic textures, multicolor wood materials, modern lighting, and chalkboard graphics. And it’s really fun when we bring Arby’s into a town for the very first time. We’re meatcrafters™ and the commercials become real, bringing to your table all of your favorite deli-style sandwiches.”

Store hours will be 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday thru Thursday, and 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For employment opportunities, go to www.work4arbys.com for more information.

About United States Beef Corporation

United States Beef Corporation, dba Arby’s, headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the largest franchisee of Atlanta-based Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc., now operating more than 365 restaurants serving Arby’s famous slow roasted beef sandwiches and unique menu items to hungry guests in nine states throughout the Midwest and the Western United States. It is a family-owned and operated business that opened its first Arby’s restaurant in 1969 and has now grown to over 8,000 employees. US Beef also owns six Taco Bueno restaurants in Northwest Arkansas. To learn more about United States Beef Corporation, visit www.usbeefcorp.com.

About Arby’s^®

Arby’s, founded in 1964, is the second-largest sandwich restaurant brand in the world with more than 3,400 restaurants in seven countries. The brand is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. For more information, visit Arbys.com

Jan and Dick Hedges are not ones to sit back in retirement.

A new project they are taking on: Hedgehog, INK!, a bookstore coming to 16 S. Main in historic downtown Fort Scott.

“When I was a little girl, I wanted to open a bookstore,” Jan Hedges said. “Dick and I are loyal to the community. We looked downtown and kept hoping someone would open some retail store. We decided ‘why couldn’t we’?”

“It’s our community service project,” she said with a laugh.

The name of the store, Hedgehog, INK! came from a nickname of her husband, Dick Hedges.

“Dick has often been called Hedgehog. They are cute and whimsical and that is what the store will be,” she said.

“The INK is because it’s also for writers, we want to encourage people to write,” Jan said.

There will be a table in the bookstore where people can meet for reading or writing groups.

A small area in the store will have a typewriter for poetic inspiration, she said.

There will be a designated children’s corner, as well.

Accepting books now

Hedges is accepting “gently used” books currently.

“We will come and pick up books…I can come to look at them to see if they are books suitable to the store,” she said. Contact her at 620-728-9001.

Some people are donating books, “Which is awesome,” she said.

When the store opens, store credit will be given for books.

They will be setting up the store starting in mid-September, following the completion of the renovation of the building they are renting from Jared Leek.

People can wait to bring books in and get store credit when they are setting up.

“The opening will hopefully be mid-October,” she said.

Jared Leek saw some downtown buildings that were vacant and decided to make a difference. He is already the owner of the Liberty Theater and Crooner’s Lounge in historic, downtown Fort Scott.

Most recently, he purchased the building whose storefronts are 14 and 16 S. Main.

“I purchased because I saw an opportunity to take a  building vacant for several years and grow the downtown,” he said. “And grow my real estate business.”

His Front Door Real Estate office will be located at 14 S. Main.

Crystal Mason and Lisa Ward are working with Leek at the realty.

Leek has been renovating the building for a month and is working on the finishing touches and internet service currently.

The Front Door Real Estate business contains three offices and a conference room along with a lobby.

“In the very back there is an old dance studio,” Leek said. “That space will be available to rent.”

It would be suitable for a yoga or dance studio, he said. “And we will build to suit.”

The landline number to Front Door Real Estate is 620-224-9787, which connects with Leek, Mason and Ward’s cell phones.

He is anticipating an early September opening.

Leek received a downtown revitalization grant from the City of Fort Scott to help with the renovation of the old building which was once Dr. Charles Parson’s Chiropractic Office.

“It’s (the grant) for downtown business owners,” Leek said. “You can apply for it every year for heating, cooling, windows, doors…anything with the structure, to help preserve the buildings”

In addition to his businesses, Leek is the manager of the River Room Event center, just above the old Buffalo Grill on National Avenue.

“That space is available for rent for up to 750 people,” Leek said.

The River Room Event Center has a full bar, caterer’s kitchen, dance floor, bridal suite, handicapped-accessible restrooms, and an elevator, he said.

The Buffalo Grill, which is on the first floor, beneath the River Room, has been shown to several interested parties for possible restaurants, “But nothing is in stone yet,” Leek said.

Another building long vacant, the old Kress Building, is for sale across from Front Door Real Estate and is listed by the real estate business.

At 16 S. Main, Jan and Dick Hedges will be opening a bookstore, called Hedgehog Ink in October, Leek said.

An empty downtown building is being gutted in preparation of renovation into apartments.

The Union Block Building at 18, 20, and 22 S. Main is the current project of Skitch’s Inc. which is doing the interior demolition of the building.

“It will probably be a week-and-a-half to get it down to the bare bones,” Kevin “Skitch” Allen, said. Demolition started on August 20.

Kent Hardesty is the electrical, heating and air conditioning contractor, according to Kevin Klassen, an employee of Skitch’s Inc.

In the demolition they are finding old theater seats, old stubs from the Charles Parsons Chiropractic Office, among other items, Allen said.

“They are ruined with pigeon poop,” he said.

The dilapidated building is being developed into Fort Scott Loft Apartments, whose developer is Flint Hill Holdings, Lawrence.

“Tony Krsnich is the owner,” Rachel Pruitt, Fort Scott Economic Director, said. “They did the Western Senior Living Apartments.”

The Western Senior Living building is across the street south of the Union Block Building.

The Fort Scott Lofts will allow 40 additional residents to live downtown, Pruitt said.

“One of the city’s problems to solve is parking,” Pruitt said. “But we are working on that.”

Memorabilia is coming out of storage and at least one piece has inspired a new beer.

“We will be unveiling the Fort Scott Indian Princess, Friday, August 24 at 4 p.m.,” according to an email from Barbara Ritter, owner of The Boiler Room Brewhaus.  “We will also be featuring a namesake beer that has locally sourced peaches.”

“It’s a cream ale, conditioned with peaches beer,” said Bryan Ritter, the brewer.

The wooden Indian is on loan from the Historic Preservation Association, along with other memorabilia, such as old Fort Scott High School and railroad items, for the public to view.

The microbrewery is located at the corner of National Avenue and Wall Street, at 10 S. National.

According to information provided to the Brewhaus from the HPA below, the Indian maiden was in front of a tobacco store on North Main Street in Fort Scott, circa 1869. The store was owned by Frank Boyle, who was the city’s mayor from 1871-72.

Hours for the microbrewery are Thursday-Friday from 4-10 p.m.

Saturdays from 2 to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 7 p.m.

Contact them at 620-644-5032.

For additional information on the business, click on the links below:

Boiler Room Brewhaus Expands Into Historic Downtowner Hotel

Liquor By The Drink: On The November Ballot in Bourbon County