This sign seen on the door of the Fort Scott Gordmans store window tells of apparel coming in July. The store opened earlier this year as a department store but did not carry clothing at that time. On August 10 the new clothing department of the store will be completed.
An apparel department is being added to Gordmans department store that opened earlier in 2019 in Fort Scott. The store is located at 2400 S. Main, in the strip mall on the southside of town.
“Gordmans in Fort Scott will be expanding to a full-fledged Gordmans, which will offer big brands in merchandise for the entire family at very low prices compared to department store prices,” Blakeley Graham, Manager of Brand Publicity at Gordmans, said. “The complete changeover will be August 10, and Gordmans is planning a special in-store event that day to celebrate the expansion.”
“In addition to the home décor, beauty merchandise, fragrances, accessories and toys already available at Gordmans, there will be name brand apparel for all ages and footwear at bigger deals and smaller prices,” he said.
Gordmans is part of the Stage family of stores.
Stage has opened 74 Gordmans this year, including the store in Fort Scott. By the end of 2019, there will be over 150 Gordmans stores across the country.
Gordmans is located at 2400 S. Main in Fort Scott’s south side strip mall.
More details will be shared soon about the August 10 event, according to Graham.
Dalton Womeldorff sits in the studio of Fort Scott Broadcasting. He is an announcer at the radio station and a recent graduate of Fort Scott High School.
Red Dirt Country is in Fort Scott as of July 1 at 98.3 FM on your radio.
The Red Dirt genre of country music started in Oklahoma and Texas.
“Red Dirt Country is a different brand of country,” Tim McKenney, owner of Fort Scott Broadcasting said. “Most tell a story…songs that tell stories about the cowboy’s way of life.”
Fort Scott Broadcasting, owned by both Tim and Deb McKenney, is the umbrella company for KMDO-AM 1600 and KOMB-FM 103.9 and now K252KY-FM 98.3.
KMDO started in 1954 and KOMB in1981 and continue to play classic and contemporary music. They were purchased by Tim and Deb in 1996 from Tim’s father.
Red Dirt Country, K252KY-FM started this year.
Fort Scott Broadcasting is the parent company of KMDO-AM and KOMB-FM and is located at 2 N. National Avenue. The parent company of the businesses are Fort Scott Broadcasting, owned by Tim and Deb McKenney. They also own U.S. Cellular at 1711 S. National and 2506 S. Santa Fe in Chanute.
“On July 1 we opened K252KY,” McKenney said. “It started broadcasting a few months ago. We wanted to run it a while to make sure it was going smoothly.”
“We wanted to compete with those (radio stations) that do country, in a different way,” he said.
“It’s been crazy, for signing on quietly,” McKenney said.
KMDO-AM and KOMB-FM Radio Stations are located at 2 N. National Avenue, Fort Scott. New in July 2019 is the addition of Red Dirt Country at K252KY-FM, 98.3
The broadcasting company plays music 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
There are several announcers who work for the company: Larry Gazaway, Brandon Tadtman, Dalton Womeldorff, Pam Hutchison, Charlene Bolinger, Brayden Enstrom, Dena Wade “and a few more of us do some on-air, but not regularly,” McKenney said.
“We still have announcers, it is not automated by satellite,” McKenney said.
In August, Larry Gazaway returns to the radio station as “the morning man on 103.9 and he will be our sports broadcaster,” McKenney said. Gazaway did a stint as Fort Scott’s Director of Convention and Visitor Bureau recently and returns to broadcasting on August 5.
For more information about the business and to see what services they provide, click below
Secretary David Toland reduces fee for businesses seeking Angel Investors
Topeka, Kan. – Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced today that he has reduced the application fee for businesses seeking to participate in the Angel Investor Tax Credit program.
After reducing the application fee from $750 to $500 in February, the Kansas Department of Commerce reduced the fee further to $250, retroactive to July 1, 2019. Applications for companies seeking investment through the Kansas Angel Investor Tax Credit (KAITC) program for 2019 will be accepted through August 31.
The program offers Kansas income tax credits to qualified individuals who provide seed-capital financing for emerging Kansas businesses engaged in development, implementation and commercialization of innovative technologies, products and services.
“The Angel program exists to support small start-up businesses, so it didn’t make sense to charge an application fee that put the program out of reach to the very businesses seeking help,” Toland said. “This is a straightforward, business-friendly move that we hope will encourage more start-ups to apply and make it easier for Kansans to invest in promising new businesses.”
The KAITC Program is designed to bring together accredited “angel” investors with qualified Kansas companies seeking seed and early stage investment. The purpose of the Kansas Angel Investor Tax Credit Act is to help facilitate:
The availability of equity investment in businesses in the early stages of commercial development.
The creation and expansion of Kansas businesses, which are job- and wealth-creating enterprises.
Applications for certification are accepted only for Kansas businesses in the seed and early stage rounds of financing.
Companies must meet the following criteria to be certified as a Qualified Kansas Business:
The business has a reasonable chance of success and potential to create measurable employment within Kansas.
In the most recent tax year of the business, annual gross revenue was less than $5 million
Businesses that are not Bioscience businesses must have been in operation for less than five years; bioscience businesses must have been in operation for less than 10 years.
The business has an innovative and proprietary technology, product, or service.
The existing owners of the business have made a substantial financial and time commitment to the business.
The securities to be issued and purchased are qualified securities.
The company agrees to adequate reporting of business information to the Kansas Department of Commerce.
The ability of investors in the business to receive tax credits for cash investments in qualified securities of the business is beneficial, because funding otherwise available for the business is not available on commercially reasonable terms.
Each applicant must sign a Qualified Company Agreement with the Kansas Department of Commerce.
Certification of companies must meet mandates established by Kansas statute to allow accredited Angel Investors to receive the Kansas Angel Investor Tax Credit.
The new Bourbon County Business Incubator offices are located in the old SRS Building at 108 W. Second Street, Fort Scott.
A business incubator is being developed by Bourbon County to attract new entrepreneurs and professionals back to the area.
What is a business incubator?
It is a facility established to nurture young, startup firms during their early months or years, according to businessdictionary.com. It can provide affordable space, shared offices and services, hands-on management training, marketing support and, often, access to some form of financing.
“The business incubator is still under development,” Bourbon County’s Economic Director Jody Hoenor, said. “But is available… it’s a county-wide service.”
“The vision is to have a workspace for a professional business, someone who needs office space,” she said. “The first six months are free, then rent is negotiable. The maximum stay is two years.”
“The point is to get their business up and going without initial opening costs,” she said
Skilled professionals such as web designers, architects, and lawyers. for example, who want to start a business, are the target for the incubator.
Retail would not be appropriate for the space, she said.
“Shane Walker (Bourbon County Information Technology) and Justin Meeks (Bourbon County Counselor) have been working on this before I started in October 2018,” Hoenor said.
There are six office spaces available, one with a reception area attached.
The largest of the offices shown by Bourbon County Economic Director Jody Hoenor is 11 feet by 23 feet. The other offices are smaller, but each has a window.
There is a lobby, conference room, kitchen space and bathroom that goes with the office spaces, and includes high-speed internet access.
Bourbon County Economic Director Jody Hoenor opens the door to the reception area, next to the largest office space available for skilled professionals to start up a business.
Bourbon County repurposed the building at 108 W. Second Street, just west of the courthouse. Years ago it housed the Social and Rehabilitation Services offices, most recently the Bourbon County Attorney had an office there until that office was moved to the second floor of the courthouse.
Currently, the building is being used also by the community corrections office and the driver’s license bureau.
Please let us know if your business would like to participate!
Fort Scott’s
Sales Tax Holiday
Weekend
is the first weekend of August… August 2nd, 3rd & 4th
No Sales Tax Holiday Weekend
August 2nd, 3rd & 4th
The State of Kansas does not offer an “official” Sales Tax Holiday, but for the past several years Fort Scott retailers and restaurants have organized our own “holiday” through the Chamber.
Local businesses can choose to participate
by offering customers a discount during
the promotion equal to our local
sales tax rate of 9.4%.
The Sales Tax Holiday weekend is to encourage locals to shop hometown vs. crossing the border, and to welcome new shoppers to the area.
We urge you to let us know by next Thursday, July 25th if your business is participating. Participating businesses will
be included in a press release and advertising in the area/region.
If you participated in 2018, and we don’t hear from you, we will assume you are participating again this year!
For a printable window flyer for this year’s No Sales Tax event, clickHERE.
Governor Laura Kelly appointed David Herndon as Bank Commissioner for the state of Kansas.
The commissioner oversees the Office of the State Bank Commissioner, an office that regulates all state-chartered banks, trust companies, mortgage businesses, supervised lenders, credit service organizations, and money transmitters that do business within the state of Kansas.
“I’m pleased to appoint David to serve as Bank Commissioner,” Kelly said. “His extensive banking and leadership experience makes him an unparalleled choice for this position.”
Herndon, a Shawnee resident, has over 30 years of experience in all phases of management. Currently, Herndon is sole proprietor of CMC Professional Services. Previously, he served as senior vice president at VisionBank. Herndon graduated with a master’s degree in banking from the University of Wisconsin, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Baker University.
Per K.S.A. 75-1304, the appointed bank commissioner must have at least five years of experience as an executive officer in a state or national bank located in Kansas. While serving as bank commissioner, the commissioner must not be an officer, voting director, employee or paid consultant of any state or national bank or bank holding company, or any affiliate of a state or national bank or bank holding company, or any other entity regulated by the commissioner.
Herndon will serve as Acting Bank Commissioner pending Senate confirmation.
Join the Young Professionals League of Bourbon County!
Serve * Lead * Connect
Open to employees, entrepreneurs, business owners, and really everyone else between the ages of 16-45, who want to develop leadership skills, build social and business networks, and give back to the community
SERVE
The mission of the Young Professionals League is to be a community resource to attract and retain young talent in Fort Scott, and also to help establish Fort Scott’s next generation of business and
community leaders.
LEAD
Our goal is to connect young professionals with opportunities for growth and leadership within the community
CONNECT
Our vision is to be adaptive advocates for a better community through progressive partnerships and networking
Membership in YPL of BB County is $40.
*New*
FREE Associate Membership for Bourbon County high school & college students!
Benefits:
Volunteer opportunities
Networking with local young professionals
YPL Scholarship Program
The group meets on the first Friday of every month at noon for networking over lunch at Papa Don’s Pizza.
Darlene’s Antiques and Collectables, 16 Scott Avenue is liquidating all the contents of the store.
A long-time Fort Scott business is liquidating its assets.
Darlene’s antiques and Collectibles is having the third round of an online-only auction.
If one is looking for furniture and other items to fill a home, vacation home or rental property with some quality items, take time to look at all that is offered and make an online bid.
Online Bidding ends Sunday, July 21, 7:00 PM.
Visit www.crawfordauctionservice.com click on Ozarkbid Online Auctions, scroll to Darlene’s Antique and Collectibles 3 to view and register to bid. The store was owned by Darlene and Jim Shoemaker.
“We welcome you to the third round of Darlene’s Antiques and Collectibles,” Jim Shoemaker said. ” We hope that you’ll browse our catalog and see the very nice 383 lot line up of some of the most beautiful and well-cared for antique pieces including glassware, furniture, primitives, advertising pieces, and much, much more!”
In the listing this round are:
Vintage tobacco tins; Windsor Cutlery Co. Knife w/hoof handle; vint. military knife; Vint. Maytag oil cans; wood Coke, Pepsi & fruit crates; framed art & decor; framed Remington & Western Winchester ads; Table linens; oil lamps; lanterns; die-cast toys; stoneware jugs; old radios; Cram can; 100s of radio/ audio tubes; tables & chairs; enamel top table; hutches & cabinets; baking & kitchen cabinets/cupboards; corner cabinets; ant. dresser & wardrobe; nesting boxes; records, 33 & 78s; W.L. Davey hand pump; Ant. Rainbo Bread screen door, 32”x96”; Windsor organ; ant. wood doors; iron bell; Dazey churn; crosscut saws; washtubs; cradle; and much more.
Watch for more upcoming auctions.
Item pick up is in Fort Scott, Kansas on Monday, July 22, from 9 am to 6 pm. Item pick up in Hermitage, MO WareHouse Monday, July 29 from 9 am to 6 pm.
The following photos are of some of the items.
To see the whole lot, visit www.crawfordauctionservice.com click on Ozarkbid Online Auctions, scroll to Darlene’s Antique and Collectibles 3 to view and register to bid.
and give your community a chance to get to know you better –
Host a Chamber Coffee!
Don’t miss this free opportunity to highlight and grow your
business or organization!
The Chamber of Commerce is looking for businesses and organizations to host Chamber Coffees
for the following dates in 2019:
August: 1st and 29th
Chamber Coffees are hosted at a different member business or member organization location each week.
The event starts at 8am; generally the first 20 minutes is mingling & networking, followed by announcement of guests & new Chamber members, followed by remarks from the host business or organization.
Light refreshments may be served; you may give away promotional items or hold a drawing for prizes if you choose. The Coffees usually end between 8:45-8:50am.
If your business or organization would be interested in hosting one of our available Chamber Coffees, please contact us:
Across America, 13 million kids live with hunger, and 22 million rely on free or reduced-priced school lunches. Gordmans, part of the Stage family of stores, is partnering with
No Kid Hungry to ensure children have access to the nutrition they need through meal programs in their schools and communities.
This July, in time for back-to-school season, Gordmans’ Thanks program is giving guests the opportunity to support No Kid Hungry through purchasing food-themed lunch totes, water bottles and drawstring packs that feature unique characters and fun sayings kids will love and parents will approve.
Gordmans will donate 50% of the retail sales price of each item sold to No Kid Hungry, which will fund efforts to provide meals to children in need. Gordmans will donate a dollar for each social media post mentioning #fuelkidsfutures and invites guests to share favorite meals that fuel their day or their child’s day. With as little as $5, No Kid Hungry can provide up to 50 meals for a child.
“We are pleased to partner with No Kid Hungry to raise awareness of the critical issue of child hunger in our communities,” said Michael Glazer, President and CEO of Stage. “Millions of kids in America face the school day on an empty stomach because there isn’t enough food at home. Childhood hunger is real, but we can change it. We invite our guests to join us in this effort to ensure that no kid goes hungry.”
Visit gordmans.com/nokidhungry for more information, and to purchase these products online or find a store near you.
Stage Stores, Inc. is a leading retailer of trend-right, name-brand values for apparel, accessories, cosmetics, footwear and home goods. The Company operates in 42 states through 646 BEALLS, GOODY’S, PALAIS ROYAL, PEEBLES, and STAGE specialty department stores and 141 GORDMANS off-price stores, as well as an e-commerce website at www.stage.com.
About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But 1 in 6 kids will face hunger this year. No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger through effective programs that provide kids with the food they need. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization working to end hunger and poverty.
