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Category Archives: Business
Community Clothes Closet Is A Part of Washateria: Board Members Needed
Fort Scott Washateria, a new state of the art laundry center, will open Sept. 7 instead of mid-August as originally planned, said manager Lori Lovelace.
But this Thursday on Aug. 15 at 6 p.m. she and her mother Carol Oakleaf, who is the owner of the business, will be having an organizational meeting for a Fort Scott Community Closet Association.
Volunteers are needed to be board members for the new philanthropic organization.
“We will collect clothing donations to distribute to those in need in the community,” Lovelace said.
“We’d like to get people who have worked at the Beacon,” she said. The Beacon is a helping agency who recently quit handling clothing distributions.
“We will need people to set the hours to be open, the qualifications for receiving donations and other needed decisions,” Lovelace said.
She and her mother will be on the board, but others are needed.
Their church, Hammond United Methodist, is a sponsor of the clothing distribution association.
Lovelace and Oakleaf have worked to attain a 501 (c)3 and a Federal Tax ID for the association, she said.
“The broader the organizational experience, the better it will be,” Lovelace said.
Volunteers are also needed to help with the distribution of clothes to those in need.
“We will launder donated clothing, and clothing will be sorted and stored in the grey shed, just north of the laundry facility,” Lovelace said.
Washateria Grand Opening Sept. 7
The laundry center’s opening has been pushed into September because of the death of an employee of Laundry Solutions, that sold them all the machines, Lovelace said.
That business has been Speed Queen Distributor of the Year three times in the last six years, she said.
Some of the larger capacity machines will take bedding comforters and dog beds, Lovelace said.
They will have a “soft opening” of the laundry mat around Labor Day.
She will put a sign in the window to indicate the preliminary opening.
Two people have been hired and the hours of operation of the laundry mat will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.
Home delivery service will be provided as well, if needed.
For more information: [email protected] or call Lovelace at 620-215-1314.
Darlene’s Antiques and Collectibles Online Auction
ONLINE ONLY AUCTION
Darlene’s Antiques and Collectibles 4 Online Bidding ends Sunday, Aug. 18 at 7:00 PM
To view and bid on items, click below:
http://www.crawfordauctionservice.com
Click on Ozarkbid Online Auctions, scroll to Darlene’s Antique and Collectibles 4 to view and register to bid.
369 LOTS: Nesting boxes; home decor; health & home; horse country; garden decor; butterflies; hearts; Home Interior; Hawkeye & Fiesta; National Audobon Society; Easter; turkeys; chickens; hats & more; candles; vintage albums; roosters; Hull; vineyard; decorative glass; Haegar & pickles; welcome; vintage crystal; picnic; midnight musk; oil lamps; Hamilton Beach; hanging lamp; table lamps; Kitchen Aid; watering cans; vases; roses; apples & more; McCoy, Haeger & Nemadji; wagon wheel; Halloween & Fall; flowers; Pyrex; sunflowers; cows; Lodge; wolves; Seth Thomas; fruit; America; fruit crates; much, much more!
Watch for more upcoming auctions.
Item pickup at 16 Scott Avenue, Fort Scott, Kansas: Monday, Aug. 19 from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Item pickup from Hermitage, MO Warehouse Monday, Aug. 26th from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Chamber Coffee At Sleep Inn Aug. 15
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WEEKLY CHAMBER COFFEE REMINDER
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Small Businesses Encouraged With New Partnership Offer
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is initiating a partnership program that aims to cultivate an entrepreneurial environment in the community.
What is an entrepreneur?
An entrepreneur is an individual who, rather than working as an employee, founds and runs a small business, assuming all the risks and rewards of the venture, according to investopedia.com.
“The big-picture vision for this initiative is to move Bourbon County forward as a great place to start and grow a small business and where existing businesses have access to all the resources they need to grow and achieve their potential,” Bill Michaud said.
Michaud is the chairman of the Chamber’s Business Resource and Development Committee.
He and Chamber Executive Director Lindsay Madison are the primary workers to bring this initiative to Fort Scott, Michaud said.
“Lindsay Madison did the work to complete the application which resulted in us being selected,” he said. ” She and I have been the primary ones immersed in the details.”
“The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce representing Bourbon County has been selected by Network Kansas as a partner in the E-Community Program, a partnership program that aims to cultivate an entrepreneurial environment in partner communities throughout the state,” Michaud said. The Chamber was notified in June 2019.
“Bourbon County was awarded this partnership opportunity through a competitive application process in which 14 Kansas communities were vying for selection and only five new e-community partners were selected,” he said.
“The revolving loan fund and other E-Community resources can be the catalyst to build onto the many great improvements which have occurred in our community in recent years, “Michaud said. “This program is a resource that could help fund additional rehabilitation of downtown buildings which are currently very difficult to finance.”
E-Community loan funds can be used for building acquisition, renovations, inventory, expansion, relocation, equipment and other purposes.
One of the barriers to starting or growing a business is access to funding.
“The largest component of the E-Community Partnership is providing a locally controlled loan fund used to enable new business and existing businesses to overcome that barrier,” Michaud said. “There also additional resources available through Network Kansas to help businesses of all sizes including a variety of programs through StartupKS.”
The E-Community program also provides funding for several approved educational and personal development programs.
“These programs are geared toward teaching and developing potential and existing entrepreneurs,” he said.
Click below for a link to that inventory of programs:
The E-Community program was created through a Kansas Center for Entrepreneurship Tax Credit Program, according to the Fort Scott Chamber website.
Application Details
Applicants may include startup businesses and existing business purchases and/or expansions.
The minimum loan request is $5,000 with a $45,000 maximum amount available per applicant business, subject to availability. The terms for loans issued in the fiscal year 2019-20 will be 5 percent rate over a 10-year maximum term.
Applicants will be asked if the entrepreneur or business has a tax liability in arrears with the Kansas Department of Revenue or the IRS, or been involved in bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings.
Applicants will be asked to provide relevant details such as length of time in business, business name or entity changes, number of jobs to be created or retained, etc.
All business plans will be submitted with the application and should include key elements such as:
- Executive Summary
- Business Description
- Products or Services
- Short- and Long-Term Goals
- Project Financing
- Management
- Ownership
- Marketing Strategy
- Description of Major & Prospective Customers
- Description of Market & Competition
- Financial Projections
Contact the Kansas Small Business Development Center at Pittsburg State University for assistance in developing a business plan, 620-235-4920.
How the application will be judged
The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Financial Review Board will use the following rubric to score all applications in the Bourbon County E-Community Program.
| Criteria | Strength (1-4) | Weight (% of total) | Weighted Score |
| Financial Soundness |
25 |
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| Owner/Operator Experience |
20 |
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| Business Plan |
25 |
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| Owner/3rd Party Funding |
25 |
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| Community Commitment |
5 |
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| TOTAL |
100 |
SCALE
4 = Exceeds expectations 3 = Meets expectations
2= Partially meets expectations 1 = Does not meet expectations
Application Checklist
Be sure to include the following with your completed application:
- $50 Non-refundable Application Fee
- Business Plan including Financial Projections (1-year projection of profit & loss by month and 3 years of annual projections)
- Financial Statements (if an existing business)
- Income statement and balance sheet from within the past 90 days
- Income statements, balance sheets, and complete business tax returns for the two (2) prior year-ends
- A current list of business obligations
- Applicant Resume
- Personal Financial Statement from within the past 90 days
- Three Letters of Reference
- Other documents relevant to the project
- Proposed purchase agreement
- The existing or proposed franchise agreement
- Existing or proposed lease agreement
- Real estate contract
- Contractor bids
- Appraisals and environmental reports
- Partnership agreement
- Articles of incorporation & bylaws
History Of Initiative
The initiative was established as a part of the Kansas Economic Growth Act of 2004 to stimulate entrepreneurship and small business growth as a priority for economic and community development in the State of Kansas.
Click here to learn more about Network Kansas and E-Communities.
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is located at 231 E. Wall St., Fort Scott, KS 66701 and can be reached at 620-223-3566 or email [email protected].
Fort Scott Chamber Offers Table Tent Ads
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Peerless Expands Assembly Lines: Needs More Workers
Peerless Products, 2403 S. Main, is the largest employer in Fort Scott with 420 workers.
And they need more assembly lines to grow their business, according to Dave Elliott, Peerless Products Culture and Morale Manager.
Founded in Fort Scott, Kansas in 1952, they manufacturer high-performance aluminum architectural and commercial windows for new construction, replacement and historical construction, according to their website.http://www.peerlessproducts.com/Corporate/About-Peerless
“We need to have the capacity to run more products through, to continue to grow,” Elliott said.
“We purchased the old American Standard warehouse in Nevada (MO) on I-49, we will use that as a staging warehouse,” Elliott said. “That frees up space in the Fort Scott facility for another assembly line.”
The employees the company is looking for?
“Somebody that has a good work ethic and a willingness to learn and grow,” Elliott said. In addition, applicants must have a valid driver’s license, and a high school diploma or GED.
The starting-out wage at the plant is $11 per hour, and “they usually work more than 40 hours a week.”
Day shift is from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
“The hours on Friday depends on how much of the product is complete,” Elliott said.
Peerless offers a benefits package that offers health insurance, life insurance, a 401K and an “astounding profit-sharing program,” Elliot said.
Peerless also offers “employee care” activities such as chair massage a couple of times a year and currently are giving employees 20 lb. meat bundles. This processed beef and pork comes from what the company purchases at county fairs of 4-H animals.
Today, Aug. 9, Elliot and Karen Contreras will be at the Ellis Fine Art Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College for a job fair.
From 2-6 p.m. interested applicants are asked to bring their resume and come for a visit with the two Peerless Products representatives.
Kansas Lottery Revenue Transfers
Kansas Lottery Transfers $173.6 Million to the State of Kansas in Fiscal Year 2019
TOPEKA, KAN. – The Kansas Lottery is pleased to announce it transferred more revenue to the State of Kansas in Fiscal Year 2019 than in Fiscal Year 2018.
The combined transfer from the traditional lottery and state-owned and operated casino gaming revenue totaled $173.6 million.
The total revenue transferred to the State through traditional lottery game sales was $74.9 million. Revenue transferred from state-owned and operated casino gaming totaled $98.7 million. Kansas Lottery retailers saw record commissions in FY19 of $17.3 million.
Traditional lottery sales in Fiscal Year 2019 were $295.3 million. Lottery sales were 9.79 percent higher than in FY18 when sales were $268.9 million.
“It’s the Kansas Lottery’s mission to engage our players in a fun and secure way while also doing our best to try and maximize a return to the State,” said Kansas Lottery Executive Director Stephen Durrell. “We do that by looking at ways to keep our players interested and excited about our games. The Lottery is continuing to add new games and second-chance promotions that offer unique experiences, and we thank all of our players and retailers for their continued support.”
A portion of proceeds from traditional lottery sales was dedicated to paying for the 272 Lottery vending machines being rolled out to select retailers across the state. The Kansas Lottery avoided interest and financing costs by paying for the vending machines from operating funds.
“Our vending machine roll-out has been methodical as we try to look for the best retailers to maximize the effectiveness of the machines,” Durrell said. “We look forward to the opportunity for increasing our sales and transfer to the state through vending machine sales. Vending machines offer easier access for our players to find their favorite games and takes the burden off our retailers during times of high retail sales.”
The Kansas Lottery also transferred a combined $8.3 million to the Problem Gambling and Addictions Grant Fund. The transfer included $80,000 from traditional lottery games and $8.22 million from state-owned and operated casino gaming, as required by state law.
“The Kansas Lottery values its relationship with the four managers the State contracted with to manage these casinos,” Durrell continued. “The casinos generate millions of dollars for the state and helps the Lottery accomplish its mission by maximizing the State’s revenue.”
Below is a breakdown of traditional lottery sales and the distribution of revenue from state-owned and operated casino gaming as well as information on where the Lottery money goes.
Gordmans Food Drive and Store Expansion Aug. 10 at 10 a.m.
GORDMANS:
COMMUNITY INVITED TO STORE EXPANSION CELEBRATION AND FOOD DRIVE AUGUST 10
Gordmans to Provide Donation to The Keyhole
Gordmans in Fort Scott will be expanding its merchandise beyond its home décor and toys assortment to include popular name brand apparel, footwear, beauty products and accessories at the lowest possible prices compared to department stores. Gordmans, located at 2400 South Main Street, will celebrate its expansion during an in-store event Saturday, Aug. 10 beginning at 10 a.m.
As part of the celebration, Gordmans is giving back to the community by supporting The Keyhole with a food drive and $500 donation. The Keyhole is an organization that provides meal and afterschool programs to children in the Fort Scott community. The food drive is being held in conjunction with Gordmans’ back-to-school campaign to raise awareness and funds for No Kid Hungry, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending childhood hunger.
In addition to the food drive, Gordmans will have giveaways and special offers for guests.
- Free Gifts Plus Shopping Cards: The first 100 guests to visit Gordmans when it opens at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 10 will receive a free gift and have an opportunity to win a $50 gift card or a $5 shopping card.
- Rewards Galore: Gordmans guests who enroll in the Style Circle Rewards program will enjoy incredible payback rewards, a birthday gift and more.
- Gordmans Credit Card Savings: Gordmans’ guests who apply and are approved for a Gordmans credit card will receive 20 percent off their first day’s purchases.
“At Gordmans, we have put the fun back into shopping by creating an exciting store where terrific deals and popular name brands are at every turn. Fresh new merchandise deliveries arrive weekly in our stores, creating the thrill of a great find,” said Michael Glazer, President and CEO of Stage. “We are excited to invite our loyal guests and newcomers to join us as we celebrate Gordmans’ expansion in Fort Scott and support The Keyhole.”
Below are suggested kid-friendly food items that the Keyhole will be accepting at Gordmans on Aug. 10.
- Juice boxes
- Fruit cups
- Granola bars
- Trail mix
- Peanut butter
- Jelly
- Applesauce
- Bottled water
- Other nutritious snacks
- Guests also have the opportunity to support No Kid Hungry by purchasing food-themed lunch totes, water bottles and drawstring packs online at gordmans.com/nokidhungry. Items feature unique characters and fun sayings kids will love and parents will approve. Gordmans will donate 50% percent of the retail sales price of each item to No Kid Hungry. Gordmans is part of the Stage community 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.
- About Stage Stores
- 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 645 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.
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Chamber Coffee and Ribbon Cutting at Nelson State Farm and Meeks Law Firm
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WEEKLY CHAMBER COFFEE REMINDER
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Attorney Justin Meeks Gets New Office: Ribbon Cutting Aug. 8
Attorney Justin Meeks has moved into his newly renovated office space at 1801 S. National Avenue after months of hard work.
“It would’ve been way cheaper to tear down and build new,” he said. “But we saved the building….it’s got lots of character.”
Character such as original walls with a hand-painted sign and names sketched in concrete from a different era, which were both preserved.
And a great location with Hwy. 69 and National Avenue in close proximity.
The building was renovated and now is the home to Justin Meeks Attorney at Law and Kale Nelson State Farm Insurance.
Meeks is also the Bourbon County Counselor for the county government, which is a part-time position. The new space is for his private law practice, which is also part-time.
“I moved into this space for my private law practice in late June,” Meeks said. “It’s a very limited private practice: probate, business transactions, human resource issues, contract work, landlord-tenant issues, and banking issues.”
As of October 1, Meeks has been the Bourbon County Counselor for five years. “I’ve been out of private practice for five years,” Meeks said.
“I like helping people, that’s why I’m going back into a limited part-time practice,” Meeks said.
His office hours are Monday through Thursday, appointment only; Friday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m.
History Of The Property
Justin Meeks and Kale Nelson purchased the circa 1925 building last year.
The new office spaces have had many repurposings through the years: a machine shop, Lockwood’s Steakhouse, various liquor store owners including Silver Spur Bar, a pet shop, a vape shop and other business entities.
The renovated building was first used for a machine shop, Meeks was informed by people in the community.
There is a handwritten sign on the exposed brick in his entrance space that says “Leave Tools After Used.”
Then the shop was added onto in the 1960-70s, according to Meeks.
On the concrete floor in a closet, the names Patty Chow and Sharon Manyo are sketched into the concrete.
That’s part of the character of the building that was preserved.
Ribbon Cutting
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the new location of State Farm Insurance, 1805 S. National Avenue and Meeks Law Firm at 1801 S. National Avenue on Thursday, August 8 following the Chamber of Commerce Coffee, which starts at 8 a.m.
Owner of the property is JK Hold’M Properties, a partnership of Meeks and Nelson.
The public is invited to the ribbon-cutting to view the transformation of the buildings to updated and modernized offices.
Gordmans Store Expansion Celebration Aug. 10
GORDMANS: GROWING AND BETTER THAN EVER!
COMMUNITY INVITED TO STORE EXPANSION CELEBRATION AND FOOD DRIVE AUGUST 10
Gordmans to Provide Donation to The Keyhole
FORT SCOTT, Kan. (Aug. 1, 2019) – Gordmans in Fort Scott will be expanding its merchandise beyond its home décor and toys assortment to include popular name brand apparel, footwear, beauty products and accessories at the lowest possible prices compared to department stores. Gordmans, located at 2400 South Main Street, will celebrate its expansion during an in-store event Saturday, Aug. 10 beginning at 10 a.m.
As part of the celebration, Gordmans is giving back to the community by supporting The Keyhole with a food drive and $500 donation. The Keyhole is an organization that provides meal and afterschool programs to children in the Fort Scott community. The food drive is being held in conjunction with Gordmans’ back-to-school campaign to raise awareness and funds for No Kid Hungry, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending childhood hunger.
In addition to the food drive, Gordmans will have giveaways and special offers for guests.
- Free Gifts Plus Shopping Cards: The first 100 guests to visit Gordmans when it opens at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 10 will receive a free gift and have an opportunity to win a $50 gift card or a $5 shopping card. In addition, $25 gift cards will be given away every half hour from 2 to 4 p.m.
- Rewards Galore: Gordmans guests who enroll in the Style Circle rewards program will enjoy incredible payback rewards, a birthday gift and more.
- Gordmans Credit Card Savings: Gordmans’ guests who apply and are approved for a Gordmans credit card will receive 20 percent off their first day’s purchases.
“At Gordmans, we have put the fun back into shopping by creating an exciting store where terrific deals and popular name brands are at every turn. Fresh new merchandise deliveries arrive weekly in our stores, creating the thrill of a great find,” said Michael Glazer, President and CEO of Stage. “We are excited to invite our loyal guests and newcomers to join us as we celebrate Gordmans’ expansion in Fort Scott and support The Keyhole.”
Below are suggested kid-friendly food items that the Keyhole will be accepting at Gordmans on Aug. 10.
- Juice boxes
- Fruit cups
- Granola bars
- Trail mix
- Peanut butter
- Jelly
- Applesauce
- Bottled water
- Other nutritious snacks
- Guests also have the opportunity to support No Kid Hungry by purchasing food-themed lunch totes, water bottles and drawstring packs online at gordmans.com/nokidhungry. Items feature unique characters and fun sayings kids will love and parents will approve. Gordmans will donate 50% percent of the retail sales price of each item to No Kid Hungry.
Gordmans is part of the Stage community 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.
- About Stage Stores
- 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 645 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.