A wall inside Brian Griffin’s bike repair facility, Brian’s Backyard Bike Shop, located on Judson Street. Submitted photo.
This is the first in a series featuring young people who found a need and are seeking to fill it with a business venture.
To nominate local young entrepreneurs, send name, phone number/email to [email protected].
Brian Griffin: Bike Fixer
Fort Scott High School Student Brian Griffin, 16, loves all things bicycles.
Brian Griffin works on repairing a bike at his shop. Submitted photo.
” I began fixing bikes because I love bikes, I love to ride, build trails, tinker with bikes, ” Griffin said. “I’ve even built three bikes from the frame up! It helps me relax in such a stressful world.”
“My training/ experience started at a young age of around eight, fixing chains, airing up tires and other basic stuff,” he said. “I didn’t really get into the hard depths of the hundreds of small parts and how to fix, replace, and maintain them until late 2017, thanks to the help of Frank Halsey and other bicycle enthusiasts!”
A business idea came from Halsey.
“The idea first came to mind by a good friend and mentor Frank Halsey,” Griffin said. “He and I were talking back in the summer of 2017, about an operation to get small kid’s bikes going to make sure kids are on their bikes having fun, instead of finding trouble. I started to buy tools and extra parts and advertising that I’ll fix kid’s bikes for free, which is still in effect.”
Brian Griffin works on a repair with a youth. Submitted photo.
“Last year I came up with the name,” Griffin said. “Brian’s Back yard Bike shop or the Triple B. I chose this name because I started in my back yard. I have since upgraded to my own section of the building.”
Brian’s Backyard Bike Shop
“There are several ways that people can get in contact with me if they wish to do so,” Brian said. “My phone number is (620)215-2247. Or my Facebook page Brian’s Backyard Bike Shop. I’ll also have an Instagram for the shop soon!”
“Thankfully I’m conveniently placed only a few blocks (on Judson Street) away from some of the finest mountain bike trails in Kansas, at Gunn Park,” he said. “So if any anyone has trouble, I could even bring some of my bike shop to them!”
Editor’s note: I recently needed my bike repaired and Brian Griffin did an excellent job-Loretta George
The speaker, Bill Drury, has received rave reviews from over 400 of the Fortune 500 companies. He has delivered over 2,000 presentations in the last 20 years.
This half-day workshop is a continuation of last year’s seminar hosted by the Chamber,
Topeka, Kan. – The Kansas Department of Commerce is proud to announce the beginning of Business Appreciation Month by announcing several award winners, including the finalists for the Governor’s Award of Excellence.
The Kansas Department of Commerce’s Business Appreciation Month program has been in place since 1995 and serves as a statewide tribute to Kansas businesses for their contributions to our state. Individuals and organizations are invited to nominate businesses that contribute jobs and support their local communities.
Businesses are nominated in one of four categories:
Service
Retail
Manufacturing/Distribution
Hospital/Non-Profit
One winner in each category is chosen from each of the seven designated regions of the state by a panel of judges from the business and economic development community.
Once regional winners are determined, the judges select the top nominees as the finalists for the Governor’s Award of Excellence, which is the highest award given to a business by the state of Kansas.
Before the judging team makes its final recommendation for the winner of the Governor’s Award of Excellence, the finalists are given a chance to make presentations to the panel of judges. This gives the finalists an opportunity to expand upon the information that was submitted in their nomination.
The following companies are finalists for the Governor’s Award of Excellence:
Leeway Franks of Lawrence, KS
Mi Rancho Tequila of Kansas City, KS
Morningstar Care Homes of Fredonia, KS
ColdPoint Logistics of Edgerton, KS
The official selection for this award will be announced at the Team Kansas Awards Banquet on June 4 at the Kansas State University Alumni Center in Manhattan, KS.
Alongside the Award of Excellence, the Department of Commerce is announcing awards in the Regional and Merit categories.
The following companies are this year’s Regional Award Winners:
Backroad Atlas
Clay County Medical Center
CleaverFarm and Home
Courser Lap Clinical and Family Services
Cumbernauld Village
Florence Corporation
Fox Home innovations, LLC
Gella’s Diner and LB. Brewing Co.
Genco Manufacturing, Inc.
Guardian Home Health, LLC
Kimbroy’s Properties
Kowpoke Supply
Pars Consuting/ Pars Bioscience
Prairie Horizon Agri-Energy, LLC
Rooks County Health Center
Standard Beverage Corporation
The Building Center
Union Bank & Trust
Wichita State University and Innovation Campus Expansion
The following companies are this year’s Merit Award Winners:
6th Avenue Boutique & Bronze
Arthur’s Pizza and Mexican Foods
Artistic Works by Lu
Atchison Community Health Clinic Inc.
B-Hive
BlackHawk Development
Bourbon & Baker
Brant’s Market
Caney Drug
Chestnut Ave Venue
CK Pharmacy (Moundridge, McPherson & Peabody)
Clorox (M&M Manufacturing)
Coast to Coast Title company
Crop Service Center-Beverly
Downs Community Garden
Downtown Hays Development Corporation
Driscoll Law Office
E & K Retail Inc
Elite Physicals
Ernest-Spencer Metals, Inc
Flame Engineering
Forte Products
Fredonia Outdoor Equipment
G & W Foods
Harvest Video
Heartland Hay
Hiawatha Ford
Insurance Smart
Irsik & Doll Feed Services, Inc
J&J Precision Machining LLC
JenRus Freelance
Kansas Barbed Wire Collectors Association, Inc
Kansas Country Store
Kanza Mental Health and Guidance Center
KC Hemp Co.
KJ’s Pizzeria
LaHarpe Communications
Land Pride (division of Great Plains Manuf.)
Mcarty Office Machines, Inc
Melby’s Home Center
Midland Marketing
Monroe 816
Moundridge Communications Network
Muir Law Office
Old 40 Bar and Grill
Outback Guidance Division of Hemisphere GNSS(USA) Inc
Fort Scott’s Community Development Director Robert Uhler listens as Woodland Hills Clubhouse Manager Shannon O’Neil tells of upcoming events during the weekly Chamber of Commerce Coffee May 9.
Fort Scott’s publicly owned golf course is one of the best in Kansas.
“It’s one of the top ten in the state,” Fort Scott’s Community Development Director Robert Uhler told the weekly Chamber of Commerce Coffee attendees on May 9 at Woodland Hills Golf Course.
To view others on the list of top ten golf courses in Kansas, click below.
Golf carts are lined up in front of the Woodland Hills Golf Course, ready for rental. There are 30 carts for public rental, Clubhouse Manager Shannon O’Neil said.
Woodland Hills Golf Course is busy with community events.
“The next Saturday’s are busy,” Clubhouse Manager Shannon O’Neil told the coffee attendees, “The Kiwanis Golf Tournament is May 18, there is a three-person scramble on Memorial Day weekend May 25 and a Tiger Baseball Fundraiser on June 1.” The Kiwanis fundraiser is for student scholarships and the Tiger baseball fundraiser benefits the local baseball team, he said.
O’Neil is also the head golf professional at the course.
An introductory course for beginning golfers ages 8-13 begins Tuesday, June 11, for six weeks of one-hour group lessons.
Coffee attendee, Fort Scott Community College President Alysia Johnston said the college has a great partnership with the golf course. This partnership has allowed two girls to hone their skills to excel at the sport.
“In our first year with a golf team, two girls have qualified for nationals,” she said.
City Manager Dave Martin commended Golf Course Superintendent Jon Kindlesparger for his work on upgrading and maintaining the picturesque course.
“We hired him when the course was in disrepair,” Martin said. “Jon, with his experience has done a lot of great work out here.”
Jon Kindlesparger, Woodland Hills Golf Course Superintendent.The board at the Woodland Hills Clubhouse lists all the fees.
Great location for retail, food, or catering facility. The building has a small walk-in cooler refrigeration unit if needed, and some equipment that may be purchased as well.
A drive-through window could be built into the west side of the building if desired
(the property owner has the land behind the building where a drive could go through to 1st Street).
We are willing to start the right person or group off with a lower rent to help them get started at just $500/month!
The word “Pickup” can be seen on the south section of Walmart, 2500 S. Main Street. There will be designated parking spaces for online shoppers soon.
Shoppers at Walmart in Fort Scott can see boxes in the former self-checkout area and the removal of a few cash register stations at the front of the store.
The self-checkout area is being expanded in Walmart Fort Scott.
In addition, the cell phone area has been relocated to the electronics department.
Walmart’s remodeled electronics section.
Walmart is remodeling.
“We are getting ready for online shopping,” said Scott, an associate manager at Fort Scott. “That’s where you order online, then come and pick it up. It will be sometime in June.”
“The self-register area will be bigger,” he said. “And there will be one on the north (of the line cash register stands), within the next two weeks.”
The number of cash registers has been reduced to make room for the expanded self-registers.
The empty space, formerly the cell phone sales area, as you enter the southeast door of Walmart, is closed.
“It is undecided right now what the previous cell phone area will be used for,” Scott said.
The event will take place Thursday, May 16th, following the Chamber Coffee,
which begins at 8 a.m.
The new Paws and Claws facility will serve as a cat shelter, an office, and an intake and adoption area.
Please join Fort Scott Paws & Claws Animal Shelter May 16th, 2019 for the Chamber of Commerce Coffee at 8 a.m., with remarks and ribbon cutting immediately following.
The Chamber of Commerce invites the Fort Scott Community to attend the
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for
Accent Dental, LLC
TODAY, May 13th at 5:15 p.m., with remarks and ribbon cutting
at 5:30 p.m.
Please join
Accent Dental, LLC
and the
Chamber of Commerce
TODAY, May 13th, 2019
for the
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
at 204 State St. in Fort Scott
Refreshments will be served and there will be a drawing for a professional teeth whitenening!
Accent Dental has managed Dr. Brown’s practice in Fort Scott for the last 15 years and is dedicated to continue excellence in dental care for the area.
Dr. Daniel Minnis, Accent Dental Founder and Chief Executive Officer, has excelled in private practice, for the last 30 years, in Pittsburg, Kansas and graduated with honors from the University of Missouri, School of Dentistry in 1988. Dr. Minnis also serves as Chairman of the board and Chief Dental Advisor for the Community Health Centers of SEK.
To ensure continued highest quality care, the new location provides a state of the art dental facility equipped with 8 dental operatories to better serve the growing demands of the practice.
Uniontown Ruritan sponsored a ribbon cutting on May 11 for a new business: HB Salon, 108 Sherman, Uniontown. From left, front row: Ruritan Member Mark Warren, Tim and Kerri Travis, owner Hannah Ballou, Levi Ballou, Jennifer Ballou, Ruritan member Lawrence George, Ruriteen member Luke George; back row: Ruritan member Joe George, Hayden and Zach Travis, Roanne Blake, Thyra Babcock, Rachel Eden, Simon Ballou, Vance Eden, Ruritan members Raymond George and Henry Homan.
HB Salon owner Hannah Ballou and family were part of a ribbon cutting for the new business on May 11, sponsored by the Uniontown Ruritan.
The business opened in early 2019 and specializes in haircuts and colors.
It is located at 108 Sherman, on the southeast corner of the Uniontown square. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Saturday by appointment.
Contact Ballou at 620-756-4770 or on Facebook at HB Salon.
The hours of HB Salon, Uniontown.
Starting in June, manicure and pedicure services will be offered by Ashley Travis, Ballou’s sister-in-law, at the salon.
Mani-pedi specials will be offered to introduce the new service, Ballou said.
