Category Archives: Business

Key Warehouse Sale Continues Until November 29

Sending on behalf of Chamber Member

Key Apparel

Annual Key

Warehouse Sale

November 22nd-29th

The Annual KEY Warehouse Sale is just around the corner on

November 22-29th!

 

Find great deals on discounted workwear and outerwear for the whole family!

2400 S. Main, Suite 200

(in the shopping center next to T-Mobile.)

Closed:

Sunday – November 23

Thanksgiving – November 27

Gear up & grab a

deal at the

KEY Warehouse Sale!

Click HERE for the

KEY Apparel Facebook page!

Click HERE for the

KEY Apparel event page!

Click HERE for the

Key Apparel website!

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below!

STAY CONNECTED!
Facebook  X  Instagram
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US
 

Annual Key Warehouse Sale November 22nd-29th

Sending on behalf of Chamber Member

Key Apparel

Annual Key

Warehouse Sale

November 22nd-29th

The Annual KEY Warehouse Sale is just around the corner on

November 22-29th!

 

Find great deals on discounted workwear and outerwear for the whole family!

2400 S. Main, Suite 200

(in the shopping center next to T-Mobile.)

Closed:

Sunday – November 23

Thanksgiving – November 27

Gear up & grab a

deal at the

KEY Warehouse Sale!

Click HERE for the

KEY Apparel Facebook page!

Click HERE for the

KEY Apparel event page!

Click HERE for the

Key Apparel website!

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below!

STAY CONNECTED!
Facebook  X  Instagram
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US
 

Chamber Coffee Hosted by Key Apparel on November 20

Join us for Chamber Coffee

hosted by

KEY Apparel

Thursday, November 20th

8am

2400 S. Main St., Suite 200

in the shopping center

next to T-Mobile

We hope to see you there!

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee this Thursday, November 20th at 8am hosted by Key Apparel. The coffee will take place at 2400 S. Main, Suite 200, in the shopping center next to T-Mobile. Coffee, juice, and light refreshments will be served, and attendees will have the opportunity to win a door prize drawing.

KEY Apparel is pleased to announce its 17th Annual Warehouse Sale, taking place from November 22nd through November 29th. This event provides an exclusive opportunity for shoppers to take advantage of significant close-out discounts on apparel and accessories across men’s, women’s, and children’s lines. During the sale, customers can browse a diverse selection of workwear, office attire, and casual styles; all offered at deeply reduced prices. With the holiday season approaching, this warehouse sale presents an ideal moment to stock up on quality garments for family, friends, and professional wardrobes.

KEY Apparel has been a trusted name in quality clothing and accessories, providing versatile, durable, and stylish options for a wide range of customers. With a long tradition of community engagement and retail excellence, KEY Apparel continues to support local commerce while offering exceptional value.

For more information, contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566. Visit the Events Calendar on fortscott.com and click on the “Chamber Coffees” category for upcoming hosts and locations.

Click HERE to visit

KEY Apparel

Facebook Page!

Click HERE to visit

KEY Apparel

webpage!

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members shown below…
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce

231 E. Wall St., Fort Scott, KS 66701

620-223-3566

fortscott.com

Facebook  X  Instagram

Voice Your Opinion on the Atmos Energy Rate Increase Request

Kansas Corporation Commission to hold a public
hearing on Atmos Energy rate increase request

TOPEKA – The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) will hold a public hearing on December 2nd to give Atmos Energy gas customers the opportunity to learn more about the company’s rate increase request, ask questions and make comments before the Commission. Atmos is requesting approval to increase rates by $19.1 million to recover costs already incurred by the company to support safe and reliable service for its Kansas customers.

If approved, the average residential bill would increase by 11.2%. For a residential customer with average usage, that equates to an increase of approximately $9.12 per month. Atmos is also proposing a rate increase for commercial, public authority, school, large industrial, and transportation customers.

The public hearing will be held at Regnier Hall Auditorium on the KU Edwards Campus located at 12610 S. Quivira Rd in Overland Park beginning at 6 p.m. To make the hearing accessible for Atmos customers across the state, a virtual option through Zoom is available, giving remote participants a chance to comment and ask questions as well. Zoom participants must register in advance on the KCC’s website  by noon on December 1. The hearings will also be broadcast live on the KCC’s YouTube channel and recorded for later viewing. Registration is not required to view on YouTube.

The Commission is accepting written comments through 5 p.m., January 20, 2026. Comments may be submitted on the KCC’s website, by mail to the Commission’s Office at 1500 SW Arrowhead Rd, Topeka, KS 66604-4027 or by calling the KCC’s Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at 785-271-3140 or 800-662-0027.

The Commission will issue an order on the application on or before March 24, 2026.

 

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New Businesses Open On East Wall

Julie Thurston stands in front of the family’s new venture, Grits and Grace Mercantile.

Julie and Brian Thurston had a shirt-making home business, and were asked to come to rodeos to sell their wares.

This, along with living in a rural community and having a local college with a rodeo program, prompted their newest venture, Grits & Grace Mercantile at 323 E. Wall.

They thought that with the many local rural communities, and rodeos ( a big fashion/decor trend) they would step out in this venture.  Julie previously had designed decor for weddings.

Julie Thurston showing the lines of jeans the mercantile carries

Their boutique sells Western clothing for men, women and children, along with decor and furniture.

Some of the women’s clothing sold at the boutique.

“A little something for everyone,” Julie said.

Julie said her husband’s brother has a funnel cake truck and they are hoping to have him at the business site during the upcoming Christmas on the Bricks festival, Dec. 4-7.

The Rest of the Building

They closed on the purchase of the two-story building, circa 1911, on October 24. Thurston said she heard that at one time there was a candy factory in the building and most recently, a rural real estate agent office.

Their storefront neighbor, Dr. Erin Crank, will continue her chiropractic business in the building.

Upstairs, they have been readying two living spaces for use as short-term vacation rentals.

One of the bedrooms of a short-term rental unti on the second floor at 323 E. Wall that the Thurstons now own.

There are two apartments: a two-bedroom, one-bathroom living space and a one-bedroom, one-bathroom living space.

One of the bathrooms of a rental on the second floor of the building the Thurston’s own.

She said they hope to have the rentals available by the holidays.

For more information:

Website: gritgracemercantile.com

The store is open Wednesday thru Saturday 10:00 AM — 7:00 PM

Phone: 620.215.4999

 

 

 

New Businesses Start on East Wall In Fort Scott

Julie Thurston stands in front of the family’s new venture, Grit and Grace Mercantile.

Julie and Brian Thurston had a shirt-making home business, and were asked to come to rodeos to sell their wares.

This, along with living in a rural community and having a local college with a rodeo program, prompted their newest venture, Grit & Grace Mercantile at 323 E. Wall.

They thought that with the many local rural communities, and rodeos ( a big fashion/decor trend, she said) they would step out in this venture.  Julie previously had designed decor for weddings.

Julie Thurston showing the lines of jeans the mercantile carries

Their boutique sells Western clothing for men, women and children, along with decor and furniture.

Some of the women’s clothing that is sold at the boutique.

“A little something for everyone,” Julie said.

Julie said her husband’s brother has a funnel cake truck and they are hoping to have him at the business site during the upcoming Christmas on the Bricks festival, Dec. 4-7.

The Rest of the Building

They closed on the purchase of the two-story building, circa 1911, on October 24. Thurston said she heard that at one time there was a candy factory in the building and, most recently, a rural real estate agent’s office.

Their storefront neighbor, Dr. Erin Crank, will continue her chiropractic business in the building.

Upstairs, they have been readying two living spaces for use as short-term vacation rentals.

One of the bedrooms of a short-term rental unit on the second floor at 323 E. Wall that the Thurstons now own.

There are two apartments: a two-bedroom, one-bathroom living space and a one-bedroom, one-bathroom living space.

One of the bathrooms of a rental on the second floor of the building that the Thurstons own.

She said they hope to have the rentals available by the holidays.

For more information:

Website: gritgracemercantile.com

The store is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 AM — 7 PM

Phone: 620.215.4999

Chamber Coffee Hosted by Sunshine Boutique on November 13

Join us for Chamber Coffee

hosted by

Sunshine Boutique

Thursday, November 13th

8am

@ Sunshine Boutique

18 E. Wall St.

We hope to see you there!

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee this Thursday, November 13th at 8am hosted by Sunshine Boutique, 18 E. Wall St. Coffee, juice, and light refreshments will be served, and attendees will have the opportunity to win a door prize drawing.

On October 18, 2025, Sunshine Boutique marked 45 years of service in the heart of historic downtown Fort Scott. The boutique is proud and grateful to have served the community for nearly half a century.

Sunshine Boutique has become a versatile destination for the entire region, offering new and trendy gift ideas for all occasions. Along with over 40 flavors of whole-bean coffees, the store boasts the largest selection of Skinny Syrups around, boutique clothing for children and adults, year-round fresh and “forever” flowers, and a perfectly curated lineup of tuxedos available for rent or purchase.

Sunshine Boutique has been privileged to serve the community for so many years, and they look forward to serving the community for another generation.

For more information, contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566. Visit the Events Calendar on fortscott.com and click on the “Chamber Coffees” category for upcoming hosts and locations.

Click HERE to visit

Sunshine Boutique’s

Facebook Page!

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members shown below…
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce

231 E. Wall St., Fort Scott, KS 66701

620-223-3566

fortscott.com

Facebook  X  Instagram
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US

Funding Match Is Next Week For Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas For Local Business Support Endowment

Healthy Bourbon County Action Team office is located at 104 N. National. Phone: 620.224.2563

Submitted by

Jody Love

Rural Community Partners, Inc.

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc.

President and CEO

620-215-2892

104 North National

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Book time to meet with me

 

Match Week is around the corner!  If you are willing and able, we are asking for your support of our work to build financial security, a key driver of long-term health and well-being.  Healthier local economies create healthier people and stronger communities.  Every dollar donated through SEK Gives is matched by the Patterson Family Foundation, meaning your dollar goes further.

 

Please see attached flyer we are sharing for the Match Week campaign.  We have seeded a small business support endowment at the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas with $10,000. And YES! non-profits, for profits, food business, artists, farmers…they’re all businesses!

 

If you would like to help us spread the word, we would love that support too.  We will be posting on our Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn throughout the week as well…if you could comment like and share that will help us get the word out: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1APm6pkB7d/.

 

We have a goal to raise $25,000 for our local endowment that will support businesses in communities that have an LHEAT coalition (we would love to add more counties to this list!!): Bourbon, Crawford, Labette, and Montgomery Counties).  This way, we’re giving the decision-making authority and money to community and residents with lived experience while also building individual self-sustainability.

 

We’ve found our business support services to be highly cost-effective: increasing access to technical support and expertise, partnering with local, regional and state institutions like cities, economic development,  KU School of Business and WorkforceONE, and filling crucial gaps in capital so entrepreneurs can start earning revenue.

 

We hope to raise enough money in 3-5 years to start giving micro grants to businesses in our catchment.

 

  • Goal: Raise $25,000 this year, growing to $250,000 within 3–5 years.
  • Funds go directly back into small businesses, no administrative or payroll costs.
  • Together we’ve already:
  • Helped 160+ new business clients (up from 3)
  • Generated $3.3 million in capital investment
  • Done it with only $154,000 in micro-grants

Thank you for your consideration!

 

 

Fort Scott’s Holiday Open House Starts At 5 p.m. Today

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites you to the

Holiday Open House

Join us for the

Holiday Open House Shopping Event!

Thursday, Nov 6, 2025

5 – 8 PM

with continuing fun on

Friday, Nov. 7th & Saturday, Nov. 8th!

📍 Location: Downtown & around Fort Scott, Kansas

✨ Festive shopping deals & drawings

☕ Refreshments and festive treats

🚋 Hop aboard the trolley as you travel store-to-store in search of local holiday finds

💡 A fun and friendly way to

support local businesses

Participating stores include:

Downtown Historic District:

🎄110 South Main Mercantile – 110 S. Main St.

🎅Angie Dawn’s Boutique – 121 E. 2nd St.

🌟Barbed Wire & Roses Vintage Market – 18 N. Main St.

🎄Bartelsmeyer Jewelry – 22 N. Main St.

🎅Be the Light Boutique – 12 N. Main St.

🌟Better in Bourbon – 13 N. Main St.

🎄Bids & Dibs – 121 E. 2nd St.

🎅Common Ground Coffee Co. – 12 E. Wall St.

🌟Hedgehog.INK! Bookstore – 16 S. Main St.

🎄Iron Star Antiques & Such – 3 N. Main St.

🎅Laree + Co. – 3 S. National Ave.

🌟Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes – 1 S. Main St. (Friday 10 am-5 pm & Saturday 10 am-4 pm only)

🎄Main St. Vintage & Co. – 23 S. Main St.

🎅Sunshine Boutique – 18 E. Wall St.

🌟The Kitchen Collective + Collaborative – 12 S. Main St.

South End of Town:

🎄Sekan’s Occasion Shop – 2210 S. Main St.

🎅Shirt Shack – 11 E. 18th St.

🎁 Bring your friends, bring your holiday spirit, and let’s make this a memorable shopping weekend! See you there! 🎄🛍️

Click HERE to visit the

Holiday Open House

Downtown & Around Shopping Event

Facebook Event Page!

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members shown below…
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce

231 E. Wall St., Fort Scott, KS 66701

620-223-3566

fortscott.com

Facebook  X  Instagram
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US

Peerless Products Rebrands

Peerless Products Inc., 2403 S. Main, Fort Scott.

Peerless Products Unveils Rebrand In Bold Step Forward for Company Growth and Innovation
New website, brand design reflect leading manufacturer’s commitment to excellence

FORT SCOTT, Kan. (November 5, 2025) – Peerless Products, a leading manufacturer of high-performance curtain walls, windows and doors, announced a comprehensive brand refresh to reflect its continued growth and the exceptional quality of its products and services. The rebrand includes a new logo, color palette, brand voice, website, anthem video and storybook—each showcasing Peerless’s drive to deliver state-of-the-art manufacturing, engineering and innovation.

“At Peerless, we’re constantly striving upward, and our new brand look reflects our ongoing evolution,” said president Coby Jones. “As we continue to build on our 70-year legacy of quality, innovation and strong customer relationships, this new direction is a testament to our continuous drive for improvement and our dedication to engineering solutions that truly matter.”

Peerless has continued to experience strong growth across its national footprint, with several large-scale Talon Wall®, commercial and multifamily projects underway in markets such as Kansas City, Seattle, Chicago and Dallas. To keep pace with demand, the company has increased its workforce at all three of its locations in Fort Scott, Kan., Nevada, Mo. and Iola, Kan.

Since 1952, Peerless has built a reputation for excellence, true to its namesake, in everything from materials to process, engineering to testing, packaging to partnerships, and on-time delivery to on-demand solutions. Specializing in aluminum and hybrid fiber resin windows and doors, the company offers a variety of capabilities across a project’s lifespan, including customized design, engineering, sustainable and long-lasting powder coating, in-house testing, 3D prototyping and aluminum extrusion. Peerless also offers a patented curtain wall system, Talon Wall®, which is lab-tested and certified to the industry’s most demanding air, water, thermal, seismic, fire and acoustic standards.

Peerless services a versatile range of building types within the multifamily, hospitality, historic, government and military, school and university, office and medical sectors. Peerless manufactures, services and distributes from the heart of the U.S., but its portfolio extends far beyond the Midwest, including several projects from coast to coast. Peerless has produced windows for some of the most demanding applications in the country, including projects like the Hudson Exchange residential buildings in Jersey City, N.J., Universal’s Stella Nova Resort in Orlando, Fla., the Lees-McRae College’s Historical Commons in Banner Elk, N.C., the Texas Tech University Honors Hall in Lubbock, Texas and more.

A video for their rebrand can be viewed here. Assets can be found here.

About Peerless Products

Peerless Products is a leading U.S. manufacturer of high-performance curtain walls, windows and doors. With a legacy dating back to 1952, Peerless is dedicated to delivering superior quality, innovative engineering and unparalleled customer service. The company’s commitment to continuous improvement and enduring partnerships makes it the best choice for complex architectural applications. Learn more at peerlessproducts.com.

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FS Washateria Provides Donated Clothing To Those In Need

Fort Scott Washateria also houses Fort Scott Community Closet.

Submitted by Linda Lovelace, owner

 

As we go into the colder time of the year, I want to take the time to remind Fort Scott of the Fort Scott Community Closet.

This is Lori Lovelace, owner of  Fort Scott Washateria and Fort Scott Community Closet,  located at 501 S National.

We have been providing clothing, coats and other items to those in need of them with the help of the generous folks of this community for six years now.

I want to say a special thanks to St. Mary’s school and Mary Queen of Angels Church who have supported us year after year with coat and clothing drives.  We have coats right now along with clothing for any who are in need.

We don’t ask what your circumstances are, we have no income or other requirements, we take in the clothing and other items and give them out, no questions asked.

We can do this because of YOU, Fort Scott.

We are currently bringing out coats and they are hanging on a rack in the Washateria, if you need a coat, come in and check out what we have.  We are putting out coats as they are given away so if you don’t find one that fits, stop by again.

The Closet is open Mon-Fri 10-6 if you would like to go through our tubs of clothes as well.  To those who are sorting through clothes looking to donate, our most requested items are children’s clothing of all sizes, adult t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, sweat pants, jeans, coats,