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Category Archives: Business
Downtown Meet and Greet April 4
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Little Osage Greenhouse Receives Start-Up Grant
Mike, 56, and Lori Hueston, 57, received a $10,000 grant to start up a greenhouse business from the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team in the farm/ranch division.
The name of the business is Little Osage Greenhouse LLC.
“We will be growing vegetables to start and eventually fruits,” Lori said. “We will be selling in some local businesses in Bronson and Fort Scott… and be selling at farmers markets.”
The Hueston farm is located on Highway 65, outside of Mapleton in northern Bourbon County.
“We are putting up a gothic type of greenhouse,” she said. “It is a higher peak than a traditional hoop house and with straight sides which will allow for more grow space.”
They will be ordering the greenhouse in the coming weeks, she said.
“With the help of the local U.S. Department of Agriculture office in Fort Scott with another grant, we will be posting online photos of the set up,” she said.
Huestons Saw The Need
“I remember helping my grandma in the garden and eating what she grew,” she said. “When my children were little I grew vegetables to supplement my budget.”
“I worked as a RN for over 25 years and saw the impact of a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables had on their lives,” Lori said. “Many could not afford to buy these at the store due to cost. Mike is a paramedic in the community and he also sees what the lack of a good diet has on the community. It is our hope to be able to help the community and family with fresh vegetables and fruit into their daily diet.”
Contact Lori Hueston at 620-363-1383 or email: litttleosagegreenhousellc@
AD: Armstrong Pressure Washing Offers Professional Cleaning
Armstrong Pressure Washing LLC offers exterior residential and commercial pressure washing and soft washing in Fort Scott and the surrounding area. Owner, Jeff Armstrong, started the business in 2020.
Services include house washing, roof washing, concrete
surface cleaning, fence and deck washing, and other surfaces such as stone, brick, and metal.
“Exterior washing is much more than throwing pressure on something,” Armstrong, said. “There is a science behind professionally cleaning different surfaces”.
Armstrong Pressure Washing uses not only professional equipment and cleaning solutions but also professional techniques to safely wash.
“A big part of the business is studying to learn how to improve your craft and to be able to educate clients about the process, so they are confident their property will be taken care of,” he said.
Contact Armstrong to set up an appointment at:
Phone: 620-224-3036
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: @armstrongpressurewash
Web: www.armstrongpressurewash.com
Fort Scott Livestock Market: Online Sales As An Option
Fort Scott Livestock Market has been a Martin family business since 1994, and marketed over 104,000 animals a year for Kansas and Missouri producers. They are the third largest agricultural auction in Kansas.
Located at 2131 Maple Road, the auction service sells agricultural livestock each weekend.
The auction features clear, fast-talking auctioneers, and includes multiple televisions throughout the facility for participants to keep an eye on the action in the ring.
Jim Martin, 89, one of the owners, still is an auctioneer.
The auction is often a family event for the buyers and sellers as well.
“Cattle buyers and sellers are often joined by a spouse, child or grandchild who enjoy a clear view of each animal coming through the ring,” according to the press release.
For those people who want home raised beef for their family freezer, the auction will have five butcher steers that start selling today, March 24, according to their Facebook page.
The business also sell paddles and flag whips for working with cattle on farms and also have apparel for sale: tee shirts, hoodies and vests.
Sale Times and Options
They start receiving cattle on Thursdays, according to their website,http://www.fslivestock.com/
The Friday sale is for cows, pairs, baby calves and big bulls, the Saturday sale, which starts at 10 a.m., starts with feeder and stocker calves and ends with cows and big bulls that came to the sale later.
Their cattle buyers are in person, or send a representative to help get “top-dollar” for the sellers livestock, according to a press release from FSLM.
In February 2023 they have added online purchasing of cattle on Fridays to the list of services. Fridays at 10 a.m.the sale features cows and bulls and Saturdays at 10 a.m. feature mostly calves, but also some cows and bulls. In 2012, the Saturday sale was put online.
Saturdays are the biggest sales.
“We are now broadcasting our sales real-time, the cattle auction is live on the internet …at WWW.DVAUCTION.COM,” according to the press release. “You must be registered through DV Auction and be approved through our office to bid. If you have not been approved through our office, please have your DV Auction # ready when you call us. 620-223-4600.”
For the latest information go to Facebook, at Fort Scott Livestock Market.
Family Owned
The market is owned and operated by four generations of the Martin family.
“Whether you’re selling one cow or a trailer load, they strive to give you the same quality enjoyable experience,” according to a press release. “Jim, Larry, Kyle and Tyler Martin are happy to discuss your cattle with you. Their phones light up all day, every day and each call gets a response.”
The fourth generation of Martins works as yard help.
Jim, Larry’s dad, Larry Martin, along with Tyler and Kyle, Larry’s sons, are the owners and managers of the business.
They regularly give back to various community clubs and organizations through various county fairs, FFA organizations, the Hepler Rodeo, the Vernon County Cattleman’s Association and various schools, churches and clubs.
The business employs over one hundred “hard-working individuals, from check-in to load-out, it’s a hands on, one-on-one experience,” according to the press release. “Behind the scenes there is a quality crew, in the front and back that are experts at sorting the cattle, joined by cowboys on horses penning the animals.”
The cafe at the livestock market is also a multi-generational family business. Bobbi Miller and her daughter Thabena Bower run the cafe.
“With fresh mouthwatering Friday and Saturday specials and homemade blue-ribbon quality pies,” it is a great place to eat, according to the press release.
They regularly give back to various community clubs and organizations through county fairs, FFA organizations, the Hepler Rodeo, the Vernon County Cattleman’s Association, schools, churches and clubs.
Hamilton’s Artisan Bakery: Hometown Baked Goodies
Teri, 49, and Michael Hamilton, 47, own The Hamilton’s Artisan Bakery.
Their bakery focuses on slow fermented sourdough products using only high quality ingredients, Teri said.
“This process takes up to 72 hours and increases the body’s absorption of nutrients and is a healthier food option for our community,” she said.
They offer a variety of sourdough breads, including original, roasted garlic and rosemary, jalapeno cheese, and even a triple chocolate sourdough loaf. They plan to add new items such as cinnamon rolls, scones, seeded wheat loaves, focaccia, bagels and pretzels, all made from sourdough.
The Hamiltons started their bakery in April 2022 with just a few loaves at a time and have grown their business in the last year, selling up to 100 items each week, she said.
May through October, one can find the business at the Fort Scott Farmer’s Market, located in front of Fort Scott National Historic Site on Skubitz Plaza, Saturdays 8 a.m. – noon and Tuesdays 4 – 6 p.m, from May through October.
November through April, they have a pre-order and porch pick up system for Fort Scott. Order via messenger and pay by 9 p.m. Wednesday for Saturday porch pick up.
Shop items marked not available are simply not available in the current season, but will be available as they come back into season.
The business accepts cash and credit card.
One can place orders via Messenger or the website.
The Hamilton’s Artisan Bakery is a cottage bakery without a storefront located in Fort Scott.
Future Plans
Within the next year, they plan to expand to surrounding counties’ farmers markets and craft fair events. Eventually, they would like to open a storefront in Fort Scott, she said.
Recent Healthy Bourbon County Action Team Grant Recipient
The Hamiltons feel honored to receive the $5,000 business start up grant from HBCAT, Teri said.
“They have been an invaluable resource from the very beginning, helping set up an LLC, bringing focus to our goals for the future and helping articulate a sustainable business plan,” she said. “HBCAT is a phenomenal support to small businesses in South East Kansas.”
The Hamiltons plan to use the grant money to purchase a specialty oven, designed for use in a cottage bakery setting. Their production will increase 300% by utilizing this new oven, Teri said.
They also plan to invest in printed banners to increase their advertising at local farmers markets.
These two main investments will enable The Hamilton”s Artisan Bakery to serve the Fort Scott area more efficiently and increase their ability to provide healthy, handmade breads to surrounding communities, she said
About The Hamiltons
Michael ran a few businesses in Arizona and Teri grew up in a bakery in Northern California, she said.
After moving to Fort Scott in 2020, they were inspired to put those experiences to use and started selling bread at the Fort Scott Farmers Market.
The Hamiltons quickly saw a need for healthy, handmade breads that are an alternative to those available at mainstream groceries. Because of that need, they decided “to dedicate their creativity, energy, and resources” to slowly building a bakery that could sustain itself without any debt.
They love to create “unique, delicious products that are a special addition to family tables” in their community, she said.
“We are especially excited to develop relationships with community members that they get to see weekly at the farmers markets, she said..
They can be found online at:
https://thehamiltonsbakery.
https://www.facebook.com/
https://www.instagram.com/
Spring Open House March 24-25
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Retail and Now Cafe at the Former Scottish Rite Temple
Kathy Dancer, 49, and Tracy Dancer, 50, opened 110 South Main as a retail shop in the former Scottish Rite Temple in December and will be opening a cafe in the building this spring.
Retail
110 South Main Mercantile and Market features decor, gifts, and food from Kansas and the Midwest, Kathy said.
“We have great products from Kansas City Canning Company, Kansas City Caramels, Prairie Fire Candles, Bombshell Beauty, Finding Home Farms, Thompson’s Homemade Decor, and about 30 other small business partners,” she said. ” Our market vendors include many local artisans and craft people who produce glass art, textiles, furniture, cutting boards, keepsake boxes, home decor, pens, notebooks, and decorative signs. We recently added a line of chocolates from Andre’s Chocolates and popcorn and fudge from Simply Delightful.”
“The retail store will be expanding this spring and summer to offer additional space for market vendors and artists who have high-quality handcrafted items,” she said. Additional vendors and artists will be added as they expand the space.
Cafe
“We are also opening Cohn’s Cafe,” Kathy said. The restaurant is named after Sidney Cohn and his wife, who had a cafe and coffee shop in this space from 1926-1948, she said. The restaurant space was used by the Freemasons council as a kitchen and dining space for several decades after that.
“The cafe will feature locally sourced ingredients and will have breakfast and lunch for dine-in or carry-out,” she said. “We will source ingredients from local producers and will have a seasonally adjusted menu based on the availability of fresh, local vegetables, meats, and other ingredients. Our menu will include quiches, crepes, soups, salads, sandwiches, and pies and desserts. We plan to have grab-and-go items available as well.”
“The cafe will be the cornerstone for additional planned improvements to the building,” Kathy said. “We felt the cafe was a great way to share the building with the community while also supporting local artists, craftspeople, and food producers. We are excited to showcase some of the great products available in our community in both the retail space and cafe.”
Electrical Issues
The Dancer’s hope to open this spring, but are having a problem with electric service to the building.
“We will have all of our spaces ready and equipment in place by the end of March but we are still waiting for additional electric service so we can proceed with our inspections and licensing,” she said. “Unfortunately, there was extensive damage done to the electric service to the building while it was unoccupied prior to our purchase.”
“We have been working with our electrician to have adequate service reinstalled in the building but we are having to work around other utilities that were added in the alley,” Kathy said. “As soon as we have enough electricity to operate the commercial kitchen equipment and modern HVAC, we will finish licensing and begin training staff. We will announce opening dates on our social media pages, 110SouthMain and Cohn’sCafeonMain.
Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT)Grant
The Dancer’s received a restaurant /retail grant in the amount of $7,000 from HBCAT.
“We are very excited to be named as a recipient of the HBCAT grant in the restaurant category,” Kathy said. “The grant will be used to help install the commercial kitchen for the cafe. We have several pieces of used equipment including a sink, ovens, and a commercial refrigerator that need minor repairs and installation. The balance of the funds will be used to acquire additional kitchen equipment including a commercial cook top, a commercial freezer, and a refrigerated table for salads and sandwiches.”
Contact info
Sami Rogers Starts Handmade Baby Clothing Business
Sami Rogers, 21, started her business, The Baby Stitch, at the encouragement of her best friend, Chloe Mohn.
“I started with hairbows for my friend, Chloe, who had a baby,” Rogers said. “She suggested I start making bummies, a baby diaper cover. She said I had an eye for design.”
The only sewing she had been taught was in Fort Scott Middle School, “And it was a pillow,” she said.
She began looking on the internet.
“I got on Etsy and purchased patterns, and started on YouTube to learn the techniques of sewing,” she said.
For her business, she makes baby clothes, which include bummies, hairbows, bell bottom pants, leggings, shirts and joggers.
“I only make baby and toddler clothing, up to size 3-4 Toddler,” she said. “Everything is handmade.”
Go to her website to order: http://the-baby-stitch.myshopify.com
The Baby Stitch is also on Facebook and Instagram.
About Rogers
Rogers is a 2020 graduate of Fort Scott High School and attended Fort Scott Community College.
At age 19, while a freshman at FSCC, she started her business.
She is a recent recipient of the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT) grant for women, minorities or low income to start up a business, in the amount of $5,000.
“Dacia Clark was amazing to help you,” Rogers said.
Clark is Assistant Director of the Small Business Development Center at Pittsburg State University, with an office in the HBCAT office at 104 N National Ave, Fort Scott.
The HBCAT Phone is (620) 215-2892
“They help with a business plan, expense projection,” she said.
Rogers had applied for a grant previously, but wasn’t accepted.
“I felt defeated,” she said. “I do run a business and the grant would help me, so I reached out again. They gave pointers to improve the application.”
She applied again, and received the grant, which she plans to use on a serger sewing machine, fabric and specialty scissors to “help get the product out the door.”
Fresh Produce Pre-Order Sales Began This Month In Bronson
In most small towns, fresh produce nearby is hard to come by, unless you grow your own.
Thaddeus and Kelly Perry have started a service that allows people to order fresh fruits and veggies ahead of time, then pick up at their Bronson store, Perry’s Pork Rinds and General Store.
The store is located on Hwy. 54 that goes through the town, east to west. Bronson is in the rural western part of Bourbon County.
The box of produce will typically cost $15 and have a variety of approximately 15 lbs. of fresh fruits and veggies, with prices subject to change based on the cost of food.
Depending on what fruit and vegetables are in season and what their pricing is, will decide what is in the boxes, Kelly Perry said.
For the next distribution of fresh veggies and fruits, today, March 13,
is the deadline for a March 17 pick-up order.
“This is something that is not only smart for our business to attract more foot traffic into the door, but also valuable for the community to not have to travel to get fresh produce,” Kelly said. “This fits in line exactly with what Thaddeus and I have always said, we will invest back into our community locally.”
Perry’s Produce is a Bourbon County community program designed to make affordable bundles of fresh produce regularly available in their town and the surrounding area.
“This saves residents time and money shopping while helping them eat healthier,” Kelly said.
This Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)Pathways to a Healthy Kansas Initiative works with a program coordinator, in this case, The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT), located in Fort Scott.
“(BCBS)Pathways to a Healthy Kansas Initiative works with 24 communities across the state of Kansas,”HBCAT President and CEO Jody Hoener said. The HBCAT and the Perry’s worked together on ways to improve health in the community by awarding the Perry’s a $20,000 grant for a five year commitment to the food program for rural citizens.
“The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team has worked since 2016 to build up and support local food systems,” Hoener said. “We are thrilled to have Perry’s Produce as a partner in our efforts to increase access to healthier food options.”
With the funds, they are purchasing grocery shelves that will have a larger capacity to hold even more groceries, pet supplies, home goods, toiletries and more so families do not have to travel into “town” to get something they need, saving them time and money, Perry said.
Shelving for produce distribution and storage, scales, and a printer/date labeler for the fresh grab-and-go salads, sandwiches and deli items, will all be purchased as a direct result of this grant.
The Perry’s, HBCAT and Pathways started researching a program, KSTATE’s Simply Produce program, around eight months ago via zoom calls and emails and in-person meetings.
The first distribution date of the produce was March 3.
“We distributed 61 bundles to members of the community,” Kelly said. “There was a clerical error at the produce company and we ended up having to improvise, so some folks got double on certain items to still fulfill our end of the deal versus them not getting a bundle at all. There will be learning curves and this is new, so we are working hard to combat all of those curves.”
“We’ll try to source locally as much as possible for this program,” Kelly said. “Some models are based on weight, others base off a set number of items in their bundles and we will work with this over the next few months to see what works best and gives shoppers the most bang for their buck. Inside each bundle will also be a recipe card provided by K-State Southwest Extension District Snap Education.”
The bundles are currently being placed in reusable grocery bags provided by K-State Southwest Extension Snap Ed. Division, she said.
The pre-paid bundles can be picked up over the next five years on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during open store hours.
The bundles are $15 each, plus tax.
“ALL bundles are pre-ordered and pre-pay unless you’re an EBT/SNAP user,” Kelly said.
“Due to regulations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture EBT/SNAP users cannot prepay for food. EBT/SNAP users can come in or call in and place their orders and pay on pick up days,” she said.
“Each buyer will get a receipt with their pick up date written at the top and we will print a second copy for the store and have the customer write their name and number on the receipt,” she said
“If you have not picked up your receipt by 2 p.m. we will call or text the number for a reminder,” she said. “When you arrive in the store, you will sign the book showing you came to pick up your order.”
Those that wish to purchase online:
First Time Home Buyer Help
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A Commercial Kitchen/Event Space/Retail Space Coming to Downtown Fort Scott
A community kitchen is on the horizon for downtown Fort Scott.
Rachel French, Angela Simon, and Bailey Lyons are collaborating to open The Kitchen Collective + Collaborative, a not-for-profit business.
The building will have a commercial kitchen, a small event space and a retail area, with specialty kitchen supplies.
The event space will also be available for private rentals.
In addition, cooking classes for children and adults will be offered.
The Kitchen Collection + Collaborative business recently received a $5,000 Women, Minority or Start Up Business grant from the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team.
The Kitchen’s mission statement:
“The Kitchen is to be an innovative collaborative that enhances the local food system, increases access to regionally made and sourced goods, and supports area culinary businesses and entrepreneurs by reducing or removing risk and barriers to success.
Our concept is centered on merging the integral pieces required for a thriving food economy – producers, creators, marketers, and consumers.
We will also foster connections and serve as a community gathering place, a training hub, a meeting spot, an educational center, and a social venue.
In doing all of this, we expect The Kitchen will have a significant, multi-faceted impact on our community.
Afterall, everything happens in The Kitchen.”
Bailey and Nate Lyons own the building, located at 10 and 12 S. Main.