The wonders of SPAM and government
Gather up the kids and call all the kinfolk because this is a Business Pulse you won’t want to miss.
I start this week’s adventure with a heavy stomach and a high cholesterol level. That’s because we here at the Standard just finished celebrating the ever-popular Pig Week.
During this one-week extravaganza we ate just about every type of pig part known to man. If there was a grocer in Warren County who sold pig snouts, we would have probably eaten that too.
Over a five-day period, and this is no joke, the Standard served breakfasts and lunches which included: ham, bacon, sausage, BBQ and hot dogs. Somewhere out there, I’m sure there’s a heart doctor who is smiling.
About the only pig product we didn’t eat (and thankfully so) was SPAM. If there was a worst-tasting food ever created, I haven’t tried it.
But the remarkable thing about SPAM is a SPAM and jam layered sandwich actually won first prize — and a blue ribbon — during a food contest at the Georgia State Fair last year. This is very sad.
I realize folks in the South are known for deep frying just about anything they can shove in a vat of grease, but I would think food judges would have more refined taste than to award a blue ribbon to a SPAM sandwich.
But that’s not my real point of concern this week. If some food judge in Georgia wants to make SPAM out to be some great delicacy good enough to serve for Christmas dinner, there’s not much we can do.
What we can do is worry about the state of Tennessee and try to find ways for lawmakers to operate state government more efficiently. As most of us know, the state is facing yet another budget deficit despite a record tax increase last year that was supposed to keep Tennessee well-funded for several years to come.
To use the words of Gomer Pyle, “Surprise, surprise.” Last year’s tax increase didn’t do so much for the state after all and Gov. Phil Bredesen is asking all state agencies to trim 9 percent of their operating budgets.
Some employees will be laid off. Others will be asked to do more with less. And most folks are wondering how such a 9 percent reduction can be pulled off.
Well if they ask me, I have the perfect answer. I say instead of spending so much money on comfortable office chairs, the state should invest in a few more commodes. If you notice the picture below, that person seems to be doing just fine performing his computer work.
The great part about this plan is it will eliminate the need for all those time-consuming bathroom breaks. It would be one thing if workers just went to the bathroom and came right back. But we all know that doesn’t happen.
Going to the bathroom is almost a social event. On the way, you cruise through the break room and chat with a few folks who are drinking coffee or smoking. On the way back, there’s usually a stop by the drink or snack machine. By the time your bathroom break is over, it’s time for lunch.
My solution would eliminate that problem. And it would sure make you think twice before stopping by the desk of a co-worker.
But that’s enough nonsense for today’s edition. There are serious business items to discuss and that discussion will start now.
Local hotel no longer operational
It’s been awhile since I had seen any cars at the hotel which used to be Shoney’s Inn. So I called the Chamber of Commerce and was told they believe the hotel has shut down, although they had heard no positive confirmation.
The Chamber told me they thought it was a sign of bad things to come when the hotel didn’t renew its Chamber membership about a year ago.
Looking at the hotel over the last four or five years, there have been several signs of bad things to come. First was the switch from Shoney’s Inn to Comfort Inn. Then there was the switch from Comfort Inn to the Suites of McMinnville, a name I don’t believe ever made it onto a sign.
The most recent name change came a couple months ago when signs were put in place calling the hotel Best Value Inn. Now it appears out of business is the sign which should be hanging there.
I called over to the Holiday Inn Express to try to get some more information because I figured one hotel might know something about the other. I was told Best Value Inn had gone out of business because Holiday Inn Express had just hired one of that hotel’s former housekeepers. And another Best Value Inn employee had submitted an application.
If I had to guess, I’d say another hotel chain will either buy the building and set up shop here, or buy all the furniture inside. It was only about two years ago, when the name was changed to Comfort Inn, the hotel completely remodeled all of its rooms with new carpet, new beds and the works.
I hope something can get done in the next couple months because we need all the hotel space we can get when the Highland Rim Cycling Classic comes to town in May.
Planet Pizza sold to Tullahoma man
When I called up to Pish-La–Ki to talk to Janie Luna, she was happy about several things.
First and foremost, Janie was happy that she and her husband, Burgess, had sold Planet Pizza to a man in Tullahoma who plans to open a similar restaurant there. Janie said she believes the name will be Darryl’s Place or something like that.
“They bought everything,” said Janie. “The tables, all the party stuff and all the characters.”
Janie said selling Planet Pizza was nothing less than a relief.
“We’re thrilled,” she said. “We’ve been in the restaurant business for a long time and we were ready to get out of it. Right now we’re going to sit back and relax. I was watching TV with Burgess the other night and I told him that it felt sort of weird. I don’t know the last time we’ve been able to sit down and watch TV together.”
If Burgess and Janie were that busy, I say this will be a well-deserved break. The other thing Janie was happy about is Planet Pizza was able to close last Sunday night without me knowing. That one somehow slipped under my radar and also eluded the team of business informants I have scattered around the county.
“I was tickled to death we were able to pull one over on James Clark,” Janie said.
Well maybe for a week, but not for long. As for the status of Pish-La-Ki opening again, or the possibility of bringing more concerts to the top of the mountain, Janie said those are both possibilities. She also said they are considering opening a steak house in Manchester some time down the road.
What disappoints me is that I liked eating at Planet Pizza. And little 2-year-old Benjamin liked it so much, he usually pitched a fit when we left.
But I am glad to see hard-working folks like Burgess and Janie Luna come out on top. They are good people.
“The economy is terrible and I think a lot of restaurants around here are struggling,” said Janie. “We were able to get out while the getting was good.”
So what’s moving to the Planet Pizza spot?
If you were wondering what’s moving to the spot in Chancery Plaza which was formerly occupied by Planet Pizza, I’m glad you asked. It’s soon to be the new home of Smokey Joe’s Hickory House, which currently has a location at Midway.
Before I go any further, I want to stress that the Smokey Joe’s location in Midway is not closing. This will be an expansion to give owner Linda Black another restaurant.
“We’ve been looking in that direction for some time and were just waiting for the right location,” said Linda. “We were hoping to find a building with a pick-up window and it’s got one. So we decided to take a chance.”
In the four years Linda has operated the Smokey Joe’s in Midway, the restaurant has been known for its quality food. The drawback, at least as far as I’m concerned, is I’m not usually inclined to drive to Midway for a meal.
Linda says she plans to offer all her specialties including ribs, BBQ and catfish in town. And she will also have a selection of plate lunches. As for an opening date, she’s shooting for April 1 but says that date may have to be pushed back.
I thought Buck’s Pizza wanted that spot
If you were like me, you probably heard the rumor that Buck’s Pizza was interested in moving into Planet Pizza’s location if Planet Pizza ever left. That rumor was true and Buck’s owner Karen Wamsley said she inquired about renting the space. The sticking point was that she only wanted one of the bays available and Smokey Joe’s was apparently interested in both bays so that was a better fit.
“Right now we don’t know where we’re going but we’re looking at several spots,” said Karen. “Wherever we go, we need to get real visible. We’ve been hidden for too long.”
Medley’s Classic Diner now open for dinner
If you enjoy the great taste of Medley’s Classic Diner for breakfast and lunch, beginning this Tuesday you can now enjoy food at the restaurant at night.
“We’ve had a lot of people ask us if we would stay open late and serve vegetables,” said owner Penny Medley. “So we’re going to be serving meats and vegetables for dinner. I don’t think there are too many people who are doing that.”
Medley’s will continue to be open seven days a week, but the restaurant will only serve dinner Tuesday through Saturday. It will be closed Sunday and Monday nights.
“But we’re still going to be open Sunday,” said Penny. “That’s our biggest day.”
That’s all folks
Believe it or not, I actually have more business news to report. But there’s only so much I can squeeze in one column. God willing, I’ll return next week with another exciting Business Pulse. And I may just have a few more ideas about how to run the state more efficiently.
Send me your business news at [email protected] or give me a call at 473-2191.