BUSINESS PULSE: This year, drink your turkey and gravy
If you’re ever looking to get in the holiday spirit, stop by the Standard office the Friday before Christmas and help us deliver a couple hundred Share boxes. The boxes, which weigh roughly 60 pounds, were packed with enough food to last a week so the recipients can enjoy a Christmas feast fit for a royal family.
I must admit, I was touched while I was zipping around the county delivering food to those in need. But I had to shake my head at one home I visited and I’ll describe the scene.
When I pulled into the driveway, snow flurries filling the sky, the front door was wide open with only a thin storm door keeping the frigid outside air from entering the home. As I was walking to the door, the man of the house came to greet me – and he was wearing a pair of cut off blue jean shorts. No shirt, no socks, just blue jean shorts.
When he opened the door, the air inside hit me like the Sahara Desert. It was sweltering. I’m not sure, but I think I saw someone next to a cactus begging for water. And I believe there was a frozen pizza cooking right there on the coffee table. Best I can estimate, the temperature inside the home was around 278 degrees.
The folks were sure friendly enough, readily thanking me for the food box. And as I walked back to my Blazer, I couldn’t help thinking, “I wish I had brought some marshmallows to roast.”
I don’t have any doubt the family needed the food box. With a heating bill that probably comes close to my monthly salary, I firmly believe they may struggle buying food.
That’s why I’m offering this holiday tip to anyone who might want to keep their heating bill low. Put on some sweat pants and a flannel shirt. Then you wouldn’t have to heat your home to the temperature of Brazil!
As for final Business Pulse thoughts, you better hurry if you want to buy a can of turkey and gravy flavored soda, which is being offered by Jones Soda Company of Seattle through the holiday season. The company reports sales of the soda, which began the Friday after Thanksgiving, have been brisk.
This isn’t Jones Soda Company’s first experiment in exotic carbonation flavors. The company has previously sold fish taco flavored soda and ham flavored soda. Call me old fashioned, but I’m happy with a Sundrop.
And finally, the grounds superintendent from the University of Minnesota’s evergreen department has the perfect joke for Christmas tree thieves. The department had about a dozen Christmas trees stolen last year so superintendent Les Potts sprayed skunk scent over all his trees this year.
Potts said the extremely cold Minnesota weather will mask the skunk scent while the trees are outside. But once the trees are brought indoors, the overpowering odor will be released.
“We’ll still lose some trees, but I have some satisfaction in knowing it’s not going to work out the way the thief thinks it will,” Potts said.
Hurray! We have another Mexican restaurant
If you’re one of the folks who can’t get enough of the great taste of Fiesta Ranchero, you’re not alone. The food is apparently so popular, there’s now a second restaurant just a mile down the road from the Plaza Shopping Center location.
The latest addition is officially called Fiesta Ranchero No. 3, even though it’s actually Fiesta Ranchero No. 4. Follow along with me while I explain.
The first Fiesta Ranchero opened at Plaza Shopping Center, which is the one most of us have grown to love. About five years ago, a second Fiesta Ranchero opened in Smithville. A third restaurant was then planned for McMinnville and a fourth for Shelbyville, in that order. However, there were so many delays with the new McMinnville location, the one in Shelbyville has been open for several months now. So it should rightfully be No. 3.
Despite this minor technicality, owner Erasmo Onate has to be considered a great American success story. He came to this country with the clothes on his back and now has four restaurants. And who knows what the future may hold. Fiesta Ranchero could be like Blockbuster in a few years with 2,000 stores all across the nation.
As for the menu at the new Fiesta Ranchero, it’s exactly the same as the old Fiesta Ranchero.
“We were so busy, we decided to open another one,” said employee Amada Torres.
Don’t forget about Monday’s car giveaway
If you’ve always wanted a chance to win a brand new car, Monday night is the time to act on that urge. That’s when Three Star Mall will be giving away a 2003 Chevy Cavalier for the second Christmas in a row.
The contest rules are simple. For every $50 of merchandise you buy from any store at Three Star Mall – including Kroger – you receive one ticket. If you buy $200 worth of Christmas gifts, for example, that’s four tickets.
If you haven’t been accumulating tickets, you better march right over to the mall and put your wallet to work. The deadline to redeem sales receipts for tickets is Monday at 4 p.m. The drawing will be held at center stage beginning at 6 p.m. You must be present to win.
I just want everyone to know if I win the car, I’m going to donate it to the charity of my choice. That charity is namely the James Clark Foundation.
There’s a new night spot in town
If you’re looking for a place to shoot pool, throw darts, and do a little dancing, Bobby Meeks has just the spot for you. It’s called The Hot Spot and Bobby is hoping the business lives up to its name.
“I figure once everybody knows we’re here, we will do a pretty good business,” said Bobby. “We have a good sound system, and I don’t know of anybody else in town who has lights like we do.”
The bar is located in downtown McMinnville across from the fire station. You can’t enter from Main Street, however. If you drive around to the back parking lot by the water tower and new farmers market pavilion, the entrance is brightly displayed.
The Hot Spot opened for the first time last weekend and Bobby says business wasn’t bad despite the fact he didn’t think many people had heard about his new club. And like a man who knows how to get on my good side, Bobby said the best way to get the word out was through Business Pulse. Did I mention Bobby is really smart?
As far as special events, The Hot Spot is planning a Christmas party for Friday, Dec. 26 and a New Year’s party on New Year’s Eve. When I asked him about other promotions, Bobby said something about soaking clothing with water. In other words, he plans to have wet T-shirt contests.
If you would like to see what The Hot Spot has to offer, it’s open Wednesday through Saturday nights. Bobby says he will play whatever music the crowd wants.
Two cheers for Charlie Johnson
I’ve got to stand up and applaud Standard news editor Charlie Johnson, our beloved Employee of the Year for 2003. If there’s a man who works harder than Charlie, I haven’t found him yet. There are nights were have to pry Charlie away from his desk he’s so dedicated to writing stories.
“All my brothers and sisters tell me it’s not fair for someone to like coming to work as much as I do,” said Charlie. “This past year has been an absolute blast.”
Renowned as one of the most talented photographers in Middle Tennessee, Charlie has a natural knack for down-home feature writing. And he seems to know the definition of every word in the dictionary, which is key in the newspaper business.
What’s neat about the Standard’s Employee of the Year award is it’s voted on by everyone who works here. And unlike the year I won Employee of the Year, Charlie didn’t pay anyone to vote for him.
And one final note about our company Christmas party – this year it was held at New York Grill. For anyone who has yet to make the short trip to Rock Island to try the fantastic food owner Scott Garing has to offer, let me tell you it’s worth the drive.
House of Hope is leveled
What was once known as the House of Hope, a place people could go to receive medical attention regardless of their ability to pay, was torn down Wednesday afternoon by Johnny Ledbetter’s dozer service.
The property had been owned by the late Dr. Kumar. Jewell Hale, Bobby Kirby and Dr. Spivey bought the property from Dr. Kumar’s estate. The land is of particular interest because of the popular birthing tree which sits at the front of it.
I talked to Bobby on Thursday and he told me there has been talk of taking the section of property which contains the birthing tree and donating it for some form of historical park. That would help preserve the birthing tree for years to come.
The other option was to take a chain saw and cut down the birthing tree. I’m only kidding.
“We don’t have any immediate plans for the property,” said Bobby. “But I’ve had a lot of calls and there’s been interest in it. A restaurant or a drug store would go over well in that location. It’s a big lot. You could also put offices there.”
Bobby said leveling the House of Hope was done to make the property look better since a new owner would almost certainly get rid of the old structure anyway. I’m confident anyone who buys the property will be under heavy pressure from the city to make sure the birthing tree remains unharmed.
That’s all folks
May your Christmas be filled with happiness and time with family. I realize this may be a contradiction for some folks, but the holidays are a time to put differences aside and enjoy quality time together.
If you have business tips, you better call me on Monday or Tuesday at 473-2191. You won’t have much luck catching me in the office after that. Merry Christmas!