Businesses Feel Pinch In Construction Zone
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
A report by CNN in January characterized the nation’s drinking water system as “crumbling”, noting a 2009 report by the American Society of Civil Engineers, which gave it a grade of D-minus.
So several business owners along Detroit Street understand the need for the project that will replace 2,400 feet of water main along Detroit Street.
That understanding doesn’t help their bottom line though.
Jeff Miner, general manager of Pickerman’s in Warsaw, estimated that business is down about 30 percent.
Miner said that not only affects the bottom line but the schedules of employees.
“We usually get a good stream of people from Zimmer,” said Miner. “With the road as it is now, they’re just not coming this way. We’ve had to adjust.”
That includes spending more on advertising despite that fact that revenue is down.
“We are patiently waiting for them to hurry up and be done with (the project),”
joked Miner.
Randy Reneker’s family has owned his sporting goods store on Detroit Street for 27 years.
Reneker has been the owner of the business for the past six years.
“It’s really hurt our walk-in business,” said Reneker.
Reneker’s has moved to more projects like silk screening, embroidery and trophy making and that, said Reneker, has helped soften the blow because those orders can be taken without coming in.
When told Pickerman’s business was down about 30 percent, Reneker said he imagined his business was around the same mark.
He’s also doing what he can to help a new business opening up in his store.
Buggy Bakery is scheduled to open its doors in Reneker’s July 1.
“That sort of business is totally dependent on walk-ins so we’re really doing what we can to get the word out and help them as much as we can,” said Reneker.
This isn’t the first time Reneker’s is feeling a pinch because of construction.
“We went through this a few years ago when they widened the lanes (on Detroit Street),” said Reneker, who acknowledged the need for the project
The project is estimated to be about $25 million to improve the city’s water infrastructure.
Jane and Matt Schori are trying to keep the construction in perspective. They own the KFC on Detroit Street.
Before the project started, Matt attended meetings because he had concerns of how his delivery trucks would get in and out.
They never had that question answered. So now their soft drink delivery truck parks down the street and walks the delivery to the restaurant.
They meet off-site for deliveries for everything that isn’t chicken or soft drinks.
Jane said she reached an agreement with Lowe’s to use their parking lot as a meeting place.
Despite asking Indiana American Water if they could be compensated for the extra cost incurred to them, Jane said she’s yet to hear back.
“I’m not asking for more than my share. I don’t expect them to cover sales we lose. But it’d be nice if they met us half way with costs we incur because of the construction.”
KFC’s profits are down around 25 to 30 percent. That number spiked to nearly 40 percent when construction first started.
With profits down, hours for employees have been cut. A couple of teenagers who got summer jobs there are only getting one day a week.
As for the full-time employees, some with as many as 30 years at KFC, they have seen their hours dwindle as well.
Jane said it’s hard to cut hours for people she’s known for years and has personal relationships with, but the numbers don’t allow for as many employees.
Lunch shifts have dropped from five to two employees.
Despite the dip in business, their hours remain constant at 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the week and Friday and Saturday open to 9:30 p.m.
With the construction has also come some outside-the-box thinking.
“We’ve thought about doing construction specials, we’ve done more advertising, we started a mylocalkfc.com page where people can get coupons,” said Jane.
She said Indiana American Water even put in a big order early on.
But all that still hasn’t made up the nearly 30 percent hit that is expected to last all summer.
“We do a lot more business in the summer with the lakers in town,” said Jane. “Our summer business helps pad the slower, winter months.”
Jane said they continue to try and take the whole situation with a grain of salt. They’ve befriended the construction workers and continue to work with Indiana American Water.
The project was scheduled to be completed by the end of August. But with a strike delaying work, the completion date has been thrown into question.
“In a bad economy you need all the help you can get,” said Reneker. “The timing of this project couldn’t be worse.”[[In-content Ad]]
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A report by CNN in January characterized the nation’s drinking water system as “crumbling”, noting a 2009 report by the American Society of Civil Engineers, which gave it a grade of D-minus.
So several business owners along Detroit Street understand the need for the project that will replace 2,400 feet of water main along Detroit Street.
That understanding doesn’t help their bottom line though.
Jeff Miner, general manager of Pickerman’s in Warsaw, estimated that business is down about 30 percent.
Miner said that not only affects the bottom line but the schedules of employees.
“We usually get a good stream of people from Zimmer,” said Miner. “With the road as it is now, they’re just not coming this way. We’ve had to adjust.”
That includes spending more on advertising despite that fact that revenue is down.
“We are patiently waiting for them to hurry up and be done with (the project),”
joked Miner.
Randy Reneker’s family has owned his sporting goods store on Detroit Street for 27 years.
Reneker has been the owner of the business for the past six years.
“It’s really hurt our walk-in business,” said Reneker.
Reneker’s has moved to more projects like silk screening, embroidery and trophy making and that, said Reneker, has helped soften the blow because those orders can be taken without coming in.
When told Pickerman’s business was down about 30 percent, Reneker said he imagined his business was around the same mark.
He’s also doing what he can to help a new business opening up in his store.
Buggy Bakery is scheduled to open its doors in Reneker’s July 1.
“That sort of business is totally dependent on walk-ins so we’re really doing what we can to get the word out and help them as much as we can,” said Reneker.
This isn’t the first time Reneker’s is feeling a pinch because of construction.
“We went through this a few years ago when they widened the lanes (on Detroit Street),” said Reneker, who acknowledged the need for the project
The project is estimated to be about $25 million to improve the city’s water infrastructure.
Jane and Matt Schori are trying to keep the construction in perspective. They own the KFC on Detroit Street.
Before the project started, Matt attended meetings because he had concerns of how his delivery trucks would get in and out.
They never had that question answered. So now their soft drink delivery truck parks down the street and walks the delivery to the restaurant.
They meet off-site for deliveries for everything that isn’t chicken or soft drinks.
Jane said she reached an agreement with Lowe’s to use their parking lot as a meeting place.
Despite asking Indiana American Water if they could be compensated for the extra cost incurred to them, Jane said she’s yet to hear back.
“I’m not asking for more than my share. I don’t expect them to cover sales we lose. But it’d be nice if they met us half way with costs we incur because of the construction.”
KFC’s profits are down around 25 to 30 percent. That number spiked to nearly 40 percent when construction first started.
With profits down, hours for employees have been cut. A couple of teenagers who got summer jobs there are only getting one day a week.
As for the full-time employees, some with as many as 30 years at KFC, they have seen their hours dwindle as well.
Jane said it’s hard to cut hours for people she’s known for years and has personal relationships with, but the numbers don’t allow for as many employees.
Lunch shifts have dropped from five to two employees.
Despite the dip in business, their hours remain constant at 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the week and Friday and Saturday open to 9:30 p.m.
With the construction has also come some outside-the-box thinking.
“We’ve thought about doing construction specials, we’ve done more advertising, we started a mylocalkfc.com page where people can get coupons,” said Jane.
She said Indiana American Water even put in a big order early on.
But all that still hasn’t made up the nearly 30 percent hit that is expected to last all summer.
“We do a lot more business in the summer with the lakers in town,” said Jane. “Our summer business helps pad the slower, winter months.”
Jane said they continue to try and take the whole situation with a grain of salt. They’ve befriended the construction workers and continue to work with Indiana American Water.
The project was scheduled to be completed by the end of August. But with a strike delaying work, the completion date has been thrown into question.
“In a bad economy you need all the help you can get,” said Reneker. “The timing of this project couldn’t be worse.”[[In-content Ad]]
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