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Marshall, Missouri ~ Thursday, May 15, 2008
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Build It and They Will Come
Posted Tuesday, March 25, 2008, at 9:50 PM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
The focus of several local blog postings and comments within the Marshall Democrat-News Speak Out forum relate directly to the City of Marshall's growth. More specifically, residents have expressed new business cravings. These concerned writers want to feed those cravings with new restaurants that do not include Chinese, pizza, or fast food. Unfortunately, none have stepped to the plate and suggested proactive solutions.
Is anyone aware Secretary of State Robin Carnahan's office has recently added within the site's Business Services section, a Small Business Advocacy Center? The Center is designed to help prospective business owners more easily navigate the process of forming a new business. A Small Business Startup Guide, Steps to Starting a Business, Business Frequently Asked Questions, Business Links to Helpful Organizations & Government Agencies, and other Small Business Administration websites.
Secretary Carnahan's legislative agenda focuses on commonsense ideas and solutions to promote the growth of Missouri small businesses. Her proposals include:
Some interesting facts also found on the website http://www.sos.mo.gov/business/sbac/:
So future Saline County restaurant business developers, lets see more positive research being done and less concerns about screen names chosen. We currently have four former restaurant buildings sitting empty, currently for sale with local realtors. On Odell street the former Pizza Hut building, sandwich shop next door to the old Pizza Hut, and the former Porkey's Sandwich Shop located off of N. Odell and Eastwood all stand alone and just begging for someone to fire the grills up again. We have a beautifully remodeled former country club building toward our city park that has been empty for several years.
Others have mentioned the need for a downtown Marshall restaurant that stays open in the evenings and Sunday. What happened to Generations and Coffee Shop right off the Marshall town square? These buildings are also setting lonely and empty, all for sale. I can vision a Pear Tree clone restaurant in those buildings with the ingenuity, knowledge, and talent of many chefs looking to take that first step.
I challenge you to honestly give some thought on how you might contribute to bringing a top notch restaurant to the downtown. We have a couple of great hometown banks that I am positive would be willing to visit with any of you. Maybe a volunteer based downtown "face-lift" committee can be established. Maybe there already is such a committee that I am unaware of. Maybe the committee needs a "face-lift" of their own and new ideas could bring new businesses downtown.
My challenge to you all is to think about positive ways to bring new business opportunities to Marshall.
While I certainly agree that Marshall could use a few more retail establishments such as a bakery, coffee shop, and bookstore, let me put another twist on the future of our local services. It is my observation that specialty medical services could quickly be faded out within the next 15 years.
Looking at the youngest age of local dentist in Marshall I would estimate that this man will be retirement age within 15 years. Fellow dentists also locally are older even still and I see no line of replacements hanging around the streets of Marshall.
Another two medical specialty services that are fading out as well is Chiropractic and Vision care. Again, observing the current doctors practicing in Marshall, we are looking at these people retiring within 15 years or less.
How about it parents, do your children have any thoughts of entering the medical field after high school graduation? Realistically, by the time the current freshman class at Marshall High School graduate, attend medical school, complete internships and so forth, Marshall will need their services.
K Mullins-Lamb
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Hey Karen, I noticed the Marshall Public Library has a new "Small Business Center" behind the director's office.
There are books on starting and maintaining a business, and even a laptop just for business research.
Any thoughts on how to best utilize resources like this?
Yes, there is a Small Business Center at the library. And I hear they are going to be offering programs about starting your own business, through the Extension Service. I think the first one is in May.
I have not lived in missouri but 5 years. i came here from the state of california. so im not sure what has been tried here as far as family fun and recreation.
How about a family fun center type buss. minitaure golf,arcades,bumper boats,go karts, pool tables, something along that line. something familes from all over the areas around can come to and bring with it more visitors to marshall.
I know marshall is small town but i think people are wanting to see more growth. I see a serious lack of family activities.
It would be great to have a family place to go with your kids to play pool n games and stuff with the kids.
My three kids have said many times how theyd like to see something like that in marshall.
Kaynmo-
Thanks for your comments and I agree with you, I think the kids are looking for something to do. We have a wonderful YMCA facility but it isn't for everyone.
Galaxy Hotwheels and Holiday Lanes provides some different activities such as roller skating and bowling.
Has anyone been able to visit a family fun center at the Lake called Miner Mike's? It is a great place where they have games, rides, and indoor playground for smaller children and another section for older, teenage gaming activities.
I can vision a family fun center type setup with go carts, mini golf, video machines, pool tables, ping pong, skeeball, batting cages, etc.
As I eluded to earlier, build it and I think they will come.
There is quite a lot of land surronding the skating rink, maybe something could be done in conjunction with that. I would be more than happy to help promote such a fun center.
K Mullins-Lamb
Hi When the Music Plays... and BD42 -
I am not familiar with the new small business center in the Marshall Public Library but I will get as many particulars as I can and post here on my blog as quickly as possible.
The following information comes from the University of Missouri Extension Saline County Events Calendar. It describes an 8 hour session that could be a worthwhile investment of time and money for those really wanting to start their own business.
8:00 AM Starting and Managing a Business (Session 1 of 1)
Description: This eight-hour offering will acquaint you with the basics of starting and managing a small business in Missouri. It is designed for those who are thinking about starting a business, have made a decision to start a business or have been in business for less than two years.
Location: University of Central Missouri, Dockery Bldg, Room 107
South Street
Warrensburg
Begins: 8:00 AM
Ends: 5:00 PM
Registration Info: Register online or contact the SBTDC at 660-543-4402 or email sbtdc@ucmo.edu
Preregistration Required: Yes
Registration Link: http://www.ucmo.edu/sbtdc
Class Size: 0
Fee Info: $69.00
Alternate Fee Info: $34.50 for each additional person
Primary Contact Name: Donald Davis
Primary Contact Email: ddavis@ucmo.edu
Primary Contact Phone: (660) 543-8777
Event Link: http://www.ucmo.edu/sbtdc
Map Link: http://www.ucmo.edu/biz
K Mulins-Lamb
This info is going to be real helpful. Thanks Karen.
I've noticed some people on this site have mentioned the Coffee Shop off the Square, even you; my brother and sister have stated they have interest in reopening it with kind of the French Cafe theme. With maybe an awning and some tables and chairs outside.
This would be a few years down the road, but it proves there are people in town with inspired visions of what we could become.
Thought I'd share that with you and anyone else who wants more for the Square than what we have.
Brava, Karen! I had not heard about the Secretary of State's program. I'm thrilled to see all the other comments, too. Let's hope this gets the show on the road, or at least out of the garage!
Oh how I can smell the coffee brewing already, just off the square. How about some bakery goods, internet cafe, small bookstore? Nothing is better than sipping on a warm cup of coffee over some delightful conversation. French Cafe theme sounds wonderful and inviting. Keep those gears turning inside and who knows, something new might be born.
I took the opportunity to drive through Blackwater yesterday. What a cute little town it is becoming. Granted, antiques is the main draw but the look and feel when you drive down main street is wonderful.
K Mullins-Lamb
Everyone has wonderful comments and I can see now the motors are clicking and people are talking. For me, this is exactly what I wanted my blog to be.
I am still wondering about getting a group together to form a downtown revitalization committee. I'm not suggesting we have the Power and Light District in Marshall, Missouri but there has to be something we can spark things up with.
K Mullins-Lamb
Karen - a downtown revitalization group is great idea. As with most things, the best way to get started is to start! Talk to downtown business owners and see if there's interest (and I believe there is). And don't forget the Povery Summit at the Martin Community Center on April 3-4. The author of "Boomtown USA" will be doing a presentation on Friday, the 4th. I ordered the book myself - still waiting for it to arrive - but when it does, I'd be happy to share my copy with you or others who have interest in this topic.
Kathy - I am glad you mentioned the event next week, I had in fact forgotten, only temporarily though. I currently serve as the Marshall Chamber of Commerce Executive Secretary and the downtown merchants always have a door open to ideas. We have some great Chamber members and businesses that certainly deserve our patronage.
Something our pastor said today, I believe relates directly to our discussion. He is new to the community and as he explained, he recently trekked off on a sight seeing expedition around Marshall. Jokingly, he commented that he was not sure how he got lost in Marshall but he did. He looked around and saw the Courthouse, which he knew the domed structure was the center of town. I find his perspective interesting and have since thought about "the center of town". The center of Marshall is our Courthouse and should be our downtown area.
LOLOL...I sympathize with your new pastor. It's never hard for me to get lost, wherever I am. But - good point - the sight of the Marshall courthouse keeps me oriented, for which I'm grateful. And I hope one day it will again be the bustling center of town, as it once was.
My cousin still teases me about the directions she carefully explained to me one day as I was leaving her Liberty, Missouri home. She told me to back out of her driveway and travel up the street to a stop sign, blah, blah, and blah. Well, I backed out of her drive and went north up the road to the intersection, turned right onto the road and proceeded with the directions. Shortly I realized that I was not any where near where I wanted to be. Thank heavens for cell phones, I called her, told her where I was and she explained to me that I went "up the street instead of "down the street". Apparently her "up the street" notes referred to house numbers no the geographical means.
My definitions are a little simpler. The road is hilly; a house at the top of the road would be "up the street". Another house at the other end of the block would be "down the street".
Karen and others interested in local economic development - John M. Schultz, author of "Boom Town USA," will be speaking at Martin Community Center at 2:30 p.m. Friday, April 4. Admission to the event is $10 at the door.