Hutchinson Leader - business - Comments

The Leader thanks readers

Matt McMillan — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 09:27:52 -0600

The Leader thanks readers for comments on this topic. The blog is now closed.

Matt McMillan is publisher of the Leader and can be reached at mcmillan@hutchinsonleader.com.

Move, You are correct in

ObamaRama08 — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:52:04 -0600

Move,
You are correct in saying that when the managers were let go the place fell apart. The service was poor too, the other night a guy who was the bartender was stuck waiting on tables...of course he knew nothing about the menu and what came with what? Was it his fault.... probably not, but just another example of the questionable service. I still believe that the atmosphere had a lot to do with the poor attendance. Way too loud and way to warehouse-like.

At least 1 person in

MOVEON — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:14:27 -0600

At least 1 person in Hutchinson liked this place. To set the record straight, yes this was connected to the American Pastime in Raymound. The chef who opened that one, was the chef who created this one in Hutchinson, he was bought out by the other investors, who helped make this place happen, then the chef (Dave)was let go. The original opening managers had experience in the restaurant business, but were all let go to cut overhead. The current owners do not have anything to do with the one in Raymond, but this one was created by the guy who opened the one in Raymond, which was almost all catering. The current owners don't even have restaraunt experience, one owns the building, one is a plumber. Either way, the poor service and unconsistent quality in food is what killed this business, not the economy.

They can't afford it- I have

Locodiego — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:56:53 -0500

They can't afford it- I have the feeling a lot of those SUVs that are pulling boats are fueled by those folks' credit card(s). You asked what you were doing wrong- nothing! You are doing everything right (limiting trips, growing a garden), and in a few years you will see the SUV boat-pulling folks in a world more of hurt because chances are they charged a few of those trips and are now paying 19% on it!

I looked into renting a car

Terry Davis — Thu, 29 May 2008 10:24:40 -0500

I looked into renting a car locally a few months ago and found that the dealer I called does not rent vehicles. Your option probably would work in the Twin Cities, though.

(Terry Davis is a Hutchinson Leader staff writer. E-mail him at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)

How about just

JaneDoe_22 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:13:51 -0500

How about just renting/leasing a pickup/SUV for a fishing vacation? That way you would only have to pay for the gas for that special trip rather than on a regular every day basis. I believe that the local car dealerships do offer that option. It might be something to think about - you would be able to take your fishing vacation and would be able to pull your boat or camper and yet would not be stuck with it for the rest of the year! When you get back home you would return the gas guzzler to the car dealership, and you could return to driving your more gas efficient car once again.

Last year, we sold our

Terry Davis — Wed, 28 May 2008 11:56:17 -0500

Last year, we sold our 13-year-old Chevrolet S-10 Blazer, a small SUV, that got at best 23-24 mpg on the highway. We replaced it with a Chevy HHR that gets 31-32 mpg highway. My wife's Malibu Maxx typically gets 32-33 mph highway, with a high of 38. (We got 35.6 mpg on a recent 340-mile roundtrip to Eau Claire, Wis.) So that is helping the budget a little bit.

I, too, wonder if people who very occasionally need a bigger vehicle to pull a boat or camper, might be better off having an older, cheap pickup for those handful of times that is needed, but then could drive a high-mpg econo box the other 95 percent of the time. Seems to make more sense than driving solo 100-percent of the time in something getting 12 mpg.

(Terry Davis is a Hutchinson Leader staff writer. E-mail him at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)

We have limited our trips

JaneDoe_22 — Wed, 28 May 2008 08:44:11 -0500

We have limited our trips into Hutchinson (we live in the country - approximately 15 miles) and there must be at least two reasons for starting the car, leaving our home, and coming into town, whether it be coming to work (carpooling is an absolute must), attending church services, buying groceries, etc. Sunday morning church services have been combined with grocery store trips and/or hardware store stops, etc. We eat lots of hotdishes made with hamburger and noodles. We have also started growing a garden which should help with the food bill. No longer do we just "go for a ride" and stop for a quick lunch, etc. Gas is way too expensive for this family for such frivolous treats! This last weekend we saw many, many campers, large SUV's/pickup trucks, boats, etc. and I wonder to myself - how do they afford those luxuries? We have found the only way to save any money is just to stay at home; however, Uncle Sam continues to get his hand into our checkbook because our real estate taxes just continue to increase, and we can't do anything about that!! (We saw an increase of approximately 25% this year and our government officials feel that our small home is indeed a mansion that should be taxed accordingly). Again, how does everybody afford those large homes? We must somehow be doing something wrong because I am finding our budget being stretched to the very limits with little or nothing to put aside for our retirement!! (Looks like that, too, will have to be put on the back burner for a few years - sorry, new graduates, you may have to look elsewhere for jobs because I am afraid there won't be very many retirements for the next few years). I work in the service industry, and I can see a dramatic change in our customer habits. They aren't spending!!! Nobody is!! (Are you listening local, state and national legislators?)

We all agree Hutchinson

ljg777 — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:18:44 -0600

We all agree Hutchinson could use more new businesses like Kohls, Herberbergers Book Store, Arcade-teen center. Lets look at reality. Years ago starting a business the odds were about 50-50 you would succeed, now the odds are about 70-30 you will FAIL. Kohls & Herbergers know that Hutchinson can't support their stores. Someone who needs a good tax write-off could open a book store. Look at the number of book stores in the twin cities that have closed their doors,it's happening across the country. Customers are buying books on Amazon.com and ebay. Several arcades and teen centers have failed in Hutchinson. Hutchinson is fortunate to have many locally owned businesses. I urge you to support them. Unlike the big box stores and chains...THE LOCAL MERCHANTS SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY AND THE PROFITS STAY LOCAL. Chains and big box stores have their daily recipes wired to their headquarter banks. Except for Target I haven't seen any great contributions from big box stores. I wonder how many are members of the Hutchinson Area Chamber Of Commerce.

I mentioned Stillwater

Miller62 — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:47:35 -0600

I mentioned Stillwater before. That city is about 10-15% larger than Hutchinson, but has at least 3 bookstores. At least one of them a few years ago was selling used and new books, but the emphasis on all the stores was (is?) used books.

I think the major reason those bookstores last is because of the tourist traffic in the town. Hutchinson, doesn't have that, but we do have enough people to keep at least one store open, I think. It would take marketing savvy and perseverance to make it work, but I really think it can be done.

The other thing to remember, and most people may not realize this, is that used bookstores are increasingly selling online. The stores in Stillwater certainly sell many books to customers that never walk in the door. For that reason alone a bookstore in Hutchinson could make it, but again, it takes dedication and marketing savvy to make it work. The whole world can be customers of a little store in Hutchinson. It doesn't have to pin its hopes solely on the 20,000 people that live within a certain radius.

OnCue couldn't sell anything that wasn't new and that made it tough for them. They were selling much the same material that you might see at Walmart or Target. They had a dying market and were slow or unable to adapt.

Anyway, there are lots of ways to look at the market and the best way to cater to it. Fortunately, we're now in an age where we can broaden mom-and-pop markets to new customers far away from the front door (that would appear to be why Thimbleberries has been successful, by the way).

I actually do remember that

Terry Davis — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:15:39 -0600

I actually do remember that shop. It was where Claire's is located today, I believe. I, too, purchased several books there, but then I recall that ownership changed and the new owner moved the focus from books to other things, the selection dropped off and service went with it, never to recover.

Also, when On Cue first opened in Plaza 15, half the store was books and the other half for music. I thought it was a great concept and filled two big holes in Hutchinson's retail offerings. So I also shopped there, but again, soon new management started to eat away at the book section until within a year or two, there were almost no books. Soon the whole store was gone in another round of corporate consolidations.

If everyone is shopping on-line, why do some book stores still succeed? For me, I will rarely buy a book sight unseen. I have to hold it in my hand, scan a few pages, get a feel for it. Nothing beats browsing the aisles, perusing a few pages of several books and then deciding on the best to take home for hours of enjoyment in the easy chair next to the reading lamp. When my wife drags be along shopping, she knows she can send be to the book store while she does all her other shopping without be tagging along being bored.

You are right, a chain might not be interested in 14,000 people in Hutchinson. Probably better would be an independent owner with a passion for books, but with the aggressive marketing savvy to cultivate a niche in this new retail world.

You probably don't remember

JHat — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 11:09:30 -0600

You probably don't remember or never knew. There was a Bookstore in the mall up until a few years ago (4+?). I can't remember the name but did buy many books there over the years. If they couldn't make it, there is no realistic way a chain store like B Dalton's or Barnes & Noble would risk the money to open a new brick and mortar store in a market that has already proved that it won't support a bookstore. Too many people are buying their reading materials from the internet now to justify the risk.

I think Hutch could really

Silverlakian — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 13:42:26 -0600

I think Hutch could really use a Bookstore such as B. Daltons or even Barnes & Noble although it would have to be a smaller one.

Clothing wise, this town does not carry much clothing for the bigger gal or guy or even the petite customers. We could use something like a Kohl's or Lane Bryant or Herbergers. Preferally Kohls or Laner BRyant.

Food wise - we are pretty full- up although it would be nice to have something stay open 24 hours for the night shift crowds or people out later at night. A Perkins would be nice, or an IHOP...

I sadly have to agree with

arcy — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:12:25 -0600

I sadly have to agree with just1opinion. Since we moved to town I am SHOCKED at how quickly Hutchinson's residences hop to the next bigger town over to shop/eat. This issue is what I think is our biggest problem attracting quality shops and eateries. With the draw the clinic can manage I think retail could too, if we would spend our money in town. We go to the cities two three times a year at the most. Many make it a weekly jaunt. If you truely want to attract retail we have to prove we will spend our money HERE.

New Ulm still has a

flowerladytoo — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:09:52 -0600

New Ulm still has a Herbergers in the Marketplace mall, downtown.