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Residents offer solutions to filling empty storefronts
By Doug Carder, dcarder@miconews.com
From brew pubs to airport hubs, Louisburg residents served up some creative ideas Monday about how to boost the city’s sales and property tax bases to combat the blight of empty storefronts in the community.
“I would like to see someone buy the old Methodist Church at Amity and Mulberry and turn it into something like Llewelyn’s Pub at 151st and Metcalf with jazz, blues and big band music,” Sandy Bachman said.
Her husband, Bill, said he would like to see a restaurant that served breakfast and lunch buffets seven days a week.
The Bachmans said Louisburg also needs a place for visitors and U.S. Highway 69 travelers to stay, like a Best Western.
“If anyone is visiting me, they have to stay in Paola or Overland Park,” Sandy Bachman said.
Vicki Hites would like to see a movie theater make its premiere in Louisburg.
“If there were a Target and a movie theater, I would hardly ever need to even go to the city,” Hites said, “except to buy some clothes at some of our favorite clothing stores: Limited Too, Old Navy, Macy’s, Dillards, etc.”
Janet Houchen, rural Bucyrus, said she would like to see Louisburg generate more taxes by bringing a hotel or entertainment venue to town.
“I’d also like to have a Maurice’s clothing store,” Houchen said, “This is a nice retail clothes store I see a lot in smaller towns.”
Other iconic stores and restaurants that folks said they would like to see put down roots here are Office Max, Staples, Wal-Mart, Applebee’s, a Hallmark store, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Dairy Queen, Sherwin Williams paint store, HyVee and Sears.
An Applebee’s or similar restaurant where you can go in, and sit down and be served a nice meal would satisfy one of Louisburg’s culinary needs and stay open past 9 p.m., Hites said.
“We have so many open store spaces available in our strip malls, I hope that we can pull in some businesses for Louisburg,” she said.
Mike Steck, rural Louisburg, said he would like to see a Jalapeno’s Mexican restaurant or a good barbecue place such as K&M BBQ in Spring Hill come to town.
And to work off those big meals, how about an aerobics studio?
“An aerobics studio with a variety of aerobics classes ,from step aerobics to pilates to yoga to kick boxing — something for all ages — and a water aerobics class at the Aquatic Center for adults would be nice also,” Sandy Bachman said.
Collyn Peterson said Louisburg needs to diversify its tax base to take pressure off property owners.
“Miami County, and especially Louisburg’s tax burden, falls on residences and small businesses,” Peterson said. “So the obvious answer is putting some variety into that mix.”
Peterson said light industrial businesses, such as assembly and fabrication, terminal trucking operations and commercial storage, would be a good fit for Louisburg. He said the city should also try to attract federal government facilities of all kinds.
“This would give our Congress person and Senators something to work on,” Peterson said.
The Louisburg resident also offered some other commerce ideas to send the city’s tax base soaring.
“I think we have to be prepared to make some sacrifices if we want significant facilities to locate here,” Peterson said. “Would a regional airport hub serving the KC metro or southern Johnson County area be feasible a few years down the line? An energy-producing facility using wind, solar or coal? Call centers for a multitude of enterprises often find themselves in areas like ours.”
Sandy Bachman also offered ideas on improving existing businesses’ locations.
“It would be nice if Casey’s could move into the gas station on Harvest (Drive) that has closed,” she said. “There would be more room for people to get in and out when filling up their gas tanks. The business next to the gas station that was once a liquor store could be a place for people to eat pizza, donuts, or drink coffee that they purchase at Casey’s.”
Bachman also said she would like to see more medical and dental offices here.
Peterson said city leaders will have to find a balance between the rural atmosphere many enjoy and attracting businesses that bolster the city’s tax base.
“Most of us like the bucolic or rural atmosphere we currently enjoy,” he said. “But then we continue to struggle with the same tax issues we have now. I have often heard it said that our county and city is not that friendly to large tax-producing venues because they want huge tax breaks that turn out to be self-defeating. But they do produce jobs, which create ripple effects throughout our area.”
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“I would like to see someone buy the old Methodist Church at Amity and Mulberry and turn it into something like Llewelyn’s Pub at 151st and Metcalf with jazz, blues and big band music,” Sandy Bachman said.
Her husband, Bill, said he would like to see a restaurant that served breakfast and lunch buffets seven days a week.
The Bachmans said Louisburg also needs a place for visitors and U.S. Highway 69 travelers to stay, like a Best Western.
“If anyone is visiting me, they have to stay in Paola or Overland Park,” Sandy Bachman said.
Vicki Hites would like to see a movie theater make its premiere in Louisburg.
“If there were a Target and a movie theater, I would hardly ever need to even go to the city,” Hites said, “except to buy some clothes at some of our favorite clothing stores: Limited Too, Old Navy, Macy’s, Dillards, etc.”
Janet Houchen, rural Bucyrus, said she would like to see Louisburg generate more taxes by bringing a hotel or entertainment venue to town.
“I’d also like to have a Maurice’s clothing store,” Houchen said, “This is a nice retail clothes store I see a lot in smaller towns.”
Other iconic stores and restaurants that folks said they would like to see put down roots here are Office Max, Staples, Wal-Mart, Applebee’s, a Hallmark store, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Dairy Queen, Sherwin Williams paint store, HyVee and Sears.
An Applebee’s or similar restaurant where you can go in, and sit down and be served a nice meal would satisfy one of Louisburg’s culinary needs and stay open past 9 p.m., Hites said.
“We have so many open store spaces available in our strip malls, I hope that we can pull in some businesses for Louisburg,” she said.
Mike Steck, rural Louisburg, said he would like to see a Jalapeno’s Mexican restaurant or a good barbecue place such as K&M BBQ in Spring Hill come to town.
And to work off those big meals, how about an aerobics studio?
“An aerobics studio with a variety of aerobics classes ,from step aerobics to pilates to yoga to kick boxing — something for all ages — and a water aerobics class at the Aquatic Center for adults would be nice also,” Sandy Bachman said.
Collyn Peterson said Louisburg needs to diversify its tax base to take pressure off property owners.
“Miami County, and especially Louisburg’s tax burden, falls on residences and small businesses,” Peterson said. “So the obvious answer is putting some variety into that mix.”
Peterson said light industrial businesses, such as assembly and fabrication, terminal trucking operations and commercial storage, would be a good fit for Louisburg. He said the city should also try to attract federal government facilities of all kinds.
“This would give our Congress person and Senators something to work on,” Peterson said.
The Louisburg resident also offered some other commerce ideas to send the city’s tax base soaring.
“I think we have to be prepared to make some sacrifices if we want significant facilities to locate here,” Peterson said. “Would a regional airport hub serving the KC metro or southern Johnson County area be feasible a few years down the line? An energy-producing facility using wind, solar or coal? Call centers for a multitude of enterprises often find themselves in areas like ours.”
Sandy Bachman also offered ideas on improving existing businesses’ locations.
“It would be nice if Casey’s could move into the gas station on Harvest (Drive) that has closed,” she said. “There would be more room for people to get in and out when filling up their gas tanks. The business next to the gas station that was once a liquor store could be a place for people to eat pizza, donuts, or drink coffee that they purchase at Casey’s.”
Bachman also said she would like to see more medical and dental offices here.
Peterson said city leaders will have to find a balance between the rural atmosphere many enjoy and attracting businesses that bolster the city’s tax base.
“Most of us like the bucolic or rural atmosphere we currently enjoy,” he said. “But then we continue to struggle with the same tax issues we have now. I have often heard it said that our county and city is not that friendly to large tax-producing venues because they want huge tax breaks that turn out to be self-defeating. But they do produce jobs, which create ripple effects throughout our area.”