Holton becomes Kansas Main Street city

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By Peggy Mooney
Metro News

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     Holton was recently designated as a Kansas Main Street city.
     Roger Hower, Holton Main Street Board of Directors president, said the designation as a Main Street city is good economic news for Holton’s downtown.
     "We are very excited about our recent designation as a Main Street city," he said. "We want to thank those who assisted with this project and the entire community for a job well done."
     Hower said that Holton currently has a "fairly vibrant and strong downtown,’ but the designation as a Main Street city will help to increase business and perhaps fill the few empty buildings and storefronts that are there.
     Even though Holton’s downtown is "fairly vibrant," Hower says that more retail businesses are needed.
     Bottom-line, Hower says that Holton’s business leaders and community folks hope that the Kansas Main Street designation helps to "increase retail activity."
     "And, to do that, we need to continue to rehab our buildings," he said. "And we hope to extend opportunities for our second levels in our downtown buildings, making opportunities for residential living. Some of the second level windows are now boarded up."
     Hower says that many of buildings in downtown Holton also need updated and improved facades.
     "Those improvements will help bring more business downtown," he said.
     Hower says that the Kansas Main Street program is a self-help program that uses funding from both public and private partnerships.
     "Main Street is not a hand-out program," he said. "’Ķit’s designed to be a self-help program where there is local buy-in from diverse aspects of the community. Investments came from our Highway 75 corridor businesses as well. In fact, some of the Highway 75 business owners are on our board of directors. They feel strongly that a vibrate downtown will increase traffic to their stores.
     "It is typically a three-way spread. Our money comes from the county, the city and one-third from private donations."
     Hower said that within the last two months, the community has raised close to $49,000, with $30,000 of the monies coming from private donations.
     "The local people and businesses have really stepped up," he said. "We refer to it as an investment in our community."
     Hower says that becoming a Kansas Main Street city was a diverse team effort.
     "Garry Bowles from North Carolina, who had only set foot in our town three times while looking for a home to buy, bought into the Main Street program right away," he said. "He (Bowles) fell in love with our historic downtown and wants to help preserve it. So you can see, it is a diverse effort to become a Main Street community."
     Hower says that the Kansas Main Street program is affiliated with the National Main Street Center, a division of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
     While there are no federal funds provided directly to Main Street communities, designated cities are eligible for the state-funded Incentives Without Walls program.
     According to Hower, the intent of the Incentives Without Walls program is to create, or stimulate, private investment in designated Kansas Main Street downtown areas.
     "Holton will be eligible for Incentives Without Walls program," he said.
     Hower says that the next step for Holton as a Main Street city, is to hire a director to oversee and head the program.
     Becoming a Kansas Main Street city was not a new idea for Holton and its business leaders. Hower says that Holton officials checked into becoming a Main Street city in the 1980s, but did not feel they were ready.
     "We checked into it again in 2007 and 2008," he said. "Then, in March (2008) we had the momentum and went for it. Not everyone was in favor, but those who were not are now on board."
     Hower says that Holton is lucky to be named one of the designated cities. Only two Kansas cities were named this year. Philipsburg was the other designated Kansas Main Street city.
     According to Hower, the Main Street four-point approach program is a proven methodology used to revitalize traditional commercial downtown districts. It has worked many times.
     Developed by the National Main Street Center of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Main Street is based on a comprehensive strategy of work, tailored to meet local needs and opportunities.
     Local staff and volunteers work to implement projects in four key areas:
    

Organization - building consensus and cooperation among public and private groups and identifying sources of funding for revitalization activities.
    

Design ’Äì enhancing the district’s physical appearance through building rehabilitation, compatible new construction, public improvements and design management systems.
    

Promotion ’Äì marketing the commercial district through events, and advertising to attract customers, potential investors, new businesses, residents and visitors.
    

Economic restructuring ’Äì strengthening the district’s economic base and creating new opportunities through careful analysis and appropriate mixed-use development.
     Established in 1980, the National Main Street Center of the National Trust for Historic Preservation is the nation’s largest full-service commercial district revitalization organization.
     A non-profit organization, the Center provides information, offers technical assistance, sponsors conferences and workshops, and conducts research and lobbying on critical revitalization issues.
    

     El Gringo: A Topeka icon

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By Peggy Mooney
Metro News

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     Topekan Joe Knernschield has been cooking for more than 30 years. His wife, Mary, has been cooking just about as long.
     Even though he is German, Joe Knernschield can be found in the kitchen at El Gringo, a Mexican restaurant at SE 29th and Croco Road in the Thunderbird Square shopping center, preparing Mexican dishes.
     A husband and wife team, Joe and Mary Knernschield have owned and operated restaurants in Topeka since 1978. Most of their restaurants have served Mexican foods.
     The Knernschield’s are well known in the Topeka area for their El Gringo restaurants. The couple opened their first El Gringo at 2025 SE California in 1978. They later sold the building to Rosa’s Mexican Restaurant, which is now closed.
     Knernschield said that for awhile he and his wife operated five restaurants ’Äì all at one time with 40 employees. Three of those were El Gringo Mexican restaurants with one in North Topeka, downtown Topeka and the original restaurant at the SE California location.
     Now, however, the couple owns and operates just the one El Gringo in Thunderbird Square, with 12 full-and-part-time employees.
     When asked if he planned to expand, or open another El Gringo in town, Knernschield chuckled and shook his head.
     "Nope," he said. "But, I wouldn’t be opposed to someone else opening one."
     In fact, the Knernschield’s are contemplating retirement in the near future.
     "If someone would walk through the door and offer to buy the restaurant, we would consider it," Joe Knernschield said. Mary Knernschield nodded in agreement.
     Knernschield said that owning and operating restaurants is a challenging and interesting business. Sometimes, he said, it is hard to survive and make a profit.
     Over the years, the Knernschield’s have opened and closed restaurants for a variety of reasons. For example, the North Topeka restaurant had to close its doors in the 80s because the Sardou Avenue Bridge was shut down for construction. The restaurant suffered a loss and couldn’t survive.
     The couple closed other locations, but the restaurant business was in his blood, so he continued to open restaurants.
     One successful El Gringo location was at SW 10th and SW Oakley, but the couple sold that restaurant when Church’s Fried Chicken offered to buy that spot at a price they couldn’t turn down.
     After selling the property to Church’s Fried Chicken, and not being able to stay out of the restaurant business, the Knernschield’s bit the bullet again and opened Lil El Gringo at 623 SW 6th.
     Lil El Gringo closed in April of 2007 when the Knernschield’s decided to relocate to the new Thunderbird Square in southeast Topeka where they live just a mile from the restaurant. The new El Gringo opened last year on July 1.
     Knernschield said that the new location is a good one in an area that has not had many dining-out choices until now.
     But, with the good, comes the bad.
     Although the El Gringo is doing a fair amount of business, the construction and shutting down of Croco Road has played havoc on the business ’Äì with fewer customers walking through the doors.
     The Knernschield’s, however, are optimistic and know business will pick back up.
     "We’re doing good here and still have plenty of customers," Knernschield said. "But, we were doing better before the construction started and the road closed. The construction is suppose to be done in September, so we know it will pick up again."
     Knernschield says that the higher price of gasoline and food has not hurt the business as one would think it would. Instead, the couple agreed that it has worked just the opposite.
     "When gas is higher, people seem to eat closer to home," Mary Knernschield said. "So, in that sense it has actually helped us."
     Knernschield said he got into the restaurant business during the time his wife owned a children’s clothing store at White Lakes Mall.
     "The guy who serviced our cash register told me I ought to get into the restaurant business," he said. Then, with a laugh, he added, "He said it would be a lot of money and easy work. Well, he lied."
     When asked what changes they’ve had to make in operating a restaurant over the years, the couple says that they have not made any changes in the way they do business.
     "None," he said. "We just keep the same recipes and take care of customers."
     Mary Knernschield said although the cost of food is up, the restaurant’s prices continue to remain the same.
     "Even though we are having to pay more, my husband just drags his feet," she said, with a grin and a glance at her husband. "He does not like to raise prices."
     Knernschield offered some advice to folks who might be interested in opening a restaurant.
     "If you keep the place clean and serve good, healthy food, and take care of the customers and not gauge them on price, you’re gonna have business," he said.
     El Gringo is open from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday and Sunday; and from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
    
    
    

     Election office gearing up for primary election

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By Peggy Mooney
Metro News

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     Workers in the Shawnee County Election office are gearing up for the primary election that will be held on Aug. 5, as well as for the Nov. 4 general election.
     Shawnee County Election Commissioner Elizabeth Ensley, told The Topeka Metro News on Tuesday that Advance voting ballots were to be mailed on Wednesday.
     Ensley said that the deadline for registering to vote and for changing party affiliation will be on Monday, July 21. She added that advance voting in the election office begins on Tuesday, July 22.
     According to Ensley, Shawnee County voters who have previously voted by advance ballot may notice a change in the appearance of the ballots that are to be mailed.
     "The election office has been working with Design for Democracy to create ballots and voting materials that are easier to read," she said.
     Design for Democracy is a new division of the American Institute of Graphic Artists. The division was created after difficulties with ballot designs in the 2000 presidential election.
     On Wednesday, the election office will begin mailing approximately 2,100 advance ballots to voters who have already applied for them.
     Ensley says that the return postage is paid on Shawnee Countians advance voter ballots. The voters do not have to pay the postage, she said.
     Ensley also wants to remind voters that voter registration for the general election ends on Monday, July 21.
     Ensley says that in a presidential election year, that overall average voter turnout is approximately 37 percent. She said that there are 102,728 registered voters in Shawnee County.
     Ensley predicts a good voter turnout, in both the primary and the general election. She says that the Shawnee County District Attorney race will bring a lot of voters out.
     "The district attorney race is generating a lot of interest across the city," she said. "There are big billboards and lots of yard signs."
     Ensley added that the Shawnee County Commission races are also expected to lure voters to the polls.
     County offices in this year’s race are the District 2 and District 3 county commission seats, the county clerk position, the county treasurer position, the register of deeds position, the county sheriff’s position and the district attorney’s job.
     Lists of all of the candidates and districts involved in the Primary Election are available on the Election Office Web site at www.snco.us/elections. For more information, call the Election Office at (785) 266-0285.