Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Sluggish economy noticeable in small towns!

River Run Park, Forsyth MO
Forsyth MO. – As the country continue to grind along at a snails pace, the effects are beginning to be plainly seen even in the small town of Forsyth Missouri where I currently reside. Most notable was the relatively bare parks near where I live. Both Shadowrock and River Run are normally pretty full by this time of year, but as you can see that were rather empty in the mid week shot. I also noticed
Prime Time, Forsyth MO
that area restaurants seemed to be less busy than I remember them being last year, but that could be my imagination. What isn't my imagination, was the report in the local newspaper that tax receipts were down quite a bit for the month compared to years past. Fuel costs, (due in part to the problems in the Middle East) were also on the rise and could spike past the $6 a gallon mark if things go really sideways internationally.

So, things have been very quite early this summer of 2014. I haven't heard even one firecracker go off in my subdivision, and that concerns me more than anything else!

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Taney County Fair opens June 24!

This is the most recent aerial  view I have. The Park is actually a lot nicer now!

Don't forget! The Taney County Fair opens Tuesday,June 24, located at the beautiful Shoals Bend Park near Forsyth MO. The park is located just behind some a storage enterprise at the intersection of Hwy 76 and Corner Stone Dr.

Admission to the lovely grounds is FREE this year, although there will be a $5 charge for arena events and rides... Well, you can purchase an armband, and then the rides will be free also!

I stopped by this location to see what was what - and as you can see very little was happening on Sunday, June the 22nd! I'm sure, however that this will change drastically over the next day or so as the Fair is only about 60 hours off.

Update: Tuesday, June 24 - I tried to get in close to see what rides were available when the Taney Fair kicks off, but there was a barrier, so I couldn't get very close. Here a a couple of pictures of what I could see.... Some of the rides are visible in the distance. It looks like it will be a lot of fun!

Saturday, June 21, 2014

The Taney County Fair is coming!


Everyone get set for the arrival of the Taney County Fair, due to arrive on Tuesday, June 24th and run through Saturday, June 28th!

This year is their 75th Anniversary, and the entrance fee will be free while Arena Events will cost $5 per. Free to rides to those who elect to purchase arm bands at select local stores in advance for $15 or $20 at the gate. Booklets are also currently available for free at selection area locations.

There remains some confusion as to the 4H event location, as one person told me it would be held at Shadowrock due to the lack of animal pens and water facilities at the Shoals Bend Park! But, even a cursory inspection of the facility at SR reveals there are no pens there anymore!So, who knows. I will guess that everything will be held ad Shoals Bend and that's a bit sad as I personally do not like the venue.

You can visit their site on Face Book at https://www.facebook.com/TaneyCountyFair!

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Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Is Charlie's Steak Ribs & Ale an upscale restaurant?

Asking whether Charlie's Steak Ribs and Ale, located in Forsyth Missouri is upscale depends on what you mean by that term 'upscale'. To me, a truly upscale eatery, must meet a few basics in order to qualify:

Fast service

When eating at Charlie's, I've rarely had to wait for great service. On a recent visit there for breakfast, I had the pleasure of  being served by a young lady named Lisa. She came to my table in a blur of motion - got me a cup of coffee and took my order, all in Wonder Woman style! That's the kind of service I appreciate - consistent and professional!

Great food

As you can see, The Works Platter, I ordered, looks pretty darn good! The eggs were done to perfection as was the bacon and hash browns! The taste was excellent in point of fact, and after eating at this venue for many years, I've always appreciated the consistency of how well the food is prepared and presented!



Competitive pricing

The Works meal was being offered at just $5.49 (at the time of this post). In my book, that a great deal and I know (after frequently checking other local venues) that the owner is consistently at or under the cost of similar meals offered at other nearby venues! In this economy, that's a good thing!

So, that's the word! Consistent! A term that is applicable in describing; the service, the menu and the costs, are what make for an upscale restaurant in my book!  Please consider stopping there for your next breakfast lunch or dinner! Charlie's can be reached at (417) 546-2011.


Friday, June 13, 2014

River Run quiet in Mid June 2014!


A short run taken through River Run Park near Forsyth Missouri showed just a few slots taken by campers on what promises to be a quiet weekend in mid June. Lake levels are up a bit at 662.63 feet making boat ramp access a breeze!

Everything is very green due to the recent rains with lots of clean air and low pollen counts to help make an outing enjoyable at this time!

Monday, June 9, 2014

Marketing keys for success!


 A few random thoughts about the value of advertizing in a competitive marketplace.

In order to survive in a highly competitive market, a small business needs to use most every trick in the trade in order to survive. No where is this more true than in the restaurant industry where eatery's can be stacked check to jowl even in small towns, such as I find myself in. Forsyth Missouri has a population of something like 1300. It's small by most small town standards and is basically laid out on one highway – Hwy160. From one end to the other, is not much above 4 miles and most of the ten eateries are all situated along about a one mile distance.

Of course, all these venues stay competitive price-wise within the framework of like establishments. The two fast food joints watch each other price points as does the two meat houses, two American, two Asian and two specialty houses. Each sub group offers up a unique eating experience to be sure, but the shear numbers (10 establishments) crammed so close together mean that garnering the money from a particular diners pocket will be challenging!

What sets each establishment apart and either make the more or less attractive, in my mind, is as follows:
  1. Good signage – are they easy to spot from the road!
  2. Cleanliness – are there any rumors of disease?
  3. Ambiance – how the venue makes you feel when you enter!
  4. Service – are they fast to get and create your order?
  5. Parking – can you find a spot during typical rush times?
  6. Menu – does the venue offer a wide choice of food?
  7. Prices – is the place affordable?
  8. Longevity – Has the venue been around for some time?
  9. Amenities – does the venue have something extra like a bar, specials, wifi or a drive thru?
  10. Advertising – What media channels does the venue employ to garner business?
This last item in the list is, to my mind, one of the most important and yet most often abused of anything else on the list! Some establishment do everything right with the exception that the advertising of their presence really sucks! The five channels that are realistically available to them (TV is not for most) would typically include:
  1. Word of mouth – Getting people to talk about an establishment is very effective!
  2. Radio – Expensive, but also effective over the long haul!
  3. Local newspaper – Helps to announce, maintain interest, promote specials, etc.
  4. Flyers – Time consuming and marginal in overall effectiveness.
  5. The Internet (web pages, Facebook, Blogs, etc.) - Can make or break a venue, in my view.
Very few of the local establishments make use of all five outlets or exploit them to full advantage. To my mind, the one that comes closest is Fat Daddy's, followed closely behind by Charlie's and perhaps the Mug. All three are visible on the Internet and use Facebook extensively. What about Sonic and McDonald's? I don't really like to count national chains as they are in a whole different ballpark when compared to the small business owner – even when they are individually owned they typically have access to a very well run advertising machine!

Today's eating crowd is a whole lot more techno-savy than they were even just a few years prior. Even grandpa and grandma jump on the net, without nary a thought, when they want to check out a new or exiting eatery. In today's very fast paced and hi tech world, a well maintained Facebook, web page or blog can sell what you got for literally pennies a day! In additional, establishments that actively promote the collection of Email addresses have a ready made method of communication without resort to expensive snail mail! After all, one email blast to a thousand customers costs exactly zilch! 

Disclaimer: I'm sure there are many other aspects to helping a business succeed. The ones presented here were off the top of my aging head!

Saturday, June 7, 2014