Wichita Eagle: Carrie Rengers

Women like customer service at Scholfield Honda

Carrie Rengers — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:11 CST

You might call Roger Scholfield a ladies’ man, though perhaps not in the traditional sense.

His Scholfield Honda has been recognized a couple of times recently for offering great customer service to women.

On Wednesday, Forbes wrote about a survey that WomenCertified conducted last fall for Dealer Magazine, which Scholfield calls one of the two biggest industry magazines for automobile dealers. Of about 175 dealerships that responded, Scholfield Honda was one of 33 that WomenCertified chose to feature.

Downtown site for Computer Troubleshooters

Carrie Rengers — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:59 CST

Sarah and Alex Nivison are expanding their Computer Troubleshooters with a second, more centralized location.

The couple have been working out of their Rose Hill home since getting the franchise a year ago.

Now, they’re opening a second site in the Historic Occidental Plaza at 300 N. Main in downtown Wichita.

Wheelhouse Sports to open in Park City

Carrie Rengers — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:55 CST

The Balls-n-Strikes franchise opening in Derby isn’t going to be the only new indoor baseball and softball practice facility in the area.

Jon and Dawn Stiglitz are opening Wheelhouse Sports in 10,000 square feet at 6650 N. Broadway in Park City.

The two have a trophy and award engraving business, Innovative Laser Imaging, that they’ve been running out of their basement. They decided a home-based business wasn’t working as well as they wanted, so they’re going to incorporate that into Wheelhouse as well.

Dondlingers expand hardware business

Carrie Rengers — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:07 CST

The Dondlinger family may best be known for its construction company, but now it’s expanding its hardware store business, too.

Dondlinger and Sons Construction is opening two Williams Ace Hardware stores in coming months.

The first will have a March 30 grand opening, with a soft opening about a week before, in the former White’s Foodliner building in Goddard.

Arizona firm to produce Kansas visitors guide

Carrie Rengers — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 07:40 CST

The state tourism department has a new contract for the 2013 Kansas Official Visitors Guide, but it’s not with a Kansas company.

“I’m certainly not very happy with how everything went down with the RFP,” says Jeff Peterson, president of Topeka-based Peterson Publications.

Kansas companies used to produce and sell advertising for the guides until several years ago when Iowa-based Midwest Living took it over.

Planet Fitness plans 3 Wichita locations

Carrie Rengers — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:02 CST

Gold’s Gym International isn’t the only new fitness chain coming to Wichita ( Have You Heard? Jan. 12).

Planet Fitness is finalizing deals for three locations as well.

In fact, the two chains have been jockeying for some of the same spaces.

Two golf pros to open GolfTEC franchise

Carrie Rengers — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:13 CST

A big start

The new Artist Central on East Central between Oliver and Edgemoor is already expanding.

Clifton Square owner Jo Zakas and a group of other artists opened the space late last year to create, show and sell art.

Pita Pit to return to Rock Road

Carrie Rengers — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:07 CST

Pita Pit is returning to Wichita under new ownership.

“This is kind of a mid-life crisis for me,” says Cammy Onek, an El Dorado resident who has been in education and coaching for years.

She and her husband, Chad, are opening a Pita Pit in the former Froz space in Occidental Management’s Northrock Retail Center at 3242 N. Rock Road. Another franchisee previously had a Pita Pit at 320 N. Rock Road.

You don’t say: Favorite quotes from 2011

Carrie Rengers — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 08:03 CST

The You don’t say quote of the day is one the most popular parts of Have You Heard?

So, here are some of the favorites from 2011:

• “Bruce and I go way back. As a matter of fact, I used to change his diapers, give him a bath and cut his hair. How’s that for a visual?”

Former manager bringing back Rock Island Cafe

Carrie Rengers — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 06:48 CST

A former Rock Island Cafe manager is bringing back the restaurant, this time on the east side.

“Just bringing back the Rock, that’s what I’ve been saying,” says Kirsten Teague.

The restaurant, which was open from 1985 until the mid-1990s, was next to Union Station in the former Rock Island Railroad baggage terminal. That’s the building that became home to the original Tanya’s Soup Kitchen.

Jimmy John’s to open on west side

Carrie Rengers — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:38 CST

At long last, the west side is getting its own Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches restaurant.

“We wish we had a location on the west open two years ago,” says franchisee Matt Brane.

He’s president of Bushwood Investments, a partnership of three Wichitans who own 29 Jimmy John’s restaurants in Kansas and Texas.

Son Eric Fahnestock resigns as president of Fahnestock Plumbing

Carrie Rengers — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 07:06 CST

Eric Fahnestock has resigned as president of Fahnestock Heating & Air Conditioning, which does business as Fahnestock Plumbing, HVAC & Electric.

Fahnestock has been in that position for six years and also has a minority interest in the company.

He’s not talking about the reason for his resignation, but it appears to be related to his efforts to purchase majority shares of the company from the estate of his late father, George Fahnestock.

Wichita could get two Marshalls stores

Carrie Rengers — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 07:45 CST

With any luck, by this time next year shoppers in east and west Wichita will have two new Marshalls stores to shop at.

It looks like the Massachusetts-based retailer is working on two possible deals here.

Parent company TJX Cos. owns Marshalls and sister store T.J. Maxx, which is in Eastgate Plaza at Kellogg and Rock Road and in the Westgate shopping center at Kellogg and Dugan.

City’s last full-service tearoom to close

Carrie Rengers — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 06:56 CST

Wichita’s only full-service tearoom is closing.

“I am the last one,” says Sherry Underwood, who is closing her Cup N Saucer on the west side.

“That’s really what makes it sad.”

Denver company to advise Terradyne owners on how to improve golf club

Carrie Rengers — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 07:56 CST

The group that owns Terradyne Country Club has a contract with Denver-based Hale Irwin Golf Services to assess what to do with the club.

Selling is one option. Taking the club to the next level is another.

“I think all the partners are interested in staying with Terradyne, but we need somebody … to help us become profitable,” says Terradyne managing partner Craig Smith. “We all love Terradyne, but writing a check every month isn’t fun.”

Volvo Rents buys Wichita’s R-Quip

Carrie Rengers — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 07:02 CST

Pennsylvania-based Volvo Rents, a division of Volvo Group, has purchased Wichita’s 9-year-old R-Quip Equipment Rental.

This is the second time Bob Richardson has sold an equipment rental company that caters to the construction industry.

His first, AAA Rent-All, he sold in 1997. The same brokerage company that approached him with that deal called again.

Sam’s Auto Mall to open east-side service center

Carrie Rengers — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:37 CST

It’s been a long wait, but Sam Taha is happy to report he’s preparing to open a new service center for his Sam’s Auto Mall, which recently opened at 8335 E. Kellogg.

“We are really eager to open it back up,” Taha says. “It’s vital.”

Taha used to have two locations. The one on West Kellogg just east of Maize Road closed in 2008 to make way for Indian Motorcycle. That’s where Taha had his service center.

Natural Grocers has link to Wichita

Carrie Rengers — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:08 CST

The new Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has a Wichita connection dating to the 1800s, but even co-president Kemper Isely wasn’t fully aware of it until the Colorado chain started preparing to open here.

The store opens the day before Thanksgiving in the former Borders Books space at 1715 N. Rock Road.

Isely’s parents, Philip and Margaret Isely, started the chain as a regional grocery in 1955. Philip Isely is a Montezuma, Kan., native. Kemper Isely knew that, but he didn’t realize his great-uncle William Henry Isely’s importance to Wichita State University.

Ross Dress for Less to open in west-side Circuit City space

Carrie Rengers — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:03 CST

Discount retailer Ross Dress For Less, which is similar to T.J.Maxx, is entering the Wichita market.

“I’m surprised it’s taken them this long … because this will be a good market for them,” says Doug Malone of J.P. Weigand & Sons.

Malone represented Bldg Management of New York City in the deal for about 25,000 square feet of the former Circuit City space next to Kohl’s in the Westgate shopping center on West Kellogg.

OverstockArt to sell reproductions from ‘Work of Art’

Carrie Rengers — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:04 CST

Wichita’s OverstockArt.com has struck a deal to sell reproductions of art from the Bravo reality show “ Work of Art: The Next Great Artist.”

“We love it for a number of reasons,” says OverstockArt CEO David Sasson.

“One, we believe there’s a terrific opportunity to sell this product.”