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Phil Ruffin is preparing to expand his Harper Trucks in a big way once again. The Wichita-based company is the largest hand truck (a two-wheeled dolly) manufacturer in the world.
In 2008, Ruffin bought California-based Angelus Manufacturing , which gave him a West Coast presence and meant the company would be in Costco and Sears stores there. The acquisition gave Harper quite a few accounts it hadn't had previously.
Now, Ruffin has done a deal to be in another "major retailer."
He's not revealing that retailer yet — look for details in March — but he says it's a huge deal.
Ruffin this week filed a building permit for $310,000 to expand his more than 400,000-square-foot building at 1522 S. Florence.
"We needed the additional space to accommodate that new business that's coming on," he says.
Ruffin will also hire an additional 20 to 25 employees in March to make the hand trucks.
Busy Braum's
Braum's is having an active month in Wichita.
The ice cream and grocery chain is closing one store, readying two other sites for future Braum's stores and has purchased property for a store at least a year or two down the road.
First, the Braum's on Central near West Street is closing after business Sunday.
"The store's been there for quite a while," says marketing director Terry Holden . "Twenty years roughly."
He said the new Braum's just west of 21st and Amidon is attracting some of the Central customers.
"Customers gravitate to the newer, better," Holden says.
The chain hopes to eventually open a new store somewhere near the one that's closing.
"That is certainly the plan," Holden says. "We don't have a prime spot picked out."
As Have You Heard? previously reported, Braum's also plans to open two new stores this year.
The first is on Seneca near First Street just north of QuikTrip . When it opens, the Braum's on Douglas just around the corner from there will close.
A new Braum's near Harry and Rock Road will follow.
And eventually, a Braum's will locate just north of the Residence Inn by Marriott at Plazzio at 13th and Greenwich.
Braum's closed on the purchase of land there Friday.
Leisa Lowry, a broker with J.P. Weigand & Sons , handled the deal.
The Braum's at Plazzio won't be built immediately.
"They felt like it's a spot where we eventually want to be," says Gordon Pulis , director of real estate for Braum's.
Scott Redler, co-owner of Freddy's Frozen Custard , which is also at Plazzio, doesn't mind Braum's one day opening there. He doesn't see it as competition.
"They're more like a store. They're more like a QuikTrip operation," Redler says. "We're OK with that."
Daily dose of fiber
Fiber artist Rebecca Simpson is opening a new retail shop in the former Beadazzled space next to Caffe Moderne in Old Town Square .
Reb Boutique, which will open in late February, will have a variety of dyed fabrics such as silk, linens and cotton.
"I hand-dye everything," Simpson says. "I have all kinds of specialty pieces that I do."
That includes kimonos, handbags and "big, beautiful bedding."
"Just whatever my heart desires," Simpson says.
She's been working from a studio in her home and does a substantial amount of work out of state, including designs such as opera coats for Kristin's in Santa Fe, N.M.
Simpson likes Old Town for a number of reasons.
"I'm an artist first and foremost," she says. "This area... has a lot of great artists already here.
"I just felt like I fit in better here than anyplace else."
May I take your order?
The much-anticipated Five Guys Burgers and Fries now has a firm opening date.
The restaurant, which will be in the retail center in front of Lowe's near 29th North and Maize Road, will open Feb. 15.
The restaurant will begin hiring from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday at the Courtyard by Marriott in Old Town .
Franchisee Jeff Miller says he plans on hiring 40 to 50 people. Starting wages are $7.75, but employees have an opportunity for potentially substantial weekly bonuses.
Five Guys hires a third party to visit its restaurants twice weekly. Employees working that shift have an opportunity to share about $1,300 a week if they perform well.
In the fourth quarter of last year, Five Guys paid almost $3.5 million in bonuses to its hourly workers at 500 restaurants.
"That's a lot of money," Miller says.
He's now negotiating for space on the east side as well.
"We would love to have a store open by Aug. 1, and if we can beat that date, we're definitely going to try."
You don't say
"It wasn't about, 'I'm a movie star.' It's about I'm a part of this heritage and what it means to them to just be involved in aviation."
—Greteman Group's Ashley Bowen Cook on attending the Living Legends of Aviation event (agency client Bombardier Learjet was the presenting sponsor) last week in California with actors and aviation buffs such as Kurt Russell , Tom Cruise , Morgan Freeman and John Travolta
