Business > Columnists > Carrie Rengers

Posted on Sat, Oct. 17, 2009

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Fines in two of the charges in Tatro case

Neither Craig Tatro nor his attorney are talking, but there's been some action in the misdemeanor charges filed against him.

Tatro, a former owner in CA's Men's Fine Grooming —previously known as Craig Allen's Men's Fine Grooming — at the Waterfront was charged with two counts of unlawful use of a financial card and two counts of temporary deprivation of property. The charges stem from the alleged use of a customer's credit card at a nearby store.

According to municipal court records, here's what has happened so far:

Two counts of temporary criminal deprivation of property were dismissed.

In one charge of unlawful use of a financial card, Tatro entered a no-contest plea. Judge Jennifer Lind-Spahn found Tatro guilty and assessed a $100 fine and $85 in court costs. The case is scheduled for review Nov. 11, but it's unclear why.

The other charge of use of a financial card without consent was amended to temporary criminal deprivation. The judge found Tatro guilty and assessed another $185 in fines and court costs. This case also is set for review Nov. 11.

We'll let you know what happens then.

Moving forward

CA's owner Erik Leschuk has opened the new CA's in Leawood, a project where Tatro had been the point person until his resignation from the company this summer.

Tatro and Leschuk founded their Waterfront store in late 2004 and immediately started making expansion plans.

The new store has been open for three weeks at Park Place near the Sprint campus.

"We're looking to have ... 500 to 600 members in Kansas City in the next year or two," Leschuk says.

He says there are almost 50 members now along with great walk-in traffic.

"The location is just perfect for walk-ins," Leschuk says of all the nearby businesses.

In Wichita, membership stands at 410, with about 60 percent of the business being walk-ins.

"The model is membership-based, of course," Leschuk says.

He'd hoped to have 500 members in Wichita by now. But in such a trying economy, Leschuk says just holding steady is something.

"So we feel like we're winning."

You don't say

"In downtown Chattanooga, we have a lot of missing teeth."

—Cullon Hooks , retail director for RiverCity Co. (that city's equivalent of the Wichita Downtown Development Corp. ), speaking about the vacant commercial property scattered around the city's redeveloping downtown

Got a hot tip or quirky story? Call Carrie Rengers at 316-268-6340 or e-mail crengers@wichitaeagle.com.