FREE - TAKE ONE THE REGULAR JOE FREE - TAKE ONE Dear Joe, After 15 years of working at Lanham Music, I am excited to announce that Try Something New, St. Joe! Paul and Spank Dear Joe, as of April 15th my wife and I will be purchasing the business from Jeff Jensen. hanging fence at Magoon’s I plan to keep many things the same, but there will be some notable changes. Helen Davis School (we serve students with significant disabilities) Par- First, our store hours will now be 10-8, Monday through Thursday, 10-6 on Jay Kerner corporate-owned chains just lets guys in New ent Support Group met last week and as a result of our discussion and some Fridays and 9-5 on Saturdays. That extra hour on Fridays should allow many of Publisher/Local Diner Jersey trade in their Rolls a year earlier. amazing community members stepping up to the plate, Hy-Vee will be getting our local musicians time after they get off work to come in for those last minute I frequent a lot of smoky places for the ‘Caroline’s Cart’ sometime in mid-April. ‘Caroline’s Cart’ is an adaptive cart items before their Friday night gigs. I’ve been thinking a lot about my smoking friends lately. paper but luckilly it doesn’t bother me too for individuals with special needs (see the link below). At our meeting, parents Our repair department will now The recently passed public smoking ban is going to jack-up a lot of their much. Both my parents smoked and I guess discussed the challenges of grocery shopping with their children (specifically be headed up by Mike Fuson. For those worlds when it goes into effect in June. I just grew up around it. The Queen, on the those with physical disabilities who use wheelchairs or those who struggle unfamiliar with Mike, he is a highly skilled It’s been a few weeks now and there are still a lot of hard feelings all other hand, is extra sensitive to it. That’s walking long distances). These are children & adolescents who are no longer repairman and musician. He is the vice around. I get it. always been her excuse for not going to events safe using the typical grocery cart because they are over the size limit. Mr. Ken- president of the St Joseph Music Founda- Nothing gets my back up like people messing in my personal business. at smokey venues. She and a bunch of others ton Randolph (owner of Randolph Seating & Mobility) happened to be one of tion and heavily involved in the St Joe mu- I feel for the business owners affected too. Forgive my skepticism when like her are going to have to come up with a our guest speakers and when he heard the plight of these parents, he wanted to sic scene. The addition of Mike will boost “the man” tells me his new rules for my property are for my own good. new excuse. step up to assist. The very next day he contacted Hy-Vee Store manager, Brad the average turnaround time on repairs and But all that being said, I’m glad it passed. Mainly so we can move on and How the new public smoking ban affects McAnally, and together they decided to purchase the cart (each are funding half also allow our installer much needed time get past it. The pro ban folks were never going to stop and this battle could local business will be up to all of us. We’ll be of the cost). We are so thankful for their generosity & support—It’s so awesome to focus on sound contracting. have just gone on and on. trying some new places after June 7th. We hope you’ll join us. that Helen Davis parents voices were heard from someone in the community Bill Hoffman, Andy Thompson and Oh sure, I know there will be changes in the coming years. The rules will & these folks are stepping up to make a real difference!! This is going to be a I will be the familiar faces continuing to probably get tweaked some here and there, whether by council or another vote great asset in the community and we know it will benefit many individuals with work in the store. New employees will be of the people. disabilities (not just the students of Helen Davis). Brinnin Bolinger, Stephanie Gummelt, That’s’ another thing. I’ve heard a lot of comments about how, “the gov- Nichole Muehlbach and Mike Fuson. I am ernment is taking away our freedom” on this deal. Sorry folks, but the govern- excited by the skills that these four will ment had nothing to do with this one. The previous council was asked to vote bring to the business. We do have a lot of on the issue and refused. Your friends and neighbors are the ones that made this new and exciting ideas in the works for our happen at the polls. Contact The Regular Joe lessons program, a new website, and weekly But I say instead of wasting a lot of time and energy in anger and blame, specials to be watching for in the next few lets make this development the positive thing it can be. 816-617-5850 months. First, for my smoking friends, it will be interesting to see which local [email protected] Thank you to all of you who support businesses best cater to that segment of their customer base. It’s interesting to Lanham Music. I appreciate your loyalty note how a place like Foster’s, that has always been smoke-free, still can cater P.O. Box 1304 St. Joseph, Mo. 64502 and look forward to continuing to serve our to theirs smoking customers on their patio. Maybe it’s a “best of both worlds” local musicians for many more years. kind of a deal. Non-smoking inside, but a comfortable well-appointed area Read us online outside where your customers can enjoy themselves without feeling like second Aaron Old class citizens. www.theregularjoepaper.com Legends at the Belt Sports Complex is already well set up to handle the change. Their back deck has long been one of our favorite spots and should be even more so now. Norty’s went smoke-free recently after a major investment in their multi- level deck. The First Ward has some of the largest outdoor covered seating in town. Magoon’s Deli has long been a regular stop for us, and owner, Barry Wood- hull is getting ready for the change. A new side door went in earlier this spring, and the new space outside of it is taking shape as we speak. We applaud all the local places that are working to create outdoor options for our smoking friends. But we’ve got another idea we’d like to suggest to give a boost to our local businesses affected by the change. We’re calling it “Try Someplace New St. Joe!” It’s simple. Go someplace you don’t normally frequent. Even better if it’s a place you’ve never been before. Eat. Drink. Ask for the owner and tell them you’re a new customer. Then, if you’re willing, send us a selfie. We’ll put it on our facebook page. Our goal: to positively impact local businesses whether they were for or against the ban. Of course we’re talking locally owned and operated places. Going to A Decade in the Uptown District Local Restaurant and Bar News Jay Kerner Builder Tim Minson shared that infrastructure work is scheduled to start Vennis A. Vennable and BBQ. Jerry Forney will be serving up the music while Wilbur mans the in August. He also seemed quite excited about the first of the Row Houses to be smoker. Get the ribs and feel free to lick your fingers. Shortly after the Queen and I purchased our place in the Cathedral Hill built on the lot adjacent to the Scottish Rite Bldg on Robidoux. With a Chicago It’s your old pal, Uncle V here, with another scintillating episode of Last, but not least, Ground Round has brought back one of the best Neighborhood, we found out we were also now within the boundaries of the Brownstone look and feel, it will have seven units on two levels. “Restaurant-Go-Round”, where we take a gander at the comings and goings in promotions they ever had, if you ask me. It’s their Penny-A-Pound deal. Every new Uptown Redevelopment District. He spoke of a recent agreement with KCP&L to move the overhead lines your various locally owned establishments. Tuesday kids 12 + under eat for what they weigh. They get a kids meal for a A comprehensive plan than included the removal of the empty downtown to an alley behind the properties, freeing up the sightlines for the project. First, it’s a sad adios to our friends from the Tap Room. Mrs. V will penny a pound with an adult entree___. The Vennable brood would have never hospital campus, new infill housing, and the revitalization of the surround- Minson’s opinion is that “with the new construction along with the infra- dearly miss the French Canadian Burger with the maple syrup, served between seen the other side of a drive-up window without this deal, during their mal- ing blocks, we were excited to get involved and learn more. (I attend as many structure changes, Robidoux will become one of the signature streets in town.” French toast, but I won’t miss the hosing her down at the carwash afterward.