KINGSLEY, Iowa - In a year of national economic uncertainty and cries to help Main Street, not Wall Street, the 2008 Kingsley business district bucked the trend and held steady.
Clarks Hardware Inc., previously owned by the Knowles family and then the Clark family and Ron Mathers for more than 100 years, transitioned to Clarks Hardware LLC, in January 2008 under new ownership.
"The doors were kept open during the transition in January, February, and March," says Kevin Schaeuble, one of the new owners, "and it went smoothly."
Mathers, former owner and manager who helped with the transition, explains that he had no family member to step in upon his retirement.
"I didn't want the town to lose the business," he says, "and fortunately we have new owners. Along with remodeling the building, they installed a point of sale computer system."
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Schaeuble says the remodeling included insulation, electronic ballasts for the lighting and a high efficiency heat pump.
The business continues to carry the Hardware Hank line of hardware, features electronically matched Valspar paints and has Maytag, Amana and Jenn-Air appliances. New to the product line are Toshiba television sets and Whirlpool appliances. As a service to the town, Clarks is also a drop-off point for UPS and, because of Evertek upgrades, soon will be a dealer for I Wireless cell phones.
"Because Clarks Hardware LLC is interested in service," Mathers adds, "the business has two service technicians. The town should feel very fortunate that new owners stepped forward as Kingsley would have been lost without a hardware store."
"Business has been doing well," Schaeuble notes. "Appliance sales have been very good, and we have some customers who also choose to repair their appliances rather than buy new. Our January 2009 was equal to the first three months of 2008 during the remodeling. That's because the town and surrounding communities realize our prices are very competitive to the big box stores and we have the edge with our personal service."
"Businesses feed off one another," continues Schaeuble. "When a person comes to town to the doctor or dentist, he or she also will often come to the hardware store or another store. When a business leaves Main Street, it hurts the whole town. We wanted to keep business in town."
A new business in Kingsley's downtown is the town's second funeral home, the Rohde Funeral Home, in addition to the Johnson-Earnest Funeral Home. Opened in March of 2008, the Rohde Funeral home is owned by Al and Marilyn Siecke, with 45 years of mortuary experience, and their daughter, Tami Rohde.
The town's newest business is the Clear Water Bay car wash on First Street, one of two Clear Water Bays owned by Tom Haverkamp of Remsen, Iowa. After purchasing the Kingsley car wash, he began remodeling it about 18 months ago. He then added the touchless automatic bay which opened the first of February.
Haverkamp says, "Business has been real good, picking up quite a bit since I made improvements. Now with the touchless bay, I anticipate business will probably double."
Another business vital to the agricultural community is the Farmers Co-operative Elevator which posted an exceptional year.
"From our standpoint, 2008 was the best year on record for the coop with record results," said manager Chris Pedersen. "We had the highest sales in dollars and volume and our highest earnings; just almost everything we did was record numbers.
"Much of that is explained by last summer's exceptional prices for commodities - corn at $7 and beans up to $15 per bushel. We also had a near perfect growing season right here with virtually no stress and took in a huge amount of grain in the fall."
"In 2006 and 2007, the elevator undertook building projects putting us in position for a year like 2008. In six years, we have increased our dollar volume sales by 450 percent," Pedersen concluded.
The same record year was true for Titan Machinery, formerly Vern Anderson Inc., said store manager Doug Vondrak. "It was probably the best year that the store has ever had, based on the ag economy. We like to think it's partly our credit that we have quality service, good young men who are well trained in the latest technology and know our product, but 2008, it was the economy."
"We have expanded in the parts department," Vondrak continued; "our goal is to have an adequate inventory, and with the growth of auto guidance, we see products that can increase productivity for our farmers.
"Our business helps not only area farmers but also the community as monies on everyday expenses are spent locally. Titan is very community oriented. The year 2009 won't be a 2008, but it will be comparable to past years."
Kingsley Titan Machinery is one of 63 locations with the main office in Fargo, N.D. It carries New Holland construction, New Holland AG, Case IH AG, and Case construction equipment.
On the housing front, construction continues strong. Home construction in Kingsley has averaged 10 new homes for eight of the last 12 years, reports city clerk Vicki Sitzmann. This has happened in spite of the national two-year slump that saw the building of single-family homes fall to its lowest pace in 17 years.
Local contractor Michael Pratt who has remodels, additions and garages lined up for this spring and summer, says, "Business is looking good."
In the Brookview Addition, developed by Kevin Kuchel, all lots have been sold. In the Hillview Addition, begun in 2002 and developed by Dennis Beelner, Gene Collins and Dave Krieg, 20 single family homes and two duplexes are in the planning stage or have been built. Six years after initial work, the developers are at the point they anticipated being at in 10 years. A third street, Iowa Street, was added in 2008 for development.
The year 2009 continues to hold promise for Kingsley. Plans are being drawn up for a new 60- by 100-foot city maintenance building to be erected this summer and paid for with local option sales tax money for infrastructure. The new building will replace the current 60-year plus building.
"These things are what makes our community the envy of many area small towns," said Kingsley Mayor Wayne Plendl. "We are very fortunate for this continued growth."
With its positive economic situation, Kingsley lives up to its quasquicentennial motto "Pride in the Past; Promise for the Future." The Plymouth County community will celebrate its 125th anniversary in June.
