Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Small businesses find creative ways to survive

By B.C. Manion

The recession reveals itself in all sorts of ways.

In vacant storefronts.

In subdivisions with roads and streetlights and rows of weed-choked lots where the houses were supposed to go.

In “for sale” signs in front of houses. In “for rent” signs plastered on windows in deserted strip centers.

The effects of the housing bust and double-digit unemployment are undeniable, but businesses are being creative as they ride out the tough economy.

They are cutting operating costs, reducing inventory, retooling their business plan and paying close attention to be sure they offer goods or services that are relevant to today’s customers.

At John’s Butcher Shop, 101 First Ave. S.W. in Lutz, the owners make sure there’s plenty of less expensive cuts in the butcher case.

They want to be sure they can accommodate patrons who are living on tight budgets.

“A lot of people we know — that have been with companies, 20, 30 years, have lost their jobs,” said James Smith, who owns the shop along with Donny Duncan and Mike Lacy.

The trio can empathize. Their business has suffered because of the economy, and they’re doing all that they can to reduce their costs.

When they’re not at the shop, the lights and water heater goes off, and the thermostat on the air conditioner goes up a few degrees.

They’ve also eliminated the long-distance service on their landline. They can use their cellphones if they need to.

They’re also stocking less inventory than they used to, and they’re taking pay cuts — or no pay at all — when they have to.

“We’re just hanging in there,” Smith said.

Judy Riley, who runs “Judy’s Boutique & Consignment” at 38424 Fifth Ave. in downtown Zephyrhills, is using numerous survival tactics.

“I changed my hours,” Riley said. “I used to have what they call summer hours, 11-4, now I’m here 9:30 to 5,” she said. “If people come here at 5, I’m still open. If I’m here, I’m open. If I’m here doing outside work, I’m open.”

Rather than cutting inventory, she added items she hopes will help attract customers.

“We’re trying to get new things in here to get people to come in,” Riley said, noting she’s added greeting cards and expanded her selection of scented candles, belts, jewelry, hats, purses and other accessories to her boutique and consignment shop.

She’s also using creative marketing to get the word out about her shop.

“We started doing fashion shows in the mobile home parks and makeup shows in the mobile home parks,” said Riley, who gets some help from Joe Rocheleau, who plays master of ceremonies at the shows.

Riley loans out the clothing for the fashion shows, which brings the models in at least twice: once to select their outfits and a second time, to return them. Of course, she’s hoping that they’ll find an item or two they can’t resist, and that the shows will entice others from their mobile home parks to shop there, too.

The fashion shows are fun, said Riley, who hopes to offer more of them next year, when the winter residents return.

Rocheleau also helps reduce Riley reduce her expenses by taking on various odd jobs at the shop.

The economy has been tough, Riley said, but she added: “We’re trying everything we can.”

It seems that nearly every business is feeling some effect from the economy, even those who make awards for a living.

“Leagues used to spend $2,000. Now they’re spending $1,000 to $1,500,” said Lonnie Piper, co-owner of A-OK Trophies in Land O’ Lakes.

“They’re downsizing. They’re going to medals or cheaper trophies,” she said.

Piper took over the business that was previously operated by her late parents, Al and Ida Silver.

She said she tries to work with customers to find a solution in their price range, but she isn’t always able to make that happen.

“I’ve pulled the old records,” Piper said. Some customers coming in today want to order the same number or more trophies than they did in the past and they want to pay the same amount or less than they previously paid.

The math just doesn’t work out.

“We actually lost a league. We could not come down to the price he wanted,” Piper said.

The burst of the housing bubble caused some major retooling at Stone Saver, at 300 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road in Lutz.

When the company opened 10 years ago, it worked solely with builders. When the housing market was red hot, it expanded to open a retail operation, dealing directly with customers wanting custom floors and counters.

When the housing market crashed, though, the company had to regroup. It formed relationships with a stable of subcontractors to reinvent itself as a full-service remodeling company, said Sharon Cantrell, who co-owns Stone Saver with her stepfather, Jim Martin.

Customers used to come in wanting a new countertop or floor, she said. Now, they want walls moved.

“A lot of seniors are coming in. They’ve had their house for 25 or 30 years. It’s almost paid for, or is paid for, and they’re ready to finally enjoy it. They like to cook. They like to entertain,” Cantrell said. They want entirely new kitchens, she said.

“I’ve ripped out more pink counters than I can tell you,” Cantrell said.

The low volume of new construction has also forced Stone Saver to reduce its inventory.

When the housing market was booming, the company could order a slab or marble in just about any color and know that it would be able to quickly find a use for it, Cantrell said.

“We were doing models. We were doing design work for builders,” she explained, so finding a use for remnant pieces was never a problem.

That’s no longer the case, she said.

“Now, you’re losing,” Cantrell said. “You have dead stock sitting there.”

Like many companies, the economy forced Stone Saver to scale back its work force. At one point, it had six employees; now, it has three.

In the past, many customers were more concerned about getting precisely what they wanted, regardless of the cost, Cantrell said.

That’s changed.

Customers still have definite desires, but now they want to spend less to achieve them, said Chelsea Russell, the showroom manager.

The company tries to find a way to please the customer, while remaining within budget, Russell said.

“We’ll hold customers’ hands through the whole thing. We’ll go to their house and recommend colors.”

The key to surviving these tough times is to be flexible and customer-focused, Cantrell said.

“It’s really above and beyond customer service,” Cantrell said.

“Most people these days, that we find, are actually working 5-7 days a week, the husband and the wife.

“They have no problem saying, ‘We work until 5. We’ve got dinner. Can you come at 8?’

“So, we’re loading up cars (with samples), going, ‘OK, we’ll be there.’ ”

By Kyle LoJacono

The new luster is still on the recently expanded Oscar Cooler Sports Complex in Lutz, but Hillsborough County could soon add another large park a few miles away.

County commissioners recently voted 5-2 to explore buying 40 acres of land in Odessa and Keystone for a future regional park. The land is just north of Van Dyke Road along Gunn Highway, and the action assures the county will have the first opportunity to buy the property.

“This is just the beginning of the process,” said county spokeswoman Kemly Green. She went on to say a series of public meetings would follow to discuss variables and get citizens’ input before the commissioners would officially buy the property.

Green said details are not set, but a new park would likely include soccer fields, a trailhead for the Upper Tampa Trail and the skateboarding facility the county has been working to build in northern Hillsborough for several years.

The land is owned by the Citrus Park Baptist Church and would cost about $3.1 million to buy, which would also include a 22,000-square-foot building. However, the money would only be available if the county uses the $1.6 million allocated for building a Citrus Park community center.

The Citrus Park Civic Association has asked the county to build a community center in their area for years. If the money is reallocated for the regional park, it would likely end any chance of a center in Citrus Park.

“There is no community center out here or a library for the people of Citrus Park,” said Cheryl Pulley, a member of the association. “We’ve wanted something like this for years, but we’re always a second or third thought with the county government.”

Pulley went on to say the people in Odessa and Keystone have historically fought any development.

“We want a center and can’t get one,” Pulley said. “Keystone doesn’t want any building and could get this before we get anything.”

The idea of creating a regional park in Odessa/Keystone is being championed by county Commissioner Ken Hagan. He said the cost of running a community center in Citrus Park makes it impossible to build right now.

“Neighborhood community centers, like what they want in Citrus Park, aren’t sustainable,” Hagan said. “We can build them with what seems like a lot of money, but the real cost comes after, when we have to staff the facilities. We don’t have the continuous operational dollars to keep them open.”

Hagan said a regional park would cost less to maintain and operate because sports leagues using the facility would bring in money from renting out the fields for large athletic tournaments.

“I wish we could go forward with the plan in Citrus Park,” Hagan said. “I pushed for one seven or eight years ago. We couldn’t find the right place then. Now with our budget shrinking each year we need to look at the true cost of those facilities.”

Hillsborough Parks, Recreation and Conservation Director Mark Thornton, who pushed for the Oscar Cooler park expansion, said the new location would be great for the county citizens.

“We could use the building there and staff it by shifting people from the smaller park in Keystone,” Thornton said. “We wouldn’t have to add many if any new workers. We could also rent the building to groups to bring in money for the department.”

The Citrus Park Civic Association was not told the county was considering axing the community center, and the purchase of the land could have already happened without Commissioner Kevin Beckner’s actions.

The land purchase was lumped into a list of several agenda items the commissioners usually vote on all together. Beckner discovered the buy in the list and had it delayed for further discussion.

“We should have had a community forum to let them know what our intentions were,” Beckner said. “Not slip it in without discussion.”

The final vote to buy the land will come at a future county commission meeting.

By Tammy Sue Struble

Three city council seats will be on the ballot for the April 12 election for the City of Zephyrhills, but there’s only a race in one of them.

That race pits incumbent Manny Funes against Zephyrhills business owner Charlie Proctor, the owner and operator of Charlie’s Coins & Collectibles and Charlie’s Auto Detail businesses on Eighth Street in Zephyrhills.

Proctor chose to run for city council because he “wanted to give back to the community.” Born in Portland, Maine, the seventh of 10 kids, Proctor has a high school education from Lake Region High in Bridgton, Maine.

In 1989, Proctor chose to move to the warmer Florida climate.

“I got a job the second day here washing cars,” explained Proctor. “I also worked at Hill’s Grocery cutting meat.” Now, Proctor has been at the same location for over 20 years, detailing cars and has added coin collecting, buying and selling to his repertoire.

“I believe I have the spirit of getting the job done. Whether it be digging in and getting my hands dirty or whether it be balancing the budget,” added Proctor. “I do support the Fire Department and the Zephyrhills Police Department 100 percent. I believe they are a major part of the Zephyrhills community in keeping us safe. I believe we need to have some unity on the city council. I believe that we need successful business persons on-board. Business people have a lot to offer with times of budget (crisis).”

On the issue of the Zephyrhills’ impending shortfall of around $1 million going into next year, Proctor states that he has been looking into the budget.

“We’re definitely going to have to do a top to bottom look at expenditures. Unfortunately, there’s going to have to be some kind of cutbacks. This needs to run like a business.”

Although Proctor has missed several recent city council meetings, he cited unavoidable circumstances made it impossible for him to attend. He intends on being at as many city council meetings as possible.

Proctor states that he has been endorsed by the Pasco County Council of Firefighters and the Florida Professional Firefighters.

Funes, a Realtor, is Proctor’s opponent. Originally from Hawaii, the Air Force veteran became a Floridian in 1965. Funes has a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from St. Thomas University in South Florida and served more than 20 years in law enforcement, starting as a police officer in Miami Police Department, 12 years with Florida Department of Law Enforcement, with the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office, the Florida Department of Revenue and retiring as captain with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

Funes works at Prudential Tropical Realty in Zephyrhills.

Funes is involved in the Zephyrhills community. He taught criminal justice at Zephyrhills High for four years and has been a supporter in the community, especially through his 16 years of service in the Rotary organization.

Some projects he has been involved with throughout the years include, but are not limited to, the Relay For Life, Adopt-a-Precinct election worker, Meals On Wheels fundraising, supporter of the Samaritan Project, Pregnancy Care Center, Cares Senior Center and Zephyrhills High.

“I’ve been with the city council for two and a half years. I have a good perspective with how the city is run,” Funes explained. “My experience in law enforcement, teaching and being a realtor gives me a unique ability to address the needs of the city.”

As for the city’s impending concerns, Funes said, “I think it’s going to be very difficult not to raise the taxes to maintain the service for the residents of Zephyrhills. But, raising taxes is a possibility and, raising taxes may not be enough. I don’t want to lose any employees, but we may have to. I am waiting on information from department heads and staff before making decisions to raise taxes and /or do layoffs.”

Funes said he has only missed one city council meeting as council member — when he went on vacation last year. He has been endorsed by the East Pasco Association of Realtors. He has been awarded numerous volunteer and humanitarian awards over the last 12 years.

Zephyrhills Elections

Election Day is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12.

Since Lance Smith and Kenneth Compton did not draw opponents for their council seats, only Seat 5 is on the ballot. Voters can select incumbent Manny Funes or opponent Charlie Proctor.

By Kyle LoJacono

East Pasco County resident Jason Rouser can always say he has been to the top of the medal stands in the Olympics while the Star-Spangled Banner played in the background.

In 1996, Rouser was part of the U.S. 4×400-meter relay team that brought home the gold medal.

“To be able to represent the United States, my family and all my teammates and friends, it was a tremendous experience,” Rouser said. “It was something I always wanted to do. It’s amazing to me how excited people are even today when that was back in 1996.”

Rouser’s journey toward the Olympics started in his home state of Oklahoma in ninth grade when he watched another athlete bring home the gold.

“When I saw Carl Lewis win his four gold medals in Los Angeles in 1984, I said I want to do that,” Rouser said. “That was my ninth-grade year.

“It just came naturally to me,” Rouser continued. “I’ve always been tall, 6-foot-6, and I had the same speed as the shorter sprinters. I just took a little longer to get to top speed, but then I can chase people down. I just love to run.”

Rouser, who also played tight end and safety on the football team in high school, received a scholarship to run track at the University of Oklahoma during the glory days of Sooner football under coach Barry Switzer.

“I so badly wanted to play for coach Switzer,” Rouser said. “I had the opportunity to go to the University of Oklahoma in high school to compete in an event and he said to me ‘Rouser, you going to set some records today?’ That got me excited because he knew my name. Oklahoma recruited me heavily for track and the track coach there at the time told me I wasn’t playing any football if I have a scholarship for track.”

In 1992, Rouser tried out for the U.S. Olympic team in the 200 and 400-meter events. He was the only athlete to go for two that year, but he did not qualify.

“I had to wait those four long years, but I made it in 1996,” Rouser said. “The rest is history.”

Rouser came to east Pasco in 2002 and has been the coach of the Zephyrhills High girls track and field team the last three seasons. He also joined the Stewart Middle staff as an intensive reading teacher last October.

Rouser relishes the chance to teach young athletes how to get better.

“When I was in high school there were some athletes I looked up to, and the things that they taught me helped me become a gold medal winner,” Rouser said. “I wanted to teach these athletes so they can have the opportunity to earn a college scholarship and then possibly go to the next level to represent their country in the world championships or the Olympics.”

Zephyrhills junior runner Julia Hines has complete faith in Rouser’s methods.

“I’ve just learned to trust him,” Hines said. “Some things he’ll say and I’ll think ‘what,’ but I’ve learned to just trust it and go along with it. It’s made me faster.”

Rouser has also helped Bulldogs’ freshman Kara Young with her technique.

“In middle school track they didn’t teach a whole lot,” Young said. “He showed me how to start right, get low and get faster.”

Rouser also has a personal training business called Goal Works.

“It’s for any athlete who wants to get faster, stronger, better agility and conditioning, but it’s not just for serious athletes,” Rouser said. “We also have a large group who do it just to get in better health. I do personal training as well as coaching the kids here at Zephyrhills High School.”

For more information on Goal Works, visit www.goalworks.net.

By B.C. Manion

When Jens Przygode and his students arrived at Orlando International Airport from Kandel, Germany, on March 9, they were greeted by a contingent from Land O’ Lakes High School.

The enthusiastic welcome — from German teacher Annemarie Schunemann and her students — set the stage for a two-week peek into American life and culture for the German exchange students.

This is the third time the teacher from Germany has brought a group of his students to Pasco County to strengthen their English skills and to immerse them in all things American.

“It’s a great experience. It opens their minds,” said Pryzgode, who teaches English at his school in a community near the border between Germany and France.

The German students do benefit, but so do their American hosts, because the personal encounters help shatter stereotypes, Przygode said.

Besides polishing their English skills, the German students also get a chance to experience a smorgasbord of Florida’s wonders — its restaurants, its theme parks, its shopping and the Gulf of Mexico.

Their itinerary included trips to SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, as well as whatever activities their host families dreamed up.

“It was a great cultural experience for me and the kids,” said Ambyr Lix, who hosted a farewell party for the host families and German visitors.

During the party, the students said they learned a lot about each other’s culture.

For instance, the American kids found out that German schools tend to be more rigorous and that gasoline prices are much higher in Germany.

And the German kids found out that Americans tend to live in bigger houses and drive bigger cars.

Przygode, who spent his childhood in the United States, said he gets about 70 applications for the exchange program every year and he selects a dozen to take part.

Daniela Reinhard, who goes by Dani, said she enjoyed her two-week stay in America.

“I’ve had a very good time,” the 16-year-old said, noting she especially liked visiting the shopper centers, which are larger here and have better deals.

Fourteen-year-old Fanchon Penansky, Dani’s host-sister during the exchange, said she was surprised to learn how much driver’s license cost in Germany. “We only have to pay $75 to get our licenses. Over there, it’s 1,500 Euros.” (At current exchange rates, equals about $2,100 in U.S. dollars.)

Penansky was also surprised to learn that German schools don’t have sports programs or marching bands.

Seventeen-year-old Carrie Godfrey was impressed by the exchange students’ command of English, and she said the German students seemed surprised by the generally friendly nature of the Americans they met.

Godfrey said: “I would talk to people in line at Busch Gardens or SeaWorld, and they were like, ‘Wow, they’re so nice.’

“And I was like, “That’s normal.’

“In Germany, not so much,” Godfrey said.

Exchange student Jonas Brecht said he loved the taste of American foods.

“I loved Chick-fil-A. It’s the best,” he said, but he also enjoyed eating at Taco Bell and Cracker Barrel, too.

Brecht was pleasantly surprised he could get free drink refills at restaurants. That’s unheard of in his part of the world.

Lynn Plazewski, one of the host moms, said initially she was reluctant to take in someone she didn’t know.

Peggy Pine, another host mom, said she felt the same way.

But both women said it turned out to be a great experience for their families.

“The parents were great,” Schunemann said. “It was a really great exchange.”

Schunemann said preparing for the exchange is extra work, but she said it’s well worth it.

It’s an experience that gives both the American and German students a kind of education that can’t be taught in a textbook, Schunemann said.

“They learn to get along with people,” she said. “This is real life.”

For his part, Pryzgode is so happy with the way the exchange program has worked out, he’d like to see if his government and the Pasco County government could create a similar kind of exchange, on a grander scale.

And, as a member of the local parliament in Germersheim, he plans to pursue that possibility.

By Kyle LoJacono

Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandra Murman is hoping to create 200 new jobs this year with an incentive for small business owners.

Murman, who represents District 1, proposed a program that was passed by the commission that reimburses business owners for up to 50 percent of the first three months total salary of a new employee.

“Hillsborough County needs to grow our economic base and we need to improve the opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs within our region,” Murman said. “This initiative will have a real impact on the opportunities for local growth of the small business sector.”

Rani Chehal, co-owner of Felicitous Coffee House in Lutz, said she and her partner Cristie Leacock are planning to expand their hours of operation and will need new employees to do that. Chehal said a program like this one would encourage them to bring on some new workers.

“Right now it’s just the two of us doing all the shifts and we’d need to hire one or two more people to increase our hours,” Chehal said. “Right now we’re open Monday through Saturday, but we want to be open seven days a week. If things keep picking up, we’ll need help to take that next step.”

The program, which began March 21, will pay up to $3,900 per new job created. Only businesses with 10 or fewer current employees are eligible for the reimbursement, and the new workers must be residents of Hillsborough.

Additionally, only new full-time positions qualify for the program and the new jobs must exist for the duration of the three months. The small business owners must also attend a minimum of four hours of business workshops and/or counseling sessions.

“We wanted to help those out of work in Hillsborough County, which is why we limited it to Hillsborough residents,” Murman said. “We also wanted to help only the smallest businesses, so that’s why we limited it for those with 10 current employees. Hopefully this will help jump start some businesses and get more people working again.”

Murman said the county has $500,000 to give to small businesses in the county. The program will end when the money is spent.

Small business owners can download an application for the program at Hillsborough’s small business website, www.hillsboroughcounty.org/sbic/info/. They can also find information about starting a business, how to grow a business and other resources. Residents can also contact the county’s Small, Minority Business Development Section at (813) 914-4028.

Chehal and Leacock opened Felicitous Coffee House eight months ago at 19015 US 41, across the street from the Lutz Branch Library. For more information on the business, call (813) 948-6540 or visit www.felicitouscoffee.com.