UPDATED — When the state forced Melange Custom Jewelry out of business in January, owner Leslie Kinder told Have You Heard?: “At some point, I guess I’ll just regroup, get back together and start another store.”
That’s exactly what she’s done, although instead of starting a new store, Kinder is reopening Melange at its former space in Delano at 718 W. Douglas.
“I’m still kind of running around happy that I got my keys back,” Kinder says.
She’s reopening June 12 and will be open half days most afternoons except for Sunday and Monday.
Kinder says she filed Chapter 13 to reorganize and is working out a plan with the state to pay more than $40,000 in back taxes.
Appraisals will be a new focus of the business.
“Until I was outside the store, I didn’t realize there was a need for somebody … to go and help people with estates and things like that,” Kinder says.
In addition to making monthly payments to the state, Kinder says she’ll raise the bulk of what she owes through a three-day sale to liquidate stock in the next month or two.
“I’m glad they’re going to let me do the sale in my own way.”
Kinder says she’ll let us know the date of the sale soon.
WICHITA — Reluctantly, Chapter 13 bankruptcy trustee Laurie Williams has to move her office.
“When I moved here, I really had hoped to not have to move again,” she says of her 2,300 square feet at 225 N. Market.
“I love this space and its proximity to my courthouse, but my caseload has grown, and I’m just out of room.”
Williams is moving her office to 5,800 square feet at the R.H. Garvey Building at 300 W. Douglas.
The new office will allow for more files and employees.
Williams, who makes recommendations on whether Chapiter 13 plans should be approved and then administers them, has almost 2,900 cases.
Currently, she has 12 employees.
“I hope to add two more,” she says.
Larry Weber represented the Garvey Center in the deal, and Patrick Ahern of Grubb & Ellis/Martens Commercial Group represented Williams.
The new office will be ready in late summer.
WICHITA — B&C Barbecue owner Carey Maurer has filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, but he says it won’t affect his restaurant.
Maurer, who took over the restaurant at 355 N. Washington from his late parents, has unresolved tax issues dating back at least to 2008.
At the time, he owed almost $52,000.
He lists liabilities of $49,152 for his bankruptcy, but Maurer says that’s not what he owes in taxes.
“Who knows what the right figures are.”
Maurer says he’s simply reorganizing now.
“We’ll get it all figured out, I guess.”
WICHITA — Golf USA owner Howard Love has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the Golf USA store he closed in Derby in December.
“It doesn’t have anything to do with the Newton store,” Love says.
He opened Golf USA of Newton at Chisholm Trail Center-Outlet & Retail Shops in 2008.
The Derby store was open three years.
“Absolutely business was tough down there,” Love says. “It just wasn’t working out.”
The bankruptcy filing doesn’t stipulate how much Love owes except that it is between $100,001 and $500,000.
Love, who says business in Newton is “great,” is hesitant to discuss the bankruptcy.
“It was just a business decision.”
WICHITA — Clutter Cutter owner Pam McCutcheon has filed for personal bankruptcy with her husband, Todd, but it’s not going to affect her business helping others get organized.
Her husband also owns his own business, Wichita Appliance Service, which also remains open.
“It was fabulous when the economy was fabulous,” Pam McCutcheon says of owning their own businesses.
She says a small business is hard to have in a down economy, especially one like hers.
“One person’s luxury is another person’s income,” McCutcheon says. “If you’re choosing between paying the electric bill and paying to get organized, you’re going to pay the electric bill.”
She says she’s made those kinds of choices too, such as giving up getting her nails done.
“It’s just a trickle effect,” she says of the impact on the economy.
At one point, McCutcheon had 12 employees. She says she whittled away at that number as the economy soured. Now, it’s just her.
Her focus is on personal organization only. McCutcheon doesn’t work with businesses and doesn’t think she’ll expand to that area.
“Not really. I feel like we have a calling pretty much in residential.”
She’s hopeful that will turn around.
“I do feel like things are starting to pick up now.”
WICHITA — Parents of about 60 children at the Castle Childcare Learning Center, the one at 7370 E. 37th St. North that looks like a castle, got an unhappy surprise Friday.
Owner Becky Weber informed them she was immediately closing and would file for bankruptcy.
“We didn’t realize we were going to do it until Thursday,” Weber says. “We had planned on doing a two-week notice for everybody.”
Her lawyer advised against it.
“He told us to close as soon as possible.”
For parents who already paid in advance for the next month or so, Weber says, “The money will be refunded. We’re going to try to anyway.”
The day care was open for 2 1/2 years. Weber says there are a few interested potential buyers.
She’s not looking to reorganize.
“Not at this time.”
“The only people I haven’t seen are Charles and Liz Koch.”
— Wichita resident and longtime Barrier’s shopper Pat Hysko’s comment about the who’s who of Wichita shopping the store’s going-out-of-business presale Monday, which she described as a cross between a wake and a social gathering