“Is this the first effect of the sequestration? 
”
– Public Relations Society of America Kansas Chapter treasurer Tom Gdisis’ e-mailed response to McConnell Air Force Base’s Fe Vorderlandwehr when she e-mailed that she’s dropping her PRSA membership for economic reasons
WICHITA — AMP CrossFit Box has been in the former YMCA near Douglas and Rock Road where a church is now locating, but AMP co-owner Noah Morford doesn’t mind having to move.
“We actually found a bigger and better facility,” he says.
On Monday, AMP will open at 8021 E. Marion, which is a couple of miles south of Kellogg off Rock Road in a warehouse area.
“It’s a easier access off Rock,” Morford says.
He also likes that it’s not far from McConnell Air Force Base and is convenient to Derby, Rose Hill, Mulvane and Wichita.
Carl Hebert with InSite Real Estate Group handled the deal for the more than 5,000 square feet.
AMP offers an array of personal training, boot camp-type classes and CrossFit exercises for all ages along with sports-specific training.
Morford describes CrossFit as a well-rounded exercise that helps with endurance, strength and flexibility.
“Basically it’s not trying to make somebody good at one single thing,” he says. “The biggest thing is we scale (exercises) to fit the needs of the client.”
UPDATED — Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is going to be this year’s speaker at the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting.
The meeting is at Century II on Nov. 12, which is when Veteran’s Day is observed. The chamber plans to honor members of the military from the area, including McConnell Air Force Base, at the event.
Gates, a Wichita native who has served under eight presidents, is likely to get a far friendlier reception in his hometown than another former defense secretary did.
The chamber invited Donald Rumsfeld to be its speaker in 2007 and then cancelled his appearance. That followed some criticism of his selection. The chamber never commented on why it cancelled or if ticket sales were slow.
This years tickets, which can be ordered here, range from $10 for general admission to $115 for dinner and reserved seating.
WICHITA — Ben Arnold and his Corporate Caterers of Wichita have taken over catering at the Courtyard by Marriott in Old Town.
Larkspur previously handled it.
This makes Arnold’s sixth either exclusive or preferred catering deal at area hotels and McConnell Air Force Base.
“It’s very similar to what we’re doing at the Drury,” Arnold says.
There isn’t a restaurant, though, like the struggling AVI Seabar & Chophouse at the Drury.
“Oh, no, no,” Arnold says. The Marriott deal is strictly for catering. Or, as Arnold puts it, “The money side of it.”
WICHITA — Almost exactly a year after opening their first My Mechanic’s shop, owners Dennis Allison and Scott Berry plan to open their second.
The first one opened in early April 2011 at 2095 W. 21st St., near 21st and Amidon.
The second officially will open April 1, though there will be a soft opening shortly before, at McConnell Air Force Base.
“They called and asked me if I wanted to submit a bid, and I said, ‘Well sure, absolutely,’” Allison says.
My Mechanic’s will have two bays at Building 314 on base.
Initially, the shop will serve people who work on base, but it could expand to do work on military vehicles as well.
“We’re working on that contract, too,” Allison says.
UPDATED — Candy bars, cigarettes and DVDs soon may not be the only things Wichitans can buy in a vending machine.
Columbus, Ohio-based Shop24 wants to bring its 24-hour automated convenience stores here.
“We are currently the world’s only totally automated and robotic convenience store,” says Mike Weigel, chief sales and marketing officer.
“The units can be configured to hold anything and everything.”
The units, which require 140 square feet, can hold up to 200 items ranging from one ounce to eight pounds.
“We have stores that actually dispense gallons of oil and antifreeze,” Weigel says.
Typical items include such things as sandwiches, milk, bandages and cookie dough.
Weigel says stocking depends on needs of an area.
Customers, who have to exit their vehicles to shop, can pay with cash, credit or debit cards.
The units — there are more than 200 internationally — are enclosed in bullet-proof glass. Weigel says there’s never been a successful break-in.
“We’re very proud of the safety record.”
UPDATED — Craig Peterson acknowledges that there are already some good mattress stores in Wichita, but that’s not stopping him from opening Bedtime Mattress Outlet later this month.
“I believe that there’s a need for it here,” he says of a mattress store that sells quality mattresses at discount prices.
“I’m just the alternative to what’s out there right now.”
Competitors such as Mattress Hub are “good companies, and they are selling great beds . . . but they are on a higher-end scale.”
Mark Barrientos of Mattress Hub takes exception to that.
“We have mattresses that start at $59 and go all the way up,” he says.
Peterson is a former Rent-A-Center district manager who most recently has been operating two discount mattress stores in Oklahoma City.
He wanted “to be able to bring that back to my hometown.”
His first store is set to open by Jan. 27 at the northwest corner of Harry and Rock.