Brad Paisley to headline Intrust Bank Arena’s debut concert

Oct. 7, 20091:10 p.m.

bradWICHITA — Country singer Brad Paisley will be Intrust Bank Arena’s opening act on Jan. 9.

Paisley will perform with Justin Moore and Miranda Lambert.

“For us to have an A-list artist of that caliber is not the easiest thing to do,” says Chris Presson, arena manager.

“It’s all about who’s on tour, when they’re on tour, and that has a big portion to do with any time of the year that you’re booking an act,” he says. “We’re obviously not a large city, and (Paisley) probably could have gone many different places and made more money.”

Tickets go on sale Nov. 14. Prices haven’t been determined yet.

Although Presson is calling Paisley the debut act, he says there’s still a chance other acts could be named for Jan. 7 or 8.

“We’re just always looking to push the envelope,” he says.

That doesn’t mean he’s not satisfied with Paisley as the inaugural act.

“He’s won virtually every country music award imaginable,” Presson says. “We’re pumped about Brad, and I don’t know if we could have done much better.”

Want to express your thoughts on the opening concert? Check out our poll.

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under Arenas, Intrust Bank Arena | Comments

Foley Industries to purchase Martin Tractor

Oct. 7, 200911:14 a.m.

WICHITA — Almost a year ago, Foley Industries president Ann Konecny told Have You Heard? there was a chance her company would purchase Topeka’s Martin Tractor.

Now, it’s happening.

Konecny says the deal to buy her rival Caterpillar dealer should close Nov. 2.

“This basically gives Foley the entire state except for one county in southeast Kansas and five counties around Kansas City,” Konecny says.

Previously, the two companies each had about half the state.

Martin, a 98-year-old company, has between 250 and 300 employees.

“The vast majority of them have been extended offers, and the ones who haven’t will be receiving severance,” Konecny says.

Read More »

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , Filed under Manufacturing, Retail, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Prudential Dinning-Beard’s deal with Stucky and Associates is off

July 15, 20095:36 p.m.

WICHITA — Prudential Dinning-Beard’s deal to acquire Stucky and Associates is off.

Prudential president Willie Kihle notified his staff in an e-mail today.

“I told them the only thing I can say,” he says. “Outside entities have presented some issues that . . . can’t be resolved.”

Kihle won’t say what those issues are. Stucky chief executive Frank Stucky didn’t return calls for comment.

“I would assume that if there’s a story there, he needs to tell it,” Kihle says.

His e-mail to employees referenced events that happened over what he called “the last few hours.”

“Due to issues beyond our control that we were not aware of, this transaction is not going to take place,” he said.

Co-owner Mona Stein also signed the letter.

“Obviously, we’re disappointed,” Kihle says. “We certainly hoped that we would be able to do this.”

The deal would have made Prudential the largest residential real estate company in Kansas, Kihle and Stucky previously said.

Stucky has 155 sales professionals; Prudential has 305.

“That’s a large move,” Kihle says of the number of agents that would have been involved.

“Obviously, the size of this opportunity was rare.”

But he says there will be other opportunities for his company.

“This was not outside of our . . . business strategy.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , Filed under Real estate | Comments Off

John Dugan seeks rezoning for one deal and talks with Wal-Mart for another

July 15, 20094:22 p.m.

WICHITA — The planning commission last week voted to recommend city approval for John Dugan to rezone about 50 acres south of Kellogg between 119th and 135th to limited commercial.

“I bought it several years ago to develop,” Dugan says of the property, where there’s also a new frontage road.

He could develop it himself or sell it to someone else.

“We’ve got a couple of things working,” Dugan says. But he also has the property listed with J.P. Weigand & Sons.

“I’ll go any direction,” he says.

“We’re just sitting here like everybody else just ready to do something,” Dugan says. “We think that will be popular when things start happening.”

Dugan also has property in Goddard that Wal-Mart may be interested in.

“We’re talking to them,” he says of land he has east of Goddard and west of what would be the interchange for the proposed bypass.

“They think that’s the new development for commercial,” Dugan says of Wal-Mart. But he adds, “Things have slowed down with them.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , Filed under Goddard, Real estate | Comments

You don’t say

July 15, 20093:59 p.m.

girls“If anyone is looking for a sales staff in 5-10 years, these are your women!”

— Shelly Chenoweth, chief executive of Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland, commenting on Facebook about a photo of her and the top cookie sellers in an 80-county region

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , Filed under You don't say | Comments Off

Craig Tatro is out as an owner in CA’s Men’s Fine Grooming

July 15, 20093:19 p.m.

tatroWICHITA — The “Craig” in Craig Allen’s Men’s Fine Grooming is gone.

Craig Tatro, who founded the business with Erik Leschuk at the Waterfront in late 2004, has resigned.

Even before he left, he and Leschuk changed the name to CA’s Men’s Fine Grooming.

“Craig has stepped down from CA’s and is going to pursue some other things,” Leschuk says.

That means he no longer has an ownership, either.

“It would be fair to say as of this week he’s no longer associated or tied to CA’s,” Leschuk says.

Tatro couldn’t be reached for comment.

“Sometimes you get to a point where things gotta change,” Leschuk says, “and we got to that point, and we thought this was the best remedy to do so.”

Tatro also is out of the future CA’s in Leawood near the Sprint campus.

“We have a couple of pieces to put into place to open,” Leschuk says.

Tatro had been the point person on the project. Leschuk says he’s trying to catch up on it now.

“We’re kind of holding off on an opening date because I’m kind of a one-man band here,” he says.

The business will open, though, Leschuk says.

He says the Wichita business is going well, with about 400 members and 900 different clients who come to the salon a month.

“It’s been well received,” Leschuk says, though he adds that it’s “taken a little while.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under Salons, Waterfront | Comments

All Sports to open new store at Chisholm Trail Center-Outlet & Retail Shops

July 15, 200911:08 a.m.

WICHITA — For almost a year, Randy Staub has sold some of his All Sports merchandise within the Golf USA store at Chisholm Trail Center-Outlet & Retail Shops in Newton.

Now, he’s getting his own 4,500-square-foot space there.

“A couple of years ago, I don’t think I would have moved it to the Chisholm Trail, but they’ve done a great job being aggressive and getting it filled back up,” Staub says.

He’s closing his 1,400-square-foot shop in Derby prior to opening the Newton store.

Read More »

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , Filed under Newton, Retail | Comments

Welcome to my blog

March 27, 20095:00 p.m.

When Have You Heard? debuted in late 2002, there were two main goals for the column.

Break scoop, first and foremost.

Secondly, be entertaining. Business isn’t boring, so why should the coverage be?

A lot has changed in six years, though.

Today, Kansas.com offers the best opportunity for up-to-the-minute news, which is why Have You Heard? will debut as a blog on Monday.

You can check blogs.kansas.com/haveyouheard throughout the day every Monday through Friday for the latest behind-the-scenes business news.

If a new restaurant is coming to town, you’ll know before the first customer is served.

If a real estate deal closes, you’ll find out what the new business is before builders even break ground.

Your favorite anchorman just lost his job? We’ll tell you before you even notice he’s missing from the 5 o’clock news.

The blog will allow a little more fun, too.

It’s intended to be more of a conversation — with input from you — than simply a report of the news.

If you’re at lunch and someone says something that’s noteworthy — even just something funny — shoot me a quick e-mail or give me a call.

Know of something I should be checking into? Consider yourself my assignment editor.

If I get a tip, I may send out a call for information via the blog.

And I’ll try to offer some insight into business personalities around town and how I get their news.

For those of you who prefer to hold the news in your hands, we’ll still publish Have You Heard? in the daily paper’s business section.

But instead of being in there three days a week, it’ll be in every Tuesday through Saturday.

So remember, if you want business news first, check blogs.kansas.com/haveyouheard.

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , Filed under Uncategorized | Comments