northeast kansas enterprise facilitation's entrepreneur spotlight

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Northeast Kansas Enterpr ise Faci l i tat ion Ini t ia t ive Volume 9 , Issue 3

M arch 2013

Project Outcomes:

(June 2, 2003 to February 28, 2013

Total Clients

Assisted: 833

Businesses Started:

71

Businesses

Expanded: 20

Jobs Created: 266

Businesses

Retained: 10

Jobs Retained: 84

Tune-Ups of Existing

Businesses: 68

For more information contact:

Facilitator Teresa McAnerney (785) 364-0583

tm@nekef.org

Board Chair David Key (785) 336-2184

dkey@ksu.edu

Visit: www.nekef.org

Last October Darin and Amy Schmitz

opened Schmitz Drive Thru Liquor and

Deli in Seneca, KS. The businesses are

located at 310 North Street (36 Highway).

The Schmitz had a dream to start a

business and finally the dream is reality. It

was not without months of planning and

hard work that they achieved their goal.

“Darin and Amy were diligent; they

investigated every aspect of the industry

while composing their business plan,” says

Teresa McAnerney of Northeast Kansas

Enterprise Facilitation (NEKEF). The

couple called McAnerney at the beginning

of their planning process. “Enterprise

Facilitation was so helpful to us! Teresa

provided planning tools and community

resource board members provided expert

assistance,” Darin Schmitz relayed at a

recent NEKEF board meeting. Schmitz

also commented on the five county

networking aspect of the group saying he

was able to find shelving at

a greatly reduced price due

to the group.

The couple purchased a

building in an excellent

location on Highway 36

that had a great parking lot,

plenty of interior space and

was set up perfectly to add

a drive thru window. With

room to circle the building

and approval of the city

they opened the only drive

thru liquor store in the

area. The building had to

be totally renovated and

with the help of Darin and

Amy’s fathers’ and other

family members that was (Continued on Page 2)

Cheers to Schmitz Drive Thru Liquor and Deli

Upcoming Events

ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT

March 15 & 16, 2013

Visit the NEKEFI Booth

Holton Spring Expo

The Fair Building

Holton, KS

April 4, 2013

NEKEF Board Meeting

6:00 pm Dinner/Meeting

Atchison County

Venue to be determined

May 2, 2013

NEKEF Board Meeting

6:00 pm Dinner/Meeting

Doniphan County

Darin and Amy Schmitz with their children, Trenton, Josie and Kendra

Northeast Kansas Enterpr ise Faci l i tat ion Ini t ia t ive Volume 9 , Issue 3

M arch 2013

accomplished quickly. It was a natural fit to have a deli

attached for quick food to go along with ice, soda and

snacks. The Schmitz knew they wanted to offer high

quality “fast food” but they also knew they wanted to be

different. That led to adding a special lunch menu that

runs from 11am-1:30pm offering Mexican food, including

taco salads, burritos, rice bowls with choices such as

chicken, ground beef, spicy steak, refried or black beans

and of course all the fixings. Along with a wide variety of

deli meats and cheeses and any sandwich can be made into

a wrap. The Schmitz say that the Mexican fare is going

over very well and they are considering expanding it to a

nightly special due to requests from customers.

The liquor store offers an expansive variety of beer, wine

and liquors. There is hundreds of brands and varieties to

choose and the Schmitz will offer suggestions too if you

are looking for ideas and drink recipes. “I am not a wine

expert but I am learning more and more every day from

customers who are experts” says Darin, “so I can pass that

information and feedback on to other customers in helping

them make choices”. They are also happy to take custom

orders for specialty items. The couple’s goal is to have

the coldest beer available, they said that people in Nemaha

county work hard and many may enjoy an icy cold beer at

the end of the day.

Stop in and say hello, order some excellent food and then

be sure to get some cheer from the liquor store and from

the owners!

Cheers to Schmitz Drive Thru Liquor and Deli

ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT

Board Chair David Key and board members were on hand to

present the Schmitz with the Partners in Success Ribbon at

their Grand Opening in December 2012

Pictured left to right: Teresa McAnerney, Amy Schmitz, Darin

Schmitz, Betty Lortscher, Gary Lortscher and David Key

Schmitz Drive Thru Liquor and Deli

310 North Street (Highway 36)

Seneca, KS 66538

Call Ahead! 785-334-DELI (3354)