Business Pulse – Pizza Hut buffet resumes operations

There are events in life that have a way of sticking in your memory.

I will always remember where I was when I proposed to Cupcake. I remember exactly where I was when I heard that planes had crashed into the World Trade Center.

And I’ll remember where I was when I heard the Pizza Hut buffet had reopened. It was Thursday morning at 8:15 a.m. when the email arrived in my inbox.

“Pizza Hut is reopening the buffet today!!” said an email from local official Natalie Templeton.

At first glance, the news is great. It’s been over two years since we’ve been able to feast on the popular Pizza Hut buffet. It was missed as a convenient lunch option.

On a broader level, the reopening of the pizza buffet is symbolic of our nation’s healing and return to everyday life as we emerge from the dark COVID hole that has upended every aspect of our society. The Pizza Hut buffet is a return to normal, a sign that all will be well, at least until we are shot down by an AR-15.

The buffet’s return was welcomed with open arms by a hungry community in Warren County. Pizza Hut was overwhelmed with customers on Friday and sold out 146 buffets during the 2.5-hour lunch period.

“The buffet really drew a lot of people,” Natalie said.

The buffet is offered Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The cost is $9.99.

Also of note, the Pizza Hut salad bar is also back. It’s open and available during all dining room hours for $6.99. It’s all you can eat at any time of the day or night.

Thank you Pizza Hut for helping us heal.

IDB Special Meeting

A special meeting of the McMinnville-Warren County Industrial Development Board has been called this Thursday, June 9 at 1:15 p.m. in the Community Hall of the Chamber of Commerce.

The objective of the meeting is to examine an industrial project that has been in the making for several months.

IDB Executive Director Don Alexander was very tight-lipped about the meeting when I told him about it on Friday. There’s so much Don can say and when it comes to this meeting, it wasn’t much at all.

The special meeting tells us with absolute certainty that there is a hot prospect given Warren County and that prospect is ready to act. The normal IDB monthly meeting is just a week later on June 16, so calling a special meeting just a week before that tells us someone is ready to get to work.

Property in front of Delores

Trees are removed from property directly across from Delores Market on Smithville Highway. This has prompted several people to ask me what is going on.

I met owner David Cathey on Friday and he told me he was having the 2.6 acres cleared in preparation for a new commercial development. What this development will be has yet to be determined, but David said he thinks it will be an ideal location for a gas station.

“You see gas stations located across from each other everywhere you go, so it wouldn’t be unusual to have one across from Delores,” David said. “Delores has old pumps and the business is outdated. I think a new gas station would work well.

David didn’t rule out the possibility of something else like storage units there. He says the commercial property is for sale, along with nine residential lots he owns in the nearby McClaran Street housing estate, which sits off Grizzell Road.

“Al McClaran, who spent 25 years in the Navy, developed all of this. He purchased approximately 30 acres and created 33 residential lots and one commercial property. It’s a real rags-to-riches story that invested in real estate wherever he lived. He even built his own church.

It is unclear what will ultimately happen at this location in front of Delores. David said his immediate goal was to clean it up.

Adam Triplett starts welding

It’s always refreshing to see a recent WCHS graduate brimming with ambition. Adam Triplett certainly falls into this category.

Adam, who turns 19 next month, has already opened his own business, Triplett Welding Service. He is available for all your welding needs by calling (931) 808-9277.

“An interesting part of the business is that I offer a mobile welding service,” Adam said. “I can go to the middle of a hay field to do a repair if I need to. I’m lucky to have all the gear I need on my truck and trailer.

One thing our high school does very well is it allows students to pursue vocational training while they are still at WCHS, if that is the path they choose to take. Adam took two years of welding in high school and enrolled in TCAT in September after graduating with the Class of 2021 in May.

Adam completed his TCAT training a few months ago in February and was certified in all welding processes. Such a person is commonly called a combo welder.

Adam is currently working at Ironhorse Trailers while starting his own business. He welds the chassis frames that are used to make high-end motorcycle trailers at Ironhorse.

“They really work with me at Ironhorse and only allow me to work 24 hours a day while I launch my business,” Adam said. “I’m slowly starting to build up a clientele and get more and more jobs. I’m ready to go where I’m needed and I’m ready to work weekends. I will do whatever it takes to get the job done.

One of the great things about writing this column is being able to talk to young, energetic people who are excited about starting a business. The older generation likes to talk about “kids of today” and shake their heads, but people like Adam Triplett show that there is indeed promise for a bright future.

If you would like to connect with Adam regarding a welding or fabrication job, you can reach him by phone or text at 808-9277.

That’s all people

I have received several business tips over the past few weeks and appreciate the interest. Email me at [email protected] com for business news you would like to see in this section.