THE HUTCHINSON CHAPTER OF AMBUCS
NEWSLETTER FOR WEEK OF SEPT 2, 2016
EDITOR: DUKE WIGGINS
GUESTS: Melanie Green – owner and CEO of Bluebird Books, and our program for today; Monica Bryant – sister Scott Potucek
SERGEANT’S CORNER: Sgt Knipp wasted no time in picking a table and asking a question about the significance of this coming Monday. Of course, the easy answer was Labor Day, and of course this was not the answer he was looking for. This coming Monday Mother Teresa will be canonized as a saint by the Vatican. Darrin Wicks was fined for interrupting the Sgt with some sort of inside joke. Dan Power paid to announce “the best decision he ever made”,his 37th anniversary to Shirley. Harley Macklin challenged each member to sign up for at least 4 shifts for this year’s fair, which would fill up the remaining slots. ThenSgt Knippconducted a pin check, and rang out.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:NEXT WEEK’S MEETING WILL BE AT THE SWEET SHOPPE. A SHORT INSTRUCTIONAL SESSION WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A MEAL. IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR GATE TICKETS ENVELOPE, THEY ARE BEING HELD AT THE INFORMATION BUILDING ACCROSS FROM THE 20TH STREET GATE WHERE THE STATE TROOPER CARS PARK.
PROGRAM: When Melanie Green received her research grant in 2008, she looked at various ways to invest her funds. She had always enjoyed reading books, a love instilled in her by her mother. However,2008 was a difficult timefor book stores. Big book chains were struggling with the growing popularity of digital readers and the rise of Amazon in the book market. Independent book stores were closing and big chain stores were switching to digital readers to cover their losses on hard cover books. She invested her funds and waited for the market to improve. In 2012, she decided to follow her long time dream and open her independent book store at 2 South Main in Downtown Hutchinson. She has found a solid nitch in the community, providing seats for reading and hardback books for a reasonable price. In November 2015, she followed her second dream by opening a caf in an expansion area to the south of the book store. She serves fresh baked pastries for breakfast and specialty drinks throughout the day. Now that Hastings is closing, Bluebird Books will be the only remaining bookstore in town, a real survival story.
DRAWINGS:
Luck Aces – 50/50 was won by Fred Conner, who left with $5 in his pocket – new total $401Newsletter drawing was won by Dorinda Simmons, who had no idea. There is no question for Sept 9th.
FUTURE PROGRAMS:
9/9/2016 – Meet at the Sweet Shoppe at 7:00 for a short meeting – breakfast will follow9/16/2016 – Surprise program from the fair9/26/2016 – Ed Tomme – Luminous Neon – Building your business