Entrepreneurial Spirit Thrives in Shell Knob
What is that great aroma coming from the north end of the Plaza? What is that funny looking tent on Bridgeway Plaza with a bright yellow sign that says “Chicago’s Best Dogs”? Why are all those people waiting in front of this tent every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Shell Knob?
Tom Bart can also be seen at many of the local auctions, he and Paula have catered several events around the area. Paula’s enjoys the catering work and her deserts are renown. They have worked at the Dixie Stampede in Branson, and many of the local auction houses. Currently Paula is employed as General Manager at the Westgate Resort in Branson. Tom has completed the required Missouri food handling classes and is a certified food handler. He has designed his food cart to be fast and easy to set up and take down.
Tom and Paula Bart on Bridgeway Plaza
Well you gott’a see it to believe it but it is a real Chicago Hot Dog Cart. It is painted white with red letters that shout “Little Tommy’s Dogs” and this little cart and the owner, Tommy Bart has brought something special to Shell Knob. Moving here full time from Chicago in 2004, Tommy and his wife Paula have turned a hobby into a profitable business. In Chicago, the history of the Hot Dog carts is based in the meat packing business of the 1920’s. These cart men created sausages and bratwursts from the best parts of the beef available. The various cart families competed with each other by creating recipes unique to their customer’s tastes. The entrepreneurial spirit of these men created a street corner business that thrived even through the tough times of the Depression.
When questioned about why his choice of working in the open air on the Plaza Tommy responded, “People need a good hamburger and a good quality hot dog. Look around the Plaza, no one serves that need. We have two good quality businesses here; one serves cold sandwiches and another serves Cajun food. I am here to answer customer’s need for a quick, good quality burger, Brat, or hot dog at a reasonable price. They don‘t have to dress up, I am fast and they can get back on the road.”
And that just about says it all–his prices are low as his overhead is only the rent he pays for his spot on the Plaza and the cost of his supplies. The quality of the food is good and follows in the tradition of the original Hot Dog Carts of Chicago. His smile and great sense of humor is free as he really enjoys what he does.
What’s POPPING for the July 4th Weekend on Table Rock Lake
Fireworks
Eagle Rock Fireworks will take place Saturday July 3rd, at the Table Rock Bridge in Eagle Rock. It will begin at Dusk-the Fire Department will serve Pulled Pork Sandwiches and grilled beef sandwiches for a donation starting at 11 am.
Shell Knob will have its Fire Works Display on Sunday July 4th. The show will start at dusk. Boats on the lake are welcome but you must have lights to see your way home and for other boats to see you. Good seats are available at the CCC Camp if you get there early. Like 3 to 4 pm–Oh Yeah–this place is no secret! Bring folding chairs and coolers as it will be hot at that time in the evening. The new restrooms are provided by the Lions Club and the water there is now safe to drink.
Kimberling City-FIREBURST will take place on July 4th at dusk with vendors at Harter House parking lot.
MUSIC-This weekend see the Black Oak Mountain Amphitheater’s second show for their season; Styx, Foreigner and Kansas will be performing. Many folks are planning on boating over to the Trace Hollow Cove for an evening of entertainment. There are tickets still available.
Kimberling City will have a free concert NEXT Saturday at 7 pm at the Kimberling City Shopping Center with Bluegrass Music featured.
Local Dining-The VFW has a fundraiser “All You Can Eat Chicken Dinner” on Saturday 11:00 am to 3:00 pm $6.00 Adults, $3.00 for Children under ten. Carryouts are available call 858-2150 to order. Shell Knob Post 2203 Highway 39 North.
Steak Inn in Shell Knob is famous for great steaks and seafood but be there early on holidays, they open at 4pm, seats in the bar are excellent and the service is great.
Tommy’s Little Dogs is on Bridgeway Plaza with his great Chicago Brats, Brots, and hamburgers. He will be there Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10 to 5 pm.
Subway in Shell Knob has great subs at great prices and they are open 7 days a week on Bridgeway Plaza.
On the Bayou has great cajun food and lots of it! See them on Bridgeway Plaza Also!
Something Beautiful and Free Should Not Be Spoiled
Broken Glass scattered through out the Bluffs walkway
Trash and debris found on the Bluffs area below the Central Crossing Bridge
Four hours of clean up work by the Ervins
The Mature Adult–Humor
American Medical Association researchers have found that
Patients needing blood transfusions may benefit from receiving…………..chicken blood………………rather than human blood.
It tends to make the men cocky and the women lay better.
Just thought you’d like to know…
Saturday Brought a Lot of Activity at Table Rock Lake
Chapparal boat owners having a great time at Table Rock Lake. This moment was captured last weekend just off Point 20.
Camper for Sale
They have just got in a really strange trade in..An older couple bought a camper..that you drive..several years ago, used it a few times then parked it in a storage shed. Its either a 87’or 89’ with only 5,700 miles on it. It’s in mint condition…like brand new…They are asking around 15 to 16 thousand for it. So spread the word and have them contact me if their interested. Sue Beck 417-252-1185
Looking for GREAT Father’s Day Gifts?
The place with more guy stuff than any other store in Shell Knob is Vintage Ozark just north of Shell Knob on Highway 39. If you are looking for knives, belt buckles, fishing tackle, fishing rods and reels, books on fishing, books on collecting, Harley Davidson books, guy gear, and too many items to mention, stop out and take a look–Open 7 days a week-10 am until 6 pm and 12 to 5 pm on Sundays.
A Real Difference–
Communication Today
I thought about the 30 year business I ran with 1800 employees, all without a Blackberry that played music, took videos, pictures and communicated with Facebook and Twitter.
I signed up under duress for Twitter and Facebook, so my seven kids, their spouses, 13 grandkids and 2 great grand kids could communicate with me in the modern way. I figured I could handle something as simple as Twitter with only 140 characters of space.
That was before one of my grandkids hooked me up for Tweeter, Tweetree, Twhirl, Twitterfon, Tweetie and Twittererific Tweetdeck, Twitpix and something that sends every message to my cell phone and every other program within the texting world.
My phone was beeping every three minutes with the details of everything except the bowel movements of the entire next generation. I am not ready to live like this. I keep my cell phone in the garage in my golf bag.
The kids bought me a GPS for my last birthday because they say I get lost every now and then going over to the grocery store or library. I keep that in a box under my tool bench with the Blue tooth [it's red] phone I am supposed to use when I drive. I wore it once and was standing in line at Barnes and Noble talking to my wife as everyone in the nearest 50 yards was glaring at me. Seems I have to take my hearing aid out to use it and I got a little loud.
I mean the GPS looked pretty smart on my dash board, but the lady inside was the most annoying, rudest person I had run into in a long time. Every 10 minutes, she would sarcastically say, “Re-calc-ul-ating” You would think that she could be nicer. It was like she could barely tolerate me. She would let go with a deep sigh and then tell me to make a U-turn at the next light. Then when I would make a right turn instead, it was not good.
When I get really lost now, I call my wife and tell her the name of the cross streets and while she is starting to develop the same tone as Gypsy, the GPS lady, at least she loves me.
To be perfectly frank, I am still trying to learn how to use the cordless phones in our house. We have had them for 4 years, but I still haven’t figured out how I can lose three phones all at once and have run around digging under chair cushions and checking bathrooms and the dirty laundry baskets when the phone rings.
The world is just getting too complex for me. They even mess me up every time I go to the grocery store. You would think they could settle on something themselves but this sudden “Paper or Plastic?” every time I check out just knocks me for a loop. I bought some of those cloth reusable bags to avoid looking confused but I never remember to take them in with me.
Now I toss it back to them. When they ask me, “Paper or Plastic?” I just say, “Doesn’t matter to me. I am bi-sacksual.” Then it’s their turn to stare at me with a blank look.
I was recently asked if I tweet. I answered, No, but I do toot a lot.”
The Mature Adult
GRANDMA TEST-donated by Pam H.
I was out walking with my four-year-old granddaughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and asked her not to do that. “Why?” my Granddaughter asked.
“Because it’s been on the ground; you don’t know where it’s been, it’s dirty, and probably has germs,” I replied. At this point, my granddaughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, “Grandma, how do you know all this stuff? You are so smart.”
I was thinking quickly. “All Grandmas know this stuff, It’s on the Grandma Test.” “You have to know this stuff or they don’t let you be a Grandma.” We walked along in silence for two or three minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information. “Oh… I get it!” she beamed. “So if you don’t pass the test, you have to be the Grandpa.”
“Exactly,” I replied, with a big smile on my face.
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