Vintage Powers Hamburgers instills loyalty in diners
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"The old-style sign on the wall at Powers Hamburgers reads: “We serve ’em or sack ’em, 80c each.”
It’s the relic of a bygone era, but owner Michael Hall and his fiancée, Gloria Chiddister, who works at Powers, like it that way."
"Powers Hamburgers on South Harrison Street was started in 1935 by brothers Leo, Harold, Clell and Dale Powers in Dearborn, Mich. They opened 15-20 restaurants in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, including two in Fort Wayne in the 1940s, which were sold to Leo’s son Rolin Powers in 1980. When Rolin died in 1990, ownership shifted to his sister, Marilyn Penick, who then sold it to Hall in 1999."
"Aside from new awnings and window replacements, Hall and Chiddister have vowed to keep Powers Hamburgers much the way it was when it came to Fort Wayne in 1946."
"Close ties with customers are one reason the two oppose moving should the nearby Harrison Square project – which will include condos and a baseball stadium – force them to leave during the project’s third phase.
“The customers vowed to picket the City Council if that happens,” Hall said."
11 comments:
I can't believe in the whole, huge HS project that they couldn't make accomodations in phase 3 for an icon with such a small footprint. I'd go from being psyched about this project to pretty glum if they said they had to knock down Powers.
I've yet to hear even a hint during this whole process that Powers would be in danger of being torn down.
They could not force them to move unless it was through the enticement of a large check, similar to the ransom paid for The Palace.
Eminent domain can longer be used for expansion of private developments.
A “public use”is government’s or general public’s possession, occupation and enjoyment of a parcel of property for fundamental governmental services including highways, bridges, airports, ports,certified technology parks, intermodal facilities, and parks and the governments leasing of a parcel it owns by a lease with a right of forfeiture of a highway, bridge, airport, port, certified technology park, intermodal facility,or park and certain utilities.The term does not include the public benefit of economic development...
But if there was ever a suit over the land, the City could probably win regarding the 2005 Supreme Court decision in Susette Kelo, et al. v. City of New London, Connecticut. I would hope that it would never get that far and as hope that the City would never try to take Powers. That would be a tragedy. They could just cut the corner of the building like the one that is currently proposed and leave Powers there.
I would protest the destroying of Powers.
I believe the new eminent domain restrictions were put in place by the state legislature as a response to the Kelo decision.
And don't kid yourself into thinking they wouldn't touch Powers - they were discussing taking over Cindy's Diner to put in the new hotel at one point.
Jeff - they weren't talking about taking over Cindy's, they were exploring on how much it would cost to purchase the parking lot on the corner of Harrison and Wayne. Also, part of the deal was to relocate Cindy's.
Along with relocation, it was discussed for Powers, not the destruction, but the 'displacement' - I agree the moving it for the sake of a project would be dumb, but I think just as long as the building is the same and the grease traps go untouched.
Hope you all are enjoying the summer.
However, Cindy's has been moved several times in it history while Powers has never been moved. Or at least to my knowledge.
There is a difference in being able to survive a move when you have been through a few and surviving one, when you have never moved you business.
is anything supposed to be happening with that parking lot behind Cindy's. I thought something was in the works to be built there.
Regarding Powers: Moving a block or two is not a horrible thing, while condemning these places is. I was recently at the Gem Theatre in Detroit, a beautifully ornate structure on par with our Embassy, but much smaller. It was (incredibly) moved five blocks to accomodate the new stadiums in downtown Detroit. I suspect moving Powers would be a much less daunting task.
"Also, part of the deal was to relocate Cindy's."
The city forcing your business out so another business can move in. That's "taking over" in my book...
The Kelo decision triggered an act by Congress that protects private property owners, although I don't believe the Act has been passed as of yet. If it hasn't been passed, then the Kelo decision still stands as good law.
Until Congress moves on changing the outcome of Kelo, the practice of taking private property from Owner A and selling it to Owner B for economic development can still be used in those states which do not pass additional legislation.
The Kelo decision also set off the same flurry in state legislatures. Indiana created a commission to "study" the effect of Kelo and determine what could be done to protect private property. In 2006, H.B. 1010 (Wolkins) was signed into law by the governor. (See http://www.citiesandtowns.org/content/
PDF/2006/eminent-domain.pdf for a discussion of its provisions).
The Bill restricts the use of eminent domain by defining it as not including public benefit gained by increasing tax revenues, tax base, employment, or general economic health - the very issues that the Kelo case found acceptable.
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