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The Shopper

Friday, November 13, 2009 11:00 AM

File photo/The Ottawa Herald


A sign in the window proclaims the coming of a new Buzzard’s Pizza shop to Wellsville. The pizza shop has locations in Osage City, Lyndon and Pomona in addition to the new location in Wellsville.

Resisting recession: Businesses open, expand

By LINDA BROWN, Herald Staff

Opening a new business is always tough.

But, opening one during a recession?

Katy Yohe and Gina Brannan opened a beauty salon, Cutz and Tanglz, 119 E. Second St., in February and used the sluggish economy as a drawing card.

“Because the economy was tight, we set our pricing structure a little lower than other salons in the area,” Brannan said.

Brannan and Yohe worked at another Ottawa salon for years but jumped at the chance to own their own shop, despite the economy.

“This is a dream come true for us,” Brannan said. “You work as hard as you have to, to hold on to that dream.”

Nearly a year later, Brannan said they still are happy with the decision they made.

“We’re happy we opened our own shop, and business is very good,” she said.

Dennis Seese, owner of Columbia Printing Co., 424 S. Main St., knew from the beginning he wouldn’t be the only printer in town when he opened in April. But that didn’t stop him.

“There’s always room for one more,” Seese said. “I don’t go after the business the other printer already has, because those customers belong to him. I go after the work that has been going out of town. What I’ve found is that people in Ottawa really want to do business with local people.”

Seese has been pleased with the reception the business has received.

“Sometimes it’s hard to get people to want to change or try a new business, but businesses are accepting us and like the work we do,” he said.

Tim VanLeiden and Marty Ferrell, owners of The Gun Guys, 114 W. Third St., expanded their business for the third time in April when they moved their shop to 114 W. Third St.

“It started out as a hobby deal at first,” VanLeiden said. “We were only open two or three evenings a week.”

As news of the business grew, so did the need for longer hours and a bigger location.

“We moved into a small area at Town and Country Supply when they were at 2707 Kingman Road,” VanLeiden said. “That gave us even greater exposure. We stayed there until that business moved. This is a good location for us.”

VanLeiden expects the business to grow.

“There’s always going to be an interest in hunting and protecting your property,” he said.

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