Business bounces back after arson
By Joey Berlin
Originally published 01:52 p.m., January 24, 2008
Updated 01:52 p.m., January 24, 2008
A mere act of arson wasn’t enough to keep Emporia Pallets Plus down for long.
Soon after the Dec. 26 fire that destroyed the Pallets Plus building at 1303 S. Highway 99, the wooden pallet company opened operations at 1771 Road G, also known as Americus Road. The company, which has a main office in Topeka, has signed a 14-month lease on the Americus Road building.
“We started back up, I think it was like about a week and a half (after the fire),” said Lee Ann Sumter, office manager and part owner of Pallets Plus. “We’re just starting out slow. Topeka’s taking a lot of our accounts while we’re getting back on our feet.”
Pallets Plus manufactures wooden pallets and also picks up old ones from homes and businesses to recycle the lumber. Right now, the recycling aspect is what the Emporia office is focusing on. Emporia Pallets Plus is using about six workers right now, Sumter said; they had about 13 at the old location.
“The equipment’s been kind of a bear,” Sumter said. “We’re starting over, as it were. Like I said, we’re starting out slow. This building’s a lot smaller, so it’s been a difficult start. But we’re getting there.”
Sumter said she didn’t know whether Pallets Plus eventually planned to rebuild on the old site, referring to the main office for any available details on that decision. Topeka’s Pallets Plus office couldn’t be reached Wednesday.
Fire Marshall Tom Andrews said Tuesday there was no update on the department’s probe into the fire, which is being investigated as an arson. Tips are still being sought; anyone with information pertaining to the fire may call Crime Stoppers at 342-CARE.
truman (anonymous) says...
I can not believe that a group of so called professionals can not seem to get there stories straight or should I say pictures straight. Who gave you permission to take these pictures anyway? To all the people who have called AgChoice we are not for sale and are not the new location for the new Pallets Plus.
January 24, 2008 at 2:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
glarson (anonymous) says...
When our photographer traveled to Americus Road and Highway 50, she photographed the wrong business. We have apologized to AgChoice, which called us about the mistake when the newspaper hit the stands and they began getting calls.
Although the photos cannot be removed from the print edition, they have been removed from the Web site, and a correction will be printed in Friday's Gazette.
Gwen Larson
Managing Editor
January 24, 2008 at 4:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )