Goodbye To Lee's Chicken

[DuneLaker]

You heard correctly. And I like fried chicken too, but if collections don't improve, I might have to raise my own chickens. :shock:

I'll miss Lee's Fried Chicken. I'll hope for a new opening in SoWal. I used to hear a rooster crow in the mornings. Maybe its time to find him some chicken friends. It also may be time for our SoWal TDC to ramp up their marketing of The Beaches of South Walton to help all rentals and related business. We need to make sure that business is directed to South Walton and other Walton County venues first. Love our surrounding county neighbors, but if we don't promote SoWal, then who will ? If we don't promote SoWal/Walton County as the best beaches, beautiful environment, historically authentic, then who will? We need a plan for today, and a plan for 10 - 20 years down the road. Name recognition starts here.

 

[Smiling JOe]

DuneLaker, is it a safe bet that you don't buy into "The Beach (TM)" promotion?

BTW, I still hear a rooster crow, from the back yard of a lake front home in South Walton. He may be trying to coax the ducks into coming for a visit.

 

[wrobert]

So sad.

I'm so tired of this depressing economy. We're losing so much of our diversity.

True when you think about it. The next struggle will be when it comes back. We will be just another PC or Destin or will the individuals that made this area so special be able to start back up again to keep our character.

 

[DuneLaker]

DuneLaker, is it a safe bet that you don't buy into "The Beach (TM)" promotion?

That would be a safe bet, Smiling JOe. It would also be a safe bet that if we spent our best efforts on marketing South Walton/Walton County, we'd do so well we could help out our neighboring counties with our overflow crowds. The Chambers and TDCs sort of have an unofficial rule, or so I've heard, not to speak ill of each other or say they are "Better." Well, we are better. That is something I can really buy into. Our beaches in SoWal are better, our large number of Coastal Dune Lakes are a unique environmental treasure that the other counties don't have, and we are older historically than our surrounding counties. Our restaurants are better, too! Just being in SoWal air makes everthing taste better.

When you go to any Walton County website, it should first and foremost promote Walton County place names. Somewhere down the line if a business has other counties in its mix, they could mention it. But, the first link to a website paid for by Walton County tax dollars should not lead you away from Walton County and to another County. These are tough times, and we better watch out for our best interests, while remaining good neighbors. Thanks for asking. However, I really try to avoid that disaster of a marketing plan that you alluded to in your question! ;-)

 

[GoodWitch58]

Totally agree, Dunelaker...the energy and the light are completely different here from the neighboring areas.

I see that the County is advertising for an Economic Development position; I wish the TDC and the Economic Development person would team up and really promote our area as one unit--with so many different attractions-- both to the tourist and the business person.

I have never understood why things are done the way they are done.

The marketing for the tourism seems fragmented and way too interlocked with Destin, et al. And, from what I have seen from the last eight years, there has been no marketing for business locations.

And, the ( orange)The Beach is a joke--and the joke will probably be on all of us in the long term.

 

[scooterbug44]

Based on my recent review of the ski areas during their high season, we will have max of 80% of our usual crowds - many will still come (if the hurricane season cooperates), but when they do, they will make a shorter visit and will severely cut back on the extras like eating out and shopping.

Despite a variety of marketing schemes, lodging deals, extended days of lower priced lift tickets, food deals, and even gas cards, this year's holiday numbers were 70-75% of what they were last year and food/bev numbers were even lower.

The public statements of the ski areas are that "if it snows, they'll still come" but privately they are cutting back staff, hours, expenses and are quite worried.

 

[wrobert]

Totally agree, Dunelaker...the energy and the light are completely different here from the neighboring areas.

I see that the County is advertising for an Economic Development position; I wish the TDC and the Economic Development person would team up and really promote our area as one unit--with so many different attractions-- both to the tourist and the business person.

I have never understood why things are done the way they are done.

The marketing for the tourism seems fragmented and way too interlocked with Destin, et al. And, from what I have seen from the last eight years, there has been no marketing for business locations.

And, the ( orange)The Beach is a joke--and the joke will probably be on all of us in the long term.

I would think the goals of the TDC director and the EDA are totally different. If we are going to get serious about the development of industry then we are going to have to get assets in place in order to quickly respond to the needs of industry.

As for tourist marketing, that appears to be nothing more than the TDC responding to the needs of those that are going to generate the most dollars. Those huge complexes already have advertising budgets and are already spending hundreds of thousands marketing their properties. It would be good business to augment that marketing, but this does leave out the little guy.

 

[DuneLaker]

Yes, Goodwitch 58, we need more focused marketing on SoWal, Walton County. I'd like to say to Lee's Fried Chicken, "Please come back and we promise not to send clients over to "D" in the next county." Our economic development and tourist interests do need to be "NSync". This will be even more important if the 75% etc. numbers Scooterbug44 mentions are experienced here in SoWal. Let's promote SoWal and keep our numbers up. With truth in advertising, people would rather be here in SoWal. I really question another county's city's "best" beaches banter. If we got to the bottom of those numbers, where clients were really talking about was SoWal and not them. Destin is glad to have visitors in Sandestin think they are in their city and not SoWal. Who in their right mind would select Destin as a best beach over SoWal? Crazy!!! Destin has its unique attributes that it should market. But, our businesses, our future and yes our tax dollars depend on more accurate place name promotion and disclosure.

 

[Matt J]

That is the same number the rest association lady used last week. Said that the number of closures in this part of Florida was unprecedented. This just is not making a lot of sense if traffic and tourism and bed tax collections are remaining higher than last year. The grocery stores must be doing really well this round.

They are, people are not eating out like they used to.

You heard correctly. And I like fried chicken too, but if collections don't improve, I might have to raise my own chickens. :shock:

Wouldn't you still have a job regardless of the amount of tax collected?

 

[DuneLaker]

The TDC and EDC should team up. Certainly they will have some different goals. But, they should partner for the betterment of all of Walton County. The Chamber of Commerce is designed to support its members. Economic Development is designed to increase new businesses in the area. The TDC is designed to "put heads in beds." This has the potential of attracting visitors who book rooms, eat in restaurants and shop IN SOWAL, WACO while attending supported events. Like the Mercedes plant in Alabama was brought in by EDC. Walton County Economic Development needs to bring in new business like it did with the new hospital in SoWal, Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. This ripple effect brought in doctors, other businesses, home buyers and restaurant clients. This benefited residents and tourists. A good partnership. The TDC is an important part of the Walton County Chamber. Their focus is bringing in tourists, but this is certainly big business in Walton County. Economic Development is growing the pie. Lets eat more pie (and chicken)!!