By Tom Lange, Truth Staff
tlange@etruth.com
On Thursday, Raymond's Restaurant and Lounge was packed with Monaco Coach Corp. employees who had learned they were losing their jobs. Whether the same people still frequent the Wakarusa restaurant two months from now is anyone's guess.
Since Monaco announced plans to close three local plants, putting 1,400 people out of work, businesses in Wakarusa and Nappanee are wondering what this might mean for them. Many believe there are lean times ahead but are ultimately hoping for the best.
The plants being closed are in Wakarusa, Nappanee and Elkhart. A Goshen operation will remain in business.
Some of Raymond's owner Dave Odiorne's best friends have worked at Monaco, and he said it's typical to have them at Raymond's on weeknights and weekends.
Odiorne can't be sure how the closings will impact his business until the factories' doors close, likely in about 60 days. After that, he's guessing the steady crowd of workers that used to come in for a beer and a sandwich after work will begin to wane.
"You want to gain customers," he said. "You don't want to lose them."
Ultimately, Odiorne thinks the closings will affect business, but not drastically.
At Pages & Ivy in Nappanee, Michelle Killian, co-owner, already has seen diminished business, and she realizes the closing of Monaco won't help.
The high cost of gasoline and food, along with the traditionally slow summer months, has meant fewer sales, said Killian.
As people keep an even tighter eye on their budgets, they'll likely have less to spend on the store's books, floral arrangements or home decor.
"It's a scary time," she said.
Despite the situation, Killian is hopeful things will turn around, particularly around Christmas when the store is typically busier.
Dennis Martin, president of Martin Hardware, said there probably will be some fallout at his store once the plants close for good. But he also thinks business will pick back up when new businesses step in to take Monaco's place.
Martin is offering a 10 percent discount to those at Monaco. All people need to do is bring in a pay stub.
Anna Mae Martin, owner of Grandma's Pantry in Wakarusa, isn't overly worried about the Monaco closing affecting her business.
Although Martin does have concerns, she remembers similar challenges to the economy 25 years ago and she expects things to bounce back.
"It might take a while," she said, "but we'll probably come around again."