Southern Illinoisan:BBQ Owner says price increase due to Mim Wage Increase

[Tweed]

http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2005/02/21/local/doc4219d8f93740a721737077.txt

"MARION -- To say Jaret Blumenstock did not approve of the mandatory minimum wage increase that went into effect last month is putting it lightly.

The new owner of Pulley's Barbeque restaurant in Marion, a staple in the community for the last 82 years, said the only way he could absorb the pay raise for his employees and an increase in food costs from his distributor was to pass on a portion of his cost to his customers.

Blumenstock said he raised his menu prices 15 percent across the board and then posted a notice on the front door explaining his rationale and lambasted Gov. Rod Blagojevich in the process.

"To most of my customers, it wasn't that big of a deal, but some voiced their opinion saying that I was being disrespectful to the governor and that they weren't coming back," Blumenstock said."

I think this writer has an agenda. Look at the title: "THE COSTS OF MAKING MORE: PULLEY'S BBQ OWNER SAYS PRICE INCREASE DUE TO MANDATORY WAGE INCREASE". Then you notice this in the article: "the only way he could absorb the pay raise for his employees and an increase in food costs from his distributor was to pass on a portion of his cost to his customers" The minimum wage was only part of the reason he raised the prices. Also, if you read the article you see that the journalist uses the word 'lambasted', to describe the tone of the language of the owner used in his sign. Yet when talking to the journalist, the owner never uses harsh language to describe his feelings for the minimum wage increase.

Paddy, Cuban Liberal, have you noticed any kind of a political slant in the Southern Illinoisan?

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

1. Please.

Oh, god, so someone will have to pay an extra buck for their ribs so working people can pay their bills and feed their families. How absolutely awful.

[Inland]

2. "Loyal Customers showed support by stiffing waiters on tips"

How pissed are people going to be to learn that a price hike is going directly to the MINIMUM WAGE workers at the restaurant? These people don't eat there for the satisfaction of knowing that the workers are squeezed as much as legally possible.

I don't mind the restaurant owner paying what the market will bear, but how is it a selling point?

[Bluzmann57]

3. That happened here a few years ago

at a locally famous pizza joint. The thing is, it's damn good pizza and people still eat there. I'll bet the same thing happens at this place too. Btw, I'm in eastern Iowa, right on the Iowa/Illinois border.

[sandnsea]

4. food costs

Which may well be due to the increased fuel prices to transport the food. Duh.

I saw an article like this yesterday. The CEO of Lexington Home Brands tries to blame environmental regulations for outsoucring jobs, when he's part of a trade petition against Chinese dumping. While he is busy building factories in China. They have their buttons to push and will push them despite the evidence right in front of their faces that they're wrong.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=401

[xray s]

5. $6.50 / hr

That's it. Try to put gas in the Chevy on those wages.

Just pay your employees a fair wage, sell your product at a price you can make money (not 3 for $3-duh!), and shut up.

I can't believe how the only thing some business owners get all pissy about is wages, but they don't say peep about how their sacred "free market" is screwing them and their employees when it come to health care.

[Cuban_Liberal]

6. Our payroll will increase $300/month.

In the same time frame, we expect our sales to increase approximately $2000/month. Folks who are bitching about this increase are normally rabid Republicans who hate the minimum wage, period.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. It Would Be Laughably Stupid. . .

. . .if it weren't so PATHETICALLY stupid!
The Professor

[fit4life]

8. Happened here too.

The Hardee's on South Grand in Springfield eliminated the senior citizen's discount on their menu items because of the minimum wage increase. How a large chain restaurant like Hardee's can't absorb a small minimum wage increase is beyond me (wink wink). Assholes.

[Logansquare]

9. It's the insane drive to keep stock prices elevated

A business can no longer take one step back and then two steps forward--it's forward, forward, or the stockholders and analysts start squealing.

[Radical Activist]

10. There are better BBQ places in Southern Illinois anyway

There's a real good one in Murphysboro and I'm really embarrassed that I can't remember the name.

And yes, the Southern Illinoisan is definitely a Republican paper. The owners of this restaurant should be ashamed to admit they were paying their employees minimum wage. That's a good enough reason to not eat there.

[Nailzberg]

11. 17th Street Bar and Grill in murphy is DAMN good

At least I remember it that way. Is that what you were thinking of?

[Radical Activist]

12. That's the one!

I knew it was name after a street, I just couldn't remember which one. Great place.

[benny05]

13. I agree, the owner's a Freeper

But so is the Governor; he just calls himself a Democrat. The only decent thing he has done is to give gays more rights in cases of discrimination, but that's about it.