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by DOTR Janesville Staff Sherpas
Opportunities abound! Businesses see a bright future for Janesville, despite GM leaving the community.
It’s tough to avoid … it’s everywhere we turn. Bad news strikes like sniper fire — the economy, housing market, stock market … any market you can think of. Even a trip to the grocery market is costing us more these days.
More than a hit to the wallet, though, all this bad news is taking a larger toll on the American psyche. The constant swirl of negativity is eroding our spirits and killing our dreams. If we let that happen, then the lasting effects on our lives will extend long after our economic wounds heal. Janesvillians (is that a word?) are in danger of becoming poster children for this epidemic. With the GM plant closing its doors, the general mood around town is akin to a wake. It’s as if we are all preparing to go to a big funeral later this month. Are times tough? You bet. Does our town, in particular, have a bitter pill to swallow? Absolutely! Is it time to throw in the towel? The answer is an emphatic NO. The Swinging Pendulum
If we take a step back and look at the big picture, this economic downturn is not only par for the course, but so is the inevitable rebound that is full of promise for each of us. The economy is like a pendulum that swings back and forth. We’ve been on a tremendous upswing for a long time … so long, in fact, we’ve forgotten about similar times of economic crisis in the past. History always provides a lesson. Lesson #1: Navigating through turbulent economic times is painful. Although we end up with a few scars, we always get through it. Lesson #2: As bad as this crisis may get, it is temporary. The pendulum will swing up again, and many of us will find ourselves in a better stead than we were before this started. Looking at recent times, there have been several negative economic events that slowed our personal progress. There was the oil crisis in the 1970s. And who can forget “Black Monday” in 1987, when the stock market crashed — worse than the one in 1929. More recently, the “dot com bubble” burst in the 1990s. No need for a full economic analysis here … we hear more than is useful every time we turn on the TV or open the newspaper. The media loves to play up the drama of negative news, especially economic indicators. Mass hysteria takes over, and things get worse because we buy into that negativity. Thoughts become things. Perception is reality. The “other” economic indicators, right in our own eNeighborhood!
We don’t need to look beyond our city to see the negative effects of the economy. To flip the coin, we need to simply look within our city to see the positive ones! Dean Health Systems just held a Ground Breaking Ceremony for the new St. Mary's hospital. Retail giants like Wal-Mart and Menards invested huge amounts of money into our community by building mega-stores. Why? Because they see a bright future for the city of Janesville and Rock County. Other chains like Hobby Lobby and O’Reilly Auto Parts are investing in the “city of parks” as well. Independent small-business folks also see potential. Just ask Tanya Kimble, who opened the Perfectly Plus Consignment Shop with her business partner Sarah Kopp just a year ago.
For years, it had been a dream of Tanya and Sarah’s to start a business in their hometown, and they finally seized the opportunity. “There was a niche that needed to be filled here,” says Tanya. “We knew a woman in North Carolina with this kind of business, and there was nothing like that here. We saw the potential and knew that Janesville would be the perfect place to set up shop.” 
Tanya says that Perfectly Plus not only gives residents another shopping choice to spend their money locally, it also gives them an opportunity to make money locally, through consignment. It’s important that we support our community, to keep it thriving,” says Tanya Kimble (left, pictured with business partner Sarah Kopp), co-owner of Perfectly Plus Consignments. “It doesn’t make sense to live here, but spend our money elsewhere.” Tanya and Sarah also believe in the importance of being downtown vs. in a strip-mall setting. Not only is it surprisingly more economical to rent space in a downtown building, it creates a sense of community that shopping and strip malls never can. “People sometimes forget about downtown as a shopping destination,” says Tanya. The floods earlier this year actually helped people remember just that. “People would come down here to see the flooding,” says Tanya. “And they would see our shops and say, ‘I didn’t know all this was down here.’ We got a bunch of new customers once the waters receded and we opened the doors again.” Location, Location, Location
Alfredo De Los Monteros also appreciates the many benefits of a downtown location. His new bar, Corvina’s, occupies the old Karma’s space. He and his partner Janelle Barlass opened for business on October 17, in spite of GM’s pending closure. Alfredo jokes, “Here’s what I think about bars: when people are happy, they are drinking. When they are unhappy, they are drinking more.” All kidding aside, Alfredo and Janelle also saw a niche that needed filling in Janesville, by offering an emphasis on live music, specifically blues and jazz. They promote the business as “Blues with a twist.” Corvina’s location on the corner of Milwaukee Street and Parker Drive has definite  advantages for the new bar owners. Ideally located within walking distance of many downtown Janesville pubs and restaurants, allows Corvina’s to take advantage of an existing presence of people. Between location, atmosphere, enticing drink specials and competitive everyday prices, Janelle and Alfredo are sure they have the right formula for success, regardless of economy. Alfredo says that their clientele is eclectic, representing many age groups and economic levels. Janelle adds that Corvina’s offers a comfortable, classy ambience that keeps customers coming back. Booking talented blues, jazz and rock bands on a regular basis brings in the crowds. Because Corvina’s owners also own a limo business, Alfredo and Janelle offer some unique services to their patrons. Flat-rate limo service is available to customers who don’t want to drive. Alfredo also promotes special limo pricing for all hotel patrons in town, with roundtrip service between hotels and downtown. In fact, the bar is the third business under the Corvina’s name, because Janelle also runs a music studio, teaching music and voice lessons to local residents. The three local businesses keep the young couple busy, but that’s just the way they like it. Alfredo and Janelle are living the American dream, where hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit make anything possible. Those things don’t die in a tough economy — as long as people focus on the potential and the future, rather than allowing themselves to become victims of temporary negative economic news. As Janelle and Alfredo see it, the future is chock-full of potential, for them and for Janesville. “We want to represent the best things about Janesville,” says Janelle. “This is a great place to live.” Well said, Janelle. Well said. |
