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Highlands Today

A Business League Of Their Own

Jasmina Meyer, Highlands Today

From left: Peggy Caraberis and her mom, Peggy Mandis Caraberis, stop by Jordon and Son Jewelers on East Main Street to find a replacement watch wrist band as Randy Jordon looks through his inventory to find a match on Thursday in Avon Park. Caraberis mentioned she still wears rings her grandmother gave her that came from Jordon Son and Jewelers.

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By LAURA NESBITT

Highlands Today

Published: March 6, 2009

AVON PARK - Eight local business owners have signed a charter stating that small business is important to the community, said Randy Jordon, owner of Jordon & Son Jewelers.

The League of Old Businesses isn't a legal document, but it hangs in each store as a sign of the owner's commitment to his or her customers. The only requirement to join the league is to have a business that has been operating in Avon Park for 25 years or more.

Four generations of Jordon's family have worked in the store beginning with his great-grandfather who moved to the area in 1919. The store opened the following year.

"Over 89 years you build up a clientele because they trust my ability as a jeweler and a watchmaker," Jordon said.

Bob Hendrick, owner of Hendrick's Grocery and another signatory, said the charter acknowledges the value of all small businesses in the community.

Hendrick, who bought the store in 1984, said he is an important part of his customers' lives. The store sends flowers to customer's funerals and celebrates their children's births.

"A lot of these kids we have as customers now, we weighed them on our scales," Hendrick said.

"We stand behind everything that we do. It's a very competitive world out there, especially with the giant stores. Underneath it all there's still room for the little guy."

Both owners expressed some frustration with larger stores like Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart first opened in Avon Park in the 1980s but closed, said David Greenslade, chamber of commerce executive director. Wal-Mart reopened another store in Avon Park in August, said Daniel Morales, media director.

Morales said that Wal-Mart doesn't have "the 25-year record" that the smaller stores have in the community. But he added in over five months Wal-Mart has given $54,527 to charitable organizations in Avon Park.

"We're very happy to be a part of the community, and we want to work with all the businesses of Avon Park," Morales said.

The downtown area has been undergoing a makeover to make it more community-friendly.

"The focus of the community revitalization grant is to bring back pedestrians to downtown and refurbish the old infrastructure as well," said Maria Sutherland, city project manager.

The project, which began in January with a $750,000 grant from the Department of Community Affairs, also includes more parking and slowing down traffic.

Highland Golf Inc., a local golf course construction company, was the bidder chosen to receive the job, Sutherland said.

"We appreciate the loyalty that the people of Avon Park have shown us over the years," Jordon said.

"That's the only reason that we're still here. We've gone through the rip-roaring '20s, the '30s, the '60s, until today. Just think of the generations that we've served."

League Of Old Businesses Doctrine

"It is the intention of we business owners, who have dedicated ourselves to this community over the past, to obtain the recognition, assistance, and respect rightly deserved. We may not be multi-national conglomerates, but we have been the backbone of this area and its economy for generations. For the salvation of our city, we request special attention to our situations. We each find ourselves in a position where our dedication appears to be irrelevant. The economic impact of each of our entities has provided stability to this city for many years, now the loyalty of our municipal leaders must reflect, at least, a degree of appreciation for our collective efforts. Without any one of our businesses, this city would appear a desolate, lost place, too negative for any newcomer to approach. Schools, civic clubs, churches, and public needs have been made more accessible by the Oldest Local Businesses in Avon Park. We, therefore, sign as the League of Old Businesses (LOOB.)"

Highlands Today reporter Laura Nesbitt can be reached at 863-386-5857 or lnesbitt@highlandstoday.com.

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