Friday, March 21, 2014 • Port Orchard Independent
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MoonDogs, Too up for sale By DANNIE OLIVEAUX Editor
A famous Port Orchard landmark is up for sale. Owner Darryl Baldwin said his business — MoonDogs, Too — is on the market for sale. Baldwin said the business is listed for sale at $1.05 million, which includes the business and property together. The two-story building, located at 714 Bay St., is approximately 4,250 square feet and has a large beer garden. “The package is a whole package,” said Baldwin. According to the Better Properties Real Estate in Lakewood website listing, the real estate value is $500,000. The 100-year-old building was remodeled in 1990. According to the listing, Moondogs’ annual income and expenses are $1.36 million with an annual gross of $1.5 million. Baldwin’s battle with cancer forced him to put his business up for sale. For the past four years, the 57-year-old North Dakota native has been battling stage 4 Merkel cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. Doctors found three new tumors in December and informed Baldwin, who was undergoing chemotherapy, that they were inoperable. Baldwin said he originally had explored two options on continuing MoonDogs — the first was for the restaurant to become an employeeowned business.
“I did a lot of research and talked to lawyers,” Baldwin said Thursday. “They said it was a great plan, but the business is too small. The problem is if it was an employee-owned business, it would carry an annual maintenance fee which would start eating into any growth or stock the company might have. The employees really wouldn’t make out on this thing.” He was told a minimal size to set up an employee-owned business was 20 employees. MoonDogs has 10 fulltime employees, Baldwin said. The second option would have been to make Sheila Cline, Baldwin’s girlfriend, and employee David Jones, into business partners. “It’s going through all the licensing,” he said. “It’s not a done deal, but it’s in the process. I don’t think we’ll have any problems.” He said the state’s Gambling Commission and Liquor Board looks for how individuals are in compliance with laws and regulations. “We should know something in the next few weeks or so,” Baldwin said. “The lawyers said, 'Keep the partnership small.' The more partners, the more problems.” He said if a partnership is formed, there would be a revenue-sharing program for selected employees. “It kind of does what I wanted with the employees’ stock, but just in a different format,” Baldwin said. He said he wants the employees to have an “option-out” clause from 90 to 180 days out if the business wasn’t making a profit.
The final option, Baldwin said, is to sell the business. Baldwin feels it’s would be a great opportunity for someone who wants to own an established business and take it to the next level. “I’ve always been passionate about MoonDogs,” said Baldwin. “The more passion you get from a single owner, the more likely the company will be successful first of all. Second of all, it’s really about being part of the community.” Baldwin said it wasn’t hard for him to put it on the market, but it was for the employees. “They all want it to work,” he said. “And I respect that. But at the end of the day the final decision will be made by me — if I am still here — or my daughter, Samantha, who is the executor of my estate and the employees.” Baldwin said neither of his daughters are interested in taking over MoonDogs. Baldwin started MoonDogs, Too in the location formerly known as Port Orchard Tavern in 2007. It was recognized as the “2013 Small Business of the Year” by the Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce. After purchasing the building in December 2012, Baldwin started plans to renovate the kitchen because it was too small. The renovation added approximately 325 square feet to the building and enabled the coolers and freezers outside to be moved inside. It also created more counter space for the cooks and provided more dry storage room.
Port Orchard VFW group seeks new home Current location presents several challenges for veterans
Weatherill said post leaders are looking at two spaces near downtown on Mile Hill Drive and Bethel Avenue that are one story and feature about 5,000-square feet. That would place a dining area with offices on the same level. At the current location, the offices By CHRIS CHANCELLOR Senior Reporter are on the third level. Post 2669 has a service officer on It is a Bay Street fixture. But location once a week to work if officials at Fred Needham with veterans suffering from a myriad of issues, such Veterans of Foreign Wars as a variety of cancers, Post 2669 have their which purportedly See way, the organization will move out full story have been linked through numerous of downtown Port online studies to the use of Orchard for the first Agent Orange during time since it was estabthe Vietnam War. The U.S. lished in 1932. The impetus behind that, military sprayed millions of Commander John Weatherill gallons of herbicides on trees said, is simple. Imagine elders and vegetation during that navigating stairs in a tri-level time. Jesse Carillo, who served house. Weatherill said veterans face a similar scenario in the Navy from 1985-95, is when they have dinners at one of those officers with a the Port Orchard facility. The computer set up at the VFW regulars, who are as old as to assist veterans with getting 94, have to take their meals the claims process started to downstairs to the dining area. receive treatment. He said But that is not the only that often takes one year or consideration behind a move. longer, but frequently sees
veterans walk through the door with skin blotches and other ongoing issues. “Sometimes people just procrastinate,” he said. Other times, Carillo said they want to active old claims or simply do not know what to do. That is why he and others set up at VFWs to answer questions and assist with paperwork. Carillo said the paperwork then is sent to the Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle. Weatherill said a new facility would enable the VFW to have a service officer on location five days per week. “Everybody thinks the Veterans of Foreign Wars is a bunch of drunks,” Weatherill said. “We do a lot. People just don’t realize that.” That work creates crowds. On Valentine’s Day, Weatherill said Post 2669 served 75 dinners. Based on feedback, he thinks those numbers could increase in a new location. “Our biggest issue is we have no parking when we have a function down here,”
he said. “It hurts me to walk any more than a block.” While Weatherill would like to move soon, he said that won’t happen until the building that has housed Post 2669 since 1956 is sold. Weatherill said the property, which was listed for sale in 2012, has generated some interest but no offers. If the property can sell for $300,000, Weatherill said that would be used as a down payment on a new facility, which he estimates will cost $800,000 and require another $200,000 in renovations. Post 2669 officials also are working on a federal grant that would help fund a kitchen and dining area and an emergency feeding station. “If we had a disaster they can come to the VFW and we have meals for three days,” he said. Weatherill said another component of that grant would fund emergency cots for the homeless during coldweather season. He estimates that could provide shelter for 60 people a night.
Courtesy Photo
PSE Union representative Sharri Salo (left) and SEIU President Mike Laxson were recognized as the school district’s honored classified school employees at the March 5 school board meeting.
SKSD honors classified school employees Governor Jay Inslee proclaimed the week of March 10-14 as Classified School Employee Appreciation Week and the South Kitsap School District recognized two of its employees. The SKHS school board read the governor’s proclamation at the March 5 board meeting and Superintendent Michelle Reid presented certificates of recognition to PSE Union representative Sharri Salo and SEIU President Mike Laxson. Classified employees are involved in nearly every aspect of education, including maintaining school buildings and grounds, providing secretarial and clerical assistance, preparing and serving meals, providing safe transportation, keeping school facilities clean and orderly, assisting in the classroom, providing a secure environment, and many other specialized services.
NEWS RELEASE FLUSHING OF FIRE HYDRANTS City of Port Orchard
The fire hydrants for the City of Port Orchard will be flushed during the week of March 24 thru 28, 2014. Note: McCormick Woods area will not be flushed during this time. This is a semi-annual inspection which allows Public Works to flow each hydrant and to perform preventive maintenance. The individual hydrant will be turned on to allow full flow. People will notice water flowing along the street at times. In addition, the large flow of water will stir up any naturally occurring sediment in the water mains. The annual inspection flushes this sediment from the water system. It is possible that customers will notice sediment in the water at the house faucets during this week. If this occurs, people are advised to turn off the inside faucet., then allow water to run from an outside hose bib or the cold water tap of the bathtub until the water runs clear again. Do not use the hot water tap to clear the water. The water should only have to run a few minutes before it is clear again. The City Treasurer’s office will apply a small credit to the water bill at the request of the ratepayer when this is necessary. Questions during the process should be directed to the Public Works Department at 360-876-4991.