Evergy pauses disconnection at Towne West after ‘documentation’ provided
21 June 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Towne West Square still has a delinquent energy bill after multiple attempts by Evergy to receive a payment.
Some of the store owners are still holding out hope that the bill will be taken care of. They say they have not heard from Kohen Retail Investment Group, the mall’s owners, and that the local management has been left in the dark.
Some businesses say that Towne West supports small businesses that rely on shoppers to keep operating. Many are now looking for ways to continue operating if the power is turned off.
“I will keep my doors open. I have to make sales. I’m sure the mall doors will be open. My cameras may not be working, but we also have a battery backup to my cameras, my security cameras,” said Ken Smith, owner of Steve’s Jams and Jellies.
Smith says he has a plan to relocate perishable goods if necessary. But the owner of Doughmaha, an ice cream vendor in Towne West, says they do not have the resources to move their product on short notice.
“I don’t know what to do, where I’m going to go, or how I’m going to take care of my family. It’s scary. Even if the stuff gets a little thawed or not refrigerated, it’s done. We’ll lose everything. Like literally like every dime we have is in this business,” explained Doughmaha owner Bill Petrihos.
Petrihos currently has an extensive amount of ice cream stored in the mall for the upcoming slot racing event scheduled for this Friday and Saturday. While he faces the potential for all of his products to expire, The Strip at 316 says they are concerned their grand opening race event will not have electricity.
“We’re in contact with some of our guys locally that have generators to see if they would be available to use,” said The Strip at 316 co-owner DeAndre King.
He says the race is expecting over 50 people, traveling from Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Minnesota, and other parts of Kansas. It has taken the owners two years to gain support from surrounding areas, and they say they do not want to jeopardize their newfound relationships with them.
The Strip at 316 slot racing (Courtesy: DeAndre King)
“If we don’t have this race, this business goes away. And not just this business goes away, but the hobby in Wichita goes away,” said King.
King says he reached out to Evergy on Tuesday, asking for an extension of electric services through the weekend. The store hopes the energy company will empathize with small business owners who need to keep their doors open.