Lowell's

Join us for Picnic with the Pops!

For two nights under the stars each August, Picnic with the Pops features our own Lexington Philharmonic with a special guest artist at Keeneland's Meadow at Keene Barn.

This year's guest artist, Michael Cavanaugh, was named Corporate Entertainer of the Year for 2013 by Reuters. For Picnic with the Pops, Cavanaugh will perform The Songs of Elton John and More! 

More from the Picnic website: 'The dynamic set list for this show will feature creative reinterpretations of classic Elton John hits, interspersed with additional songs by rock & roll legends Wings, Styx, The Eagles and more."

This year's Picnic will be held on Friday, August 15th and Saturday, August 16th. Find out all of the details about Picnic with the Pops here. It should be a great show.

Whether homemade or catered, great food has always put the 'picnic' in Picnic with the Pops. In 2014 - for the first time - two gourmet food trucks (Fork in the Road and Minton's at 760) will also serve food available for purchase during the event. Find out more about food options here.

And the best part?

Lowell's is giving 4 lucky customers reserved seats for the Friday night performance of Lexington's favorite summer event. Lowell's will host you and your guest at our catered picnic table. We'll serve dinner a little after 6:30 pm and the performance should start at sunset (about 8:30 pm).

Here's how easy it is to enter: Just send an email to (pwp {at} lowells {dot} us) telling us you'd like join us. That's it! We'll draw for winners and contact all entrants by August 11th.

(Full disclosure: I serve on the Picnic with the Pops Commission. I am very biased. And it will be a blast.)

Mmmmm. Candy.

There are two non-car-related questions we get most often here at Lowell's.

The first is, "How can you afford to sell Cokes for just a nickel?" (We'll keep that a secret for now...)

The second is, "Where do you get these delicious candies (and how can I get some)?"

Since holiday entertaining season is here, we've decided to let you in on our secret - just in case you needed ideas for a nice surprise for your guests.

I love chocolate. And I love sharing chocolate with customers. So whenever the weather allows us to, we try to keep a generous supply of fine chocolate truffles on hand.

Dilettante (Chocolates)

Our favorite source of these chocolate treats is Dilettante, a wonderful chocolatier based near Seattle.

We usually order peppermint, toffee, raspberry, latte, mocha, and espresso truffles for the shop. As a dark chocolate lover, my favorite flavor is Ephemere, a delicious dark chocolate truffle.

In addition to the truffles we order for the shop, Dilettante offers a wide variety of gift boxes and bags, chocolate-covered fruits, and other delicious treats.

When the weather gets warmer, those chocolates don't hold up so well to the heat (Think: puddles). That's when we switch to caramels.

We have two great sources of fine flavored caramels, and we recommend both.

AvenueSweets (Caramels)

AvenueSweets is a confectioner based in Utah. We usually order chocolate, Dutch apple, sea salt, and Irish cream caramels, and can't resist getting some of their almond nougat as well. My personal favorite flavor from AvenueSweets is their butter rum caramels.

Béquet (Caramels)

Béquet Confections is based in Montana and makes eleven incredible varieties of caramels. My favorites: cinnamon swirl and chipotle (which is both sweet and spicy).

In my experience, AvenueSweets often arrives with smoother textures and richer flavors than Béquet. Béquet tends to be more consistent and 'shelf-stable' than AvenueSweets, whose smoothness tends to break down if you keep them for longer than a couple of months.

If you think you might keep your caramels around for few months or more, consider Béquet. If you and your guests will go through them quickly, consider AvenueSweets. But, really, you can't go wrong here. Both are delicious options for gourmet caramels.

Dilettante truffles used to be available in local grocery stores in the specialty chocolates areas. Lately, I've not seen them in local stores. I've not seen AvenueSweets or Béquet available in gift boxes in Lexington retailers. A few local shops sell Béquet a piece at a time.

If you really like these candies, I'd recommend going directly to their makers to get higher volumes. This time of year, they often have sales and/or discounted shipping available.

Your mechanic on Mechanic Street

Lowell's is Lexington's only mechanic on Mechanic Street.

Many of you know that Lowell's has been serving Lexington for more than 30 years from the same location at 111 Mechanic Street. We love being your mechanic on Mechanic!

While we like to joke that the street was named for Lowell's, we've long been curious about where the name came from.  "Mechanic" seems like a pretty new term, and we wondered if the street was relatively new or if the name had been changed from something else.  

So we were surprised to learn that it has been called Mechanic Street for nearly 200 years!

Today, "mechanic" is commonly used to refer to someone who works on machinery.  Back then, it had a somewhat different usage: "mechanic" referred to a variety of skilled tradesmen.  Essentially, "mechanic" was used in the same sense that we use "artisan" today.

Records from an 1818 directory of Lexington show an Elisha Babcock as Mechanic Street's only resident. In that directory, Babcock was listed as a "carriage maker".

200 years later, we'd like to think that we're doing a pretty good job of keeping up Mr. Babcock's legacy of helping Lexington move forward!

If you're curious about the data, Richard E. Stevens of the University of Delaware compiled historical datasets from many U.S. cities.  I found Elisha Babcock in the 1818 Lexington Directory (Excel file) and 1818 tax rolls (DBF file - can be opened with Excel).  I also found RootsWeb's Fayette County resources and maps to be useful in my research.  Access Geneology lists many other Kentucky directories, as well.  

Introducing the Lowell's Courtesy iPad

We're always looking for ways to make your Lowell's experience better.

You might have gotten a ride to work in our courtesy shuttle van.  If we needed to keep your car for a while, you might have driven one of our courtesy loaner vehicles.  Some of you have even ridden our courtesy bikes around downtown!

Now, the next time you are waiting in our lobby, try out our new courtesy iPad 2!

Use our iPad to cruise the internet, to catch up on news, or even to play a few rounds of Angry Birds while we fix your car!

 

Lowell's Sponsors Trailapalooza

In its early days, Lexington was built along the Middle Fork of South Elkhorn Creek, which was eventually known as Town Fork or, more commonly today, Town Branch.  Lexington's early streets were oriented along the banks of this stream.

If you don't remember a stream in downtown Lexington, you're not alone. Much of what was Town Branch is now buried under present-day Vine Street. Running underground along Vine Street and under the Lexington Center, Town Branch re-emerges in the Cox Street parking lot, and meanders along Manchester Street and Leestown Road.  This area includes some of Lexington's most historic sites, such as McConnell Springs.

Town Branch Trail, Inc. has been leading the efforts to build a greenway and urban trail along this historic corridor.  Town Branch Trail recently completed its second phase of construction, with nearly two miles of completed trail for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Lowell's is pleased to support these efforts.  We think that initiatives like Town Branch Trail are an important part of making Lexington even more attractive and livable.  So we are one of the sponsors of Trailapalooza, a festival along Town Branch Trail on Sunday, August 15th from 1 to 5 PM.  

The Big Maracas and the inimitable March Madness Marching Band will be entertaining.  And PRESTO, the People-Powered Pianobike (which we are pleased to keep here at Lowell's), will be there as well.  On top of that, we'll have games and prizes, too.

Trailapalooza promises to be great fun for all ages.  Lowell's encourages our friends and customers to come celebrate and support Town Branch Trail at Trailapalooza on August 15th.  

Visit Trailapalooza to get all of the details.

David Bullard Leaving Lowell's

After nearly four years with Lowell's in Lexington, David Bullard - one of our highly-skilled technicians - is returning to his hometown shop in Florence, Kentucky. While we are sad to see David leave, we really appreciate his contributions here over the past four years. 

We'd love for you to help us say goodbye to David. This Friday, July 30th at noon, we'll be having a pizza party at the shop, and we're inviting our friends and customers to join us. We'll be bringing in lots of Mellow Mushroom pizza for you (Kosmic Karma is David's favorite), and - as always - you can get 5-cent Cokes from our machine. 

Please join us as we bid farewell to one of our own. 

We hope to see you this Friday, 
Rob, Suzanne, and your Friends at Lowell's

"What is that thing?!?"

Lowell's customers and pedestrians on Mechanic Street have noticed that we have a strange vehicle in our garage which is most definitely not a Toyota.

Some folks giggle when they see it.  Some just shake their heads.  Most smile.  Everyone wants to know, "What is that thing?!?"

It is a wildly-colorful, whimsical, bicycle-powered, musical, and Seuss-ical contraption known as "PRESTO: The People-Powered Pianobike".  

What's a people-powered pianobike?  It is pulled by two bikes.  It is powered by a third bike.  It is an electronic keyboard with amp.  It is a community work of art utilizing recycled materials and musical instruments.  It is a celebration of music, fitness, recycling, and fun.  And we keep it here at Lowell's.

PRESTO is the brainchild of Debra Hensley (that's her on the right) of Debra's Social $timulus, and it will be making appearances at public events all over Lexington.  

On Memorial Day, PRESTO led 3,000 bicyclists through downtown Lexington for Bike Lexington's Family Fun Ride.

In conjunction with Debra's Social $timulus, Lowell's is storing PRESTO here at the shop.  We've already had several passersby interact with PRESTO, including a swarm of kids honking PRESTO's many horns.

We think PRESTO is a lot of fun.  If you come by the shop, be sure to look it over.  And smile.

While you wait: Superlative Coffee Roasters

116 Mechanic Street, 2009

Last year, I wrote about some of the neglected properties surrounding Lowell's, including a small run-down house across Mechanic Street from our lobby.  

The house was long-abandoned, and the giant half-dead tree in front hung menacingly over passersby. 

A few months ago, that little house was sold to new owners, who spent a lot of time and money renovating the building and removing the rotting tree.  

The result: a very nice example of refitting an older property for a modern use.

116 Mechanic Street, Today

Last week, Superlative Coffee Roasters opened up for business at the new, much-improved 116 Mechanic Street.  Superlative is a craft roaster of organic, fair trade coffees.

Jenny Super, Superlative's owner, has offered to let Lowell's customers taste samples of one of her small-batch coffees through the end of June.

Today, I sampled the shop's Signature Blend.  Wonderful, wonderful stuff.

The Little Red Roaster

While there, be sure to check out their Little Red Roaster - It is often busy roasting up the latest fresh batch of beans.

Superlative is a welcome addition to our vibrant North Limestone neighborhood. Please lend your support to this great local business!

Come by the shop, pick up one of Superlative's free sample cards, and cross the street for a delicious free cup!

Superlative Coffee Roasters
116 Mechanic Street
Lexington, KY 40507
859.252.5000
Jennifer Super, Owner and Craft Roaster
superlativecoffee.com
Twitter: SipSavorShare

Get Your Blue On!

If you're like us, you're pretty excited about how well Kentucky is doing this season.  New coach, new style, new successes - the Cats are finally back.

If you're a Cats fan, we've created something just for you.

A 4x6" Kentucky blue oval car magnet inscribed with "The Blue is Back, Baby!", it is designed to help you cheer the Cats to victory.

They're free to Lowell's customers.  You can get extras for $5 per magnet, with all proceeds going to the American Red Cross for earthquake relief in Haiti and Chile.

Show your pride in your team.  Pick one up at Lowell's today!

Be Original. But Be Smart, Too...

(A fun little break from our To-Do List for Lexington series.  Click here for an overview and links to the rest of the series.)

Yesterday, we asked readers to support a $3.2 million bond issue for Lexington's Distillery District, which includes much of Town Branch Trail.

As part of the same post, we called for Lexington to "be original". 

But we didn't expect so much originality so soon.  And we didn't expect it to be so completely inept...

::

As we mentioned yesterday, the Urban County Council is in a financial pinch.  And it was deciding what projects to issue bonds for, including the ever-growing bill for South Limestone streetscape construction (now at over $17 million) and early 2010 streetscape projects on Main, Vine, and Cheapside, totaling $12.7 million.

At $3.2 million, the Distillery District bonds were relatively small, and the Distillery District was the only bond project which would provide infrastructure to spawn new jobs and new revenue - meaning that it was the only initiative which could provide taxpayers a return on their investment.

This return on investment is a principal feature of tax increment financing (TIF) projects.  Public funds are made available to such projects as those projects generate tax revenues back to the city.

Roughly two-thirds of the Distillery District's bond would go directly for public improvements for direct public benefit - building out the Town Branch Trail and improving pedestrian access throughout the district.  The rest would go for researching road and utility improvements along Manchester Street (the District's primary corridor). 

::

An hour before the council met yesterday, councilmembers were sent an ominous memo [PDF link] from a former counsel (attorney James Parsons) who formerly advised LFUCG on the TIF process. 

The last-minute memo appears to be a very deliberate misreading of the Distillery District request. 

It creates the incorrect impression that the developer (Barry McNees) could simply pocket the bond funds and leave the city in the lurch.  As mentioned above, most of the funds would go directly toward civic infrastructure improvements, not the developer's bottom line.  And the remaining funds would go toward research and design initiatives - also not the developer.

And the memo is plain wrong on the developer's ability to start the project - The Distillery District already has one active, successful entertainment venue (Buster's) which employs over 30 people and, in just a few months since opening, has drawn 10,000 fans from across the region.  Other, smaller businesses are already in place, too.  And McNees has a letter of intent from a major investor to start a new distillery in Downtown Lexington.

In total, the Parsons memo appears to intentionally mislead the council on the magnitude of "dangers" associated with the project - It appears to be a blatant scare tactic designed to squelch the Distillery District.

Good News, Bad News
The good news is that the council saw through the transparent attempt to derail a worthy project.  The bad news is that they only partially funded the request (about $2.2 million).  The council narrowly (6 to 5 vote) missed approving the entire $3.2 million request.

But the Parsons affair raises a number of troubling questions:

• Why was the former TIF advisor weighing in on this project?
• Why did he so badly mischaracterize the project?
• Were taxpayer funds used to craft this diversion? (If so, this taxpayer wants a refund.)
• Who requested Parsons' input?  Why?
• Was Parsons directed to magnify the potential dangers to the project?  Again, by whom?
• And where was this alarmist "DANGER, DANGER!" attitude toward TIF while Mr. Parsons was advising LFUCG on CentrePointe?

The broader question is this: Who wanted to derail the Distillery District so badly that they used such a transparent, ham-handed approach?  

::

When we called for Lexington to be more original, we wanted that originality to be smart, too.  The Parsons memo was certainly "original".  Smart?  Not so much.

Announcing Lowell's Community Service

We are very pleased that you have chosen Lowell's as Lexington's "Best Honest Mechanic" in Ace Weekly's Best of Lex 2009 readers' poll.  This is the eighth year you have voted us Ace's best mechanic, and we are deeply grateful that you have honored us once again.

On October 2nd, Lowell's will also celebrate its 30th anniversary (For more on the founding of Lowell's [the company] see this history, written by Lowell [the man], our founder and advisor).  In honor of that occasion, and in gratitude for your enthusiasm and loyalty over the past 30 years, we're going to do something special.

We're giving back.

Beginning in October and continuing through the end of 2009, we'll provide our full service oil change - FOR FREE.  We call it Lowell's Community Service.

And "free" means free: No Strings. No Catches. No Charge.

We do ask that you make an appointment, so that we may properly balance our workload and provide prompt service.

Regular oil and filter changes are the single most effective way to keep your vehicle running well.  So, for a limited time, every lube, oil, filter change, and multi-point inspection for your Toyota, Lexus, or Scion at Lowell's will be absolutely, positively free.  (And, just in case you're wondering, our prices for other maintenance and repair will remain the same.)

With the Lowell's Community Service program, we hope to give back a little of what you've given to us over the past 30 years.  And since you have read this post, you can take advantage of Community Service right now.  Just mention Community Service when you schedule your appointment, and you can get our October surprise in September!

Thanks so much for supporting us,
Rob, Suzanne, and your friends at Lowell's

The Spotlight Effect

There's an old saw in business: "That which gets measured gets results". 

I have to admit I've always been a bit dismissive of that saying (usually attributed to the late business guru Peter Drucker).  In corporate life, I saw plenty of things that were measured which didn't get results.  The mere act of measuring something accomplishes nothing if effort doesn't also go into improving that 'something'.

But a couple of events over the past few weeks has me thinking about what does get results. 

Newtown Pike Extension
The first event was the much-acclaimed burial of utility lines along Lexington's Newtown Pike extension.  After Graham and Clive Pohl (of Pohl Rosa Pohl Architects) highlighted the discrepancy between the pretty artists' renderings of the extension and the actual plans for the construction that was about to begin.  Instead of the beautiful, pristine streets promised in the renderings, the extension would have been littered with utility poles and power lines.

LFUCG engineers cited the high relative cost of burying the utilities, estimating that putting them underground would add nearly $900,000 to the project's cost.

Since the extension will be a kind of "gateway" into Lexington, there was an outcry from many on the Urban County Council about how important it was for us to look good for visitors.  Our Vice Mayor was quoted as saying "We'll never get a second chance to make a first impression."  Local columnists and Lexington's online community jumped on the issue as well, and it snowballed.

Within a couple of weeks, city leaders lined up with Kentucky's Governor to announce that they had found the extra funds to put the utilities underground in the Governor's contingency fund.

I have to admit, I support putting utilities underground, but am dubious of the "first impression" argument.  The utilities are currently slated to go underground only on the Newtown Pike Extension.  The existing stretch of Newtown will still have above-ground utilities.  So a visitor's true first impression will still be filled with wires and poles from I-75 to Main Street, as seen in this shot of Newtown from this afternoon.

The Treeds Experiment
The second event was a little closer to home.  In the Treeds Experiment, I decided take up a challenge from an Urban County Councilmember to see how long it took to get a response from LFUCG's Division of Code Enforcement.  So, last Friday - just before the holiday weekend - I sent an email to Code Enforcement about a lot next to our main building which had become overgrown with tree-weeds, or "treeds".  

At the same time I sent the email, I posted an outline of the experiment on my blog, along with pictures of the overgrowth.  And I pledged to chronicle the responses I got from the city. 

This past Tuesday, the city's contractors showed up to clear the lot - less than one business day after my email and post.  Pretty impressive by any measure.  Code Enforcement hasn't addressed all of the concerns I outlined (the main drain in the lot is still clogged).  But, to be fair, they have addressed most of the public safety issues which accompanied the blight in that lot.

On Twitter, a couple of folks brought up valid points.  Russell and Ann both pointed out that Treeds had an unfair advantage - because I talked about it publicly, that may have helped artificially accelerate the responsiveness of the city.  (Indeed, within hours of my initial Treeds post, a city employee commented that the experiment would 'fail'.)

The Spotlight Effect
These two events both benefited from the "spotlight effect": When the public's spotlight turns to a particular issue, and that spotlight begins burning intensely, 'normal' reactions and 'normal' timelines are no longer acceptable.

Russell and Ann were right: my experiment wasn't 'normal', and the average citizen shouldn't expect that kind of responsiveness.

And others would point out that the Newtown Pike Extension wasn't 'normal' either - it was a one-time event which utilized one-time funds.  We shouldn't expect city officials to move that quickly to fix an oversight or mistake.

But we should. 

Everyone should get prompt action on valid complaints.  Everyone should expect city leaders to fix their mistakes, to do the right things, and to do them quickly.

But we can't wait for our leaders to do the right thing.  We need to push them.  We need to build bigger, brighter spotlights, and we need to shine those spotlights on the things that matter. 

It is up to us.

Building a Spotlight
What does it take to build an effective spotlight?  I can't claim to be an expert, but here are some of my thoughts culled from the past few days and weeks (feel free to contribute your own in the comments below):

• We must be more vocal.  We tend to be indirect folks here in Lexington.  It is awkward and impolite to complain; it is much better for the other person to do what they should.  But they don't.  And we stew.  And nothing much changes.  

It is time for that to change.  As out-of-character as it may be for many of us, we need to become much more vocal about what is wrong and what we expect.  Only then can things improve.

• We must join our voices.  When one person calls a city department, they are a complainer.  When several people call - and are joined by bloggers, columnists, and media - that's a movement. 

And a movement is what dislodged the status quo of the Newtown Pike Extension.  We need more movements in Lexington with more voices working in concert.  We need to utilize our public platforms - Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and papers - to draw others to our cause.

• We must be more visible.  When one person calls one other person at LFUCG, there's no spotlight.  No one else knows about the call, and no one else can amplify the sentiments expressed there. 

One of the reasons that Treeds got such a rapid response was probably the 'publicness' of the experiment.  That visibility helped the amplify the spotlight and, in all likelihood, accelerated the response.

• We must measure.  This statement isn't about micro-measuring every detail of every issue.  It is about documenting who we talked with and what they said, and holding them accountable for their actions (or lack thereof). 

Any regular reader of my posts knows that I'm not shy.  They know that I'm not afraid to use my platforms to try to build a movement.  In the past few months, my blogging and writing has become fairly visible.  (And, for what it is worth, I've got some like-minded friends.) 

So if you need a spotlight, let me help you.  If you see blight around campus or around downtown, let me know.  If your business is suffering from the South Limestone road closure, let me know.  If you have a great idea for our city, let me know.  If you see a problem which needs fixing, let me know.

Together, let's be more vocal.  Let's join our voices with others who agree.  Let's be more visible.  And, then, let's hold people accountable.

I want a better Lexington.  One where businesses aren't squeezed out of their locations by poorly-planned year-long road closures.  One where our government operates much more transparently.  One where blight is quickly and effectively addressed.  One which has a real (and realistic) urban development plan for downtown.  One which has a thriving arts and business community.  One which leverages its past to build a brighter future.  One which will make my son homesick if he ever leaves.

If you want that too, then join me - or rather, have me join you.  Tell me what matters. 

And I'll do my best to help you build a spotlight.  Let's make a better, faster Lexington.

I'm going to jail. For good.

Noooo, it's not because of what I've been writing here on the blog (yet).  

Don't worry, it is all in good fun.  But it is also for a good cause.

I'm asking you to help me raise 'bail' to support Jerry's Kids and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.  

Next Thursday morning (September 17th), I'll be carted away from Lowell's to a mysterious destination a few blocks away, and the nice folks at MDA won't let me out until I've raised $2,000.  That's enough to help a child with a wheelchair or leg braces.

I've never tried fund-raising before, so this is a brand-new experience for me.  And $2,000 sounds like an awful lot to raise.  And I have procrastinated because I wasn't sure how to ask for your help. 

All of which means you will earn my eternal respect and gratitude if you can help me raise the necessary funds to get out of jail.

If you are interested and able, I'd sure appreciate your contribution at my MDA Lock-up page.  Any amount will help.  And if, in these tough times, you feel that you can't donate, that's OK -- please help me by spreading the word through Twitter, Facebook, and email.

Thank you so much for your support of a great cause.

Rob

The Treeds Experiment

Back in May, I blogged about the abandoned properties next to our shop, and about what to do about blight in our city. 

In this week's Urban County Council meetings, residents of several neighborhoods surrounding the University of Kentucky campus registered their concerns about the changes taking place in their communities. 

The biggest concerns surrounded how some property owners were effectively converting single-family homes into makeshift dormitories / frat houses / flop houses to take advantage of the burgeoning student population at UK.  The complaints centered not only on the creation of multi-unit apartments and the paving of lawns for parking, but also on the often-destructive behavior of the residents who move in.

Some on the council wished to impose a moratorium on these kinds of conversions while the city figures out how to accommodate growth at UK. 

Last night, the council rejected the proposed moratorium, to the disappointment of many of the residents.  At one point, Councilmember Lane suggested that neighbors should simply "file a complaint on property owners you feel are in violation of zoning ordinance, see if our government can apply the laws we have on the books," to which citizen Janet Cowan responded "I know all of the numbers, Mr. Lane.  I have them on speed dial." 

So, how well can the government apply the laws we have on the books?  It is time to see. 

The Treeds Experiment
What happened after openly blogging about the properties surrounding Lowell's back in May? 

Nothing.

Well, not nothing, exactly..  The 8-foot tall tree-weeds ("treeds") I talked about then have now grown to some 16- to 18-feet tall, dwarfing the hedges that they have grown through.

The treeds now spill out over the sidewalks, making them impossible to navigate without a machete.  Some pedestrians step into the street rather than navigate the mess on the sidewalks.

The grass growing next to our building has now grown to 7 1/2 feet tall (That's me back there earlier this afternoon, risking chiggers and other man-eating varmints. I'm 6 1/2 feet tall...). 

And, finally, the only drain on the lot is completely crusted over.  So, during heavy rains, the lot drains straight into Mechanic Street, contributing to an occasional "Lake Mechanic".

All of which sets the stage for what I'm calling "The Treeds Experiment".  The Treeds Experiment is a test -- wherein I plan to take up Councilmember Lane's suggestion -- and learn just how long and how well our government takes to apply the laws that we already have on the books.

Simultaneous with this blog post on the afternoon before a holiday weekend, I am sending an email to [email protected] requesting that they take remedial action upon this lot and its owners.

I will chronicle the communication (and, I anticipate, the non-communication) I get from the Code Enforcement folks and other city officials in updates to this post and on Twitter.  I will not tell them that I am doing so (so that they will not artificially accelerate their actions).

But I am telling you.

Should be interesting.  Look for updates here as the weeks and months progress.

::

Note: Many thanks to AceWeekly for chronicling the LFUCG meetings and civic discussions.  Ace captured the quotes I used above.

Pat Gerhard at Third Street Stuff has recently contacted the Downtown Development Authority about the lot.  We agreed a month or so ago that I would contact Code Enforcement.  (Sorry for the delay, Pat.)

9/4/2009, 3:46 PM: Sent initial email to LFUCG Code Enforcement, while publishing this post.

To whom it may concern:

I am the owner of Lowell's, an auto repair shop at 111 Mechanic Street.  There is a lot at the North corner of North Limestone and Mechanic which appears to be abandoned, as no maintenance has been done by the owners for over 2 years. 

There are now large tree-weeds growing through the hedges surrounding the lot, making progress on sidewalks very difficult.  The only drain on the lot is clogged, and the lot drains into Mechanic Street, contributing to flooding during heavy rains.  There is a large clump of grass which is now approaching 8 feet in height which is growing next to our main building.  Many customers assume that the lot is ours (since it borders our building), and a few have asked us to clean it up.

Can you take remedial action on this property and update me on your progress in addressing these issues? 

Thank you,
Rob Morris

9/4/2009, 6:18 PM: Blog comment from the Lexington Streetweeper (written by an LFUCG employee) on how the Treeds Experiment is "destined to fail".

9/4/2009, 9:28 PM: I reply that failure really isn't possible.

9/7/2009, 10:50 AM: During torrential downpours, Lake Mechanic forms again as Mechanic Street is completely flooded, due in part to runoff from the Treeds lot with a clogged drain.

9/8/2009, 10:45 AM: I receive an email from David Jarvis, Director of Code Enforcement:

I will have Calvin Powell assign an Inspector.  Thank You.

9/8/2009, 1:25 PM: I respond:

Thank you.  I look forward to your updates.

Rob

9/8/2009, 2:19 PM: David Jarvis sends me another email:

Property will be cited (14 day time limit) and the limbs will be cleared back off the sidewalk as soon as we can get our contractor there.

As I read that email (and post this update) the contractors arrive with weed-eaters and loppers in hand:

 

Buh-bye treeds!  But where will the varmints live now?

9/8/2009, 2:45 PM: Taylor Shelton and 10th District Councilmember Doug Martin post responses on the blog.  Councilmember Martin mentions that Code Enforcement is particularly short-handed and suggests that citizens use LexCall 311 with details of their similar complaints.

9/8/2009, 6:31 PM: I came back to Lowell's after being out since about 3:30 PM, and most of the debris was removed.  Still a couple of piles which couldn't fit into the contractor's truck.

9/9/2009, 9:15 AM: Contractors cleaning up remaining debris from lot next to Lowell's main building.

 

9/9/2009, 10:14 AM: The lot's only drain is still clogged.  Not sure whether that is a Code Enforcement issue or not.  Sent a response to David Jarvis and Calvin Powell:

Thank you for your quick actions in getting this lot cleared. 

Is the clogged drain in the lot something under the purview of Code Enforcement, or would there be another department which handles that drainage issue?

Thanks,
Rob

Lowell's is on Facebook and Twitter

You've been able to call or email us at any time. Now, you can talk with Lowell's on Facebook and Twitter, too:

	Become a fan of Lowell's on Facebook.
	Follow Lowell's on Twitter at @LowellsAuto.

We'd love to hear from you!

LexMob: Final Schedule

When we started LexMob on July 22nd, the idea was to keep patronizing businesses affected by the closure of South Limestone for a month. It has been extremely rewarding to meet fellow LexMobbers and to meet owners and workers in the targeted businesses.

It has also been very time-consuming.  I've decided to stop organizing LexMobs after Monday, August 31st, so that I can better tend to my business.

This doesn't mean that LexMobs have to stop.  In fact, we'd be thrilled if LexMob continues into the fall.  And anyone can organize a LexMob for South Limestone: The idea is to 'show up' with our feet and our wallets to help out these businesses.  Whether it is a mob of 1 or a mob of 100, simply show up and ask others to show up as well.

The easiest way to organize a LexMob: Send out a notice on Twitter with the hashtag phrase "#LexMob for #SoLime".  In my experience, it is good to send out a few tweets at different times of the morning to let different people know when and where the LexMob will be.  Then, after your LexMob, tell the twitterverse how it was and thank those who came.  That's all it takes. 

I've had a number of suggestions for how LexMob could continue:

• LexMobs could be weekly (or a couple of times a week) instead of each day
• Perhaps the businesses on South Limestone could organize LexMobs themselves
• We could just see what happens; Hopefully, other LexMobbers could continue to organize mobs without a central planner

We support any or all of these options. 

In any case, here is our 'final' schedule for LexMob:

• Wednesday 8/19, Lunch: Sav's Grill
• Thursday 8/20, Lunch: Hanna's, Zag's, & Failte Irish Imports
• Thursday 8/20, 7 PM: Social Event at Pazzo's Pizza Pub (sponsored by the Lexington Fashion Collaborative)

• Monday 8/24, Lunch: Banana Leaf
• Tuesday 8/25, Lunch: Tolly Ho
• Wednesday 8/26, Lunch: Cloud 9
• Thursday 8/27, Lunch: Han Woo Ri, The Album, Sqecial Media, and ReBelle
• Friday 8/28, Lunch: Sav's Grill and Oneness

• Monday 8/31, Lunch: Pazzo's Pizza Pub and CD Central

We hope to see you there!  Who's in?

What you told us: How Zappos would fix cars

This week we asked for your help in defining an astoundingly great car repair experience.  We summed it up this way: How would Zappos fix cars?

In Wednesday's post, we talked a little about what Zappos does and why customers love them, including the famous I Heart Zappos post.  And in the past two days, we've gotten some really great responses on Twitter, Facebook, and here on the blog - including one response from a Zappos employee!

Over on Facebook, Joan commented that she thought that Zappos was actually the "Lowell's of selling shoes".  (We heart Joan.)  We love that sentiment and will try to live up to it, but still think we have a lot to potential to improve our own customer service.

On Twitter, Jim suggested that Zappos "would come to your house and fix it at night while you slept".  Allan and Mari joked about needing to buy parts online from Amazon (an allusion to Zappos' recent purchase by Amazon.com).

But the strongest theme running through the comments: The need for greater transparency in auto repair.  I'll run through some of the comments, and then talk a little about what Lowell's does (and what we could do based on your comments).  On Twitter, Jupiter said he'd like to prevent that "being had" feeling, perhaps by getting greater detail on what was being repaired and why it was needed.  Ace Weekly chimed in "They would spoon you before giving you the bill?"  Here on the blog, Letha (a Zappos employee) shared a friend's experience with a body shop which sent her daily text messages about the status of her car after a wreck, including a countdown to when it would be ready.  Jim added this comment:

"The thing the frustrates me about car repair is the unexpected nature and size of the expense. It would be nice to provide as part of the service an educational piece that says here are the expected life cycles for key systems for your car and what you might expect to pay. And here are indicators of failure so we can start to diagnose these issues BEFORE they happen. At some point, owners need to start BUDGETING for system replacement and failure and that takes planning and information."

What's clear from this last batch of comments is that automotive service is all-too-frequently a kind of mysterious 'black box' where a car goes in one side and nasty, unpleasant surprises emerge from the other. 

At Lowell's we try to prevent such surprises in the following ways:

• On each invoice, we print a list of factory-recommended maintenance given vehicle mileage, including a rating of the severity or urgency of each one, and pricing.  We try to review that list with our customers when they pick up or drop off their vehicle.  We sometimes fail to discuss maintenance needs during busy pick-up and drop-off times.
• We always get customer approval before doing work on a vehicle, providing customers with estimates of the costs before we do the work.  If they are available, we'll also offer less-expensive alternatives, like fixing or cleaning a part instead of replacing it.  (Ace, we try to reduce the need for 'spooning' whenever possible.)
• When we call a customer to get approval, we tell them what a technician found and explain why action might be needed.

Based on your comments to us, here are some ideas of what we could do:

• Explainers.  For frequently-done maintenance and repair service items, we could provide detailed "explainer" sheets, including text and pictures regarding what the service is, why it is needed, and what a part might look like when it needs replacement. 
• Schedules.  With ongoing maintenance, it is easier to implement Jim's suggestion that we provide more of a roadmap of service.  And we do that, to some extent, with our list of factory-recommended maintenance.  But it is very difficult to predict with accuracy when something will break and require repair, and for many repairs there are few warning signs until something breaks.  When visible, we'll tell customers about signs like brake or belt wear or engine leaks.  One idea: We could take pictures of the actual parts that are wearing or of the places that are leaking, to show the thing that needs service.
• Convenience.  Not sure yet how we might do something like this, but Jim's other suggestion of working on vehicles overnight is interesting.  Perhaps we could pick a car up and have it back in the morning for very basic items, but a big part of our process is communicating back to customers about what we find (and they probably won't welcome updates at 2 in the morning).  But Jim's suggestion got us thinking: Are there other ways we could make getting auto service easier?
• Updates.  As a mechanical shop, most of our repairs are completed same-day, so we almost never have the 20-day delay in getting completed that Letha's friend had at the body shop.  But Letha's post got us thinking: Are there other ways you'd prefer to be contacted?  While the phone is our usual way of updating customers, we do frequently find ourselves in a kind of phone tag during the service approval process.  We could provide more contact alternatives: text messages, Twitter DM's (direct messages), etc. 

Which of these things would matter to you?  What other things would create an astounding car repair experience for you?

We really appreciate your thoughts, and please, keep giving us ideas on how to improve.

How would Zappos fix cars?

We spend a lot of time thinking about how to make our shop a better place for our customers and our community.  We feel like we're pretty good at the basics.  Just a few examples:

• We have an expert staff who know how to get cars fixed.
• We have a lot of nice touches for customers who wait on their vehicles: 5-cent Cokes, complimentary coupons for a drink and snack at Third Street Stuff, and we encourage customers to take our waiting area magazines with them.
• For customers who can't wait around, we have a complimentary shuttle to take them back home or to work.  For longer repairs, we provide complimentary loaner vehicles.

These (and many other) touches have helped us a lot.

But "It can always be better" is my personal motto.  This isn't some pessimistic, glass-half-empty statement; it is a fundamental belief that we can always improve the way we do things.

So we've been thinking about companies that really excel in customer service, and one name keeps popping up: Zappos. 

Zappos is a world-class online shoe and clothing retailer who has gained a fanatical customer following because they do a lot of things right:

• They offer free shipping (both ways).  While not promised, the shipping is often next-day.
• They have a 365-day return policy.  If your shoes don't fit or don't look the way you expected, return them at no cost.
• They have round-the-clock customer service.
• They have a positive culture which puts a premium on providing astoundingly great customer service and having fun.
• They have an enthusiastic staff which has permission to make things 'right' for customers with frequent pleasant surprises like this one.

Zappos recently agreed to be acquired by Amazon.com, and there has been a lot of concern about their ability to maintain their unmatched customer service. 

But for us, Zappos presents an interesting question:

How would Zappos fix cars?

What would an astoundingly great car repair experience be like?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below. 

We can't wait to see what you come up with.

UPDATE: What you told us.

LexMob Schedule

We like (and encourage) the loose, spontaneous organization of LexMob (an initiative to patronize businesses affected by the closure of South Limestone). 

But several folks have encouraged us to put together a LexMob schedule so that they can plan their attendance.  We think that's a good idea.  As always, feel free to organize or propose your own LexMobs.

Here's our tentative schedule for the next week (also published in this week's Ace Weekly on page 5).  Look for updates and schedule changes on Twitter (look for the #LexMob or #SoLime hashtags).

Friday 8/7, Lunch: Tolly Ho
Friday 8/7, 5:30PM: (OFF Lime) Front Porch Friday, Ace Weekly, 185 Jefferson
Saturday 8/8, 6-9 South Limestone 'Street Party' near High Street

Monday 8/10, Lunch: Banana Leaf
Tuesday 8/11, Lunch: Hanna's, Zag's, & Failte Irish Imports
Tuesday 8/11, Dinner: SoundBar
Wednesday 8/12, Lunch: Sav's Grill and Oneness
Thursday 8/13, Lunch: Cloud 9 and Kennedy's Bookstore
Friday 8/14, Lunch: Tin Roof

Please join us as we support businesses on South Limestone.  Also, if you are up for a hike (7 to 8 blocks) you can park in the Lowell's parking lot on the south corner of North Limestone and Mechanic Streets.

LexMobs on South Limestone?

The South Limestone streetscape project gets underway this morning.  Using Twitter, Lexington's Mayor announced that the closure will result in traffic delays of up to 45 minutes. 

From a public point of view, the closure seems hastily and poorly planned, although the promised streetscapes look wonderful.  The project stems from a noble goal: to better connect the University of Kentucky campus with downtown Lexington. 

But businesses lining South Limestone (SoLime) had little time to adapt to the closure, and I wonder how many can survive being starved of traffic for so long.  When Lexingtonians realize that there is a "mess" surrounding SoLime, they will stay away in droves.  (With a business just off of North Limestone, I'm concerned about the disruptions to our southside Lexington customers making it in to Lowell's.) 

There are a lot of great businesses along SoLime that would be a shame to lose: Sav's, Pazzo's, Tolly Ho, Failte, Sqecial Media, and many, many others.  Some (maybe all) of these are Lexington institutions.

How long could they operate without significant customer patronage?  How long could they retain employees?  How long can they make debt / rent payments?  How long can they pay bills?  How long can they survive?

So, here's a challenge for our readers: Let's go out of our way to demonstrate that we care about those businesses.

Beginning today, and continuing through the next month, let's pick one or two businesses to "flash mob" each day.  Let's get together to show, with our feet and our wallets, that we want those businesses to survive.  Let's show up.  And eat.  Or buy.  Or drink.  Let's refuse to let these businesses fail.

If our LexMobs get too big, that's OK - I'm sure that the plentiful nearby businesses would also love some of our overflow business.

Will this effort be well-organized and well-thought-out in advance?  Not a chance.  Will it be messy?  Yes.  Will it be chaotic?  Absolutely.  Will it be inconvenient?  Certainly.  Will you be too busy to interrupt your day?  Undoubtedly.

But that is precisely the point: to go out of our way to demonstrate we care for these businesses.

So... Let's LexMob South Limestone.  Look for more details on Twitter with the hashtags #LexMob and #SoLime.  See you there!

Update: The inaugural LexMob will be Wednesday, July 22nd @ Pazzo's Pizza Pub at 11:30 AM near Euclid on SoLime.  Can't make it?  We'll try for other times and places with future LexMobs!