Empire Scammers

[hunterandmakaelasmommy]

Thank you for the advice and as for Donny I will not and have not expressed opinions or names in that manner and will not my concern is for what I know is right and trying to fix it. This is also the last I will mention of him again as well. I am not here to badmouth I am here to get my grandfathers store up and going for the people that need it. Thank you

[goathead]

Oh great What could be worse, a farting Firemoose?

Sounds like a job for the lotus girls.

[O'hara]

I have worked at the Empire Store for 6 years. Myself and the rest of "the bitches" are deeply saddened by the events of the last month. We have gone through a hostile take-over and are now closed. All the legal bullshit is overwhelming. Our Boss, the owner since 1995 has gone out of his way to accomidate the Burning Man community. The prep for the event is a ton of work!!! But when we start to see the familiar faces of the crew and ticket holders, we know its worth it. Yes we get tired and cranky and over worked, but we do our best. And no, a smile is not served with every purchase. At least not that week. Anyway, I want to let you know that we also get to enjoy the little smiling faces who benifit from Your generous "Water Donations." The money supports our Pumpkin Patch that we provide for the pre-schoolers through high school. Don has also bought toys and educational materials for the pre-school. Including new American and NV state flags for this year. And even though we are not operating at this time, the kids will still be recieving their pumpkins this year. So who is the "mean man" here? The one who has done his damndest to help the Burners and the community? Or the man with his local cronies who launched a take-over and left our community without a store? As for the Total Bitch Club, we hate not being able to say "til next year" to the DPW family. But we will see you again next year. One way or another, the "Bitches" will be back. Have a safe year, Love (or Hate) O'hara, Founder of The Total Bitch Club.

[Bob]

I've never had a problem w/ the Empire Store or Donny or the checkers or anyone in Empire or Gerlach since 1996. Hope things work out.

[Simon of the Playa]

I've never had a problem w/ the Empire Store or Donny or the checkers or anyone in Empire or Gerlach since 1996. Hope things work out.



i didnt want to say ditto.

[jkisha]

Me to either!

But then again, I've never stopped in either Gerlach or Empire.

JK

[hsdavis]

Today's paper......

Lone store for Gerlach and Empire in limbo
By Jaclyn O'Malley • jomalley@rgj.com • October 12, 2008

The fate of the lone grocery store serving the northern Washoe County towns of Empire and Gerlach is up in the air after a legal battle between the owner and former manager left the business closed indefinitely and without stock or equipment left to keep food fresh.

For years, the Empire Distributing Company on Nevada State Route 447 has been the only source for milk, bread and medicine for the area's 550 residents.
It's also been the last stop for necessities for Burning Man participants on their way to the Black Rock Desert.
Empire is about 7 miles south of Gerlach, and both towns have few services beyond a post office, schools and a gas station.
The grocery store recently closed after a lengthy legal dispute between 83-year-old owner Donald Marks and the store's former manager, Donald Lawson.
Lawson moved out earlier this month and took everything out of the store, claiming he owned it and had purchased the equipment from Marks.
Marks said Lawson was
merely leasing the business. Marks said he owns all of the equipment in the store, which he said he has owned since 1985.
U.S. Gypsum Company Plant owns the property where the store, a gas station and a home are located.
A recent court order required Lawson to vacate the store. Lawson said he left because he allowed the purchase agreement he had with Marks to expire.
The legal wrangling has left residents worried they will have to take all-day trips just to get basic groceries. The closest grocery stores are in Fernley or the Reno-Sparks area.
"It's really sad," said Jennifer Thompson, who is married with two children ages 10 and 13. "We've lived in Empire
14 years, and now where are we going to go just to get bread, milk and medicine? It's a two-hour drive just to get to Reno.
Marks said he would like to revive the business, but he doesn't have enough money to sustain it. The business never earned much money, he said.
"This is really a disaster for the community," Marks said. "There's no bread or milk now, and there's kids living up here. There are retired people with no transportation.
"I don't know what to do," he said. "You've never seen such a mess."
Sherry Anderson has lived in Empire for 35 years and went
to the store every couple of weeks, and liked the dinner specials offered, such as pizza and tacos.
"Now I have to plan better for milk and eggs, stuff that's fresh," she said.
Anderson said she travels to Reno and shops at Wal-Mart, Winco and Costco.
"I buy a lot at once," she said. "It's a two-hour, one-way trip, so it takes all day to get groceries. It's going to be a big hassle with winter and the gas prices. I really hope their doors open back up."
Chuck Duffy of Gerlach routinely makes shopping trips to Reno every couple weeks to stock up and said he didn't use the Empire store that often.
Duffy said it was a convenient place to buy hunting permits, and it also had tourist items.
"It's just devastating," said Marks' granddaughter, Amy Wick of Reno, who worked summers at the store when she was younger.
"Two weeks ago, it was a running store, and today it's gutted and we can't even attempt to use it," she said.

[libertyman]

I was just wondering if anyone has lost their gas cap lately ? I hear that the Empire gas station has a box full of used gas caps that people forget to put back on their cars. If you have lost yours i'm sure they can sell you one for $10. And if your real lucky maybe they have one that's painted the same color as your car.

Then again that guy that used to go out of his way to help everyone isn't there anymore. Wow I sure miss him , he was always real happy . If enough of us call the Empire store maybe they will give him his job back as the gas station attendant.

[trilobyte]

The people who worked there last year all seemed to be quite helpful and friendly. While I never had a problem with the previous owners or staff, I think the people running it now are doing a much better job of meeting the needs of burners heading to or coming from the event. Odds are if someone who used to work there is no longer around, it's because they moved away (like most of the town did when the plant closed) or didn't apply. In the wake of US Gypsum's closure, I think they've become Empire's biggest employer (at least during Burning Man). Welcome back to the boards. btw.