TUESDAY DAILY

THE PIZZA HUT IN MAQUOKETA, A COMPANY OWNED STORE,  CLOSED TODAY.
IT WAS OPEN YESTERDAY AND THE MANAGER WAS 
INFORMED THIS MORNING NOT TO OPEN.

THIS IS THE DOOR WITH THE NOTICE POSTED TODAY.
IT WAS BUILDT IN 1973 AS A FRANCHISE STORE BUT
HAS BEEN COMPANY OWNED FOR MANY YEARS.
MY GUESS IS THAT OVER 47 YEARS SEVERAL 
MILLION PIZZAS WERE MADE HERE. 
VICKI HULKE HAS BEEN WITH THE STORE FOR 43
YEARS, THE LAST 12 AS MANAGER.    JENNIE USHER
HAS BEEN A WAITRESS AT THE STORE FOR 22 YEARS.
THERE ARE 14 EMPLOYEES WITHOUT A JOB TODAY.
SINCE THE VIRUS (SINCE MARCH) THE STORE
HAS BEEN OPEN FOR CARRY-OUT AND DELIVERY ONLY.  LATE LAST MONTH, THE MAIN OFFICE IN KANSAS ANNOUNCED THAT UP TO 300 PIZZA HUT RESTAURANTS WILL BE CLOSED SOON.    NO LOCATIONS MENTIONED IN THE STORY.    THE NEWS
RELEASE SAID MOST OF THEM (INCLUDING OURS) ARE DINE-IN LOCATIONS.     NO DRIVE-UP WINDOW.   IN GENERAL, PIZZA SALES HAVE EXPLODED DURING THE PANDEMIC.   A LEADER IN CARRY-OUT FOR YEARS, DOMINOS, REPORTED A 30% SPIKE IN QUARTERLY PROFITS.    PIZZA HUT FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY IN JULY.    THERE ARE 6,700 PIZZA HUT STORES IN THE COUNTRY.    SAVANNA HAD A STORE THAT CLOSED  YEARS AGO, AND THE CLOSEST STORE NOW IS IN DEWITT.     SINCE THE MAQUOKETA STORE
OPENED IN 1973 (WHEN THE CHAIN WAS EXTREMELY
POPULAR)  COMPETING STORES WERE WAY LESS
THAN NOW.    CASEY'S (THERE ARE 2 IN MAQUOKETA)
ADVERTISES THEY THEY ARE KNOW FOR THEIR
PIZZA.    PIZZA RANCH IS ANOTHER GROWING CHAIN.
DID KMAQ LOOSE AN ADVERTISER TODAY?   NO.
THEY DID LITTLE OR NO LOCAL ADVERTISING BUT
DID HAVE QUITE A FEW MAILERS. 

THIS BUILDING IS LOCATED NEXT TO PIZZA HUT IN MAQUOKETA.     IT WAS THE LONGTIME HOME OF KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN.   IT OPENED IN 1976 AND CLOSED IN 2000.   IT WAS OWNED LOCALLY AND THEN BY AN ILLINOIS CHAIN THAT CLOSED IT RATHER THAN BUILD A NEW BUILDING IN MAQUOKETA THAT WOULD  HAVE INCLUDED DRIVE-UP SERVICE.
THE TWO SIDE-BY-SIDE RESTAURANTS WERE TWO
OF THE MOST POPULAR AROUND.     THAT BAD
PARKING LOT ABOVE IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM.
TWO THINGS FOR SURE...VICKIE KNEW HOW TO MAKE PIZZA AND JENNY KNEW HOW BEST TO SERVE IT.   
YES,  KIND OF SAD!  UNFORTUNATELY,  IT IS GOING
TO BE SAD FOR LOTS OF OTHER GREAT IOWA EATING PLACES IF THE PANDEMIC DOESN'T END SOON.


COVID-19 UPDATE FOR JACKSON COUNTY.   LAST
FRIDAY, 226 POSITIVE CASES.    TODAY,  UP 16 AT
242.     JACKSON COUNTY HAS HAD A 2ND DEATH
ALSO.   

MAQUOKETA CARDINAL FOOTBALL TEAM WILL
PLAY FRIDAY NIGHT AT WEST LIBERTY.


MAQUOKETA HAS HAD OVER 6 INCHES OF RAIN
SINCE SATURDAY AND GOT MORE RAIN TODAY.

WEST OF MAQUOKETA.    MADE IT THROUGH THE HIGH WIND AUGUST 10TH.  
MAYBE THIS COULD BE A PROSPECT FOR CLAY?

DENNIS VOY