Owner creates jobs, opportunity
By KALEY LYON
Joseph Boeckner never expected to be an entrepreneur.
In fact, until he was a sophomore in high school, he dreamed of becoming a pediatrician.
But after he returned to Hays after about a year of military deployment, Boeckner started the first of three business, New Age Services, and purchased a commercial building on Eighth Street.
The business provides service to individuals with disabilities and was inspired by Boeckner's two brothers.
And since his return in fall 2007, the business has grown to include two more -- JB Crafts and Hays Tees.
"I wanted to have a store because it's more advantageous, because then my brothers get to be out in the community," he said. "And so they get community interaction with the customers, and they're integrated with the community instead of keeping them separate."
Needless to say, Boeckner has been keeping busy. A 2005 graduate of Hays High School, he enlisted in the Army National Guard and worked as a helicopter mechanic in Iraq.
JB Crafts, located at 738 E. Eighth, is open from 1 to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It features a wide variety of gift merchandise, most of which is made locally.
Individuals with disabilities contribute a variety of artwork, and the store also features homemade floral arrangements, soaps, magnets, gift cards, candles and to name a few.
His mother's homemade spices and herb baskets also are featured products.
"It's just a really diverse store for being so small," Boeckner said, noting he also strives to keep prices low. "I like to keep it like that."
In addition to giving individuals with disabilities an opportunity to make and sell their work, the store has given other community members a chance to market their creativity.
Most of the product suppliers are people employed with Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas or foster families, he said.
And located two doors down is the storefront of what soon will be Hays Tees, a custom screen-print T-shirt shop.
Boeckner is busy making preparations for the big opening, which he hopes will be by Dec. 1, in time for the holiday shopping season.
Already, the store has more than 200 screen-print designs in stock, and customers can choose any color or style of shirt to match their preferred logo.
Additionally, the store will have access to about 8,000 designs, giving customers a huge selection for custom-made shirts and accessories, Boeckner said.
Boeckner, who often orders T-shirts from Web sites such as CafePress, said he's excited to provide the opportunity locally -- and at a lower cost.
"I know I've ordered lots of T-shirts off of online Web sites and stuff. ... I like to order T-shirts," he said. "So to get that locally, I think, will be pretty good, and in the $10 to $15 range."
And like JB Crafts, the store mostly will be staffed by individuals with disabilities. Boeckner expects his New Age Services, which is overseen by DSNWK, to expand within the next year.
"We were looking at another avenue where individuals with disabilities could employ themselves, enjoy it and have something different," he said. "A lot of times, individuals get steamlined into a certain role."