Donnie McKinney's Blog

925 Finley Street Paducah KY Excellent office/shop building for sale

Tue, 22 May 2012 08:43:36 -0700

925 Finley St., Paducah, KY Excellent Shop/office Building For Sale

This property is ideal for many types of businesses.

The office space has recently been totally renovated with all new sheet rock & carpeting, etc. There is a total of 6500 sf with 4,000 on the ground floor plus a mezzanine storage area about 2500 sf. Four private offices a large reception area, break room, restroom and a tool room between office shop with about 800 sf including an employee restroom with shower shower.

The shop space has high ceilings with about 16 ft eaves. There are 2-14 ft doors, plus a separate employee entrance. The fenced yard and alarm system provide excellent security. This building is wired for phones etc. and ready to move into.

Mezzanine storage area about 2500 sf.

Four private offices a large reception area, break room, restroom and a tool room between office shop with about 800 sf including an employee restroom with shower shower.

Priced at $125,000, this property makes it better to own than lease space.

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

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Duck Creek RV Park, Business for Sale, Paducah KY

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:12:08 -0800

Business For Sale

Duck Creek RV Park
2540 John Puryear Drive
Paducah KY 42001

Full-service RV Park for sale - $50,000 UNDER appraised value for quick sale at $850,000 (and sales exceed appraisal expectations).

Duck Creek RV Park annual sales have increased every year since it was built, and continue to increase.

Original Owners are retiring after devoting over 10 years to developing Duck Creek RV Park into the overnight park that RV travelers seek, with every amenity they will ever ask for. A significant portion of sales are from word-of-mouth advertising from satisfied customers.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to step into the perfect RV Park business with immediate cash flow and growing income!

Take a look at what all is included in this profitable, on-going business:

95 50 amp sites
4 new sites under construction
2 fully-furnished apartments
3 cabins
6 RVs for weekly rental

70’ x 130’ fenced dog park with gazebo & dog-wash facilities
Gazebo with courtyard for relaxing
BBQ grills
Picnic tables
Swimming pool with pavilion, including tables & chairs with WIFI
Cable TV at all sites
WIFI at all sites
Music room
Meeting room
Hot showers & clean restrooms
(5) Fire pits for bonfires
Convenience store with necessities
Propane refills on site
Big-rig friendly with pull-through sites
Also includes a 2,500 sf equipment barn
Additional land for future development

Give me a call and we can talk specifics.

This opportunity won't last long.

Few truly successful and profitable businesses are offered for sale in the Paducah KY area, and Duck Creek RV Park is the best business investment I have ever been able to offer for sale.

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

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Industrial Investment Property With Great Potential - Paducah KY

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 14:01:01 -0800

Price Reduced! This property is only $599,000. It is a serious bargain at this price.

3047 Jackson Street, Paducah KY - Industrial Investment Property with Great Potential

The current owner consolidated it's operations in Oregon and simply doessn't need this huge building any longer. Now, it's a great opportunity for an investor to grab it at a bargain price and realize a nice return on investment.

The main building has 133,000 sf in the main structure. It sits on over 8.75 acres of land with plenty of parking. The building has several drive-in overhead doors, several truck dock doors and a very long rail dock. It is fully sprinklered. It also contains a 4,000 sf corner office space. No other property offers all these amenities in the nearby area. In addition, there is an additional 20,000 sf of buildings on the property.

A unique feature for an industrial warehouse is its unique location on a major 4-lane highway with retail & office space. The front of the building is about 350 feet long & offers the opportunity to finish out as retail or office space at much higher rental rates than a typical warehouse building. There is 95 feet of land between the building and the highway, which would accommodate two rows of parking and a drive lane. Small retail/office spaces can be finished out as demand indicates and not require a huge initial investment before realizing good cash flow.

A user rarely needs 153,000 sf, and this property affords the opportunity to enjoy a "free" space to operate one's business, with the unused space bringing in enough to pay for the property, even at low warehouse rental rates. As an example, the building has been bringing in approximately $100,000 in past years from warehouse leases with no marketing - only people who have called and asked if they could store things. And, that's with a leaky roof!

The potential is unlimited. The price is low - recently reduced to $649,000, $599,000, or less than $4.25 $3.91/sf.

Whether you are an investor who wants to make a great ROI or a user who wants a free building, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Don't miss it!

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

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Patti's Restaurant, Grand Rivers KY - Christmas Update

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 12:54:51 -0800

Patti's Restaurant, Grand Rivers KY

This is an update to my original review of Patti's Restaurant Original Post.

Patti's Restaurant is a great place to drop in for lunch, like Marsh & I did, yesterday. Anytime we are anywhere near Patti's Restaurant anywhere near a meal time, we just can't resist. The food's always special, even when there is no special occasion.

And, even though we often drop in without reservations and miraculously get seated, we almost always sit at the same table. I have no idea how that happens. Yesterday was no exception. I took a couple of photos from my chair to show you just a tiny bit of what Patti's Restaurant looks like around Christmastime.

The picture on the left is the ceiling above our table, and the one on the right is the wall beside us.

These are just typical of the hundreds of thousands of lights Patti's puts up for the Christmas celebration. It's an entire village.

You'll just have to see the rest for yourself. It's an awesome sight.

That's the first reason for this update, since my review in my Original Post was written during the summertime, when Patti's only has their "ordinary" decorations in place.

The second reason for the update is simply to say that, out of all the great dishes we have enjoyed over the years at Pattie's, I just might have had my new favorite, yesterday. Bean soup with pork. Yes, that's right, white beans. Not very exotic, I admit.

But, it was undoubtedly the best white beans I've ever eaten. I will be experimenting for the rest of my life trying to duplicate the flavor of Patti's bean soup, unless Chip Tuller reads this and offers to end my misery by offering me his recipe.

The look, the texture and the taste were as near perfect as one can get with something as simple as white beans with pork. I might have gotten carried away. I had my third helping for dessert, while Marsh enjoyed a huge slice of Patti's famous "mile-high" Coconut Meringue Pie ;)

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

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This is the Paducah KY investment property we've been waiting for.

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:16:19 -0700

Rare commercial property investment opportunity in Paducah KY - 201 Broadway. The cornerstone location for downtown Paducah, with lots of historical interest coupled with a huge potential profit.

Once in a long while, a truly great "no-brainer" investment opportunity comes on the market in Paducah KY. This is one of them.

I received a call from a movie company that had purchased this property a couple of years ago in the process of making a movie, and was asked to dispose of it for them now that they are finished with the project. I had never been in the building, and when I walked through it for the fist time, I was astonished. It's the only building I've ever entered in downtown Paducah that made me think, "Hey, I could live here."

What jumped out at me were three full-floor apartments that are absolutely stunning. In addition to being really gorgeous, each apartment is 130 feet long and every window has an incomparable full-on view of the Ohio River. And, each has it's own key-operated entrance from the elevator directly into the apartment. The property is within walking distance of several of Paducah's best local restaurants, the Quilt Museum, Market House Theater, Maiden Alley Cinema and the Carson Center. What a desirable lifestyle!

My second thought was, "This building needs to be condoized!"

After a bit of research I learned, to my surprise, that condoizing is not a complicated process. What was now a so-so property, could easily be converted into a highly-profitable condo situation. Here's what makes it a once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunity.

A couple of weeks into the project, I received an email from the movie company saying,

"We have re-considered and just want to dispose of the property as quickly as possible."

I already had an interior decorator working on a plan to give the condos a "WOW" factor that would make a prospect think, when they walked in, "This is the most wonderful apartment I have ever seen. I just have to live here."

Obiously, I really hated to lose the most interesting and fun project I have been involved in for a long time, but my job is to "get 'er done!"

The good news is YOU can step into a simple investment, with less than $10,000 in paperwork left to do, and realize about a 50% return on investment, according to my estimates. Not bad.

This property is listed for $985,000, which is about a half-million dollars less than it will likely sell for in five condo units (see disclaimer below). It consists of five floors, plus a roof-top deck that provides a spectacular panorama view of the downtown Paducah riverfront and the Ohio River.

Here's a short synopis:

1st floor - Foyer entry for the elevator to the upper floors, a ground-floor apartment, and two office condo units. Both the apartment, with private exterior access, and the front office conto, have mezzanine areas. Estimated sale pirce of 1st floor apartment condo - $145,000. (Subject to current short-term lease)

2nd floor - Five spaces, which could be offices, two common restrooms, a kitchen area, and an unexpected, huge bathroom with whirlpool tub that is as large as a bedroom. This floor could be used for offices, and it is also set up for a Bed & Breakfast operation.

Estimated sale price of 1st & 2nd floor condo - $200,000 (Estimated sale price reduced to account for a free lease to the Paducah Symphony Orchestra for a period of five (5) years that would resrict income during that time period)

3rd floor - Full-floor apartment. Estimated sale price - $400,000

4th floor - Full-floor apartment. Estimated sale price - $425,000

5th floor - Full-floor apartment. Estimated sale price - $450,000

Roof-top deck, for common use, is accessible from all floors & includes a mini-kitchen area & wrought-iron railing with decorative light fixtures. Great parties!

It's not difficult to see the potential profit in purchasing this property, finalizing the condoization and selling the condos. i'll even handle that part for you. All you have to do is write a check ;)

Or, if you're as taken with the apartments as I am, this would be a great opportunity to retain an unmatchable condo to live in, free, with no income tax burden on the profit ;) Hmmm. (Might want to confirm that with your CPA)

This marvelous opportunity won't last long. Call me TODAY - 270-217-1222 - and let's take a look at it!

Remember my job is to "get 'er done!"

Disclaimer: The potential sales figures are only my estimates for the purpose of illustration of the investment potential for this project. I have no actual data to support these estimates, other than similar unit sales in nearby buildings, and cannot guarantee the accuracy of my figures, the availability of qualified buyers or the possibility of actual sales. Any prospect is expected to perform his or her own due-diligence to determine potential profits and feasibility of the project prior to making an offer on this property.

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

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Commercial Property, Paducah KY - 900 McGuire Street

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:13:46 -0700

(Sorry, this one sold. I have more, though ;) Give me a call at 270-217-1222)

REDUCED for quick sale - $399,000 (about $150,000 BELOW market value)

Motivated selleer. Great opportunity for end-user, or for an investor who wants a 15% CAP income-producing property or who wants to flip a property for approximately $100,000 profit as soon as it's leased up.

Which category do you fit into?

Here are the statistics:

12,000 sf on .87 acre, only 10 years old, in excellent condition.

1-8,000 sf - open with exposed HVAC ducts & metal wall panels, set up for a sales/display area with sales counter, office, warehouse w/oh door, break area & restrooms.

2-2,000 sf spaces - finished out with acoustical ceilings, lighting, drywall, carpet, etc, for office or retail.

Separate utilities.

Even at BELOW-MARKET rates, rental income should be above $50,000/year.

Here's the situation: Building sale has been hampered for the past 18 months because of a below-market lease to the buyer of the former business. That Tenant is leaving September 15, 2011, and the Owner is SERIOUS about selling the property by then.

There are two temporary Tenants, who can go at any time you find permanent Tenants, but in the meantime bring in $800/mo to offset costs while leasing the property.

Even if it took a FULL YEAR to lease it, the out-of-pocket cash for the purchase and a full year's expenses would be about $425,000, or still more than $100,000 below market value.

Perfect opportunity for an investor who is capable of handling about $2,000/mo in negative cash flow while leasing the property. That figure includes mortgage payment on the entire purchase price, so a cash buyer would obviously have a positive cash flow during the lease-up process.

Call me if you're the right buyer ;)

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

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Pay It Forward - What If They Don't Collect?

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 13:02:29 -0700

Pay It Forward - What If They Don't Collect? Sometimes our random acts of kindness fall upon a beneficiary who doesn't take advantage of them. What should we do, then?

We had a lot of grass & weeds in our planter around our flagpole at our office building. I own half of the corporation that owns the building. I used to own the business. Now, I just work there. The present Tenant, who is the Broker I now work for pays his share of the CAM (Common Area Maintenance), along with the second Tenant. So, it doesn't actually cost me anything to get rid of weeds. Still, I try to be frugal with the money.

OK, is that all clear?

So, with all that in mind, I was trying to commit a random act of kindness by seeking out a teenager who needed money to do the work. More effort on my part, but worth the end results. Get rid of the weeds, don't spend extra money over what a business would charge me, and help someone out. Sounds simple.

So, I picked out a young man from our church who is a great guy, but who had his life interrupted by not believing all of us adults who warned that pre-marital sex was a bad idea. Get the idea? He had a son at the young age of sixteen. He's working to help pay expenses to his son's mother, who doesn't really want him in their lives.

I explained the deal. Get the weeds out. Rake the mulch around. Make the office manager happy. He agreed to do it this Monday & Tuesday, his days off from his job at Chic-Fil-A. Everything's wonderful.

Tuesday, my partner in the corporation called me to discuss the lack of weed disappearance. Some had, some hadn't. She is ready to call a professional. I can't argue.

So now, do I give up on trying to Pay-It-Forward with random acts of kindness? No, I don't think that is a very good solution.

Do I help him learn a lesson by suffering in the hot sun, for whatever time he did suffer, without pay, since I had to pay someone else more money to do the same job he should have already done? Do I pay him, anyway, costing my Tenants more than it should to get rid of weeds? Should I pay him out of my pocket to avoid double-dipping my Tenants, and write it off to lessons learned?

What do you think?

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

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Kirchoff's Bakery & Deli, Paducah KY

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:27:40 -0700

Kirchoff's Bakery & Deli, Paducah KY

I have a reminder set in my phone calendar for Saturday, March 17, 2012. What's the occasion? Corned beef & cabbage with boiled red potatoes at Kirchoff's!

I happened to eat lunch at Kirchoff's on St. Patrick's Day this year, and the corned beef was about the best thing I have ever eaten in a restaurant.

I asked a few weeks later, "When are you going to cook up some more of that corned beef & cabbage? That was great!" "Oh, we only have that once a year - on St. Patrick's day." March 17, 2012 will be the first time I have ever driven downtown to eat lunch on Saturday.

Set your calendars, folks, but plan to get there early. The word is out!

Kirchoff's Bakery & Deli is one of my favorite eating places in Paducah KY. Louie Kirchoff has taken an old family business, that was first established in 1873, and turned it into one of the most unique & tasty restaurants I've ever experienced, and I've eaten in a lot of great restaurants.

Kirchoff's has so many great things to eat that I'm going to have to leave most of them out, but I have to mention a few of my favorites. John has taken my order every time I've ever eaten at Kirchoff's. Sometimes I wonder if Louie ever lets him have a day off. He asked me not to put his phone number on the internet, because he would have to go into hiding with all the girls chasing him down.

The first time I ate the "1/4 of a Muffuletta" I was hooked. But, as I was leaving I said to John, "Um, as I remember from high school geometry, one fourth of a circle is ninety degrees but this seems a bit narrower." John didn't hesitate, but replied,"It's really a sixth. We just call it a fourth."

Now, when I drop by for lunch, someone always asks, "How about a sixth of a Muffuletta, today?"

Many days I'll have the soup of the day, it's not "soup de jour" at Kirchoff's, and one of their specialty pizzas. The soup might be Essence of Portabello or a great red beans & rice combo. Sometimes, it has andouille sausage & pasta. They're all homeade and tasty.

Try to imagine a pizza made with homemade cracker crust, thinly-sliced new potatoes, andouille sausage, a little spinach and some good cheese & spices. Yummy!

One of my favorites is the Cajun Fried Shrimp Salad with romoulade dressing. All of the sandwiches are great. Lots of meat and no bad "healthy" influences ;) Whether you prefer the Classic Greek Gyro, or just a simple Reuben, they're all tasty. And, . . . I finally experienced Falafel, after wondering what Jerry, Elaine & George were talking about during an entire episode of Seinfeld.

The decor is as unique as the menu at Kirchoff's. The building was built about 50 years after George Rogers Clark's brother, William, surveyed the town that became Paducah KY, and much of the original structure is still there.

Skylights bring the sunshine right to your table inside, if you don't want to eat at a table on the sidewalk.

On pretty days, you can also pick up a sandwich from the Big Lou cart out front.

Once each week, I pick up a sack of homemade crackers to take home. They are so much better than store bought.

Most of the better restaurants in town serve breads baked by Kirchoff's Bakery. You can't buy better bread. I especially love the Cranberry Walnut loaf. Drop a couple of pieces in the toaster, and it's a whole meal.

I can't leave without visiting the cookie counter on the way out. My favorite is the Cranoatie, with dried cranberries & white chocolate chips. The Honey Walnut cookie is also special. No matter what your taste buds crave, Kirchoff's has a cookie for you.

The other day, I looked on top of the counter and found individual homemade fresh blackberry pies. Hmmm, couldn't turn those down.

Another reason I can't go home without stopping at the cookie display is because my grandson's first words when I drive in are, "Did you bring me a cookie?"

If you're visiting Paducah KY, don't even think about leaving town without visiting Kirchoff's Bakery & Deli.

You'll be glad you did ;)

Kirchoff's Bakery & Deli

114-118 S. Second Street

Paducah KY 42001

http://kirchhoffsbakery.com/

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

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Pay it forward - Let the guys have some fun!

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 23:09:14 -0700

Pay it forward - Let the guys have some fun!

Got a text from one of the guys in our youth group Tuesday night. They had some fireworks from the 4th & had no place to shoot them off. "Come on over," I told them. Of course, I had to call one of the parents to make sure there wasn't a hidden agenda. Mom said she had been informed and it was fine.

So, we shared some dinner with a couple who hadn't eaten. Played some cowboy golf. Shot off some fireworks.

Of course, the main activity was the one we feared the most - bottle rocket war. We had a lot of those when our son and his friends chose up sides on either side of the pond and tried to assinate each other.

I'm always afraid someone will get an eye put out, but all went well and no one lost an eye.

Marsh made some of her famous brownies, which were gobbled up by all. I figured the sticks lying all over the yard would eventually rot away, so all is well.

At least there wasn't much chance of anyone getting their tongue stuck to a pole in July.

Maybe we'll do it again.

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

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Huntin' On Empty - My daughter's new TV series

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 17:57:54 -0700

Huntin' On Empty. My daughter wandering across the country shooting stuff in a TV series. Who'd a thunk it.

Several years ago, the boys from our church youth group had come to our house one Saturday morning to play paintball in the woods. It was raining. They played in the rain. None of the boys cared much if it rained, just as long as it didn't pour down all the time. Meanwhile, my daughter, Traci, called her mom to say, "I'm going to cancel my trip to the mall because it's raining."

Pretty decent illustration of the difference between boys and girls. Pretty decent picture of Traci before she morphed into the big game hunter.

Traci's husband, Mark Hatcher, grew up hunting, being a guide and about everything else related to hunting. His business, Big Buck Properties, sells hunting land. Traci, on the other hand, was a school teacher and a Realtor in my office, well, until she heard the word "camera." The rest is history. Now, she's an acomplished bow hunter with numerous trophies, and an excellent marksman.

Traci & I recently took training together to get our concealed deadly weapon carry permits. If that's not redneck, I don't know what is. Some guys would probably be embarrassed having a daughter who shoots a gun better than they can, but I was just proud to know her.

Last fall, Traci & Mark took off in an RV and spent four months driving across America with two camera crews filming a reality TV series called Huntin' On Empty. The premier was this past week.

The series is real-life husband & wife team traveling and shooting stuff, with the good and the bad all out there in front of God and everybody. Traci said the first episode is when they still liked each other ;)

The picture on the right is from the first day of moose hunting, when Traci shot a huge moose, and is probably in "the good" category.

The reviews have been great, and people who commented on Huntin' On Empty's Facebook Fan Page said it is a different kind of hunting show. They all liked it.

I missed the first episode, because I was on my way home from high school church camp on a bus with 43 teenagers. The bus even had Direct TV, but the driver couldn't get it to work.

It was fun, though, just being able to tell everybody on the bus that we were missing my daughter's TV show.

It seems like only yesterday when she was having tea parties with Barbi.

Huntin' On Empty is on the Pursuit channel, Direct TV 608, Dish 240, if you're a hunting enthusiast and want to watch the rest of the series. I'm going to have to catch up on Tivo.

UPDATE - Here's a link to Episode 6 online for those who want to watch Traci shoot that huge moose, but don't have Direct TV or Dish ;)

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

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Patti's Restaurant, Grand Rivers KY

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:12:34 -0700

Patti's Restaurant, Grand Rivers KY, the perfect place to take your wife for your anniversary, or to take a bus load for your birthday celebration!

How does a restaurant in a town of 350 people feed 350,000 people? You'll just have to see for yourself.

Patti's isn't exactly a "local" restaurant like my other favorite Paducah KY restaurant blogs, but if you're anywhere near Paducah it's definitely worth the 40-minute drive to experience the Patti's atmosphere and culinary delights.

We didn't get the memo that our grandson's baseball game had been rescheduled last Friday night, and found ourselves half-way to Grand Rivers, so naturally, we took advantage of our good fortune and moved on up the road for a delightful dinner.

I stuck with Patti's signature 2" pork chop prepared with their secret seasoning (which you can buy and take home) with steak fries and fresh grilled asparagus. Their spinach salad with hot bacon dressing is the perfect beginning and is scrumptious.

I recently grilled some pork chops and liberally applied Patti's seasoning for a family dinner. My brother-in-law, Bill, wasn't there so my sister took a couple home for his lunch. He sent word back that they were the best pork chops he had ever eaten. Thanks for making me look good, Chip!

My wife, Marcia, can't resist a good steak, and Patti's knows how to cook a great steak.

Don't leave without trying one of Patti's famous pies for dessert. My favorite is the John Y. Pie, which is a chocolate chip pecan named for our ex-governor, John Y. Brown.

Patti's is more than a place to eat a great meal. It's a night's entertainment all in itself. Each of the private dining rooms is decorated in a unique manner. And, . . . it wasn't even a special season Friday night.

It's worth the trip just to see all the lights, both inside and out. You should see what they bring out for the Christmas seaon. It's a winter wonderland!

An entire wedding party showed up while we were waiting for our table, and they all fit in one room.

I don't know how many people Patti's can accomodate at the same time, but it has to be at least 3-400.

The first time I ever wandered into the restroom, this guy almost gave me a heart attack. There's no telling what you might run into at Patti's, but it's always fun!

Patti's Restaurant

Grand Rivers KY

(270) 362-8844

http://www.pattis-settlement.com/

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

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BBQ On The River, Paducah KY Hoag Heav'n

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:54:59 -0700

BBQ On The River, Paducah KY, is when my favorite eating places moves outside. Every September, you'll find me wandering the streets in the midst of sixty (60) TONS of BBQ pork & chicken prepared by about fifty different pros. What more could a serious BBQ Ribs connoisseur ask?

My trek down BBQ lane begins a week before the start of BBQ On The River when the local paper publishes the map of booths.

Don't try to break my concentration while I'm busy circling last year's winners' locations for this festival. That's when I finalize my plan of action.

I'm a BBQ ribs guy, and nobody makes BBQ ribs like western Kentucky BBQ pits. The secret is hickory wood. No other wood creates the smoked flavor that hickory does.

You have to have a separate fire pit to burn the wood down to smoldering coals, and then smoke the meat at a pretty low temperature for a LONG time. That's the REAL THING.

I grew up on Leigh's BBQ. Leigh's has been in business since about the time I was born, and I always compare any BBQ I eat with Leigh's, but once a year it's my duty to sample all the ribs I can eat in three days.

And, I have to tell you, I can eat a LOT of ribs in three days if I work really hard at it!

I usually eat several meals right at the booths. Then, I buy a slab of ribs from one of the other prize winners on my list to take home for my next meal.

Buzzard Brothers is one booth you don't want to miss.

Ed White always comes away with an award, too, and you can find his ribs any Thursday night a Whaler's Catch, 2nd & Jefferson Streets in Paducah.

There are a lot of great ribs at BBQ On The River, but you'll just have to find out for yourself. I'm not going to give you ALL my secrets ;)

There are lots of other good things to eat besides ribs, but I just can't pass up ribs when they're around.

I did try a deep-fried Oreo last year. They're not bad, actually. Who'd a thunk it! My favorite non-rib food at BBQ On The River is Grandma's Fried Pies - I never leave without a sackful.

And, besides great eating opportunities, there are lots of activites and all the profits go to charity.

Plan your fall trip through Paducah around BBQ On The River this September. You'll be glad you did!

Current info: www.bbqontheriver.org

Donnie McKinney CCIM

Coldwell Banker Commercial Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

Commercial Real Estate Academy

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

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Doe's Eat Place, 136 Broadway, Paducah KY Good Food!

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:18:21 -0700

Doe’s Eat Place, 136 Broadway, Paducah KY, is located in an ordinary old building across 2nd Street from the historic Market House Museum, Market House Theater and Yeiser Art Center.

The food is anything but ordinary, however.

This location is one of fourteen Doe’s, but Paducah has the only family-owned restaurant other than the original Doe’s Eat Place in Greenville MS. Big Doe Signa’s grandson, Paul, is the manager.

I love Doe’s hot tamales and chili so much I even eat them on hot summer days. The tamales are homemade from the recipe grandmother Maime originated in 1941. Until I started eating lunch at Doe’s, I had never experienced a steak sandwich made with pieces of fillet and porterhouse steaks. Yummy! The black & bleu salad has the same chunks of steak, and it’s worth a trip to town just to try it.

Their specialty, though, is steak. They cut them right in the kitchen, and they cut ‘em thick. Don’t tackle one by yourself. A whole family can eat on some of them. And, they cook them the Doe’s way. You won’t find that kind of flavor many places in America.

The folks to the right are my lunch friends scrambling to get out of the way before I took this picture.

They didn't make it ;)

My lunch today was the catfish plate, and I have to say the catfish at Doe’s is better than I’ve had in most catfish restaurants. They know how to roll the catfish fillets in corn meal and cook it just right.

To the left is our waitress, Sarah. When she asked me if I needed change, and I replied, "A little. I don't want to be accused of over-tipping." Turned out she had no problem with over-tipping ;)

Those are just some of the reasons Doe’s Eat Place is on the list of my favorite Paducah Ky restaurants.

I'm an avid eater. If you are, too, then you know how hard it is to find a good place to eat when you're visiting another city. That's why I'm highlighting some of them for you in these blogs.

If I don't get all of my favorite local "eat places" online before you make your trip, feel free to email me or give me a call while you're in town. I'll give you some personal tips to make your taste buds tingle when you visit our fine city of Paducah KY.

Doe's Eat Place

136 Broadway

Paducah KY 42001

270-443-9006

http://doeseatplace.com/

Tip: They're closed 2-5 PM Weekdays, so don't go, then.

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

Email

42,311,982 views? My 15 Minutes of Fame

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:26:38 -0700

I have to admit I felt like the Numa Numa guy on when I learned that my Is ActiveRain TOO Popular? Blog was featured on Monday. I just shared some simple things I had learned over the past few days as a "newbie" about how hard it was to get a Blog noticed, but I learned more AFTER the post than I had before. That's how works! It's a community.

No, I didn't get 42,311,982 views like that crazy guy did, but the feeling of exhilaration lasted all day. I was overwhelmed by the 352 clicks and 68 helpful comments I've received so far. (Click on the pic if you missed the Numa Numa phenomenon)

Now, after hearing from the "community," I have an even better understanding of what is all about. Here are just a few of the great insights I gained.

Larry Atkins told me, "I think the best way to develop a readership is to find a few people you enjoy reading, comment often and always comment back to your readers."

Donne Knudsen, "It took me about year here before I learned that valuable lesson. Another great lesson I learned here is that HYPER-LOCAL ROCKS!!" I had to learn what Hyper-Local is.

Coincidentally, I ran across Amy Hahn's Blog Are You Still Doubting the Power of the Hyper-Local Post? last night, and and it finally hit me. I'm working on my first Hyper-Local Blog when I eat lunch at Kirchoff's Bakery & Deli this afternoon. Thanks, Amy ;)

J. Philip Faranda told me where to go. "Get theee to Raincamp my friend." Rain Camp? More research.

From Dave Halpern, "No matter how many minutes your post lives on the first page of the blog roll, your post is indexed by Google so your end consumers can find it for a very long time." Hmmm, I thought showing up was all that mattered.

David Ames gave me more homework, "Starting off in 'groups' and getting to know some folks is so key to building an initial following."

Tammy Lankford asked, "What gave you idea that ActiveRain is a "primarily residential website?" Um, that's mostly what I saw. Now, though, I'm thinking outside the "box" of the website and thinking about how to promote my Commercial-Investment properties Hyper-Locally.

And, that's just a sampling of the great tips and advice I received. what a great way to learn things.

Even achieving my goal of winning 1,000 Spider Solitaire games in a row during the same week was overshadowed by my 15 minutes of fame on . Just as I was trying to kick one habit, now I'm knee-deep in another one - Blogging on !

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

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Free Commercial-Investment Real Estate Course

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:25:32 -0700

I just posted my 5th blog titled Is ActiveRain TOO popular? with some tips I recently learned about hard it is to get your blog noticed and it got FEATURED, totally destroying my premise that it's hard to get featured lol It was a great day, nonetheless, and I met a lot of wonderful folks who read what I had to say and commented. I learned more than I offered.

Now, I'm posting my 6th blog without using any of the tips I gave. Weird, huh? This is serious, though. I hope you take advantage of Commercial Real Estate Academy and use it, both to learn and earn.

If you're a residential agent, you will occasionally have a customer who wants you to sell a commercial property. That’s always tempting. It’s not always a good idea. But, there is a way to profitably take advantage of some of those opportunities.

On larger, more complicated properties I highly recommend that you find a (Certified Commercial Investment Member) and refer the listing. In almost all cases, you will make more money referring the listing than trying to perform a task outside your comfort zone and knowledge. Find a CCIM

However, there is no downside to learning the basics of commercial real estate, and becoming qualified to successfully market smaller properties. In addition, you may be thinking about investing in income-producing properties for your own current income and retirement. That’s one of the purposes of the new free commercial real estate course we are launching.

I can’t stress enough that there are numerous reasons that referring larger, more complex properties is a profitable and successful strategy. You can read about why I refer residential prospects to residential agents in Refer My Motivated Buyer to Another Realtor? No Way! I practice what I preach, because it works both ways.

One reason referral is a good idea is that a has gone through seven forty-hour weeks of education in every aspect of marketing commercial properties. On cannot even earn the designation unless he or she has significant experience. They have the training necessary for a successful outcome, and that will make you money.

In addition, the sources of prospects and the tools utilized by a are totally different. Most residential agents are not premium members of , for instance, and that is where it all happens, not on the MLS. The relationships have with real estate investors is another critical aspect. The reasons referrals are a profitable idea are numerous.

But, all that aside, there are opportunities you can take advantage of to increase your income in your local market on less-complicated properties, as well as learn how to make some great investments of you own.

If you want to learn everything there is to know about how to understand, analyze and own commercial properties, sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP in our Commercial Real Estate Academy.

Did I mention it’s free?

Take advantage of the free training and learn how to increase your commission income. There are no catches. Just keep in mind that it's just now being launched and the website is just functional for joining with no content at this time.

See you there!

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

Email

Refer My Motivated Cash Buyer to Another Realtor? No Way!

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:01:11 -0800

I recently referred my motivated cash buyer to another Realtor. A friend came in and asked me to sell them a house. It was tempting. They had cash. They knew what they wanted, and they wanted it right then. And, they had another house to sell as soon as they bought the new one with cash. The dream customer. Tempting? You bet!

I lost my mind for a minute, dollar signs flashing before my eyes. But, I said, “no.” Why?

Simple. I learned a long time ago that one cannot be an expert in every “thing.” My “thing” is Commercial-Investment properties. Not houses. What is your thing? If you’re a great home seller, then sell homes greatly.

“But, what if my customer wants to buy a commercial property for their business?” You say, “Aren’t commercial commissions bigger? Can’t be that difficult.”

I fell for that trap once. A friend talked me into listing their house for sale. I agreed. I really tried to be a great residential Realtor for ninety days. You know what? I wasn’t very good at it. I had to learn everything from scratch. I didn’t have a network of fellow Realtors to talk to about my listing. I didn’t have a “homes magazine” ad. I didn’t have any other inventory to direct prospects to when they didn’t like my only listing.

I wasted an untold number of hours attempting to do something I wasn’t an expert at. I failed miserably. I thought later about how much I could have made spending my time on my “thing,” doing what I’m actually pretty great at, and decided never to do THAT again.

What’s your worth? Do you know what your value is? Have you calculated much you make per hour doing what you’re great at? If not, do the math! Then, do only the things that earn you what you’re worth. Let someone else do the things that create less income than your hourly “worth.”

I can make $200.00/hour doing what I’m great at. I made ZERO/hour getting sidetracked into something I’m not great at. I learned to do what I’m great at, and refer the things I’m not great at to someone else.

How did that “easy” cash sale that I turned down work out? I just cashed my referral check, and I earned FIFTY TIMES my normal hourly rate for the few minutes it took me to refer my friend to another Realtor.

Not bad.

Now, I’ve found something else I’m great at. I’m great at referring “easy” sales to another Realtor.

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

Email

How Did We Ever Go Anywhere?

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:38:52 -0700

I know people used to travel without the aid of the Internet and GPS on their cell phones, but it’s hard to imagine how taxing the experience must have been. I remember making some of those trips with my family. After driving for several hours, we would take another hour or so driving around checking out motels to find one that wasn’t too expensive or full.

Saturday night, my wife, Marcia, decided to fly to California on Monday morning and help a friend drive her truck and trailer piled high with “stuff” back home to Kentucky. Instead of blindly taking off to St. Louis to get her on a plane, I got on the Internet before we went out to eat some dinner.

In less than thirty seconds, I had a map of the route they would be driving from Fesno CA to Paducah KY. It became apparent that the best place to connect would be in Bakersfield CA. It didn’t take long on orbitz.com to get an inexpensive ticket from St. Louis to Bakersfield, arriving in time to meet her friend as she passed through Bakersfield. Since her flight left at 6:45 am to get her there before noon on Monday, though, we needed a room in St. Louis.

A quick search on hotels.com revealed that Hazlewood MO was close to the airport and had inexpensive motel rates fitting the four-hour stay. Googleing “restaurants hazlewood mo” showed that it would also be a good place to get a decent meal Sunday evening. So, Hazelwood it was. Back to hotels.com, and a few minutes of reading guest comments, it was clear that the La Quinta was the best bargain at $45/night including a complimentary breakfast and clean rooms that had so pleasantly surprised the guest reviewers. A couple of clicks booked the room and paid in advance. We were ready to make the trip the next afternoon.

It only took a couple more minutes to take the final step and punch the address of the La Quinta into my cell phone’s GPS. Instead of getting a map and planning the trip, we spent our time enjoying a nice meal at El Chico Mexican Restaurant.

We hit the road Sunday afternoon. A computerized voice told us every turn to make, we and arrived at our motel with no hitches. We weren’t stressed out. We hadn’t lost any time. We hadn’t made a single wrong turn. We were ready for a good meal.

So, relying on the GPS, once again, we searched for “eating places” closeby. We reviewed the list and clicked on interesting choices. The phone automatically dialed them up so we could ask some questions about the food. The GPS searches any type of food one has a hankering for, and we picked Italian for our seach, eliminating the one whose phone had been disconnected.

After selecting the restaurant, I clicked another button and it automatically programmed the location into the GPS. We were ready to roll. Listening to the voice, we just did what we were told and it took us directly to Cannoli’s Restaurant. There, we enjoyed a nice meal, got back into the car and selected the motel address again, and followed the voice back to our room.

Before heading to bed for our four-hour nap, I searched for “travel” on the GPS and found that Lambert Field. The GPS even asked if we were arriving or departing! The next morning, we were awakend by the cell phone at four a.m., had a Belgian waffle downstairs in the motel, and followed the voice right to the U.S. Airways departure gate.

I have repressed memories of trying to follow a map and wondering if I took the right ramp to go east or west, and fearing getting lost with little time to make the flight. None of that on this trip! It took us all of six minutes to follow the computer voice right from our breakfast at the motel to the departure gate. I’ve never been so relaxed getting to an airport.

I was a third of the way back home, and half way to the Cracker Barrel in Mt. Vernon IL for a real breakfast, when Marsh sent me a text message from her cell phone saying she was sitting on the plane ready to take off. What a difference a bit of technology makes.

I thought I was finished with the technology fest, but Monday afternoon, when I called Marsh on her cell to ask if she got there o.k., I encountered two hungry females who were facing a discouraging endless desert barrenness. I asked what town they had seen recently and pulled up a mapquest.com trip plan. I was able to interpolate their position and reassured them that Baron CA was coming up soon, and a quick Google search assured me that they would find plenty of restaurants there. They thought they might make it another twenty minutes. My work is done, I think.

Donnie McKinney

Purchase Realty Group

3906 Hinkleville Road

Paducah KY 42001

270-450-2222

Email