TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Is Character Enough To See Plant City Through?

Tribune photo by JIM REED

"It's a challenging time," says Jerry Lofstrom, who owns the Whistle Stop Cafe with his wife, "but Plant City isn't like any other place. "

ADVERTISEMENT

By DONNA KOEHN

dkoehn@tampatrib.com

Published: February 22, 2009

Updated: 02/22/2009 12:22 am

PLANT CITY - It's lunchtime at the Whistle Stop Cafe in historic downtown Plant City, where the waiters know your name and probably your order. If you prefer your iced tea unsweetened, you'd better speak up.

A pretty, white-haired lady plays a little ragtime on the piano for the crowd, consisting of young mothers with babies in carriers, a six-time former mayor-now Plant City commissioner, a real estate icon and her mom, and assorted others gathered at this popular hub.

It has been another tough week for Plant City, with the announcement Tuesday that Smithfield Foods is closing, meaning another 760 people without work. The meat processing plant, the city's largest private employer, will begin layoffs in June and close its doors in September.

But commercial real estate agent Dave McCarthy brings some hope Thursday as he picks up takeout for his office. A food service operation, a good company out of Clearwater, is interested in the Smithfield site. Officials hope to tour it this week.

It's too soon to say which company, but it's expanding, and if it settles on this or another site in Plant City, it might hire some of the locals still hurting from the shuttering of Golden Aluminum Extrusions, and the major layoffs at Albertsons distribution center and James Hardie Building Products, all in 2008.

That would be welcome news for Plant City, population 35,000, a friendly railroad town east of Tampa that has been hit hard by the economy and other travails.

A Fire, A Shooting, A Tragedy

Four years ago today, residents awoke to news that their lovingly restored downtown, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, had been gutted by flames. The fire was started by a drunken woman angry at a former boyfriend.

Left standing, to everyone's relief, was the iconic Whistle Stop Cafe and, somehow, a well-loved 1974 mural called "Reflection of a Town." Residents were disheartened a year ago when the mural was demolished with no notice.

In December, police shut down busy streets during a manhunt for a suspect accused of killing one and wounding another. A gunfight between the man and officers led to the death of a man in a passing car.

"This type of terror is not supposed to happen to our community; not Plant City," Mayor Rick Lott said at the next city commission meeting.

The annual Christmas parade, already tainted by the death of a 9-year-old boy who was run over by a float the year before, had to be rescheduled because of the shootout.

In 2004, century-old Coronet, a plant that most recently produced an animal feed supplement, became one of the first in town to close, citing declining demand and legal claims that its pollution made workers and residents sick. A state heath investigation failed to uncover a public health threat, although many remain unconvinced.

Other business closings have left Plant City people in need. United Food Bank saw a 36 percent increase in clients from 2007 to 2008. Demand has never been greater, its officials say.

These hardships battered a place best known for its strawberries and down-home charm. The most recent economic woes have Realtor Donna Jean Crocker worrying about the fate of the town she loves.

"I was born and raised in Plant City, and I've never seen a market like we have now," she says. "When Smithfield closes, it will affect everybody. People won't be able to afford houses, won't be able to shop, won't be able to buy groceries. Then everybody will hurt.

"Plant City is just too small to recover from all of this."

Her mother, Polly Hutchison, who moved to Plant City in 1937, is worried about the townsfolk.

"Plant City people are too proud to ask for help," she says.

A Long Job Hunt

Johnny Parrish was one of the fortunate few from Golden who found work after it closed in October. He says about 80 percent of Golden employees are still looking.

"We've had a few who had to move out of state for jobs," says Parrish, who worked at Golden for 22 years. "They hate it, and they want to come back."

Some of the Golden workers found jobs at Smithfield, then learned this week they were out of luck again.

It was a final blow, Parrish says.

"This is gonna kill Plant City."

Jason Garner's grandfather, Edward Morgan, worked for Lykes Bros. for 45 years, eventually retiring as vice president of the meatpacking division in Plant City. Even though Smithfield bought the Lykes plant in 1996, old-timers still refer to it as Lykes.

"My grandfather would be turning over in his grave," says Garner, who remembers milking his first cow there when he toured the plant with his proud granddad. "Back in those days, you took care of your company and you knew the company would take care of you."

Greg was a young man living out of his car when he started working at Smithfield a few years ago. He asked that his full name not be used because he and others at the plant are afraid they would be among the first let go if they speak to the media. He needs each paycheck between now and whenever his time comes, he says.

"I haven't slept since I heard the news," he says. "It's scary."

He says a typical workday, with overtime, is from 4:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. He needs every dime, as he's putting his wife through college. He's grateful that, unlike other people at the plant, they have no children to feed.

"We're living in a small, one-bedroom apartment," he says. "There's no place left for me to cut expenses. Maybe food? That's it. I'm looking into the military. It's better than starving."

David Taylor worked at Golden for 18 years, working his way up to supervisor. Since he was let go, he has had only one face-to-face interview despite a determined search for work.

"It's a double-edged sword, having been a supervisor," he says. "People don't want to consider you for a job beneath that."

He receives $550 unemployment every two weeks, but it just covers the bills. Age 42, he has two kids and a mortgage.

"I was looking at an ad for training as a dental assistant," he says. "But I'm scared to spend the money it would take to get training in anything else, because I don't think we've hit bottom yet."

He thinks President Barack Obama's stimulus plan will prove useless for him, a view he shares with a network of out-of-work friends.

"I'm a white male," he says. "I won't get anything."

Felix Haynes, president of the Plant City campus of Hillsborough Community College, is reaching out to laid-off workers.

At a job fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 10 at the campus's Trinkle Center, 1206 N. Park Road, people can learn about options they might not have considered, as well as financial aid, he says.

"They may have skills they could use to start their own business, which we can teach them how to do in two semesters in our small-business entrepreneurship program," Haynes says. "Or, if they know welding or electrical, they can get an A.A.S. degree in construction management."

A 'Well-Rounded Community'

Ed Verner counts the number of cars in the trains that crisscross his town, and keeps tabs on the number of long-haulers that careen down Interstate 4. He even notes how many diners are ahead of him at Applebee's with pleasure instead of impatience.

As the newly chosen chairman of the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, he searches for the little things that might mean a turnaround is coming.

"I think Plant City is situated better for a recovery than other places that relied so much on real estate," he says. "We're a more well-rounded community. Plant City's agriculture seems immune."

He concedes the number of train cars is anecdotal evidence, but he sees it as a sign that Plant City's future is robust.

"We've got a fantastic character. Plant City is a wonderful place to be. In the end, growth is still going to come."

Jerry Lofstrom, who owns the Whistle Stop Cafe with his wife, Marti, says he thinks it's the people of Plant City who will keep the town viable.

"We have a sense of ourselves, a sense of identity with this town," he says. "It's rooted in our past, and it's socially and culturally deep.

"It's a challenging time, but Plant City isn't like any other place. There's a certain family atmosphere. People help each other. I believe it's the energy of the people in Plant City that will see us through."

Reporter Donna Koehn can be reached at (813) 259-8264.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT