Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Andy Schaafsma, co-owner of Odie's Deli puts panels up on the outside of the building, Aug. 27, 2015, in Soldotna, Alaska.

Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Andy Schaafsma, co-owner of Odie's Deli puts panels up on the outside of the building, Aug. 27, 2015, in Soldotna, Alaska.

Soldotna staple improves storefront

  • By Kelly Sullivan
  • Thursday, August 27, 2015 9:42pm
  • News

Odie’s Deli is the most recent business to take advantage of Soldotna’s Storefront Improvement Program.

Awnings, paint, shrubbery and new signs will go up this month to beautify the façade of yet another central Kenai Peninsula staple.

Co-owner Megan Schaafsma said the city’s decision to provide its maximum project funding of $7,500 was the deciding factor in moving the project forward.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

“It’s a big commitment to the building,” Megan Schaafsma said. “(And) the community as well.”

The Schaafsmas — Megan and her husband Andy along with Andy’s parent’s Sue and Mark — bought the business in 2014. They lease the building from Jose Ramos. Originally, the store was designed as a Wendy’s, then a Burger King operated out of it, Schaafsma said. Weather and time have done some damage. Layers of paint are chipping off outside walls and the layout is less than ideal, she said.

Reviews on Yelp! and Trip Advisor have yielded multiple warnings to summer-time travelers, such as “don’t be scared away by the way it looks,” she said. Last year, right after buying the business, she received an email from a concerned citizen, who wrote, keeping the building the way it is was “irresponsible,” she said.

Applying for the funding was the easy part, Schaafsma said. Deciding how to efficiently rehabilitate the building was the challenge.

As a new and small business owner, it is critical to figure out what changes can be made that “won’t break the bank,” she said.

The Schaafsma’s remodel will total nearly $20,000 out of pocket. The city’s contribution is a huge incentive, and since the details of the current revisions have been determined, other improvements are being planned, including updated logos and other branding, Megan Schaafsma said.

“It is a huge decision, but anybody can see the necessity of it,” she said. “We have to make sure we are being responsible to our city and have a good space and having (a) cleaned up building has a higher level of attraction for people that don’t know us.”

City staff were always available and encouraging throughout the process, Schaafsma said.

They offered planning assistance, including a guide for the heartiest, and easiest, plants to landscape with and maintain for business owners operating in Alaska.

Previous program recipients also report a similar level of attention from the city. Alice Kerkvliet, owner Mykel’s Restaurant and the Soldotna Inn, was able to replace the siding and rails outside her building with the city’s assistance.

“It is a great program,” Kerkvliet said. “I think it helps a lot of businesses in town look a lot fresher.”

The city offered to find an architect to flesh out every possible design concept, which Kerkvliet said was unnecessary at the time, but very much appreciated.

For many businesses, she said the city’s contribution is significant.

“Percentage wise, for the overall project, what it costs to reside an entire building, it could be a deal breaker,” Kerkvliet said.

Schaafsma and Kerkvliet said the rewards of remodeling are obvious.

For those who don’t know anything about a business, an aesthetic storefront brings in customers, they said. People spend more time in the city and are more likely to try out a new shop.

The program has awarded more than $37,000 since its establishment in 2012, according to the city’s website.

This year, the program will assist with four major projects for Mykel’s, Ed’s Kasilof Seafoods, the Peninsula Center Mall and the trio of new buildings in Shops Around the Corner, according to the site.

The city generally funds between three to five projects annually, and all eligible projects must be installed for a minimum of five years, be permanent, and comply with city code, according to the program guidelines.

Reach Kelly Sullivan at kelly.sullivan@peninsulaclarion.com

More in News

Vice President Kelly Cooper speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough considers seasonal sales tax rate

Borough sales tax would be modified from a flat 3% to a seasonal model of 4% in summer months and 2% in winter months.

The Kasilof River is seen from the Kasilof River Recreation Area, July 30, 2019, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
King salmon fishing on Kasilof to close Thursday

If any king salmon is caught while fishing for other species, they may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Un’a, a female sea otter pup who was admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center in June 2025, plays with an enrichment toy at the center in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center
SeaLife Center admits 2 seal pups, 1 orphaned otter

The three pups join the Alaska SeaLife Center’s ‘growing’ patient list.

James Wardlow demonstrates flilleting a salmon with an ulu during a smoked salmon demonstration, part of Fish Week 2023, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Refuge to celebrate all things fish during weeklong event

Fish Week will take place July 16-19.

President Zen Kelly speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, July 7, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School board finalizes budget with deep cuts to programming, classrooms

Multiple members of the board said they were frustrated by the state’s failure to fund education.

Former KPBSD Finance Director Liz Hayes speaks during a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District budget development meeting at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School district finance department earns national awards

The two awards are based on comprehensive reviews of the district’s budget and financial reporting.

Children leap forward to grab candy during a Fourth of July parade on South Willow Street in Kenai, Alaska, on July 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy Sarah Every)
Celebrating the 4th in the streets

Kenai comes out for annual Independence Day parade.

Fire crews respond to the Bruce Fire, July 4, 2025, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Alaska Division of Forestry)
Firefighting crews respond to wildfire outside Soldotna

The 8-acre fire and two “spot fires” of less than one acre each are located near Mile 102 and 103 of the Sterling Highway.

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in