Area businesses named among state’s tops

HAYS — Two area businesses are among fifteen small Kansas businesses to be honored as the top businesses of the year by the Kansas Small Business Development Center. BBQ Shack of Paola owned by Rick Schoenberger, and Kraus Electric of Scranton owned by Lee and Elizabeth Kraus will be honored in Topeka March 9, officials at Fort Hays State University said. After 19 years in the electronics, Schoenberger said he got the barbeque bug when he served as director of barbeque operations at the 1996 Paola Roots Festival. He started part-time but went full-time nine years ago. The Krauses started a one-man, home-based business in 1995 which has grown to an electrical contracting company that employs four people.