A number of years ago we read an article on shame in the United States. The exact title and name of author have long been lost in the cobwebs of our memory, but we vividly recall the article's premise. Today we're glad to stand in a public place and use vile language for all to hear, but we're ashamed that we carry an extra twenty pounds around the middle. We're happy to ostracize the penitent person who committed a victimless crime, but we laud those who have broken up multiple homes and bring endless heartache to innocent wives, husbands, and children. In short, our sense of shame is twisted.
We recently published a column entitled Guerra & Konig: A Tale of Two Entrepreneurs. The theme of the blog was irony: One man who should have been successful in a tried and true business failed due to conditions beyond his control, while a second man made a success of an unorthodox endeavor against all odds. Now the former works for the latter.
A few of our faithful readers misunderstood the point of our article. Lest any doubt our admiration for such a man as Bernard Konig, let us offer this sad codicil. Last week, Brigitte J. Guerra filed for divorce from her husband Francisco, owner of Snowmasters and several other prosperous companies in the Lexington, Alabama, area. Bernard Konig remains married to the wife of his youth, continuing to be an example to us all. To paraphrase Bobby Bare, that makes him the winner.
What's up with this: Lauderdale Judge Jimmy Sandlin has obtained a $12,000.00 grant for his RAP program. Just think how much more he might have received had he thought of a longer acronym.
Shoalanda 
Francisco Guerra and Bernard Konig have a lot in common. The two are dedicated family men, close to the same age, and epitomize the ethic of hard work. In the early part of this decade both men brought their ideas to northeast Lauderdale County and set up shop; this is where the similarity ends.
In early 2000, the small town of Lexington was still waiting for the sandwich shop the new sewer system was tauted to bring to the area. Bernard Konig, a native of the Southeast, looked around the town at the handful of empty buildings, and an idea was born.
After completely renovating a dilapidated business on Highway 64, Konig opened Bernardo's, a pizza and sub shop. The original restaurant boasted only four tables, but they were usually filled, and soon Konig opened a second location in Loretto, Tennessee. With both restaurants doing well, a friend suggested to Konig that his restaurants had franchise potential; the friend eventually opened his own Bernardo's in Elgin.
As autumn of 2001 approached, a customer pulled into the parking lot of Bernardo's in Lexington and found it vacant of cars. Inside, no customers sat at the tables, but two employees were there to tell the story of the day's events on that September 11th. Bernardo's never regained the business it had built up before the terrorist attacks, and soon all three locations were closed, victims of circumstances beyond Bernard Konig's control.
In January 2003, Francisco Guerra, a Cuban native and former stage magician, decided he needed a more economical location for his business Snow Masters. Hearing of the cheap land in Anderson and that the natives "work hard," Guerra moved from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and opened a new factory on Highway 64, just a few miles east of the old Bernardo's location.
Guerra has continued to expand his product line, adding "Flogos" and other novelties. Even in a time of recession, his business has boomed. An article in the November 1st TimesDaily featured Francisco Guerra's newest product and lauded the Latino immigrant for moving business from China to Northwest Alabama. The article went on to describe one worker who was soldering diodes for use with a snow machine. The name of the worker? Bernard Konig.
For every Francisco Guerra, we're sure there are ten who like Bernard Konig suffer business failure despite their best efforts. Our advice lies in the words of Winston Churchill: Never, never, never, never give up.
What's up with this: We're seeing quite a few signs in Colbert County for District Judge candidate Tim Milam--all red. Isn't blue the color of the Democratic Party?
Shoalanda
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
