Should You Stay or Should You Go

Photos by Emma Highfill, Rose Wheat Photography

After months of memorizing every crease in your sofa, you may be dying to get out of the house. Or afraid to leave it. Or, perhaps, a mix of both. If you’re seeking a reprieve from Zoom calls, these Topeka businesses offer great options for both venturing out and staying put.

Itching to Travel? Be Flexible.

Richard Knoll, president of Cruise Holidays of Topeka, says domestic travel is very doable for clients who are comfortable taking the risk and managing the new protocols.

Travel agents like Richard Knoll, president of Cruise Holidays of Topeka, and Kimbra Henry, manager for the Kansas branch of Travel Leaders NY, are busier than ever. Except instead of booking vacations, they’re refunding or postponing them.

Dedicated to their customers, they’ve been working hard to make sure their travelers’ investments are protected, either through refunds or future travel credits. Yet, despite the mass cancellations, Henry does have clients planning to travel this summer.

“Some people are comfortable taking the risk and managing the new protocols (preregistering, using wipes, wearing masks), so they go ahead and go,” Henry said.

So, should you?

Both Henry and Knoll agree: It’s hard to say. “I don’t want to discourage folks who have an interest in travel. But if I’m asked if it’s safe, it’s not an easy answer,” Henry said.

“It depends where you want to go,” Knoll said. “We can get specific if we talk about a particular destination, cruise line or resort. But it’s all going to depend on what happens.”

While Europe is a no-go, traveling within the country could be doable. But don’t count on the traditional complimentary breakfast buffet or even the hotel swimming pool.

“Even if flights begin operating, certain amenities or resorts may not be available,” Henry said.

Where to? Think differently.

Kimbra Henry, manager for the Kansas branch of Travel Leaders NY, recommends rental homes as a viable option for families wanting to get away in a lower-risk environment before school starts.

“People may not want to go to a place if the beach is closed.”

Summer cruising is probably also off the table.

“There are cruises available for booking, but I question whether they actually will cruise,” Knoll said. “I’d say it’s less than likely.”

For families wanting to get away in a lower-risk environment before school starts, all hope is not lost. Rental homes are a viable option, and if you can drive, all the better. In fact, that’s what Henry’s family plans to do this summer.

“We can sterilize the home, wipe things down and limit exposure to others,” Henry said. “We just want to be together, but stay careful.”

If you’re craving a more exotic vacation, fall may be more promising. Knoll predicted Caribbean cruises will open up first.

“There are a lot of unknowns, but that doesn’t mean plans can’t be made and commitments can’t be forwarded,” said Knoll.

Knoll said vendors that cancel trips are being quite accommodating to travelers, offering cash refunds or travel vouchers that are, in some cases, more than what the customer paid. Of course, vendors aren’t as generous if it’s the traveler doing the canceling.

While 2020 travel is uncertain, both Henry and Knoll are sure the industry will return in full force.

“I’ve seen the industry evolve from pre-Internet to Internet to wars to 9/11,” Henry said. “Once the door is opened, there’s a flood of people who want to travel.”

“Come first of the year, we will be very active,” said Knoll, who booked himself on a Panama Canal cruise the first week in January.

And he’s not alone. Knoll said 2021 European river cruises and cruises to Alaska are already booking up.

Despite the recent bad press around cruise lines, Knoll believes they will bounce back, but with a few adjustments.

“The free-for-all buffets on the lido deck are probably a thing of the past, at least for the near future,” Knoll said. “But the industry is going to recover. It’s just a matter of when.”

When travel does open up, Knoll said he hopes travel agencies will reclaim some of the business lost to online booking sites.

“You’re getting personal attention if you book locally,” Knoll said. “Chances are, if you work with a travel agent, you’re going to be exploring more options.”

Added travel compilations since the pandemic could help the cause.

“We stay on top of things for people and sort through the information. I can’t imagine navigating it on my own as a consumer,” Henry said.

Regardless of where and when you pack your bags, planning a vacation may help brighten your outlook.

“We’re navigating so many things in our world right now,” Henry said. “People feel a need to be together and lighten up a little bit.”

Staying In? Pump it Up.

Brothers Troy and Travis Maurath, are owners of Ultimate Bounce where residential customers can choose just the right inflatable to rev up the fun factor for kids and neighbors.

Picture your kids walking right onto the coolest new attraction and going as many times as they want. Needing an energy boost, they head to the front of the snow cone line, where they get all the sugary ice they can slurp. Now imagine watching it all from a cushioned chair, shaded by an expansive umbrella.

This isn’t a too-good-to-be-true day at a theme park. It’s what could happen if you turned your backyard into the hottest staycation destination on the block.

Ultimate Bounce, a local business that rents inflatables and concessions, and Patio, Pool & Fireside are rushing to keep up with demand from customers making the very best out of staying at home.

If it’s kids you’re looking to entertain, just browsing Ultimate Bounce’s website photos is enough to rev up the fun factor. From jousting arenas to shark-shaped slip and slides, their selection goes well beyond bounce castles. (Though there are plenty of those, too.)

Troy Maurath, co-owner and operator of Ultimate Bounce, and his brother and co-owner, Travis, saw a dip in business when 2020 school and community events were canceled. But once the stay-at-home order lifted, they saw a bump in residential rentals.

“There’s been a lot of neighborhoods doing something to get the kids out of the house,” Troy said.

Troy helps each customer choose which of their 49 inflatables would work best. The “adrenaline rush,” a 1,200-square foot obstacle course that includes rock climbs, slides and tunnels, is a hot commodity with teens. Toddlers favor the “bounce fusion.” Adults love it for its single entrance and exit. Wee ones enjoy the slides, popups and tunnels.

“It’s something you don’t do every day,” said Troy. “Something out of the ordinary.”

While the inflatables are big, the customer’s effort is minimal. Troy and Travis make it easy by delivering the inflatables (which are cleaned and sprayed with anti-bacterial spray after each rental), setting them up, then picking them up when the fun is done. All that’s left for parents to do is kick back and watch the fun.

Staying home? Make an Oasis.

Jeff Armstrong, owner of Patio, Pool & Fireside, says they have seen unprecedented sales this year for pools, spas, grills and outdoor furniture.

Patio, Pool & Fireside offers everything their business name suggests, plus upscale outdoor furniture, grills and outdoor accessories.

There’s just one catch: Due to unprecedented demand, you may have to wait a bit longer for your dream oasis.

According to store manager Cathi Sue Buckley, the store is down to the “bare-bones” of furniture in their showroom, sold out of hot tubs and selling firepits like wildfire. As for pools? Don’t count on getting one this season.

“It’s like toilet paper,” Buckley said. “You can’t get an above-ground pool locally or nationally. People are selling them from their backyards.”

While Buckley said warmer weather usually drives the demand, she’s never seen the pool business this backed up. Even chemicals are on backorder.

“After four weeks into staying home with their children doing schoolwork, people wanted to open their pools,” Buckley said.

Patio, Pool & Fireside has been able to serve their customers in other ways. Work-from-home employees, for example, have been prominent shoppers.

“We’ve had several people buy chairs so they can sit on the porch and work on their laptops,” she said. “Why be stuck inside when you can work outdoors?”

While their price points are higher than big-box stores, Buckley said their customers are willing to pay extra for higher quality.

“People want to invest in things that are going to last a good long, time,” Buckley said. “Our furniture is going to last generations.”

As people discover a new appreciation for their homes, making such investments may become a lasting trend.

“We’re a traveling society, but we have to entertain ourselves,” said Buckley. “People are learning staying home isn’t so bad after all.”