Business briefs

FARMERS INSURANCE HOLDS RIBBON CUTTING

DEXTER, Mo. -- The Dexter Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting recently for Famers Insurance Group (agent Lance Inman), 808 Specialty Drive, Suite C.

HANCOCK APPRAISALS HOLDS RIBBON CUTTING

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Hancock Appraisals celebrated a ribbon cutting recently with the Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce.

SIKESTON CHAMBER HOLDS RIBBON CUTTINGS

Wanda Duncan

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting recently for the Sikeston Board of Municipal Utilities, which has a new location at 107 E. Malone. Another ribbon cutting was held for Gelsheimer's Market, 1056 N. Kingshighway. David Gelsheimer took ownership of the former McKinnie's Bestway earlier this year. The chamber also held a ribbon cutting for the ALS Association's office, 107 Campanella. The ALS Association provides support for those afflicted with Lou Gehrig's Disease and Motor Neuro Disease. The Sikeston office is part of the St. Louis Regional Chamber, which serves Eastern Missouri and Central and Southern Illinois.

AREA ADDS TRAINING WEBSITE

The Small Business Council and the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with area training providers and Element 74, have created the area's first webpage dedicated to providing a comprehensive listing of business training opportunities, www.capeareatraining.com. The idea was generated by committee members who participate in the Small Business Council and saw an opportunity for the chamber to provide additional value for member businesses by communicating via one website all of the training opportunities available in our area, said John Mehner, chamber president and CEO. The chamber has almost a dozen members who provide training programs on a regular basis, he said. Training categories include starting a business, business planning, business management and leadership, finance and accounting, marketing and advertising, health and wellness, and technology.

COMMERCE PARTNERS IN LOAN PROGRAM

State Treasurer Clint Zweifel announced that Commerce Bank, the largest Missouri-based bank, has committed to a goal of lending $100 million in low-interest loans to small businesses through the Missouri Linked Deposit Program. The investment in the low-interest loan program managed by Zweifel is estimated to affect 2,800 Missouri jobs over the next 12 months. The $100 million commitment in small business loans will boost statewide low-interest lending by 41 percent. In the Southeast Missouri region (Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard and Wayne counties), 306 loans totaling $81 million for farms and small businesses have been granted through this program since January 2009. This has affected more than 1,072 jobs and 154 farmers and saved $1.4 million in annual interest.

Dolores Baker

DREAM INITIATIVE HONORED BY PLANNING ASSOCIATION

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's DREAM Initiative, which has played an instrumental role in boosting downtown revitalization and job creation efforts in small towns across the state for the past five years, was honored by one of the nation's premiere planning organizations. The Missouri chapter of the American Planning Association has named the DREAM Initiative as an "outstanding project, program or tool." Officials from the Missouri Development Finance Board, Missouri Housing Development Commission and Missouri Department of Economic Development, the program sponsors, were honored at the MOAPA's annual conference in Columbia, Mo., on Oct. 7.

CAPE ADDS CHINESE RESTAURANT

Asian Express opened in October at 1001 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, in the former Blimpie building. Owner Bi Xing Liu also operates Chan's on North Kingshighway.

RICO'S OPENS ON KINGSHIGHWAY

Liz Lockhart

Rico's restaurant, featuring soups, salads and sandwiches, opened Oct. 15 at 205 S. Kingshighway, Suite A, Cape Girardeau. The restaurant is owned by Terry Starnes and managed by Shawna Watson, both of Cape Girardeau.

CAMPUS TEES OPENS ON BROADWAY

Campus Tees opened Nov. 1 at 817 Broadway, Cape Girardeau. The t-shirt sales and screen printing company is owned by Todd Rapp and Andrew Steger of Jackson.

ART SHOP OPENS IN DOWNTOWN CAPE

Riverfront Art Supply opened at 5 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau. The store, owned by Linda Cartier of Jackson, features art supplies and artwork.

Mike Smythe

DAVAULT HONORED BY COMMERCE ASSOC.

Davault Insurance of Cape Girardeau was selected for the 2010 Best of Cape Girardeau Award in the funeral insurance category by the U.S. Commerce Association. The association's Best of Local Businesses award program recognizes companies that have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. Winners are determined based on information gathered by the agency and by data provided by third parties.

HAMPTON INN HOLDS RIBBON CUTTING

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- The Farmington Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting Sept. 21 for Hampton Inn, 850 Valley Creek Drive. The 64-room hotel opened Sept. 2.

CLUBB VILLA HOLDS RIBBON CUTTING

Shannon Howard

PARK HILLS, Mo. -- The Park Hills-Leadington Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting recently for Clubb Villa, 3473 Rosener Road, Park Hills. Clubb Villa rents to people ages 55 and up.

FARMINGTON PONDEROSA CLOSES

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Oct. 17 was the last day of business for the Ponderosa steakhouse in Farmington. Restaurant owner Craig Mulcahy told the Park Hills Daily Journal that he has sold the building to two Farmington-area businessmen. He would not divulge specific plans, but indicated it would be remodeled to house a different restaurant. Mulcahy cited a downturn in the economy for sluggish profits which drove his decision to close the restaurant and sell the building. Ponderosa had 35 employees.

SEMO REDHAWKS PARTNER WITH NIKE

Southeast Missouri State University entered into a five-year deal with Nike to be the official uniform, apparel and footwear provider for its 15 sport programs. Fans can find Nike sportswear featuring the Redhawk logo at the Southeast Missouri State University bookstore. Included in the deal are new home and away football uniforms. The Redhawks will wear the same model uniforms worn by Ohio State, Florida, Missouri and other top Bowl Championship Subdivision Nike programs. LIDS Team Sports will administer the agreement. LIDS is a division of Indianapolis-based Hat World Inc.

Ashton Phillips

R-II EARNS DISTINCTION IN PERFORMANCE

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- Ste. Genevieve R-II School District has earned state designation for "Distinction in Performance" for the seventh consecutive time, reported the Ste. Genevieve Herald. State education officials released the final Annual Performance Reports for Missouri school districts Oct. 8, providing an update on how districts are meeting state standards for academic performance. R-II is among 360 districts in the state receiving the designation, which is reserved for K-12 school districts that meet at least 13 out of 14 performance standards and K-8 districts that meet at least six out of seven in its APR.

SEMO MBA PROGRAM FEATURED IN PRINCETON REVIEW

Southeast Missouri State University's Master of Business Administration program is an outstanding business school, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company features the school in the 2011 edition of its book, "The Best 300 Business Schools," which went on sale Oct. 12. The book has two-page profiles of the schools with write-ups on their academics, student life and admissions, plus ratings for academics, selectivity and career placement services. In Southeast's profile, Princeton Review editors describe the school as offering a "top-notch education at an affordable price." The 80-question survey for the book asked students about themselves, their career plans and their schools' academics, student body and campus life. The Princeton Review does not rank the business schools on a single hierarchical list from 1 to 300 or name one school best overall. Instead, the book has 11 ranking lists of the top 10 business schools in various categories.

NEW BUSINESS TO RECYCLE DRYWALL

Tim Arbeiter

Renewable Resources, a new business to reclaim the gypsum from scrap drywall for agricultural use, is being built in the 630 Industrial Park in Cape Girardeau. Jackson contractor Jeremy Goehman's new company broke ground Oct. 19 on a 1.64-acre site at 1439 Minnesota Ave., and is slated to open in January. Goehman plans to build a 3,600 square-foot production facility and 2,000 square-foot office and equipment building. Special grinders and sifters will break down the scrap drywall and separate the gypsum from the paper and other unwanted materials, Goehman said. The gypsum will then be processed into a fine powder sold in bulk as a soil supplement used by local farmers and gardeners. Over the next three years, Goehman hopes to employ nine people at the facility and begin recycling other materials. He currently has five employees at his construction company, J. Goehman Construction LLC. He is developing processes for bricks to be ground into landscape rock, wood to be ground into mulch and shingles to be ground into materials that can be reused in asphalt paving.

INFLATABLE PLAYGROUND TO OPEN IN CAPE

By the end of this year, LeBounce Indoor Inflatable Play Centre will move into a portion of what is now the Rust & Martin building at 2502 Tanner Drive, Cape Girardeau. LeBounce will have more than 6,000 square feet of inflatable play elements, a 400-square-foot toddler play area, a parents lounge and private party rooms. Children will be monitored by trained, uniformed staff.

CAPE WOMAN MARKETS SUCTION TOOTHBRUSH

Twenty-five years after patenting the Plak-Vac suction toothbrush for patients incapable of performing their own oral hygiene, Mary Prince of Cape Girardeau is now working to market her product. She sold the patent rights to Trademark Medical of St. Louis, which later developed an oral care system around the brush and marketed it to intensive care units in hospitals. Prince, who founded Prince Dental Inc., has now partnered with Trademark Medical to market and educate long-term care facilities about the Plak-Vac. At the time she developed the product, Prince was a certified expanded duty dental assistant for Dr. Michael Bennett.

Brenda Miller

SIKESTON SIGN BUSINESS OPENS CAPE LOCATION

Canedy Sign of Sikeston, Mo., opened at the former General Sign location in Cape Girardeau. General Sign closed in June after 70 years in business, leaving 31 people out of work. Since Canedy purchased the property at 4857 Nash Road, it has also hired four former General Sign employees, said Doug Lands of Canedy Sign. Canedy held a ribbon cutting and open house at its new Cape Girardeau facility on Nov. 5.

NEW FOOD DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE IN CAPE

Cruizin Cuisine Restaurant Marketing and Delivery now offers home, office and hotel delivery from several Cape Girardeau restaurants. Participating restaurants are Broussard's Cajun Cuisine, Cain, Casa Mexicana, Gyro King, Mollie's, Muy Bueno, Quiznos, Show-Me's and Socials Cafe. For more information, visit www.cruizin-cuisine.com.

CAMPBELL MATTRESS OPENS CAPE OUTLET

Holly Lintner

Campbell Mattress Co. opened a retail outlet store at 870 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, in the former Wonderbread-Hostess store location. Campbell has manufactured mattresses in Cape Girardeau since 1933.

BACKWOOD CREATIONS OPENS IN BENTON

BENTON, Mo. -- Backwood Creations has opened in the former M&M Drive-In location at 355 N. Winchester St., Benton. The store, owned by Jason Ourth and Stacy Forck, carries home decor, collectibles, crafts, handmade candles and more.

DINO'S PIZZA TO OPEN BY NOV. 15

Dino's Pizza, 1034 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, will reopen by Nov. 15. The interior and exterior of the building have been extensively renovated. The restaurant, owned by Kostas "Gus" Demopoulos, is known for its pizza, Greek food, fried chicken and mojos. Demopoulos also operates Dino's Grill and Sports Bar in Anna, Ill., but he is selling that business. The Demopoulos family has been in the restaurant business in Cape Girardeau for 43 years and has operated its Anna location for 30 years.

Kelly Green

NEW LOOK, PRODUCTS FOR CONCEPTS

Concepts Styling Salon, Cape Girardeau, has a new look and several new product lines, according to owner Danea Johnson. The salon now carries Bumble and Bumble products, and two members of the Concepts staff will soon attend Bumble and Bumble University in New York City. The salon has also added Waxing Poetic and Lenny and Eva jewelry.

NEW LOCATION FOR JACKSON RESTAURANT

Lil' Miss Muffin & Stuff moved to 2480 E. Main St., in the Main Street Station building in Jackson.

GAMESTOP OPENS NEW LOCATION

Paul Adell

GameStop, which sells new and used video games and player systems, is opening a new location in the Lambert Plaza shopping center, 127 Siemers Drive, Suite 101, Cape Girardeau. The West Park Mall GameStop will remain open.