Business briefs

__WEBCURRENT OPENS IN CAPE__

Webcurrent Communications, 339 Broadway in Cape Girardeau, opened Nov. 3. The business is a web developer service owned by Julie K. Wolpers.

__FIREPLACE CENTER TO CLOSE__

The Fireplace Center at 1028 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau plans to close its doors at the end of the year because of the retirement of its owners, David and Noretta Blattner. Sales at the store will be ongoing until all merchandise is sold. After closing, the location will be available for rent.

__SOUTHEAST'S ONLINE PROGRAMS RECOGNIZED__

Southeast Missouri State University's online undergraduate programs in business and nursing were recognized among the nation's best value online degrees by OnlineU.org, and Southeast's RN to BSN completion program was ranked among the top online undergraduate nursing degrees by SuperScholar.org. OnlineU.org ranked Southeast's online bachelor of science in nursing 15th and its online bachelor of science in business administration 25th. At the same time, SuperScholar.org ranked Southeast's online RN to BSN program 15th in the nation.

__SIKESTON OUTLET RETAILERS RECEIVE HIGH RATINGS__

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Two mainstays at Sikeston Outlet Stores were recently ranked high for customer satisfaction by ConsumerReports.org. BonWorth ranked first and Carter's Babies and Kids ranked fourth, says Kyla Evans, marketing director for Sikeston Outlet Stores. Both stores have been at the mall since it opened in 1993.

__SHILOH RENTAL TO OPEN BROADWAY OFFICE__

Renovation of the former American Motor Co. building and additions of landscaping and a new parking lot overlay at 915 Broadway in Cape Girardeau are for a new office space for Shiloh Rental Property. Property company owner Jay Meystedt said he expects the office will open by the end of the year and that the building is in a good location for the company, since most rental property it manages is within a few blocks.

__MORTGAGE BUSINESS OPENS ON KINGSHIGHWAY__

Stonegate Mortgage Corp., 1217 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau, offers residential mortgage loan origination and servicing. The anticipated opening date was listed as Oct. 1, and the managing officer is James Cutillo.

__MARKETING FIRM OPENS ON BROADWAY__

M-Pulse Advertising Inc., 1936 Broadway, Suite F in Cape Girardeau, offers marketing and sales consulting. The anticipated opening date was listed as Nov. 1, and the business is owned by Brandon Marshall.

__NEW SHOP OPENS IN DOWNTOWN CAPE__

DazSpell Creations, 5 N. Main St., Suite D in Cape Girardeau, is a retail store offering herbal bath bombs, lotions, salves, soaps, dog biscuits, dolls, dream catchers and other items. The anticipated opening date was Nov. 7, and the business is owned by Darlene Spell.

__WAL-MART NEIGHBORHOOD TO OPEN JAN. 21__

Wal-Mart listed an anticipated opening date of Jan. 21 for its new Neighborhood Market store at 2021 Independence St. in Cape Girardeau.

__BOUTIQUE, TANNING SALON OPENS IN PARK HILLS__

PARK HILLS, Mo. -- The Park Hills-Leadington Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting Oct. 17 for Wine Diva Boutique/hot and Wild Tanning Salon, 243 W. Main St. in Park Hills. Sharon Stephens owns the business, which features women's clothing, jewelry, scarves, skin care products, tanning, tanning products, and more.

__SOTO PROPERTY ADDS STE. GENEVIEVE CLIENT__

SOTO Property Solutions of Cape Girardeau signed a multiyear contract to manage property at the Ste. Genevieve Housing Authority. With the recent retirement of its executive director, the Ste. Genevieve Housing Authority was looking for a more cost-effective model to manage the property, according to a news release from SOTO. SOTO was selected because of its experience and its ability to manage remotely. David E. Soto, broker/owner, said before this contract, SOTO managed properties from Perryville to Dexter and in the greater St. Louis area. Ste. Genevieve Housing Authority is low-income housing financed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and overseen by the Ste Genevieve Board of Aldermen. It consists of 38 rental units.

__THREE RIVERS PROJECT RECEIVES INNOVATION AWARD__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Three Rivers College's "voice over Internet protocol" project received the Missouri Community College Association's Technology Innovation Award at a ceremony in Branson, Missouri, on Nov. 5. Steve Atwood, TRC's director of computer services, accepted the award on behalf of the team that worked on the project. The project enabled the college to upgrade its phone system at a fraction of what it would have cost to contract with an outside vendor, according to a news release from the college.

__ARCHITECTURE FIRM OPENS IN CAPE__

Dille & Traxel, a full-service architectural firm, opened an office at 266 S. Mount Auburn Road in Cape Girardeau. The company is based in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and offers services in Southeast Missouri, northeast Arkansas and Tennessee, according to a news release from Tom Kelsey, the commercial broker who handled the lease transaction for the location. The firm has worked on schools, libraries, banks, auditoriums, churches, office and retail buildings, health care facilities and industrial projects as well as residential structures. The firm is owned by Brett P. Dille and Benjamin Traxel, who are the principal architects.

__FAMILY DOLLAR OPENS IN CAPE__

Family Dollar, a new general merchandise store at 736 William St. in Cape Girardeau, opened Nov. 20, according to signs posted at the store.

__HUNGRY GARDENER CUTS RIBBON__

FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. -- The Madison County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting Nov. 12 for the Hungry Gardener, 203 E. College St. in Fredericktown. Kelli Walker owns the business.

__NASH REALTY OPENS FARMINGTON OFFICE__

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Nash Realty Inc. held a ribbon cutting and grand opening Nov. 5 with the Farmington Regional Chamber of Commerce. The company, founded by Leroy Nash in 1985 and acquired by Cary Combs in 2014, has opened a new location at 546 Maple Valley Drive in Farmington. Nash Realty has additional locations in Bonne Terre, Terre Du Lac and Park Hills, Missouri.

__RUST COMMUNICATIONS BUYS FORMER BANK BUILDING__

A downtown Cape Girardeau property is under new ownership with the sale of the former bank building at 325 Broadway to Rust Communications Inc. The company, which owns the Southeast Missourian newspaper, the digital agency rustmedia and a minority share of Mississippi River Radio, closed on the building Oct. 31. It previously was owned by Merriwether Investments, which is run by John and Jerriane Wyman. The building's proximity to the Rust headquarters at 301 Broadway, along with the good condition of the building and momentum in the downtown area, prompted the company's interest, said Rex Rust, co-president of Rust Communications. Rustmedia and the Southeast Missourian are in the 300 block of Broadway to the east of the former bank building; River Radio is across the street. The company's plans for using the former bank building are still developing. Since the building's construction in 1964 for First Federal Savings & Loan Association, the building has housed banks, including Union Planters Bank from 1990 to 2003, and more recently Security Bank and Trust. In the past, the top floor of the building held the federal prosecutor's office, and now houses the federal defender's office. The defender's office will remain there, Rust said.

__JACKSON CHAMBER HOLDS RIBBON CUTTINGS__

The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce held ribbon cuttings in November for Heartland Custom Flooring, 2941 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson; Casey's General Store, 1416 Jackson Blvd.; and Brune Tractor Restoration & Auto Body LLC, owned by JD and Heather Brune, at 4618 State Highway 72 in Jackson.

__SHEAR ADDICTION OPENS IN PERRYVILLE__

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Shear Addiction Salon & Spa opened Sept. 30 at 620 N. Kingshighway, Suite 20 in Perryville. A ribbon cutting was held in November with the Perryville Area Chamber of Commerce. The salon, owned by Natalie McMillian and Chelsy Marr, offers all types of haircare and has tanning beds available. They will soon add a massage therapist.

__MR. B'S HOLDS RIBBON CUTTING__

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Mr. B's Repair Shop held a ribbon cutting in November with the Perryville Area Chamber of Commerce.

__NORDYNE CLOSING PLANTS IN POPLAR BLUFF, BOONVILLE__

O'FALLON, Mo. -- A suburban St. Louis-based company is shutting down two factories in Missouri that at one time employed more than 700 people. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported O'Fallon, Missouri-based Nordyne Inc. will finish closing its Poplar Bluff plant in December. The plant in the Southeast Missouri town employed about 500 people. Nordyne will begin closing its Boonville plant in mid-Missouri in December and finish by June, according to a notice filed with the Missouri Division of Workforce Development. About 240 workers will be affected. Nordyne is a subsidiary of Nortek, based in Providence, Rhode Island. Nordyne makes residential heating and cooling equipment. The company announced in March 2013 it would consolidate its Missouri plants at a new location in Saltillo, Mexico.

__BADER FARMS RECEIVES AGRICULTURAL AWARD__

CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Gov. Jay Nixon presented Bill and Denise Bader of Bader Peach Farms with the Governor's Award for Agricultural Achievement, the Delta News Citizen reported. The award honors outstanding farmers, growers and processors for their work with agricultural commodities and their communities. Bader Peach Farms began operating on 300 acres in 1986. Today, it is the largest peach orchard in the Midwest, with 110,000 trees on 1,000 acres. The Baders grow 30 varieties of peaches, along with nectarines, cantaloupe, watermelons, blackberries, strawberries, apples, tomatoes, pecans and sweet corn. The produce is shipped to several major grocery chains in the Midwest, as well as smaller grocers and produce stands.

__ALLIANCE BANK TO ABSORB CAPAHA BANK__

Two community banks have announced a merger planned to take effect in the spring. Under a recently formed agreement, Alliance Bank's holding company, Alliance Bancshares Inc., headquartered in Cape Girardeau, will acquire Southern Illinois-based Tammcorp, which owns Capaha Bank. Alliance Bank opened its first location in Cape Girardeau in 1997 and has branches in Sikeston and Oran, Missouri. Capaha Bank, which has six locations in Cape Girardeau and Jackson and in the Illinois cities of Anna, Cairo and Tamms, was originally founded as Tamms State Bank in 1955. Capaha Bank's branches eventually will be given the Alliance Bank name, but not until after the two banks' computer systems are merged, which is still some time away, said Cord A. Polen, president and CEO of Alliance Bank. Alliance Bank, according to a news release announcing the acquisition, proposed the merger unsolicited. The financial terms of the merger have not been disclosed, though it is expected to result in a combined organization with nearly $350 million in consolidated assets, according to the release. As of Sept. 30, Alliance Bank's assets totaled $168 million and deposits were $145 million; Capaha Bank's assets were about $201 million, with deposits of about $181 million. Boards of directors for both banks' holding companies already have approved the merger unanimously, leaving approval by shareholders of Tammcorp and banking regulatory authorities as the last step toward the merger. Polen said the closing of the merger agreement is expected in the spring.

__ROBINSON CONSTRUCTION SURPASSES 500 EMPLOYEES__

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A growing Perryville, Missouri, construction company now employs more than 500 people, the company said in mid-November, making it one of the largest employers in Perry County. Robinson Construction Co. processed 513 payroll checks for employees Nov. 19, according to a news release from the company. It was the first time in its history to exceed 500 employees. The company, according to its website, builds process-intense manufacturing facilities and utilities for clients in industrial manufacturing, chemical and processing, power and renewable energy, mining and government agencies. One local project is an expansion for TG Missouri, a Perryville manufacturer of automobile parts. Robinson Construction got its start offering heating and air conditioning in 1946. The past 10 years the company has seen significant growth, according to the release. Payroll for the company in 2014 is expected to top $25 million.

__FIRST MIDWEST BANK OPENS CAPE BRANCH__

First Midwest Bank opened its Cape Girardeau facility Nov. 17. The bank is new to Cape Girardeau but has Missouri locations in Jackson, Sikeston, Dexter and Dudley. It has been operating from a modular unit behind the new facility at 1820 N. Kingshighway since 2013. Kathy Bertrand is president of the Cape Girardeau branch. A grand opening event will be held in 2015, according to a news release from the bank.

__ARCADE AND BAR TO OPEN ON MAIN STREET__

Coin-Op Cantina, a new arcade and bar, plans to open before New Year's at 46 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau, said co-owner John Browne. Cup n' Cork, a coffeehouse and restaurant, was in the location until it moved to 11 S. Spanish St. in September. Other owners of the arcade and bar are Jeff and Jason Mungle.

__DOWNTOWN ANTIQUE STORE EXPANDING__

Judith's Antiques at 109 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau will more than double its space when it expands into the building next door, owner Judith Golightly said. She and her husband, Gary, planned for the new space to open the weekend after Thanksgiving. Gary Golighty also sells antique military items in the Gung Ho Militaria part of the antique business.

__COZEAN HONORED BY NATIONAL ASSOCIATION__

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- The National Funeral Directors Association, the world's largest funeral service organization, recognized Cozean Memorial Chapel & Crematory of Farmington as one of the top 2 percent of all funeral homes in the nation for its "Pursuit of Excellence," the Park Hills Daily Journal reported. The award was presented Oct. 13 in ceremony at the association's annual convention held this year in Nashville, Tennessee. Only one other funeral home in Missouri, Holman-Howe of Lebanon, was the recipient of this year's award. "This is the 12th year in a row that we have received this award," said Jon Cozean, a fourth-generation funeral director, who was on hand, along with funeral home general manager Dan Sanders, to receive the award. Two years ago, when it completed its 10th year in the program, the Farmington funeral home was inducted into NFDA's "Hall of Excellence," one of just three Missouri funeral homes ever to be so honored. To receive the Pursuit of Excellence award, participating funeral homes are required to fulfill six categories of achievement.

__WIETHOP TRUCK SALES MARKS 60 YEARS__

Wiethop Truck Sales at 2350 Independence St. in Cape Girardeau held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the business and new extended hours starting in December. The business opened in 1954 in Cape Girardeau. The new hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to noon Saturday.

__FISHIN' PIG HOLDS RIBBON CUTTING__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting Dec. 4 for The Fishin' Pig, 1518 S. Broadway in Poplar Bluff. The ribbon cutting was held in honor of the business' first anniversary.