Business notebook: Chocolate Works soon will open in downtown

Downtown Cape Girardeau is preparing for an infusion of sweet stuff: Construction is underway at Chocolate Works at 411 Broadway.

The store, owned by Dr. Sonjay Fonn and Deborah Seeger, will feature everything from a chocolate fountain to ice cream to a room for candy-making parties. Chocolate Works will make items from dark, milk and white chocolates.

Store manager Haley Urhahn said they also plan to hold weekly workshops on subjects such as how to make caramel apples and chocolate.

The main area will feature a retail space with tables for people to enjoy Graeter's ice cream, specialty coffees and other treats. Outdoor seating will be available during nice weather.

Urhahn said they plan to get a liquor license after the store has been open a few months so events such as wine and chocolate tastings can be held in the party room.

Larry Causey, a subcontractor working on Chocolate Works, hangs a door at the business Thursday. (Glenn Landberg)

Seeger said they decided to open the franchise after sampling the company's signature chocolate truffle at a franchising event.

The original chocolate shop was open 40 years, Seeger said. The owner passed the business to his son, and in the past few years, franchises have sprung up in several states, mainly on the East Coast.

Urhahn said while the store is a franchise, it's not locked into providing only certain types of candy.

"We do a lot of our own creativity," she said. "We don't get a list that we have to make in our store. ... If we want to have a SEMO mold or a Central High School mold and we want to put something together for that with Tigers or Redhawks, we can do anything like that."

Seeger said they wanted to brings something new and interesting to the community.

"We loved the concept, and it's more than just one thing," Seeger said. "Yes, it's the retail store, but it's more than that, because it's the opportunity to create things and be creative ourselves. There's a lot of flexibility with the franchises. There's a lot of different concepts we've brought to them that they've been open to."

Fonn "thought this would be a great addition to the community," Seeger said.

Urhahn and Seeger said equipment issues have delayed the store's opening, but they expect to have it up and running in time to take holiday orders before Thanksgiving.

Thrivent Financial to open new Cape office

Linda Bauwens, David Theiss and Joseph Bauwens of Thrivent Financial have announced they are opening a new office at 2907 Independence St., Suite E, in Cape Girardeau, according to a news release from Thrivent.

Linda Bauwens, Joseph Bauwens and Theiss are financial representatives for Thrivent's Kansas/Missouri Regional Financial Office in Overland Park, Kansas.

Isle closes casino in Mississippi

Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. has closed its Natchez, Mississippi, casino and completed its sale of nongaming assets to Casino Holding Investment Partners LLC, the company announced Oct. 19.

Isle of Capri owns casinos in Missouri, including Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, Louisiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Facility to unveil new equipment

Sikeston Radiation Oncology, a Saint Francis Medical Partners practice, will unveil a new linear accelerator in February.

The Elekra Synergy linear accelerator uses 3-D imaging to guide cancer-patient setup before radiation therapy begins, according to a news release from Saint Francis.

The feature allows the patient to be more comfortable, saves time and ensures the therapy is accurate.

While the Sikeston, Missouri, office is being renovated to accommodate the accelerator, patients will receive radiation treatments at Cape Radiation Oncology, the release stated.

Perry County hospital honored

Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville, Missouri, has been honored as a Top 20 Critical Access Hospital in America by the National Rural Healthcare Association.

The top-performing critical access hospitals deliver significantly higher-quality care than their peers, generally serve a healthier population and expend fewer costs per individual, deliver lower-cost care than their peers, capture a larger portion of their market share than other critical access hospitals and deliver better patient health outcomes, according to a news release from the hospital.

Estate sale coming to mall

A large estate tag sale will take place Nov. 4 through 7 at West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau.

The sale, as listed on estatesales.net, will be in the previous Kitchen Collection location next to J.C. Penney.

Many types of items, including furniture, jewelry, electronics and home decor, will be available.

Hours for the sale will be from 1 to 7 p.m. Nov. 4 and 5, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 6 and from 8 a.m. to noon Nov. 7.

Business licenses

• Young at Art by Kristi, 125 S. Broadview, Suite 2, Cape Girardeau, is a business owned by Kristi Miller where adults and children can learn to paint.
• Hair by Kanaan, 2031 Cape LaCroix Road, Suite D, Cape Girardeau, is a hair salon.
• Total Wellness, 1021 Kingsway Drive, is a wellness center owned by Dr. Leah Berhane.
• CP Capital Ventures Real Estate and Auction, 121 S. Broadview St., Suite 13-14, is a business conducting real-estate sales, estate auctions and online real estate and estate sales.
• Deer Creek Doggie Day Camp, 2039 Cape LaCroix Road, is a dog day-care center owned by Chris Heisserer and Stacy Busch-Heisserer.

kwebster@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3646