Business notebook: Downtown fashion store specializes in plus sizes

Nathalee Williams has lived in Cape Girardeau for only a year, but she's wasting no time making a place for herself in the area.

Williams and her fiance, Clifton Brown, opened Zazzy Fashion House on Main Street in downtown Cape Girardeau. The store has been open since March 15 and features a variety of clothing styles and sizes for men and women, as well as fashion accessories.

The store is not the first business Williams has owned, and she has no intention of it being her last. Williams owned a liquor store in Jamaica, from where she hails. The store has continued successfully since she left. Williams has a passion for opening businesses but said she never wanted to focus on just one thing. "I have a list," Williams said.

So when she and her fiance decided to begin a new business venture, they decided on clothing. Williams said she saw a market for it in the region, particularly for plus sizes.

"I don't just carry the smaller sizes," Williams said.

A window display Thursday at Zazzy Fashion House in downtown Cape Girardeau.Glenn Landberg

Zazzy Fashion House carries women's sizes up to 4x and men's sizes to 6x.

She identified the need, found the space, "and then we just took it from there," Williams said.

The Main Street location was inhabited by Life-Style Design, so little needed to be done to the interior before the grand opening -- the sales floor was move-in ready, Williams said. Vibrant yellow walls and built-in shelving show the selection of clothes Williams offers in addition to purses, sunglasses and other accessories. But the stock doesn't stay around long, Williams said.

"I keep a limited quantity of the clothes we carry, so every time you come in, you'll see something new, and then you might not see it again," she said.

Indian restaurant opens next month

Tandoor Indian Grill, an Indian restaurant coming to West Park Mall, will open April 9.

It will offer traditional Indian fare reflective of the variety of cooking styles available throughout that country, as well as a fusion menu.

Central States Rentals soon will move

Central States Rentals is relocating to 2967 E. Outer Road in Scott City in the next 30 to 60 days, according to commercial broker Tom Kelsey of Lorimont Place Ltd.

The new location is a 21,800-square-foot industrial building that will be remodeled to include a new operation office, storage and repair shop. Over 3.5 acres of land will allow the business to have an outdoor display of their equipment.

Simply a Deal is closing

Simply a Deal, located on Broadview Street in Cape Girardeau, is closing.

A sign on the door indicates after 12 years, the store is going out of business. Merchandise has been marked down for final sale.

HD Media Systems buys StereoOne

HD Media Systems, on Broadway in Cape Girardeau, has purchased StereoOne on Kingshighway.

The focus of StereoOne will not change with this sale. It will continue to function as StereoOne, a Division of HD Media Systems.

Bollinger County Co-op lauded

The Bollinger County Cooperative in Marble Hill, Missouri, has been named a Rising Star by the University of Missouri Extension Business Development Program's Missouri Small Business Technology & Development Centers program.

The co-op leases and sells farming, livestock and agricultural products in Bollinger, Wayne, Madison and Stoddard counties.

With the aid of the Cape Girardeau County Extension Small Business Technology & Development Centers in Jackson, the co-op leadership established a board of directors, developed a policy and procedures manual, clarified worker's compensation issues and created better marketing tools.

As a result, co-op revenue has grown to nearly $30 million. In 2015, the co-op added two jobs, saw sales of nearly $14 million, obtained a cooperative finance loan of $220,000 and has issued member dividends for the first time in years.

The Rising Star Award was presented to the co-op at the annual meeting of the MU Extension Bollinger County Council in Marble Hill.

In addition, the Bollinger County Cooperative received a legislative proclamation from state Rep. Shelley Keeney Taylor and state Sen. Wayne Wallingford for its contribution to Missouri economic development.

Locals appointed to SEMO Port board

The Cape Girardeau County Commission appointed Jerry Lorberg to SEMO Port's board of commissioners as member at large, a position that alternates every two years.

Members of the SEMO Port board of commissioners are, from left, Pete Burns, Larry Dowdy, Jerry Lorberg, Steve Obermann, Bruce Marrs, Mark Kluesner, Wilfred Bucher, Kent Puchbauer and Jerry Laseter. Marrs, Bucher and Lorberg are new members.Courtesy

Lorberg, a retired farmer, served on the Cape County Industrial Development Authority Board, the Capaha Bank board and Boatmen's Bank board.

Bruce Marrs of Jackson and Wilfred Bucher of Oran, Missouri, were appointed to SEMO Port board by Cape Girardeau County and Scott County, respectively.

Marrs owns Cairo Marine Service, which provides specialized services to the river industry between Minneapolis and New Orleans. Bucher owns the Wilford E. Bucher CPA firm in Sikeston, Missouri, which provides accounting and tax-management services.

Downtown Cape nominated for honor

Downtown Cape Girardeau has been nominated for the Best Shopping on Main Competition in the Charming Town category.

The winning city will appear on the syndicated TV show "Small Town Big Deal" and will receive its own section on the website shoponmain.com.

According to a March 25 news release from Old Town Cape, Cape Girardeau is in the top ten cities in its respective category, "but needs around 2,500 votes over the next week to take the lead. Interested parties can visit bestshoppingonmain.com to vote.

Business licenses

• Escape Cape LLC, 1231 Broadway, is owned by John Welter. The business offers amusement, recreation, and business training business services. The anticipated opening date is May 1.

bbrown@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630