Business Notebook: 'Interest' in Sears building? Meyer on the move. Godfather's part II? Lowe's layoffs?

The future of the 150,000-square-foot Sears Grand building in Cape Girardeau is uncertain following the announcement last week by Sears Holdings the store is among 26 large-format Sears and Kmart outlets in the U.S. and Puerto Rico that will close by late October.

I was told last week by a confidential source there has been "some interest" in the building at 330 Siemers Drive, but it will be some time before any public announcement is made.

According to the Cape Girardeau County Recorder's Office, the building itself is owned by U.S. Bank Trust and is being leased to Sears.

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The Thos. L. Meyer Realty Co. in Cape Girardeau recently relocated its primary offices, from 230 N. Sprigg St. to the building next door, 226 N. Sprigg St., which was formerly occupied by lawyer Tim Ruddy's office.

"Our move from a 3,000-square-foot building to a 1,000-square-foot building is in keeping with the times," according to Thomas M. Meyer, son of Thomas L. Meyer, who initially worked for the Ben Vinyard Real Estate Co. starting in 1946. He subsequently established his own real estate firm at 120 N. Sprigg St. in the block south of Broadway before moving it to 230 N. Sprigg St. in 1953.

The younger Meyer told me there is not as much need for office space for his real estate business as there once was.

"Where we had rooms filled with files going back to the '50s, we now have either shredded them or had them electronically scanned and stored. Phone systems gave way to cellphones, so having all those lines didn't make sense. Our sales staff is reduced and often additional office space is not warranted since smartphone use is now the norm, making us more efficient," Meyer said, adding that company agents now often work from home.

The exterior of the new location has been updated while the old location at 230 N. Sprigg St., which includes utilities, internet and other amenities, is now available for a new tenant, Meyer said.

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Is Godfather's Pizza coming to Cape Girardeau? Yes, according to the pizza chain's Facebook page.

A post last week on the pizza chain's Facebook page listed Cape Girardeau as one of the 11 communities in nine states where Godfather's Pizza franchises will be opening this month. Two other Missouri communities -- Springfield and Trenton -- are also on the list of August openings.

If true, this would be the second time Godfather's Pizza has been available in Cape Girardeau. Godfather's served up pizza and other Italian fare at 2109 William St., across from the Town Plaza Shopping Center, from 1980 until 1995.

I have reached out to Godfather's vice president of franchise services but as of Friday afternoon she had not replied.

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I read a business feature online a few days ago saying Lowe's is laying off "thousands" of employees who were responsible for assembling lawn mowers, barbecue and other merchandise, opting instead to outsource those tasks to "third-party" assemblers.

No word on how many employees at the Cape Girardeau store may have been affected by this move, but Lowe's says employees who were in those positions will be given "transition pay" and will have the opportunity to apply for job openings within the company.

The North Carolina-based home improvement retailer has about 300,000 employees and approximately 2,200 stores nationwide.

Now on to the rest of this week's Business Notebook ...

Zonta announces 2019 award nominations

The Zonta Club of Cape Girardeau, an international service organization of business and professional women, has announced the nominees for its 2019 Woman of Achievement Award. They are:

• Laurel Adkisson of American Family Insurance, agency owner
• Sister Jane Kiefer, retired pastoral care chaplain at Saint Francis Medical Center
• Dr. Carmen Keith, founder, CEO and medical director of 360 Living
• Julia Meiners Koester, Cape Girardeau County assistant prosecuting attorney
• Debbie Leoni, Southeast- HEALTH cardiovascular outreach services director
• Merideth Pobst, Jackson School District director of communications and foundation director
• Sonia Rucker, dean of students and assistant to the president for equity and diversity at Southeast Missouri State University
• Angie Umfleet, owner of Chap Arnold Insurance

This year's award recipient will be announced at the club's 15th annual Zonta Women of Achievement Celebration and Luncheon on Nov. 15 at Drury Plaza Hotel Conference Center.

The luncheon is a major fundraiser for the local Zonta Club and helps fund scholarships for students at the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center and Southeast Missouri State University. The club also supports several not-for-profit organizations, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Missouri, Tiger Lilies at Cape Girardeau Central Middle School, Community Counseling Center, Crisis Aid International, Jackson High School/Missouri Girls State, Pink Up Cape, Safe House for Women, SEMO NASV and The BeTween Initiative.

In addition to naming the 2019 Woman of Achievement, during the luncheon the club will also recognize Barbara Capshaw Kohlfeld, principal of Blanchard Elementary School in Cape Girardeau, and Loretta Prater, emeritus professor and a former dean at Southeast Missouri State University.

Luncheon tickets are $35 and can be purchased online at capezonta.org or by emailing woa@capezonta.org.

Cape-Kil observes 70th anniversary

It was Aug. 15, 1949, that Charles Knote -- who had graduated from Purdue University a few years earlier after studying entomology and agricultural economics -- founded the Cape Chemical Co., focusing on chemical applications for agricultural use. The company became more commonly known as Cape-Kil starting in 1959 and this week the company will mark its 70th anniversary.

Knote's daughter, Lizbe Knote, is now the company's president and owner. She, too, graduated from Purdue after studying chemical engineering. After several years working for Monsanto, she joined the family business in 1981 and purchased the company in 1986.

Today, the company, headquartered at 33 N. Frederick St., serves the pest control needs of residential and industrial customers throughout Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

Over the years, the Knotes have created several innovative products to manage and eradicate rodents, insects and other pests such as the Mouse Majik Box, the Pest Arrester and Lizbe Knote's recently-patented Bed Bug Baker, a portable tent-like heating chamber for eradicating bed bugs, cockroaches, moths, lice and other pests from furniture, mattresses, luggage, clothing and so forth. The Bed Bug Baker is available in several sizes, the largest of which is 10-by-10-by-5-feet.

More information about the Bed Bug Baker is available online at www.bedbugbattalion.com. Cape-Kil can be reached at (573) 334-3004.

Hospital receives cardiology award

For the eighth consecutive year, Southeast Hospital has received the American College of Cardiology's NCDR Chest Pain--MI Registry Platinum Performance Award for 2019.

The award recognizes Southeast as one of only 225 hospitals nationwide to qualify as a top performing hospital for heart care.

The award also signifies the hospital has reached its goal of treating heart attack patients at levels of care specified by the American College of Cardiology as well as within the guidelines and recommendations of the American Heart Association.

Dr. Gabe Soto, a cardiologist with Cardiovascular Consultants who serves as Southeast's interim chief medical officer, said "the award recognizes the unwavering commitment of the entire heart team of physicians, nurses and support staff who are dedicated to continually advancing the care of the hundreds of heart attack patients who turn to Southeast for care every year."

More than 700,000 Americans suffer a heart attack annually, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Scuba business opens this week

Cape Dive & Travel will open Tuesday in the Shawnee Center, 623 S. Silver Springs Road in Cape Girardeau, according to Nick Laiben, one of the business owners.

Laiben's partners in the business are Earnie Wilson and Mitch Penn of Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

Cape Dive & Travel offers sales and service of scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) equipment as well as PADI-certified dive training. PADI is the Professional Association of Diving Instructors.

Store hours will be 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturdays. It will be closed Sundays and Mondays. The store's website is www.capediveandtravel.com.

Cape Tractor Trailer Supply building sold

The former Cape Tractor Trailer Supply property, 900 S. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau, has been sold, according to Tom Kelsey, broker with Lorimont Commercial Real Estate, who handled the recent sale. The heavy truck parts distributor and repair facility closed almost a year ago.

Kelsey said the 17,100-square-foot warehouse and retail structure will eventually house at least a couple of new businesses, adding an unidentified investment buyer is renovating and remodeling the building, which is near the intersection of South Kingshighway and Southern Expressway.

Details about the building's new occupants will be released once leases are finalized, Kelsey said.

State chamber chosen as a national finalist

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been selected as a finalist for the national State Chamber of the Year Award.

The annual award, presented by the Council of State Chambers (COSC), highlights innovative programs and best practices of state chambers of commerce and recognizes chamber leaders who have distinguished themselves by providing exceptional services and results for their memberships, according to a news release.

"The Missouri Chamber is honored to be among the finalists chosen for the State Chamber of the Year Award," Daniel P. Mehan, president and CEO of the Missouri Chamber, said in a release. "With our bold Missouri 2030 initiative leading our efforts, we are making progress in Missouri and it's all thanks to the commitment and hard work of our staff, members and supporters across the state."

The award recipient will be named at COSC's annual meeting Sept. 25 in Denver.

Sexton nominated to SEMO EMA board

Jessica Sexton

Jessica Sexton, public information specialist with the City of Cape Girardeau, recently received and accepted the nomination of secretary/public information officer of the Southeast Missouri Emergency Management Association (SEMO EMA) board. The position recently became vacant because of an upcoming retirement.

People on the Move

Karen Leavitt Stallman

Karen Leavitt Stallman, director of community relations at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, has been named director of dual credit and dual enrollment at Southeast Missouri State University.

Stallman replaces Seth Ward and will start Aug. 19.

In her new position, she will be responsible for managing dual credit, dual enrollment and early college credit programs at Southeast. Her primary responsibilities will focus on recruiting school districts to participate in dual credit and dual enrollment programs, working with high school administrators to schedule dual credit courses and identifying and training high school teachers to teach dual credit courses.

Stallman has been with SIU for more than six years. In addition to serving as that university's community relations director, she has also served as the school's director of continuing education and professional development and director of continuing education and outreach. Before joining SIU, she spent three years with Southwestern Illinois College as director of sustainability, director of the school's Green Jobs/Green Economy initiative and vice provost of the school's campus in Red Bud, Illinois.

She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in agriculture education from SIU.

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Four family medicine physicians have recently joined SoutheastHEALTH and have become affiliated with Southeast Primary Care at its West Campus location on South Mount Auburn Road.

Parker Kohlfeld

Dr. Parker Capshaw Kohlfeld earned his medical degree at Saint Louis University's School of Medicine and completed a residency in family medicine at University of Missouri Health Care in Columbia.

The Cape Girardeau native said he chose family medicine because he enjoys "building relationships with patients and their families and love the variety of opportunities that family medicine provides."

Eric Martin

Dr. Eric Martin received his medical training at the Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Des Moines, Iowa, and a family medicine residency at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. He received his undergraduate degree at Southeast Missouri State University.

He said he and his wife "absolutely loved living in Cape while we were attending the university, so returning to Cape is a perfect fit for my family and me."

Amanda Pleimann-King

Dr. Amanda Pleimann-King earned her medical degree at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She also completed a residency in family medicine at St. Luke's Des Peres Hospital in St. Louis.

"It has always been my dream to practice medicine in my hometown and give back to my community," the Cape Girardeau native said.

Seth Koehler

Dr. Seth Koehler is a graduate of the A.T. Sill University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri, and completed a residency in family medicine at St. Luke's Des Peres Hospital in St. Louis.

A Jackson native, Koehler said he wanted to return to the area "to be near family, friends and the lifestyle Southeast Missouri has to offer."

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Luke Small

Dr. Luke T. Small has joined Saint Francis Healthcare System as a physician affiliated with Cape ENT Group.

Small specializes in otolaryngology, which focuses on the anatomy, function and diseases of the ears, nose and throat.

He completed his medical education at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2014 and a residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock earlier this year.

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Sandy Foust

Sandy Foust has been named office manager of Dille Traxel Architecture's offices in Poplar Bluff and Cape Girardeau. In her new position, she will provide administrative support for the firm and will also be responsible for accounts receivable, accounts payable and invoicing as well as working with the firm's operations and finance manager and assisting with other projects.

A native of Broseley, Missouri, Foust has experience in business management and a certification as a financial planner and is a member of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce.

Awards and recognitions

Don Patton

The Illinois Community College Trustees Association recently announced recipients of its 2019 Longtime Service Awards and among those honored this year was Shawnee Community College trustee Don E. Patton of Cairo, Illinois.

Patton has been associated with the school in Ullin, Illinois, for more than 30 years and is the college's current delegate to the Illinois Community College Trustee Association.

Business license application

Lisa Essmyer of Cape Girardeau has applied for a business license to operate Fudio LLC at 605 Broadway in Cape Girardeau. Fudio is a fusion of the words "food" and "studio" and will consist of a small kitchen serving lunch items, occasional dinners and cooking classes. Essmyer hopes to open the business by late August or early September.

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