Business Notebook: Local developer breaks ground on townhomes

Cape Girardeau native Kenny Pincksten, owner of Prestige Development, is building a five-unit town house complex on Cape Girardeau's North Main Street.

The three-story town house row is the first part of a two-phase development Picksten is building on the west side of the street between Broadway and Isle Casino Cape Girardeau. A second phase will include a street-level, two-story commercial building, Pincksten said.

The townhomes, which will feature a view of the Mississippi River and many modern amenities, are designed in a historical style, Pincksten said, as a way to connect the development to downtown. Pincksten has an interest in history and has built old-fashioned-looking homes in Cape Girardeau and restored the nearly 150-year-old Julius Vasterling Building at Broadway and Sprigg Street.

Pincksten said he hopes the project, called Riverview Court, will be a catalyst for continued development in downtown. He said he has received a lot of calls from people interested in living in the townhomes when they are finished.

"I think once they start going up, they are going to go quick," he said.

Two older duplexes will be torn down to make way for the new townhomes.

Mall gets new store, loses two others

Maurices, a contemporary women's clothing retailer with extended sizes, will open a new store in Cape Girardeau's West Park Mall about the second week in April, said Nikki Fremling, a district manager for Maurices stores.

Maurices has been in West Park Mall before, but it closed in 2004. Fremling said the store will be about 5,000 square feet and feature new decor. It is planned to use the space once occupied by The Buckle, in the mall's east wing, which contains Macy's. The Buckle moved down the wing by one store earlier this year. Maurices is hiring employees for the store, including managers and sales associates. It is part of a national chain with over 900 stores in the United States and Canada, and has stores in Perryville, Missouri, and Poplar Bluff, Missouri. The parent company of Maurices, Ascena Retail Group, Inc., also owns Dress Barn, Justice, Lane Byrant and Catherines stores. Information on how to apply for employment at the new Maurices store is available at the company's website, maurices.com.

Next to where Maurices will open, two other teen-centric clothing stores are going away -- Wet Seal has closed, while Aeropostale plans to close before Feb. 1, a manager recently said.

Wet Seal is closing two-thirds of its 350 stores in the national chain because of low sales, according to recent news reports. Wet Seal opened in the mall in 2003. Aeropostale also is closing because of low sales.

New online medical company opening

Purchase Clinic, which offers discounted medical supplies, equipment and other services for health-care facilities such as doctor's offices, clinics and home-care providers, is opening an office inside the former federal building at 339 Broadway in Cape Girardeau.

The company, which provides an online contract marketplace, according to a news release, will hire at least 12 people initially and another 12 within the year to become a central office.

Purchase Clinic was developed by the group purchasing organization Expansion LLC, which, according to the release, obtains group discounts based on the collective buying power of members.

Zachary Sikes, president of expansion, said in the release that relationships with area partners and the ability of the company to acquire talent from Southeast Missouri State University and the co-working community Codefi, also in the federal building, helped the company's growth.

University plans career and internship fair

Area employers are asked to meet Southeast Missouri State University students in an upcoming career and internship fair. The event is planned from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 26 at the university's Student Recreation Center-North.

The event is open to students and alumni, according to a news release from the university, and free for employers to attend. More information on the event is available online at semo.edu. Employers can reserve space for follow-up interviews with students by calling Career Services at the university, 651-2583.

Business roundup

• A new building for Rent One, a rent-to-own furniture, appliance and electronics store, is being constructed at 402 S. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau, according to a commercial building permit issued by the city. A Rent One store is at 610 S. Kingshighway.
• A new Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market store opened in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, on Jan. 7. The store carries a full line of groceries, health, beauty, cleaning and pet products. The store is at 3001 Oak Grove Road and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Another Neighborhood Market store is also planned to open Jan. 28 at 2021 Independence St. in Cape Girardeau.
• Edward Jones financial adviser Roy Merideth will hold an office ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. Wednesday at 2260 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3632