BusinessMay 31, 2016
Business Notebook: Reruns owner took over Cape shop after 30 years of teaching
Pam Deneke never planned to be a business owner. She was an educator for 30 years, and has spent the last 16 teaching special-education courses at Jackson High School. But two years ago, she came across an opportunity she couldn't resist. Deneke was looking for a path out. Education had always been a calling, she said, but after 30 years, she wanted a change...
Pam Deneke never planned to be a business owner. She was an educator for 30 years, and has spent the last 16 teaching special-education courses at Jackson High School. But two years ago, she came across an opportunity she couldn't resist.
Deneke was looking for a path out. Education had always been a calling, she said, but after 30 years, she wanted a change.
Around that same time, Cathy Davis, who owned Reruns, a consignment shop in downtown Cape Girardeau for 25 years, was looking for a change of her own. She was retiring. She took to Facebook to announce she was closing the store, and expressed interest in selling it.
"I felt like it was a sign," Deneke said.
Deneke was a patron of Reruns as well as a consignor, and appreciated the work Davis had put into the business.
"She built the clientele, she built the reputation. She basically set this wonderful framework," Deneke said.
So Deneke expressed interest in buying the business from Davis, and after the two women met to discuss the matter, they decided this was meant to be.
For two years, Deneke owned and managed Reruns also while teaching at Jackson High School. She knew this only would be temporary. As a teacher, she worked irregular hours, and could make it to the store only a few hours a week.
"It wasn't respectful to what Cathy had built," Deneke said.
Deneke initially planned to retire, but a miscalculation involving her service in Illinois left her with five more years of teaching than she initially planned. So at the end of the 2016 school year, Deneke resigned so she could focus on her store full time.
Though she will miss her students, Deneke said her new path is very empowering. She has a freedom not often afforded to educators.
"I can create my own systems," Deneke said.
While the business itself is important, more so are the relationships that come along with owning a shop in downtown Cape Girardeau, and Deneke is thrilled to have time to cultivate them.
"We have people come in once a week, we have people come in multiple times a week and I've not had the opportunity to build that relationship with them," Deneke said. "I'm so looking forward to that."
Reruns is a consignment shop that focuses on high-end, high-quality women's clothing. The store has 2,000 contracted and 450 active consignors. This means Deneke spends a lot of time processing the clothes that come in.
"As long as you have stable systems in place -- and Cathy left those for me -- it's pretty doable," Deneke said. "It will be more doable now that I'm here. I can control things a little bit better."
Deneke never planned to be a teacher, until she found her calling in special education. And she never planned to be a business owner until the opportunity showed up in her Facebook feed.
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"But that's kind of the way my life works," Deneke said. "I'm not afraid to take risks and see what happens."
New Dollar General opens in Jackson
A new Dollar General store has opened in Jackson at 4585 Highway 72. According to Crystal Ghassemi, a representative for Dollar General, a grand opening celebration is planned at 8 a.m. Saturday with free prizes and $10 gift cards to the first 50 adult customers.
Dollar General expects to hire six to 10 workers, depending on the needs of the store. Applications are being accepted.
Moldenhauer earns HR certification
Hanna Moldenhauer, employee benefits coordinator for Robinson Construction Co., has completed human resources certification training through the HRCertification.com Cafeteria Plan Training and Certification program. She has earned the designation of certified cafeteria plan administrator.
SoutheastHEALTH employees graduate from leadership series
Two SoutheastHEALTH staff members recently graduated from the Missouri Hospital Association Center for Education's Health Care Leadership Series.
Jennifer Deschenes, BSN, RN, digestive-health nurse manager, and Tonya Wooden, BSN, RN-BC, nurse manager, Psychiatric Unit, were among the 63 hospital staff members from throughout Missouri who successfully completed the program.
The series provides leadership training to a cross section of hospital and health-care supervisors and managers. The seven-month program offers comprehensive leadership courses and includes sessions focusing on customer relationships, workforce performance and hospital financing.
Habitat to hold groundbreaking for 55th area home
The Cape Area Habitat for Humanity has announced a groundbreaking ceremony for the Casey Rehkop Family Home at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Due to limited parking, those interested in attending should plan on meeting at the Jackson Civic Center between 5 and 5:30 p.m., and carpooling to the property. A reception will immediately follow at the Jackson Civic Center.
This will be the Cape Area Habitat for Humanity's 55th home build.
bbrown@semissourian.com
(573) 388-3630
Pertinent address:
110 Main St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.
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