Chamber rolls out membership drive this week

The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual membership drive this week. Chamber ambassadors will be out in the community talking with business owners and professionals about the benefits of chamber membership, said Tracy Glenn, Cape Girardeau chamber vice president of organization and leadership development.

Throughout the week chamber volunteers will actively recruit businesses and other professionals in the community who are not members of the organization. The chamber has about 1,200 members in the Cape Girardeau area. Kim Simon from Montgomery Bank is this year's membership drive chairwoman. For more information about the benefits of chamber membership, contact Glenn, 335-3312.

* PrimoVino now open: PrimoVino, 1610 N. Kingshighway, Suite 105, is now open. The wine boutique also offers high-end spirits from around the world, micro-brewed and import beers, artisan cheese and meats, cigars and wine-related gourmet products and merchandise. "Our goal is to take the intimidation and confusion out of wine buying," said Keller Ford, general manager. The store will offer daily wine tastings, as well as a themed tasting every Tuesday night from 6 to 8 p.m. Educational classes will be offered to the community periodically throughout the year.

Customers are invited to sample and taste wine anytime by using the new Napa Technology Wine Station. The station is a 12-bottle wine dispensing system that keeps wine fresh while letting customers sample a wide selection of wines. Ford, a lifelong Cape Girardeau resident, has more than 17 years' experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry and was previously general manager at River Ridge Winery for eight years. PrimoVino is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It is closed Sundays.

* Stevie's Steakburger to re-open Tuesday: Stevie's Steakburger at 600 Broadway in Cape Girardeau will re-open under its previous ownership Tuesday. Last May, owner Steven Majeed and his wife Toni leased the business to someone else with the option to buy it when the Majeeds left for an extended trip to their native Pakistan. "I apologize to all my customers who ate there and were disappointed when I was out of the country because of the quality of the food," Majeed said. When the restaurant re-opens it will offer Stevie's original menu of 100 percent Black Angus beef burgers, as well as Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, gyros and milkshakes. Majeed also owns SEMO Gas at 40 North St. in Cape Girardeau.

* Scotttrade to open Cape Girardeau location: Scottrade will soon open a branch office in Cape Girardeau. Tom Kelsey, commercial broker with Lorimont Place Ltd. who handled the lease transaction, said that Scottrade will open in the Silver K Development at the corner of William Street and Silver Springs Road. Scottrade's 1,583 square-foot office space will be next door to Aaron Sachs and Associates and near the Qdoba Mexican Grill Restaurant.

Scottrade has been involved in stock trading for more than 25 years, primarily online trading. Scottrade has the largest branch office network in the country among online investment firms. Scottrade has established nine branch offices in Missouri including St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia and Springfield. Cape Girardeau will be their newest branch with an opening within the next 30 to 60 days, Kelsey said.

* Barber shop to hold ribbon cutting: A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned by the Jackson Chamber of Commerce at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Maintz Barber Shop in the Main Street Station building at 2480 E. Main St., Suite C-1. Main Street Station also is home to the Lichtenegger, Weiss and Fetterhoff law firm.

* Montgomery Bank plans senior carnival: Montgomery Bank will host a Seniors Club Carnival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday at its 200 S. Mount Auburn Road branch. Donations will be accepted to benefit the Discovery Playhouse. There will be hot dogs, popcorn, soft drinks, ice cream floats, games, prizes and entertainment.

Southeast Missourian business reporter Melissa Miller may be contacted at 388-3646 or mmiller@semissourian.com.<I>