Motorcycle shop parade going for world record

Cape Girardeau could see someone set a Guinness World Record on Sept. 26.

Grass Roots BMW, 28 S. Spanish St., will attempt the feat when more than 130 BMW motorcyles are expected to participate in a two-mile parade through the city. If that happens it would surpass the record of 128 that was set at the village of Einsiedeln, Switzerland, on June 12, 2004.

Reno Anderson, who with her husband Herb owns the dealership, said although they've traveled the world and spent a year on the road riding motorcycles, they've never attempted anything like next month's parade.

"We are putting Cape Girardeau on the map," Anderson said. "With the record, Cape Girardeau will be mentioned all over the place."

For more information, contact Anderson at 334-7223.

* Berghoff rebuilding Scott City diner: During the ice storm in late January, Berghoff's Cafe in Scott City collapsed. Since then, co-owner Eric Berghoff has been searching for a new location to rebuild his diner.

In a few months the cafe will reopen. Construction on the new building at 408 Rose Con Road started Aug. 10.

When it's complete, the cafe will retain its 264-2221 phone number and will still serve its regular breakfast and lunch menu seven days a week, but now it will have extended hours on weekends. While the cafe will still be open 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, customers can eat supper there Fridays and Saturdays. Evening hours are undetermined. And for the health-conscious, the smoking and non-smoking sections will be separated by a closed door.

Berghoff is excited about his restaurant's future. "We've had a lot of community support throughout," said Berghoff, whose aunt owns Sands Pancake House in Cape Girardeau. "This is the kind of place where in the early morning you can come and visit with others over a cup of coffee.

"And I'm ready to get back to work. Finally it's coming together."

* SEMO offers small-business growth classes: The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor and the WIRED initiatives, will offer free classes in September for small businesses. A class on low-cost marketing will be Sept. 10, with five others scheduled throughout the month. Other class topics include accounting basics, creating ideas that make money and tax return preparation.

All classes will be from 6 to 9 p.m. at Southeast Missouri State University's Harrison College of Business. In future months classes are expected to be offered in other counties.

Registration is required and classes normally fill up quickly. For more information, call 986-6084.

* Re Sstore celebrates best week: Cape Girardeau Area Habitat for Humanity's Re Store marked its best week of sales since it opened Nov. 29, 2007. President T. Robin Cole said that was because Drury Hotels donated a trailer truckload of new commercial carpet.

"I'm excited and I'm delighted because all the money produced from this store goes directly in our program," Cole said. "We're building so fast that we need more funding like this."

* Engineering firm creates forensic division: Gertis, Lester, Dameron & Associates Inc., a civil engineering consulting firm in Cape Girardeau, has created a forensic division called I-ENG-A of the Heartland.

The division offers consulting services for the property and casualty insurance industry. It covers Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois and western Kentucky.

The engineers have been trained in a variey of areas, including slip and fall claims, structural losses, product liability investigation and fire and arson investigation.

"We saw a need in this region for this type of service and became involved with this industry to help us branch out and expand our business," firm president Melanie Cantrell said. "We have been pleased with the acceptance from the area's insurance community and look to help them even more in the future."

Gertis, Lester, Dameron & Associates Inc. is owned by Cantrell, Mark Lester and Jackie Dameron. It opened in 2005 to provide solutions to its clients' civil engineering needs. The company is at 1301 N. Kingshighway and can be reached at 332-8200.

* Allure Salon opens: Linda Pietreface said she has dreamed for some time of opening her own salon. A stylist in Cape Girardeau for 10 years, Pietreface's dream came true Aug. 11 with the opening of Allure Salon.

Allure Salon, 2021 Perryville Road next to Winks gas station in Cape Girardeau, offers a variety of hair services, manicures and pedicures, acrylic nails, massages and Raindrop therapy.

Pietreface said Raindrop therapy "uses a sequence of nine highly antimicrobial essential oils dropped gently on the spine and then lightly massaged in using various hand to body techniques. Heat application is also used."

The salon's number is 803-1070. It is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

"Fulfilling my dream of owning my own salon is beyond words," Pietreface told me. "Driving to my salon on the first day was such a great feeling. I couldn't have done it without the help and support of my husband and my parents.

"I moved to Cape 10 years ago and have worked very hard to establish myself as a stylist, that now being an owner is the ultimate accomplishment."

Southeast Missourian business reporter Brian Blackwell may be contacted at 388-3628 or bblackwell@semissourian.com.<I>