NEW BUSINESS: BUCHHEIT INC. TO OPEN NEW STORES AT PERRYVILLE AND JACKSON IN 1999

Buchheit Inc., a 65-year-old, family-owned company headquartered at Biehle, will open stores at Perryville and Jackson this year.

Buchheit, a general merchandise, farm and building supplies operation, includes stores at Biehle, Herculaneum, Sparta, Ill., and Jacksonville, Ill. Other operations include a feed manufacturing facility, fertilizer plant, seed-cleaning operation and a nationwide transportation division at Biehle.

The Perryville store is scheduled for opening in former Wal Mart building this spring.

Construction of a 60,000- to 70,000-square-foot building at 2801 S. Old Orchard Road, next to McDowell South Auto Sales near Interstate 55, will start early this year, with a target date for opening during the fourth quarter.

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at the Jackson site Wednesday at 10 a.m.

The store, which will carry more than 65,000 items, will be designed by Buchheit's design and construction team, according to Jim Meyer, Buchheit design and construction manager.

"Buchheit's is determined to offer area customers a wide assortment of quality merchandises, friendly service, competitive prices and a pleasant place to shop," said Tim Buchheit, company president.

The new business will employ between 80 and 100 workers.

Buchheit was founded by Rudy Buchheit in 1934 as a grocery business.

Buchheit stocked his new store, a former saloon building at Biehle, with $250 worth of groceries, 50 gallons of salted herring, 50 pounds of flour, 100 pounds of sugar, 100 pounds of white beans, a 280-pound barrel of salt and some hand-ground coffee beans.

A few hardware items were added later, along with livestock feed.

Buchheit adopted a wagon wheel as the company logo.

The history behind the wagon wheel sums up the thriving business, said Buchheit. "The hub, or center of the wheel, is viewed as the team pulling together, just a hub holds the spokes together so the wheel can turn.