NEW ON THE BUSINESS SCENE

Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel recently opened in its new quarters at 829 N. West End Blvd. and will hold an open house next month.

The site is only the fourth in the 85-year history of the Cape Girardeau business.

"We'll have more room for growth at the new facility," said William H. Kuss, president of Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel and Monuments. "It's a beautiful building inside and out."

The facility, a former church built in the mid-1950s, previously housed First Christian Church and includes two chapels.

The open house and special dedication will be held Oct. 15.

The second-floor chapel is on the level with the front entrance off West End Boulevard and is currently being used in the funeral home operation.

The first-floor chapel, on ground level with the parking lot, will allow for expansion and will be used in the future. Also planned for the future is a circular driveway off Dunklin Street, around the front of the church and back to the parking lot, said Kuss.

Kuss, James H. Kuss and Betty Kuss became owners of Lorberg Funeral Home in 1989. All three are funeral directors and work in the business full time. The building at 433 S. Sprigg is leased.

The funeral home was at 433 S. Sprigg 66 years.

The funeral home was founded by Martin G. Lorberg and a partner, Jacob LaCroix, in 1910 as Harrig Furniture and Undertaking. Six months later Lorberg purchased his partner's interest in the company, which was first situated at Good Hope and Frederick and became known as Lorberg Furniture and Undertaking Co.

The business later moved to the 600 block of Good Hope, and in 1920, to 215 S. Sprigg. During the late 1920s the business separated its funeral and furniture operations, moving to 433 S. Sprigg.

The funeral home was sold to John E. Carpenter and Bruce Dockins, a funeral director who had interests in two other funeral homes, in 1987. Two years later the funeral home was sold to the Kusses.

A & W Root Beer will reopen in Cape Girardeau next month.

Gary Helwege will open the restaurant, previously at 335 N. Kingshighway, at 204 N. Kingshighway in the building that previously housed Arby's Roast Beef Restaurant.

Arby's recently closed its Cape Girardeau operation. A & W is expected to open Oct. 15.

The Mo Fence Co. opened recently at 330 Grandview Drive in Jackson.

The company will install numerous styles of fencing -- chain link, privacy and wooden -- and electric gates throughout Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

Richard "Buck" Beard, who announced the new company, said the company will install commerce and residential fencing.

Billy Dorris, previously with SEMO Fencing, is senior manager of the company and will oversee estimates and installation.

Ruby Tuesday, is expected to open in Cape Girardeau the second week of October.

The new restaurant, under construction at 3069 William, will be the first business in Auburn Park Place, a project of Drury Southwest, which will include restaurants, retail businesses and a parking garage.

A new building, under construction just north of Wal-Mart along Route K, will house four retail businesses, to be announced later.

The building consists of 8,100 square feet, said Larry Westrich of Drury Southwest, developer of the building.

The building, which is about 60 percent leased, is expected to open in late October or early November.

The Monticello House, a residential care facility at 1115 K-Land Drive, Jackson, is expanding.

The facility, which currently has 32 beds, will have 63 beds following a 10,000-square-foot expansion project.

The expansion project is expected to be completed by Nov. 1, said Gerald McElrath, a partner in the facility along with Dr. Ramiro Icaza.

Monticello House was constructed in 1988.

International Network for Education and Training Inc., (INET), has expanded into the Jackson Marble and Granite Works Building, 111 N. Missouri St. in Jackson.

The building, said Swanson, is one of the older buildings in Jackson and was originally built for the sale of granite and marble.

The building has been completely renovated and now has five offices, reception area, copy room, conference room, coffee lounge and storage areas.

An open house of the facility was held Sunday.

INET, an international consulting firm serving universities and other educational institutions in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia, was founded in January 1994 by Marvin C. Swanson.

During the past 18 months, INET has assisted in placing more than 150 students in American institutions and has developed international seminars for U.S. students and adults for the study of history of World War II in Europe, comparative education, criminal justice and business practices in Europe.

Swanson previously served as director of International Development at Southeast Missouri State University and assistant dean of DePauw University.

Swanson has traveled extensively in Europe, the Near East, South America and Asia.

Assisting Swanson in the growth of INET is Margaret Popham, who previously served as coordinator of International Student Services at Southeast Missouri State University.

Also working in the INET operation is Charla Myers, office manager.

Construction is now underway on a facility to house a new Cape Girardeau Auto Auction Inc., which will open near Scott City.

The new company will conduct weekly auctions for dealers and leasing companies to buy or sell used vehicles.

The new business will be located on the Outer Road in North Industrial Park.