NEW ON THE BUSINESS SCENE: PIER 1 IMPORTS IN NEW SITE

Pier 1 Imports, a specialty retailer of unique, decorative home furnishings, gifts and related items, will open this month in a new, free-standing building at 3051 William, adjacent to Barnes & Noble Booksellers.

The new store, 730th in the Pier 1 chain, is looking to a Valentine Day opening and will employ 10 people.

"Pier 1 is a good fit for Cape Girardeau," said Marvin Girouard, president of the company, headquartered at Fort Worth, Texas.

Pier 1 has a store in West Park Mall.

The new store, on the perimeter of the mall, will provide more than 6,600 square feet, and will offer a large variety of items, including rattan, wicker and metal furniture, pillows and fabrics, dhurrie rugs from India, dinnerware and other products.

Pier 1 Imports was founded more than 30 years ago in Mateo, Calif., and now has stores in 47 states, Canada and Puerto Rico, with international operations in the Untied Kingdom, Mexico and Japan.

Totals sales for the last fiscal year were $811 million.