Register now for free entrepreneurship course

A free training course on how to start a retail business will be offered later this month at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) at Southeast Missouri State University.

Old Town Cape and the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce are co-sponsoring the five-week training program to assist aspiring entrepreneurs.

The entrepreneurship training program, Operation-Jump Start, will begin April 20.

Marla Mills, executive director of Old Town Cape, is excited about the possibilities this training presents.

"This gives participants a real idea of how and where this can be done," Mills said. "It presents them with real-life scenarios and shows them real opportunities we have in the downtown."

Participants in the Operation Jump-Start program will learn essential business planning and preparation skills with hands-on, practical training. Upon completion of the course, participants are eligible to submit a feasibility plan and compete for small start-up micro grants (up to $5,000). An outside panel will review the plans and select the most viable ventures to receive the funding. Participation in the course does not guarantee start-up grant funding.

Those interested in attending the five-week training program should contact Torie Cox at 651-2929 or tcox@semo.edu. Classes are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. April 20 at the Southeast Innovation Center at 920 Broadway, and will be on Tuesday and Thursday nights only. Registration deadline is April 13. Those interested may also contact Old Town Cape at 334-8085 for more information. Seating is limited to the first 25 applications. Partial funding for this program was provided by the local WIRED initiative.

* Basic Fuel reopens: Randy Crawford of Hayti, Mo., has re-opened the Basic Fuel service station at 2551 Bloomfield Road in Cape Girardeau. It had been closed since January 2008. Crawford Oil Co. Inc. recently purchased the Basic Fuel chain and will be re-opening other locations in Perryville, Mo., and Sikeston, Mo., in the coming weeks. The former Basic Fuel location in Jackson will not be re-opened, Crawford said, because of accessibility issues. In the past Basic Fuel stores accepted only cash, but now the businesses accept all major credit cards. Pay at the pump equipment will be installed soon as well, Crawford said. "We want to offer a good service at a good price," Crawford added.

* Helping out the Humane Society: Atlantis Swimming Pool Service, for the second year, will donate 5 percent of its profits this season to the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri.

Owner Randy Barnhouse said last year his donation was enough to purchase one ton of dog food. The Humane Society is a cause close to Barnhouse's heart because it's where he adopted his dog Barney nine years ago.

Busch Pet Products in Cape Girardeau also donates a designated percentage of its profits to the SEMO Humane Society, said director Cheryle Dillon. The donations help cover a variety of expenses, including helping to pay the organization's utility bill. SEMO Humane Society typically houses between 65 and 75 animals at any given time, Dillon said. Atlantis specializes in weekly pool cleaning services and pool openings in the Cape Girardeau and Jackson areas.

* Photo, art gallery opens at mall: JJAB Studios has opened inside West Park Mall at the former El Dorango location. The photography studio and art gallery is owned by Jonathan Bridges of Cape Girardeau. Bridges specializes in senior pictures, weddings, sporting events and pet photos. Photographs are done as walk-ins or appointments. He also does "Gone but not Forgotten" family portraits where he digitally superimposes photos of family members who have passed away. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/JJABStudios.

* Gift shop closing after seven years: Patricia Ann's gift shop, 103 N. Main Street in Cape Girardeau, will close at the end of April. Owners Deb and Jeff Martin operated the store for more than 7 years. All remaining merchandise is 25 percent off and the store's fixtures also are for sale.

* Jessup opens motorsports store: MJR Motorsports has opened at 118 Plaza Way in Cape Girardeau. Owner Dr. Michael J. Jessup of Heartland Women's Specialists also owns The Venue.

* Travel agency makes lateral move: First Class Travel has moved to 3443B William Street in Cape Girardeau, three doors down from its previous location.

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