STRICTLY BUSINESS: JOHNS METAL TO CLOSE AFTER 70 YEARS

Just because it's rusty, dented, dinged or bent doesn't mean it's worthless. No one knows that better than Cleo Edward Johns, who will soon bid goodbye to a lifelong career of nails, bolts, chunks of iron and steel.

Johns Metal-Iron and Salvage Co., 1110 S. Kingshighway, is to close its doors within the next few weeks.

Johns has been picking up nails, bolts and pieces of iron and steel since he was 14.

His family has been in the business 70 years. Johns officially joined the family business 40 years ago, in 1957.

Johns' grandfather, Charles E. Johns, founded the business in September 1927.

Cleo Edwards Johns' father, Cleo Elvin Johns, joined the business in 1939 and still works on a part-time basis. Johns' father will be 81 next month.

The salvage business has changed during the past quarter-century, Johns said.

'Recycling center' era

"Twenty-five years ago it was a junk yard. Now it's a recycling center, and 25 years into the future, it will probably be an ecology center," Johns said.

"Call it what you want, but it's all the same business," he said. ""Scrap materials are recycled to be used in new materials."

Johns has sold most of his salvage to Sides Steel Supply & Metal Recycling Co. in Cape Girardeau.

"We officially closed Aug. 8," said Johns, "but, we're still in the process of cleaning up everything, and we still haven't decided on what we will do with the property."

Johns' twin sons are both businessmen in Cape Girardeau. Cleo Edward Johns Jr. operates a used-car business -- Show Me Motors -- on the front part of the property at 1110 S. Kingshighway, and Curt Johns owns and operates Guy's Big & Tall in Town Plaza Shopping Center.

'Junk Yards' in the 1920s

People have recycled worn-out clothing into quilts for years, said Johns, and on the farm, machinery was used until nothing was repairable.

Johns' grandfather recycled in the 1920s, collecting and selling metal to supplement his income.

"My grandfather did anything for a buck," said Johns. "He was a part-time photographer and had a small moving business. He bought rope, rags, metal and just about anything manmade."

The elder Johns opened his "recycling center" -- Johns' Salvage Yard, at 130 S. Frederick in 1927.

"You name it, he recycled it," said Johns. "About the only thing he didn't have anything to do with was animal hides. He left that to Pollack Hide and Fur Co., an early competitor in the salvage business."

"I started while I was a youngster," said Johns. "When I was 13 or 14, I was picking up nails, screws and bolts on the company grounds that fell off customers' loads to help prevent flat tires and needless waste.

10-acre expansion

The operation was expanded to a 10-acre site at 1110 S. Kingshighway, its present site in 1951.

Walking around the Johns recycling center a year ago, one could find piles of what appeared to be "junk." But it was far from it.

"We kept everything separated here," said Johns. "Each type and grade of metal goes to a different location. Here, you'll see stacks of steel, aluminum of various grades and many stacks of various other metals."

In other areas are barrels of yellow brass, copper, cartridge brass and even liquid mercury.

"Everything has its place," said Johns, who sold various metals to outlets.

Johns also sold automotive parts from salvage cars.

"About once a year we called in the auto crusher," he said. "The crusher can take a full-size vehicle and crush it into manageable chunks of metal, about 12 to 18 inches deep.

Once the cars are crushed, they are transported to auto shredders.

Old cars are a big portion of the salvage business, but salvage yards also purchase copper, brass and other metals.

Johns can still be found around Johns Metal-Iron and Salvage Co. "We'll be another few weeks before everything has been settled and recycled," he said.

End of an 70-year era

The company should close for good by late September or early October.

1927 -- Charles Edward Johns, founded Johns' Johns' Salvage Yard, at 130 S. Frederick.

1939 -- Cleo Elvin Johns joined his father in operation of Johns' Salvage Yard.

1940s -- Johns' Salvage became Johns Metal-Iron and Salvage Co.

1951 -- Johns' Salvage moves to 10-acre site at 1110 S. Kingshighway.

1957 -- Cleo Edward Johns joins Johns Metal-Iron and Salvage Co.

1997 -- Johns Metal-Iron and Salvage Co. to close.

Heard on the street

County Market, a retail grocery group that operates more than 100 stores nationwide, is still coming to Cape Girardeau.

Supervalu officials are talking with County Market representatives about a possible opening at a Silver Springs Road site early next year.

It was previously announced that County Market would be in the 60,000-square-foot former Shop 'n Save building later this fall.

It has been learned that Supervalu negotiations with Tom Harmon of Jacksonville, Ill., who owns two County Markets, did not work out.

Talks are continuing, however, with County Market, which is headquartered in Minneapolis, and prospects look good for a late January opening.

Supervalu, which includes large distribution centers in St. Louis and Scott City, provides wholesale groceries to more than 4,900 stores in 48 states. The company is also ranked 13th in grocery retailing.

Recent statistics show more than $16 billion in annual Supervalue sales, with 71 percent wholesale and 29 percent retail.

At 60,000 square feet, the former Shop 'n Save building is the largest grocery store building in Cape Girardeau.

Also heard on the grocery scene: At least two veteran grocers are looking into the former Schnucks Midtown site at William and Sprigg. Negotiations are not far enough along to mention company names.

B. Ray Owen is business editor for the Southeast Missourian.