STRICTLY BUSINESS: MINOR'S OBSERVING 25TH YEAR

Minor's Harley-Davidson/Suzuki Sales Inc. has been recognized for a quarter-century of service to the motorcycle community.

The Cape Girardeau company, 905 Enterprise, has received a "Longevity Award" from the Harley-Davidson Motor Co.

Nick Minor accepted the award for his parents, Charles E. "Sonny" and Barb Minor, at the annual Harley-Davidson international conference, held recently at San Antonio.

Minor's Harley-Davidson & Suzuki is observing its 25th anniversary this year, but the Harley dealership has been in Cape Girardeau more than 40 years.

"We acquired the business in 1971," said Minor. "We've been in our present location 15 years."

The Minors became owners of the dealership when it was at 21 S. Main in downtown Cape Girardeau.

"My father - Ed Minor - started the Harley-Davidson business in Cape Girardeau in 1952," said Minor. "He kept it until 1965. We picked it up in 1971."

Minor added the Suzuki line 10 years ago.

"We'll be observing our anniversary next month," said Minor.

"We've seen many changes in the motorcycle market over the past 25 years," said Minor. "We held on strong when the market declined during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Harley-Davidson has turned things around since then, and we're pleased to be a part of that turnaround and success over the last 10 years."

In presenting the "Longevity Award," a Harley Davidson vice president said, "One of the main reasons that Harley-Davidson is number one in the heavyweight motorcycle market is because of the efforts of dealers like Sonny and Barb Minor.

Shoe Carnival: Shoes and fun

Something new is coming to Cape Girardeau -- Shoe Carnival.

Shoe Carnival, a business that has been around almost a decade, provides footwear for the entire family, is planning its Cape Girardeau grand opening for the weekend of Oct. 18-20.

The new store will occupy 12,000 square feet in a strip mall along Siemers Drive in the Cape West Business Park. In the same strip will be Staples Office Supply, Factory Card and the Dollar Tree.

The Shoe Carnival presents a carnival-like atmosphere for its customers.

A ringmaster, who occupies a stage in the store, is the first person customers see when they enter the store.

"It's a concept that our customers have grown to like," said Cindy Daly, director of marketing for the company, which already has stores in two nearby communities -- Carbondale, Ill., and Paducah, Ky.

The operation centers around fun, said Daly.

"We entertain the customers," said John Merold of Shoe Carnival. "We don't call it `Shoe Carnival' for nothing."

The ringmaster, or announcer, greets customers, tells them where the bargains are, makes various announcements and answers trivia questions.

A huge "money machine," a giant, glassed-in cube spins continually.

"The cube contains money and certificates, and on occasion, we give consumers an opportunity to win cash or merchandise," said Daly.

The company, which provides name brand private-label shoes for men, women and children, also provides games for youngsters.

Merold, director of recruiting for the Evansville, Ind.-based company, was in Cape Girardeau last week on an employee-hunting quest.

"We were looking for management people last week," said Merold. "Later, in September, we'll conduct a job fair to complete our store staff."

Shoe Carnival will employ between 30 and 40 people. "We bring in the manager, but all other employees are local people," said Merold.

The first Shoe Carnival opened in Evansville by founder and company president David Russell. The company, which went public in 1993, has grown to 94 stores in 17 states.

Charles "Chuck" Templeton, manager of the Carbondale store, will be manager of the Cape Girardeau store.

Templeton has been with Shoe Carnival nine years.

Catching up...

Staples Inc., which has almost 500 office supply and equipment stores in 25 states, will enter the Cape Girardeau market this year.

Staples will be at 294 Siemers Drive in Cape West Business Park, and will serve as an anchor store for a strip shopping center planned by Druco. The new center, just south of Target, will include a number of retail businesses, including a Factory Card outlet store to occupy 10,800 square feet; Dollar Tree, 4,100 square feet; and Shoe Carnival, 12,000 square feet.

K's Merchandise, a family-owned business with 13 sites in Illinois and Iowa, hopes to open in Missouri next month.

K's, headquartered in Chicago, is no stranger to the Show-Me State. The company already operates Eldridge Fine Jewelry Stores in Missouri, Kansas and Florida.

When's K's opens in Cape Girardeau, the 85,000 square feet at Bloomfield and Broadview -- former Central Hardware building -- will represent the largest operation in the chain.

Gold's Gym on hold

Plans for construction of Gold's Gym, a fitness and aerobic complex, in Cape Girardeau have been placed on hold.

Original plans called for a two-level complex on South Broadview.

Dexter bank drops Cape plans

The First Bank of Dexter has dropped plans to open a branch operation at Cape Girardeau.

The bank considered a Cape Girardeau site and at one time had selected a site, said a spokesman of the bank.

But the board has voted to drop the plans.

Capaha Bank plans on go

Tamms State Bank is still looking at the Cape Girardeau banking market and hopes to be open this fall, possibly in October.

The Illinois bank is seeking a new name, a national charter and new headquarters in a new state.

"We're still waiting for permission to convert to a national banking association," said John Abercrombie, president of Tamms State Bank.

With approval by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency at Chicago, the state bank will become Capaha Bank National Association.

The new bank at Cape Girardeau will be at 3168 Route K, which previously housed a former Savings of America branch.

Another bank?

Talk in the Cape Girardeau community is that still another bank may be established here.

The city has seven banks and 22 places where consumers can conduct banking business.