STRICTLY BUSINESS: STOP-AND-GO DRIVERS SING THE BLUES

Suddenly, it's stop-and-go traffic time. You didn't make it outside the metropolitan zone in time and you're stuck in traffic.

What to do!

If you're like the majority of drivers caught on congested roadways, you'll sing along with music from the car radio, tape player or CD, taking time to eat snack or drink a beverage.

On the other end of the scale, you may talk on the cellular telephone, or read a book, newspaper or magazine. Somewhere in between you may daydream about a loved one.

Drivers are not at a loss to cope with traffic jams.

A special "Hate to Wait Driving Poll" has been issued by TM8 Engine Treatment, and appears to be consistent with other studies.

Almost one in four drivers (24 percent) reported battling stop-and-go congestion every day, and another 39 percent report encountering congestion a few times a year, according to the TM8 poll of more than 500 drivers living in 51 major metropolitan areas throughout the U.S.

Another report, the Urban Roadway Congestion Report, by the Texas Transportation Institution at Texas A&M University, reported that traffic congestion in urban areas increased significantly from 1982-1992, and is expected to continue. Half of the large and medium urban areas in the national sampling experienced at least 20 percent growth in their congestion index during that (1982-1992) decade.

The TM8 poll -- conducted by Fleishman-Hillard Research of St. Louis -- revealed that on at least one occasion during the 30 days prior to the poll:

-- 75 percent of drivers reported singing along with music.

-- 61 percent ate a snack, or drank a beverage.

-- 35 percent daydreamed about a loved one.

-- 27 percent groomed themselves in the rear-view mirror.

-- 21 percent used a cellular car telephone.

-- 12 percent read a book, newspaper or magazine.

-- 5 percent changed clothes.

The survey also quizzed drivers on other things.

Asked who they would prefer to have as a passenger while driving in congested traffic, motorists chose President Bill Clinton (40 percent) over presidential candidate Bob Dole (17 percent). Of course, 39 percent preferred neighbor.

When it came to political gift of gab, Cape Girardeau's own Rush Limbaugh and shock jock Howard Stern ended in a near tie. Limbaugh garnered passenger preference from 22 percent and Stern, 20 percent. But, 53 percent opted for neither.

Drivers also registered some peeves with driving habits of fellow motorists. Top annoyances included:

-- Tailgating, 72 percent.

-- Being cut off in traffic, 71 percent.

-- Lack of turn signals, 55 percent.

-- Smoky exhaust, 47 percent.

-- Obscene hand gestures, 43 percent.

-- Driving too slow, 42 percent.

-- Driving too fast, 29 percent.

-- Loud muffler, 36 percent.

Other findings:

Men are more apt to daydream about a loved one than women (42 to 29 percent).

Women are more likely to groom themselves in the mirror that men (31 to 22).

Young drivers (18 to 34) are more apt to use their car horns when other drivers do something wrong.

Some 73 percent of motorists agree they "almost always" obey the speed limit.

Missouri Builders acquire

another shopping center

Greater Missouri Builders Inc. has purchased the Village Shopping Center at Little Rock, Ark.

The small article, which appeared in the "Arkansas Business" publication may have eluded many readers, but the name of Greater Missouri Builders caught my eye.

The Missouri corporation, owned by Bruce Campbell and his son, Scott Campbell, is headquartered in St. Louis, and has ties to Cape Girardeau.

Greater Missouri Builders own the shopping strip that fronts William Streeet in Town Plaza Shopping Center, and has been a good landlord since 1972, when it acquired the property which had been developed a dozen years earlier by the late Burton J. Gerhardt.

Owners of the center refurbish the shopping center, which houses about 20 businesses, about every three to five years.

The center has taken on a new look in the past year, including some new businesses, new lighting, improved parking and an overall new look of buildings along the entire strip.

New businesses over the past year include Hastings Books, Music & Video; a Hallmark Card shop; Play It Again Sports; and a move "down the street" by Guy's Big & Tall.

Greater Missouri Builders purchased the 147,000 square foot shopping strip at the corner of Asher and University Avenues in Little Rock, from TCI, the Englewood, Colo.-based cable television system which acquired the shopping center a few years ago when it acquired United Artists.

TCI recently ran an ad in the Wall Street Journal seeking buyers for some of Untied Artists' real estate holdings, including the Little Rock center.

About 75 companies responded to the ad with an interest in the Village Shopping Center. Missouri Builders bought the property at a cost of $3.4 million. The property includes an additional 15 acres behind the facility, which will be developed into an office/warehouse cenrter with some showroom space.

The center is losing one of its largest stores in the near future, but Missouri Builders is hopeful of finding one or two replacement businesses to the fill the spot.

Grant to help in D & K move

D & K Wholesale Drugs, headquartered in St. Louis, will move a portion of its operations to Cape Girardeau this year.

D & K, which announced the plan almost two years ago, is expected to open in a 64,000 square-foot facility by early fall.

The Department of Economic Development (DED) announced last week that the city of Cape Girardeau will receive an industrial infrastructure grant of $70,229 for water improvements to aid in the locating of D & K here on Rust Ave., near Shawnee Park.

"The improvements made possible by this grant will mean greater economic opportunity for the residents of Southeast Missouri," said Jim Gardner of the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The move to larger quarters at Cape Girardeau will result in an additional 40 jobs by the company. The Cairo Division currently employs more than 100 workers.

The grant was made under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, administered by DED. Funds will be released to the city as certain requirements set forth by the CDBG program are met.

D & K Wholesale Drug is a publicly owned wholesale drug distributor based in St. Louis. The company serves independent and retail chain pharmacies, hospitals, managed care facilities and other customers in 17 states throughout the Midwest and Mid-South.

D&K was founded in Cairo in 1965 as Delta Wholesale Drug Inc. The company merged with the Kelly Wholesale Drug Co. in 1987 and became D&K Wholesale Drug Inc.

D & K also has a warehouse in Lexington, Ky.

D & K has acquired a number of additional drug distribution companies over the past two years -- Northern Drug Co. Inc.; the Drug Distributors Unit of Fleming Companies Inc., a Malone & Hyde Inc. subsidiary in Memphis; and Minneapolis-based Krelitz Industries, which owned and operated the Twin City Wholesale Drug Co. and Vikings Computer Services Inc.

D & K recently announced 1996 sales of more than $425 million, up 32 percent over 1995 sales of $320 million.