Subscriber exclusive — Business Notebook: Best places to shop this Black Friday? Happy retirement, Mark Bliss

I saw an amusing post on Facebook the other day reminding Black Friday shoppers to turn their phones to the “horizontal” position before recording any fights among their fellow shoppers.

Yes, another Black Friday, the annual celebration of retail consumerism, is nearly upon us.

Personally, the idea of getting up in the middle of the night and camping out in subfreezing temperatures on a sidewalk outside a retailer with hundreds of strangers all hoping to score a good deal on some enticing merchandise (for which there never seems to be enough in stock) never appealed to me.

Be that as it may, an email crossed my desk the other day about 2019’s “best stores for Black Friday.” WalletHub, the organization that sent the email, said it had surveyed nearly 8,000 deals from 29 of the biggest U.S. retailers’ 2019 Black Friday ads to identify the stores offering the biggest discounts in various product categories such as appliances, jewelry and toys.

According to WalletHub’s study, this year’s best Black Friday retailers and their average Black Friday discounts are:

1. Stage — 69.8%

2. Belk — 66.9%

3. Bealls Florida 62.5%

4. J.C. Penney — 61%

5. Kohl’s — 57.1%

Tameka Randle

6. New York & Company — 56.3%

7. Dick’s Sporting Goods — 52.3%

8. Kmart — 51.8%

9. Sears — 49.25%

10. Fred Meyer — 47.1%

The full report, along with each retailer’s rank in all product categories, is available by searching for “Best Things to Buy on Black Friday” on the website wallethub.com.

n

Old Town Cape reminds us the day after Black Friday is Small Business Saturday and a number of downtown businesses will participate in the “shop small” movement that helps raise awareness of the importance of shopping locally.

Kayla Moore shops at Annie-Em's at Home during Small Business Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016, in Cape Girardeau.Southeast Missourian file

American Express sponsored the first Small Business Saturday in 2010 as a way to support local retailers.

Old Town Cape will host an information table from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday at 16 N. Spanish St. in the building next to the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri. A limited supply of 2019 Small Business Saturday bags will be given away along with lists of participating Small Business Saturday businesses and other materials.

n

Speaking of Christmas shopping, this is the time of year when a number of “seasonal” businesses and retailers pop up at shopping centers such as West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau.

Here’s a list of West Park’s holiday businesses, courtesy of CBL Properties in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the mall’s leasing agent:

• Auto Trim & Design, an auto display in the J.C. Penney wing in front of Barnes & Noble
• Billy Goat Hill, a Center Court display in front of Champs
• Calendar Club, in the Macy’s wing, a kiosk setup in front of Bath & Body Works
• Foor’s Nuts, a display setup located near “Santa” at Center Court
• Hickory Farms, in the J.C. Penney wing in front of American Eagle
• Holyland Gifts, also in the J.C. Penney wing in front of American Eagle
• IC Enterprise, Space 223
• Lacefield Music, Space 225
• Papa Jerky/Abner Snacks, in the Macy’s wing in front of Bath & Body Works
• Rudolph & Me, in Center Court in front of Claire’s
• Sports Spot, in the J.C. Penney wing in front of The Children’s Place

In addition, Salvation Army bell ringers will also be set up at various mall entrances.

n

Congratulations again to the honorees at last week’s annual dinner of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce:

• Rush H. Limbaugh Award — Earl Norman, chairman and chief executive officer of Benton Hill Investments
• Drury Family Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award — Gary Rust, founder and chairman of Rust Communications
• 2019 Small Business of the Year — Coulter Insurance Group
• 2019 Ambassador of the Year — Greg Vaughn

n

Sandy Ladd, founder and namesake of Sandy’s Place Restaurant at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, told me last week her eatery will relocate out of the airport terminal building to a nearby location next year.

“We’ll be moving in May or June, depending on the weather and how long it takes to get the building up,” she said. The restaurant’s new location will be near Schafer’s Electrical Enclosures on Nash Road.

Sandy’s Place has been a popular casual dining spot since it opened in July 2008.

n

On another restaurant note, I hear Broussard’s plans to open a location in Paducah, Kentucky, in mid-2020. The original Broussard’s Cajun Cuisine restaurant opened in Cape Girardeau in 1986 and is located on Main Street.

The Paducah location will be in the former Whaler’s Catch building in downtown Paducah and will reportedly offer indoor and outdoor seating.

n

I hope to have news in the near future about a real estate development in the vicinity of Highway 74 and Siemers Drive. Stay tuned.

Now on to the rest of this week’s Business Notebook …

BOLD Marketing to host business strategy sessions

BOLD Marketing in Cape Girardeau will host a series of 12 monthly marketing strategy sessions in 2020, beginning in January. The Small Business Best Practices series is intended for individuals and businesses with 75 employees or fewer develop and execute effective marketing strategies.

Each four-hour session will include hands-on training dedicated to a different topic each month ranging form brand development and online marketing to crisis management and employee engagement strategies.

Enrollment will be limited to 20 participants.

For more information, contact Bold marketing, (573) 803-0676 or email dana@getboldmarketing.com. Information is also available at www.BOLDSmallBusinessTraining.com.

Saint Francis accepting patient care applications

Saint Francis Healthcare System is offered a paid educational opportunity for those looking to start a clinical career in health care.

Applications for patient care associate positions are being accepted through Sunday for a four-week paid educational opportunity through the Cape Girardeau Career & Technology Center. Classes begin Feb. 3.

Patient care associates are responsible for performing direct and indirect patient care tasks as delegated by appropriate licensed nursing personnel.

For more information or to apply, go to careers.sfmc.net and click on the “Current Openings” tab to view the “Patient Care Associate — Paid Educational Opportunity” listing.

More information is available from the Saint Francis Human Resources office, (573) 331-5152.

Perryville and Miner recognized for water

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has announced that 15 Missouri public water systems, including those in Perryville and Miner, have been recognized with water fluoridation quality awards from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The award recognizes communities that achieved excellence in community water fluoridation by maintaining a consistent level of fluoride in drinking water throughout 2018.

In addition to the systems in Perryville and Miner, other Missouri communities and water systems recognized included those in Branson, Brookfield, Cameron, Cole County Public Water System District No. 1 and No. 4 in Jefferson City, Eureka, Fort Leonard Wood, Hannibal, Jefferson County Public Water System District No. 8 in Cedar Hill, Liberty, Slater, Saint Joseph and Unionville.

A total of 1,656 public water systems in 30 states were recognized for their fluoridation levels during 2018.

People on the Move

Shad Burner

Shad Burner of Cape Girardeau, regional manager of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, is one of five Missourians participating in the Delta Regional Authority’s Delta Leadership Institute (DLI). They join representatives of seven other states who are participating in the 10-month DLI Executive Academy to help further their skills in community leadership, policy development and regional collaboration to drive economic growth throughout the region.

“The Delta Leadership Institute aligns with Missouri’s efforts to develop our workforce, strengthen our communities and grow the economy,” said Gov. Mike Parson in announcing the list of Missouri representatives to the institute. “We look forward to the new knowledge, skills and experience they will gain and bring back with them to help better Missouri.”

The institute consists of six multiday seminars throughout the Delta Regional Authority’s region, culminating with a graduation in Memphis, Tennessee.

In addition to Burner, the other Missouri representatives are:

• Hannah Barnett of Puxico, executive director of the Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission.
• Krista Snyder of Potosi, executive director of the Washington County Industrial Development Authority.
• Kathy Medley of Sikeston, executive vice president of the Sikeston Regional Chamber of Commerce & Area Economic Development Corp.
• Gregory Roeback of Washington, chief executive officer of Great Mines Health Center.

Established in 2000 by Congress, the Delta Regional Authority makes strategic investments of federal appropriations into the region’s physical and human infrastructure. The Delta Regional Authority fosters local and regional partnerships that address economic and social challenges in order to strengthen the economy and quality of life for residents of the eight-state Delta Regional Authority region.

n

Tameka Randle

Tameka Randle, assistant director of educational access and outreach programs at Southeast Missouri State University’s Academic Support Centers, has been named to the Missouri chapter of the American College Testing (ACT) State Organization Council.

The Missouri ACT State Organization serves to increase awareness of academic and career advancement policy, identify innovative solutions that advance successful collaboration and support initiatives that promote the advancement of educational equity and success for all. As a member of the council, Randle will work with education and workforce professionals and policymakers across the state to advance college and career readiness.

n

Jeremy Shane

A pair of new voices have joined River Radio in Cape Girardeau, hosting weekday morning shows on two of the broadcast company’s radio stations.

Jeremy Shane is actually returning to local radio after having worked with River Radio for several years in the early 2000s. Shane has moved into the 6 to 10 a.m. time slot at K103 that was previously hosted by Kent Crider, who recently retired after 40 years on the air. “Jeremy Shane In The Morning” features today’s best country music, entertainment reports from Nashville, Tennessee, with Jimmy Carter, news and sports with Erik Sean.

Darren Burgfeld

Darren Burgfeld has landed at Real Rock 99.3 and can be heard on the “Iceburg in the Morning” program from 6 to 10 a.m. weekdays. Burgfeld comes to Real Rock after spending several years at Element 74. When he’s not working in radio, Burgfeld fronts the Tone Def All-Stars and is part of the horn section for Shades of Soul. He is also host of the online project “Humans of Cape.”

Jeremy Shane

n

Jeanie Johnson

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. — First State Bank & Trust Co. Inc. has promoted Jeanie Johnson to the position of loan officer at its Caruthersville branch. Her new responsibilities include evaluating and approving real estate, auto and personal loans.

Johnson joined FSBT in early 2018 as a lending assistant. Originally from Portageville, Missouri, Johnson lived in Atlanta for nearly 25 years where she was a residential real estate agent and consultant to homebuilders.

Chamber Notes …

The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet, board installation and award presentations will take place starting at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Jackson Civic Center.

Highlights of the evening will include a celebration of the chamber’s 2019 accomplishments and recognition of the business and small business award recipients as well as the ambassador, R.A. Fulenwider and woman of the year award winners.

Tickets are $30 and must be prepaid. For reservations or to inquire about banquet sponsorship opportunities, contact the chamber, (573) 243-8131.

n

The Jackson chamber’s next Women’s Impact Network (WIN) luncheon will be at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 12 at the Jackson Civic Center. Luncheon attendees will be “Santa’s elves,” helping assemble snack packs for Jackson students.

Snack packs are given to students who are in need of a snack at school during the day or a small “pick-me-up” before they go home. The district gives out about 200 snack packs every week, which contain one snack per day in a large, gallon-size bag.

Donations for snack packs — such as fruit cups, granola bars, peanut butter crackers and similar nonperishable items — are being accepted through Dec. 11 at any WIN program sponsor business including Farmer’s Insurance — Sara Gerau Agency, 1st Class Travel, Bug Zero, First State Community Bank in Jackson, Heartland Custom Flooring, Gray & Co. Concierge Real Estate, SERVPRO of Cape Girardeau & Scott Counties and United Land Title in Jackson.

Reservations for the luncheon are $20 and must be made no later than Dec. 5 through the chamber website.

One More Thing ...

The newsroom at the Missourian won’t be the same after my friend and cubicle neighbor, Mark Bliss, retires. His last day is Wednesday. A public reception in his honor is scheduled for 4 p.m. today at the Rust Center for Media next to the Missourian offices on Broadway.

Mark and I first met in 1974 as Phi Sigma Epsilon fraternity brothers at Southeast Missouri State University. Both of us gravitated into journalism classes on campus. We wrote for and edited The Capaha Arrow (now simply known as The Arrow) and fancied ourselves to be “investigative reporters” when we concocted a scheme to rig student government elections by voting at multiple campus polling places in what became known as “The Great TESBI (This Election Should Be Invalid) Incident.”

Mark and I were the first co-news directors at the campus radio station, KRCU, when it went on the air in 1976, hosting a nightly half-hour news and feature broadcast and interviewing any quasi-interesting student, faculty member or local personality we could.

Our girlfriends — who eventually became our wives — were best friends and we watched our children grow up together.

I’ll actually accept some of the credit (or maybe blame?) for Mark’s career at the Missourian. I was a Missourian beat writer in the early ’80s when a reporting position became available. I called Mark, who was working elsewhere at the time, and told him he should apply. He did. He was hired. The rest is history.

As I write this, Mark is sitting a few feet from me cleaning out his desk, unaware I’m writing about him.

’Nuf said. We’ll miss you in the newsroom, Mark.

Do you crave business news? Check out B Magazine, and the B Magazine email newsletter. Check it out at www.semissourian.com/newsletters to find out more.