2 North Bistro to open in May

I popped in on downtown Cape Girardeau's newest restaurant and bar last week to find that interior work is well underway and looks nearly complete. 2 North Bistro -- named for its address on Main Street -- could open as soon as early next month, owner Ed Radetic said.

Radetic, who also owns the Royal N'Orleans on Broadway, says the work should be complete in two to three weeks and he's allowing another two to three weeks for training.

A new bar has been installed, portions of the wall have been tiled and a new open-view kitchen is going in where the performance stage used to be. The restaurant will feature a variety of American entrees, including steak, pasta and seafood. There will also be beer, liquor and wine for you drinkers.

The restaurant will offer gourmet pizzas cooked in a stone hearth. (Radetic is using the equipment from his old Fresco restaurant, which used to be a part of Dairy Queen.) Radetic said it will fall somewhere between traditional sit-down restaurants and N'Orleans, which is considered fine dining.

It's a restaurant and bar, but not a nightclub, Radetic said, as it has been in the past.

By the way, Radetic and his Dairy Queen partner -- Jeff Unterreiner -- have sold the Dairy Queens on Sprigg Street, William Street and in Jackson to Unterreiner's father, Ron. The deal finalized last Tuesday.

"I really wanted to focus on the full-service restaurants," Radetic said.

* More hookahs: I admit that I was a bit skeptical of Cape Girardeau residents taking to hookahs. But Lewis & Clark Cafe owner Sam Alsmadi says they have.

A hookah is an Eastern smoking pipe designed with a long tube passing through an urn of water that cools the smoke as it is drawn through. Scented tobacco, in flavors such as strawberry or apple, is used.

Alsmadi included a hookah bar as part of his cafe, which opened in late February. He said he's already had to order more hookahs and he's almost out of scented tobacco. He had six hookahs, but those were all being used at the same time, leaving customers wanting more. So he's already ordered two more and hopes to have a total of 20 by the start of summer.

"It's been fabulous," he said. "And our restaurant is doing very well, too."

* Mall world: There's a lot going on at Westfield West Park, with construction of the new Barnes & Noble continuing, rumors of a new food court and a new nationally known hat store going in this summer.

The Barnes and Noble construction is still moving forward, and mall manager Paul Dobbins says they are still on target for a late 2006 opening.

LIDS, a national chain hat store, is opening at Westfield this summer, Dobbins said. LIDS will sell sport, fashion and collegiate hats in "the latest designs and trends" according to the Web site. The store will also sell accessories and apparel, such as sunglasses and cap racks.

Founded in 1995 and made up of more than 600 mall-based stores, airport stores, street level stores and factory outlet stores nationwide, and in Puerto Rico and Canada under the Lids, Hat World, Hat Zone, Head Quarters and Cap Connection retail brands, Hat World is the specialty retail leader of officially licensed and branded athletic fashion headwear. Most stores offer a vast assortment of college, MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL teams, as well as other specialty fashion categories all in the latest styles and colors.

There are also rumors of a new food court going into the mall, though Dobbins wouldn't confirm that, except to say getting more food options at the mall is a big priority. He's right, with the McDonald's there recently closing and Panera moving into its new stand-alone building on William Street.

They've got a good start with the recent news that McAlister's Select will open in the former Panera Bread spot sometime this summer.

Any suggestions for what new restaurants would be good in the mall? If so, check out my blog at www.semissourian.com.

* American Title to open Jackson office: American Title Co. will open another Southeast Missouri office -- this one in Jackson, according to Tom Kelsey, commercial broker with Lorimont Place Ltd., who handled the lease transaction.

Kelsey said the Dexter-based company recently leased professional office space at 2201 Walton Drive in Jackson. The multitenant office development is across from the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Jackson. Other tenants include H&R Block, Lakenan Insurance Agency, Best Rate Mortgage, Hartle Rental and Cash Depot.

American Title purchased Dominion Title back a few years ago and currently has an office at 3105 Independence St. in Cape Girardeau. Ryan Holden, president of the company, said with all of the home and land sales in the area, they also wanted to add a more convenient location for their Jackson, Cape Girardeau County and outlying regional customers and clients. American offers a variety of title insurance product lines, escrow and closing services. Kelsey said they expect to be in their new Jackson location by May 1 and will start with three to four employees.

* Quickly: There is no truth to the rumors that K's Merchandise is closing. Well, there was at least one person who had heard that and told me one of the store's vendors told her. Not true.

~ Scott Moyers is the business editor of the Southeast Missourian. Send your comments, business news, information or questions to "Biz Buzz," 301 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699, or e-mail them to smoyers@semissourian.com or call (573) 335-6611, extension 137.