Cowboys can get their gear at Jackson store

When Willie Nelson sang about being a cowboy, he painted a picture of a modern-day drifter, living a life of lonely regret while searching for meaning from an old, worn-out saddle.

Me, I just have always thought cowboys looked cool.

Lazy H Ranchwear and Tack is designed for either notion.

The Jackson business is set to open this week at 3862 E. Jackson Blvd., right across the street from the water slide. The Lazy H, owned by Nate Hoffman and John Hale, will offer all different kinds of western and English tack (you know, the stuff that that goes on a horse, like saddles and bridles).

It will also sell different kinds of boots, Stetson and Resistol cowboy hats, belts, jewelry and -- of course -- big, shiny belt buckles. According to manager Elizabeth Boznak, the store will also feature western-themed gift items and house decor, as well as grooming accessories and other western clothes.

"We have something for everybody," she said. "You don't even need a horse to come in here."

No, but it probably wouldn't hurt.

New Mazda dealer: Bening Mazda is the new Mazda dealership in Cape Girardeau. The dealer, which already has a dealership in Jackson, was appointed the new dealer by Mazda and opened last week in the spot formerly occupied by McDonough Mazda at 2611 Auto Park Drive.

McDonough was taken over by the bank recently after co-owner Clinton W. "Wade" McDonough was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with six counts of bank fraud for allegedly passing more than $200,000 in bad checks as part of a check-kiting scheme.

"We're not affiliated with them," said owner Mike Schumer. "We bought the inventory from the bank."

New strip mall: Gary and Sandy Helwege have a new strip mall under construction on the 1100 block of North Kingshighway. The strip mall will be on the spot next to Esicar's that used to house the Visiting Nurses Association and the Baker Bottling Co.

The lot is at the bottom of a steep hill, but the Helweges are building the property up to street level, said Sandy Helwege, a real estate broker. (Gary is the owner of BG's.) The strip mall will be 24,000 square feet and will be primarily retail and office space, though Sandy says there may be one political office there.

Sandy said the development will be called King's Center and will be very upscale.

Cutting edge: Fred Finnell already has an exciting life as one of the helicopter pilots for Air Evac EMS Inc. But he has always dabbled in computers, and now he's opening a new computer services store in Cape Girardeau. (He'll still fly helicopters.)

Cutting Edge Solutions is set to open sometime during the first two weeks of December at 1733 N. Kingshighway in the building that had housed Square One Electronics.

The store will specialize in business systems, such as setting up computers for work stations. Cutting Edge will also sell computers to individuals, Finnell said.

Finnell said this is actually an expansion from a Cutting Edge that's in Metropolis, Ill.

"A good friend of mine owns the first store over in Metropolis," he said. "He opened it and it was doing great. So I approached him about branching out and opening a store in Cape."

Cutting Edge will also offer computer repair. Technicians will be available.

Scott Moyers is the business editor for the Southeast Missourian.