DQ, Fresco coming to Sprigg Street

Lawyer Ed Radetic and CPA Jeff Unterreiner are staking another claim to the Cape Girardeau frozen-treat throne. The two have recently announced that they are erecting a new Dairy Queen at 3026 Sprigg St.

The restaurant will be the duo's second Dairy Queen -- they also own the store on William Street, near Kingshighway. Radetic said that he and Unterreiner bought the land on Sprigg Street in December, with plans to raze the existing structure -- most recently a Rhodes gas station -- and erect a $1 million-plus building that would house both a new Dairy Queen and a new self-development concept called Fresco.

Fresco will be a quick-casual eating establishment, modeled to serve the same quality food as a Chili's or T.G.I. Friday's, with a more quick-service manner. Radetic said that Fresco's menu will feature pizzas baked in a brick oven, sandwiches and salads. It will also feature a wide selection of brewing choices at its coffee bar.

The two establishments will be bridged by a common dining area in the middle of the two buildings. Radetic said he expects to be up and running by Oct. 15.

Renaissance Aircraft questions abound: At least one reader has expressed concern about the status of Renaissance Aircraft. Here's what I know:

The business phone to the aircraft manufacturer's Cape Girardeau Regional Airport building has been disconnected, as has company president John Dearden's listed home number in Jackson. However, city officials -- including city attorney Eric Cunningham -- said they have no knowledge of Renaissance being out of business.

The facility itself is not open, but some equipment is visible through the front door. Both emergency numbers that are posted at the front have also been disconnected.

The ailing aviation company officially moved here from Georgia in early 2001, bringing with it financial troubles stemming from lawsuits. To accommodate them, the city of Cape Girardeau sold $2.1 million in bonds to build the 60,000 square-foot building at the airport as well as pay for infrastructure improvements. In June of this year, the Cape Girardeau City Council amended the company's lease agreement, requiring payments from Renaissance Aircraft to start on Oct. 1 -- six months later than initially planned, but in time for the city to begin retiring those bonds.

More Helwege development on North Kingshighway: Instead of just sitting around and watching the framework go up for their new King's Center commercial office building at 1131 N. Kingshighway, Gary and Sandy Helwege are moving on down the road.

Sandy Helwege recently announced that they and Gary and Jane Stanley -- who own Crown Cadillac -- have acquired 15.5 acres on the 1700 block of North Kingshighway next to O'Laughlin, O'Laughlin and Koetting law firm and World of Honda. Sandy Helwege brokered the million-dollar transaction herself, through her brokerage Coldwell Banker Hamilton Realty.

The new development will be called "North Pointe Center, a Destination." It will include five outlets facing North Kingshighway, subdivided and marketed for sale. The remaining land in the rear will include a 66,000-square-foot commercial complex, all of which will be up for lease.

Sandy Helwege -- who along with her husband also owns BG's Old Tyme Deli and S and H Construction -- said that the development will also feature a fountain, lush landscaping and a common "Old English" theme in architecture for all buildings constructed.

She added that the first of the outlets has already been spoken for and construction on a driveway, parking lot and the first building will begin in the next 30 to 60 days. She said completion of the larger commercial complex building will probably be in about a year.

Fastenal expands in Cape: Good things keep coming for Fastenal Co. of Cape Girardeau. Just a year after moving into a new and bigger location at 2561 Bloomfield Road, the local outlet of the international industrial and construction supply distributor has gotten an in-house expansion of wares. Indeed, Fastenal has doubled the merchandise in its showroom as part of a multimillion-dollar project to upgrade all of the Minnesota-based company's 1,300-plus stores across the United States and in parts of Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Singapore.

In addition to the bigger inventory of the new location, the renovation has also installed wider aisles, brighter lighting, clear signage and a newly developed scanner check-out system.

Sweetsnake shooting Southeast Missouri: For the past few years, Charley Schoen has been from coast to coast developing his skills as a video producer. Now he's bringing his fine-tuned talent to Southeast Missouri.

After getting an associate's degree in film and video production in Orlando, Fla., Schoen made the trek to Seattle, Wash. There he worked for Pacific Grip and Lighting. Now he's set up Sweetsnake Productions. Sweetsnake specializes in weddings, music videos, commercials, special events, transfer of video to DVD and independent movies. For more information, call Schoen at (573) 270-5146.

Unterreiner celebrates 40 years at ABS: Forty years ago, 19-year-old Tom Unterreiner was fresh out of typewriter repair school. At that time he joined Jack Mehner in building his office equipment business, Advanced Business Systems in Cape Girardeau. He's since gone from technician to service manager. Mehner said that even after 40 years, Unterreiner is still usually the first one in the office in the morning and the last to leave. Congrats, Tom.

Tony Rehagen is the business editor for the Southeast Missourian. Send your comments, business news, information or questions to Tony Rehagen, 301 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0699, e-mail trehagen@semissourian. com or call 335-6611, extension 137.