Papa Murphy's siring new store in Jackson

It's no secret, Joe Rice will tell you himself. His Papa Murphy's pizza franchise in Cape Girardeau got off to a slow start.

Very slow.

In the months after it opened two years ago, it ranked last in sales in the Midwest among 95 other Papa Murphy stores.

"I pretty much thought I was dust," he said. "It was hairy at first. I was actually ill. But I kept with it, and it started growing."

And Rice has really turned things around. He recently opened a second store in Sikeston, Mo., and now the Cape Girardeau and Sikeston stores routinely rank in the top 10 in sales in the Midwest.

Now he has plans to open a Papa Murphy's in Jackson early next year, taking over the spot of the recently closed Blimpie's at 515 W. Main St. In case you've never been to Papa Murphy's, employees make the pizzas in the store, adding whatever toppings you want. The customer cooks the pizzas at home.

Rice said that Jackson seemed like an obvious choice for his next store.

"We're the choice of families with kids," he said. "And up-and-coming areas really do well."

Currently, the store is undergoing a complete remodeling. They've put in new vinyl siding on the outside. They've knocked down every wall on the inside. They're moving the lobby closer to the front of the restaurant and moving the drive-through, he said.

He doesn't know yet how receptive Jackson will be.

"It might be awesome or it might be average," he said.

But he thinks once people taste the pizza, they'll love it.

"We call it fishing," he said. "Once we get the pizza in their mouths, they're hooked. I know I got them once I get them in the door."

Still, he admits he's putting it on the line. Again. For Rice, that's what life's about.

"I had one shot when I opened the Cape store and it paid off," he said. "I'm hoping it will in Jackson, too."

But let's hope, for his sake and sanity, that it gets off to a faster start.

* Fusion fizzles: Sikeston businessman Brad Robey's plans to open a downtown Cape Girardeau bar called Fusion Lounge seem to have been derailed. Despite repeated attempts, I couldn't reach Robey. But Robey recently filed for bankruptcy and closed his Sikeston pawnshop a few weeks ago.

Robey had intended to bring a new bar to 2 N. Main St., the former home of Indigo, Our House, Rufus Mudsucker's and Papa Bears. It looks like now that won't happen.

Phil Brinson, who owns the building, wouldn't discuss the bankruptcy, but did acknowledge that he has to move in a different direction in finding a tenant for his building.

"Brad's had some setbacks," Brinson said. "I'm going to continue to move forward and look for another tenant."

Brinson said he's already met with other potential tenants for the spot for an array of uses, from office space to commercial to another restaurant/bar.

"I'm wide open," he said. "I don't have strong inclinations for a restaurant and bar, though ideally that's what it's best suited for in its current state. But it could be commercial, retail or office, too."

* Cow pasture golf in Bollinger County?: It's nicer than the name suggests, though from the sound of it you could have a really messy time in the rough.

Seriously, though, owner Steve Zschille says the Bollinger County Country Club is open and off to a good start. The 12-hole golf course -- which Zschille described himself as "crude, cow pasture golf" -- also includes a restaurant and lounge.

But back to that cow pasture golf. Zschille said it has a mowed fairway with 3 inches of grass. If you get the ball in the sand, you're done and you move to the next hole.

"It's a challenging little course," he said.

If golf isn't your thing, then surely the food will be. The restaurant's menu includes steaks, fish, chicken and hot wings.

Zschille (pronounced Shelly), by the way, has owned Accent Security Alarms in Jackson for going on 30 years.

* Shades of Magnum, P.I.: John Mackey has started Macke Client Protection of Missouri, which offers services like surveillance, investigations, unarmed security, uniformed guards, escort/tactical security, plainclothes guards and subpoena delivery.

Mackey said he is in business to provide protection and security to people, businesses and the community. Mackey said he is highly trained in all aspects of security operations.

Mackey is working out of his home. He has a criminal justice degree from Southeast Missouri State University and served more than 10 years in the military. He has also worked with a security company in Virginia.

* Budget Blinds open: Budget Blinds has opened in its new spot at 1 S. Plaza Way in the spot that used to house Kandy Kane cleaners. Dan Phillips, who owns the store with his wife, Jeanne, recently moved from 87 Plaza Way. The store offers everything from wood blinds to shutters to draperies.

* Penney Optical open: The J.C. Penney fire over Labor Day weekend caused Penney Optical to close after the fire severely damaged it. But new manager Mitzi Aufdenberg tells me it's back open. Last Monday was its first full day of business.

"The department's been down for two months," she said. "People don't even know we're open yet."

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