Pladium back with new name, old bartender

Back in June, when it was announced that the Pladium as Cape Girardeau had come to know it over the past 45 years was closing, new owner Mark Dirnberger prophesied a new beginning. He said the name would be gone, but that the doors at 1127 Broadway would open again to a bar that "mirrored" the Pladium's image. Today he's ready to make good on that promise.

After almost three months of work, Dirnberger, his brother, Paul, and the beer-serving institution known as the Beaver are ready to open the D'Ladium. And what the public will see is almost a mirror image of the old watering hole.

As per the redesign recommendations of Jerry Beaver and the bar's founder, Jerry Priest, the Dirnbergers have moved the wooden bar to the west side of the building, where it now protects a new walk-in cooler that was installed. The simple switch has left the building with more room for thirsty patrons.

Other changes include new electronic dart games, a golf video game and a 12-by-7-foot picture of Opening Day 2003 taken from behind the plate at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

But other than that, the Dirnbergers have done their best to capture the spirit of the bar they both spent their 21st birthdays in.

"We have the roots in Cape Girardeau," Mark Dirnberger said. "We wanted to give Cape's legendary bar back to the patrons of Cape."

The Dirnbergers referred to Priest and Beaver before rebuilding the hangout. The red neon lights that trace the outside facade are back on, the billiards balls are back in the racks, the pool trophies are back on the wall, and the Southeast Missouri State University Indians memorabilia is back, well, everywhere.

Most importantly, Beaver's back behind the bar.

"If he hadn't taken the job, we wouldn't have done it," Mark Dirnberger said. He said that Beaver had actually lost his job at the Pladium before the brothers took over.

With Beaver back at his post, the D'Ladium will open officially today. As for the new name, Mark Dirnberger declined to comment on its origin.

Candy Cane consolidation: After 34 years in Cape Girardeau's Town Plaza, Richard Loomis has decided it's time for a change. He plans to have his Candy Cane Cleaners out of 1 Plaza Way by the end of the month.

Loomis said he and his son/partner Scott Loomis will combine the operations of the original plaza location with those of their Parisian Cleaners at 340 N. Kingshighway.

"Time's change, and you've got to go with the changes," Richard Loomis said of the move. He said the Kingshighway building offers more space than the Plaza location.

Richard Loomis opened Parisian Cleaners in 1982, but will now rename the consolidated establishment Candy Cane Cleaners. He and Scott also own Candy Cane Mini Cleaners II at 722 Good Hope St., which opened in 1995.

The new and expanded Candy Cane on Kingshighway will offer the same in-by-9, out-by-4 service, but it will extend its hours of operation by 30 minutes, opening at 7 a.m. instead of 7:30 a.m. on weekdays.

Brace Place gets new space: Orthodontist Shanon Kirchhoff has been shaping the smiles of Cape Girardeau for 16 years. Over the coming months, he'll be shaping the landscape at 1762 Independence St., where he will erect the newest Brace Place.

Two years ago, Kirchhoff sold the building in which his office currently resides at 1461 N. Kingshighway, after purchasing property in the 1700 block of Independence Street, including Dan's Key and Lock and the westward site that formerly housed Cape Girardeau Motors. The plan was to build a 4,000-square-foot, one-story building with a half basement that the Brace Place could call home.

That plan is now coming to fruition, just as his lease on Kingshighway is coming to a close. Kirchhoff said he has targeted an opening for the building late this year or early next year. He added that although he has taken control of the property, Dan's Key and Lock will remain in business as usual. Kirchhoff also owns the Brace Place satellite office at 326 West Main St. in Jackson.

New owners, new name for Cape design firm: The Stallions have once again expanded their portfolio.

In late May, Mac Con Construction Co. owner Mike Stallion went in with daughter and long-time employee Nikki Stallion to form a new company called ZanneCo. Construction. Now the father/daughter duo have embarked on a new endeavor, partnering with designers Grady Wooten and Pam Davidson to form Keystone Design, Architecture and Engineering Firm on the seventh floor of the KFVS Tower at 310 Broadway in Cape Girardeau.

Wooten and Davidson are remnants of the Cape Girardeau branch of Image Architects, a Carbondale, Ill.-based firm that had set up the satellite office in Cape Girardeau almost five years ago. But when Image decided to focus its attention elsewhere, employees Wooten and Davidson took the reins.

"We met up with the Stallions and made it work on our own," Wooten said.

The Stallions are now silent partners in the new four-person ownership of Keystone, which started operation under that name in early June.

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.