Real estate company reaching to St. Louis

Before Ken Inman is through expanding his business, his Cape Girardeau-based Century 21 operation will be the second-largest real estate company in Missouri, trailing only the Coldwell Banker Gundaker behemoth in St. Louis.

"We've seen a lot of growth in a short period of time," Inman said. "Century 21 has been very pleased with our operations and our aggressiveness."

Inman and his son, Keith, are owners of Broadview Holdings Inc. That company does business as Century 21 Ashland, Century 21 Key and Century 21 Heartland.

Recently, the company purchased Century 21 Brown & Associates in Perryville, Mo., and changed its name to Century 21 Heartland. That meant the Inmans now own three Century 21 Heartland offices, including offices in Marble Hill, Mo., and Jackson.

With the addition of the Perryville office, the Inmans now employ more than 100 agents. That already made them the largest real estate company between St. Louis and Memphis.

But there's more: Inman has recently been awarded the Jefferson County Century 21 area, with his initial plans to open an office in Hillsboro. He also intends to open three to five offices in St. Charles, Lake St. Louis, St. Peters and Warrenton, Mo. But that will be over a period of time, he said. The Hillsboro office will be up and running by Nov. 1, he said.

Before he's done, he expects to have 10 real estate offices and as many as 200 agents.

"It's just been a lot of work and opportunity," he said.

They've grown so much, he said, that the president of Century 21, Tom Kunz, will pay a visit to the Cape Girardeau office on Dec. 2.

"That's something that just doesn't happen," he said. "He doesn't get around to the small offices like that."

That's probably the point. They're not so small anymore.

* First Missouri State Bank applying for charter: When First Missouri State Bank first opened in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, it was as branches of the Poplar Bluff, Mo., main bank. But bank president Steve Taylor tells me that the Cape Girardeau and Jackson branches have each applied for their own charter.

It's not that the branches are severing ties. The two banks would simply act as their own banks, not as branches, and have their own legal identity.

Once approved by the FDIC and the Missouri Department of Finance, Taylor said, their new name will be First Missouri State Bank of Cape Girardeau County, though the signs won't change.

The two area banks will still be owned by the holding company that owns the Poplar Bluff banks. It will also make it only the second bank in Cape Girardeau to hold local charters. The other is Alliance Bank.

"We're not changing ownership," Taylor said. "It's going to make us a deeper and better bank for our customers."

* Cape Club Complex: Randy Bailey and Jeff Robinson are in the process of opening what they call an "entertainment complex" in the former Lorberg Funeral Home at 433 S. Sprigg St. They also are in the process of buying the nearby building at 716 Jefferson Ave.

Their plans are massive, including a bar (using the wood from the backs of the old chapel pews), a performance area (using the pulpit to make a lectern) and several rooms for gaming (for entertainment only). There will be a dance floor and a stage. They will feature a big-screen projection TV for Monday Night Football, at which they'll sell appetizers. On a certain night of the week, there will be female-impersonator shows.

"But we don't want to be labeled as a gay bar," Bailey said. "We want to be a place where anyone can go."

They've spent $100,000 renovating the building and also have plans in the future to convert the nearby building into a dinner theater.

They're working fast: They hope to have the first phase of the business open by the first week of November.

* New business going into old Lueders building: The former Lueders Photography building at 427 Broadway, most recently home to Joe Craig Photography. has new occupants. Several new businesses are in the process of moving into the neat old building of Mediterranean design.

According to Rebecca Summary, who bought the building with her husband ,Larry, a real estate appraiser will take up residence this week. Mike Bleile will expand his Select Certified Appraisal business there. He already has operations in Kansas City, St. Louis and central Missouri.

There is also the possibility of a law office going there, she said. Their nephew, Justin Summary, recently passed the Missouri Bar exam and he is considering opening an office there, she said.

Also, Larry Summary, who owns the Otahkians Apartments on Themis, Bellevue and Village on the Green, will set up his management office there, she said.

"We just fell in love with the building when we saw it," said Summary, who is also chair of Southeast Missouri State University's economics department. "It was built in the 1930s and we just love the way it looks."

* New antique mall in Benton: Delano Hobbs has opened a new antique mall called Country Pride in Benton at exit 80 along Interstate 55.

"It's the most unusual antique mall in Southeast Missouri," Hobbs said. "We carry more unusual items than you'll probably find in Southeast Missouri."

The store features antique slot machines, Coca-Cola memorabilia and a variety of other items.

Hobbs is adding another 80-foot addition that will accommodate another 35 to 40 antique dealers, bringing the total to 70 to 80, he said.

Hobbs is not new to antiques. He opened a Country Pride on Broadway back in 1988. Later, he owned Vicky Lynn's Old Fashioned Ice Cream, also an antique store, on Main Street in Dockside Antique Mall.

Quickly

* The new Sonic Drive-In of North Pointe on Kingshighway will open the first week of October, according to manager Karen Maxwell. It is owned by D&G Properties, Don Dunivant of Jackson. This is the same company that owns the Sonic on Broadway and in Jackson.

* China Buffet is slated to open today at 2146 William St.

* Steve & Barry's co-owner Barry Prevor told me for the most recent issue of "Business Today" that they are still on target to open their new store at the Westfield before the Christmas shopping season. Curious, considering that they were still negotiating a lease with Westfield, last I heard.

* Want to catch a flick? Check out John Madden's "Proof." Wonderful film. Madden is the same director who will be in Cape Girardeau later this year to film his next picture, "Killshot."

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.