'Two Nations' to come together in Cape

Weeks after heralding the coming of his new restaurant on Broadway, El Torero owner Daniel Alvarez has announced another project cooking in Cape Girardeau. But rather than serving prepared Mexican delicacies, Alvarez plans to open a food and restaurant supply distribution outlet that sells the raw materials that have made his El Torero restaurants successful.

Back in January, Alvarez purchased the buildings at the old Greyhound Bus Depot -- 16 and 18 N. Frederick St. -- from Frank Stinnett, who more recently operated Stinnett Produce out of that location.

Alvarez said he plans to set up 18 N. Frederick St. as a food distributor outlet called 2 Naciones (Two Nations), from which he will sell the same produce and dry foods he gets from two countries -- the United States and Mexico -- and uses in his popular Mexican eateries. In addition, he'll be selling paper goods and other restaurant supplies -- basically anything and everything you can find at El Torero, except the meat and seafood, which are harder to handle and keep. He said the easy truck and trailer access that the location retains from its bus depot days, especially in the space between the buildings, makes the spot ideal.

Meanwhile, at 16 N. Frederick St., Alvarez said he plans to eventually be dealing in another element of the restaurant business: furniture. There he hopes to sell tables, chairs and decorations made here in the United States and imported from Mexico.

Alvarez said this project is on the back burner while he works to get the newest El Torero open by the fall. That notwithstanding, he hopes to get 2 Naciones up and running by the end of the year.

Broadway Station set to reopen: Downtown motorists looking for full-service fill-ups for their cars and bodies can rest at ease. The Broadway Station gas stop and soda shop is set to reopen by the end of the month.

Owner Steve Majeed closed the station about eight months ago while he attended to family business in his native Pakistan. In his absence, his wife Toni has been managing Majeed's other gas station/convenience store, SEMO Gas, at the Sprigg Street Station, but the two felt that managing both stores was too much for one person to take care of. Now that he's back home in Cape Girardeau, Majeed said he's ready to pick up business at 600 Broadway right where he left off.

Majeed said the station will again offer drive-through service for those wishing to purchase fountain soda, cigarettes and snacks. It will also feature full-service fuel fill-ups for those who don't want to get out of their car.

Buchheit relocates Biehle facility to Perryville: Buchheit Rental and Small Engine Repair has relocated from Biehle, Mo., to Perryville, Mo. The corporate office in Biehle feels that the new location at 1713 South Perryville Blvd. will fill a void in that retail community, a spokeswoman said.

Buchheit Rental rents small hand tools and large equipment such as scaffolding, trailers and trenchers. The Small Engine Repair shop specializes in servicing mowers, riders, tillers and generators. The new Perryville location is one of five retail outlets in Missouri and Illinois.

Spartech expanding in Cape: Spartech Corp. is adding 14,000 square feet of warehouse space to its Cape Girardeau sheet division operation at 2500 Spartech Drive.

The Clayton, Mo.-based producer of engineered thermoplastic materials for other manufacturers has recently leased a warehouse building at 229 Rear Broadview, next to the Spartech factory complex. The building used to house one of United Oil Company's warehouses.

Leasing agent Tom Kelsey said the expansion will give Spartech more room for production and storage. The Cape Girardeau location is one of 43 Spartech facilities in North America and Europe. The company also has a plastic compounding operation at 4753 Nash Road in Cape Girardeau.

Tags-N-Trinkets at Westfield: When Brandi Sampson and Rhonda Cox of St. Louis aren't working their day jobs at SBC and US Bank, respectively, they are devoting their time to the perfection of their craft. Now, the two have decided it's time to bring their skills in personalized engraving to Cape Girardeau. They have now partnered to open Tags-N-Trinkets in Westfield Shoppingtown West Park.

From their new kiosk between Bath and Body Works and Waldenbooks, Sampson and Cox will be selling personalized dog tags, which come in silver and gold. But these tags aren't typical ID badges. In addition to text, Sampson and Cox can engrave pictures, phrases, sports logos -- pretty much anything a customer could want -- onto the tags.

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.