Well-done deal - O'Charley's to open in May

I was taken to the woodshed by two readers about my column last week. One chastised me for poking fun at Armistice Day -- "For shame!" she chided -- and another accused me of laziness in my reporting on the possibility of O'Charley's Restaurant coming here.

I can make amends on one of those offenses.

Last week, I only knew O'Charley's was a possibility, so I didn't get into a lot of detail. Plus, I was more excited about an IHOP, which I was familiar with. Now, after finally getting in touch with someone from the Nashville-based O'Charley's chain, I can offer more specifics.

First of all: It's official. O'Charley's Restaurant is set to open May 27 on the property to the west of Ruby Tuesday.

"That's what we're hoping," said Les Lockhart, vice president of real estate development for O'Charley's. "Right now we're in the permitting stage. That's our date if we can get the building permit when we think we can."

Between now and then, a lot has to happen. They have to build a 6,766-square-foot building that will seat 275 people. The mostly brick building will have a mural inside that has local history depicted on it. The building will go up sometime next month, Lockhart said.

They will hire between 120 and 130 full- and part-time employees, he said.

They have opened 181 restaurants in 14 states throughout the Southwest and lower Midwest. They also have restaurants in St. Louis and Paducah, Ky.

It has been described by people who have eaten there as similar to Applebee's.

"It's a casual-theme, American-fare restaurant," Lockhart said. "We have hand-cut and aged steaks. We make our own rolls, our own salad dressings. All of our produce is brought in fresh from our commissary twice a week from here in Nashville."

They also offer burgers, chicken and pasta dishes. There will also be a bar.

Not including site development, the building will cost between $800,000 and $900,000 to build.

Lockhart said they have been looking at Cape Girardeau for the past few years.

"We think it has a great regional draw," he said. "It's got the big-box stores, the hospitals and number of motels and the interstate. It's a big draw."

So there are your specifics about O'Charley's.

Now about Armistice Day. ...

Petting zoo

Dana King of Poplar Bluff is moving back to Cape Girardeau and she's bringing her five dogs with her.

The lifetime dog lover and owner is going to open Dana's Pet Salon at 705 Broadway, near Subway. She hopes to open the business by Nov. 25. The salon will groom dogs and bathe cats, she said.

"I've already been doing this for three years, working with other pet groomers in the Poplar Bluff area," she said. "Then I went to Petropolis."

Come again? Is this the home of Super Pet?

No, she said, it turns out Petropolis is a school that trains dog groomers, where over 14 weeks you learn the basics of shampooing and a variety of styling and cutting.

"It seems there are more dog owners here," she said. "We need more of that kind of service around here."

Worker mistrust

The sorry state of business at many companies is having another result beyond the bottom line -- we're losing trust in the boss.

Five years ago, 90 percent of employees interviewed by a psychology consulting firm said they trusted their boss. That number has steadily dwindled to 28 percent this year.

"Distrust is exacerbated by a down economy because people unfortunately start pointing fingers when things get tough," said Ken Siegel, president of The Impact Group, a Los Angeles-based managerial psychology consultancy. "The people usually pointing are managers pointing downward. It breeds distrust."

By the way, I think my bosses are great. Of course, almost everyone who works here is over me in some way or another.

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