BLUFF CITY BEER'S HEADQUARTERS MOVES FROM POPLAR BLUFF TO CAPE

Bluff City Beer has announced plans to move its headquarters from Poplar Bluff to Cape Girardeau.

The firm, headquartered at Poplar Bluff, has five distribution centers throughout Southeast Missouri, including a new 15,300-square-foot warehouse constructed recently on Siemers Drive in Cape West Business Park.

"We're in the process of constructing a new office building adjacent to the distribution center at 450 Siemers Drive," said Joda Bess, a co-owner of the firm. "Upon completion of the facility, the eight-person headquarters staff will relocate from Poplar Bluff to Cape Girardeau.

"The personnel relocation process will start about the first of April and be completed by the end of May," said Bess.

Columbia Construction of Cape Girardeau, general contractor for the new building, anticipates completion by May 15.

"The new Cape Girardeau headquarters location will provide our management staff a more convenient access to our five locations," said Bess.

Bluff City Beer, which distributes Miller Brewing Co. products in 17 Southeast Missouri counties from Jefferson County south to the Arkansas border, has distribution centers in Herculaneum, Bonne Terre, Poplar Bluff, Kennett and Cape Girardeau.

"The new office building has been designed to provide ample private and group work space as well as a meeting room large enough to accommodate the entire company," said Bess.

Cape West Business Park is southwest of the Interstate 55-Route K intersection. The Bluff City warehouse was the first new building to open in the park. Another big business Wal-Mart Superstore will open in the park this month.

"Our new warehouse gives us 2.5 times more space than our previous warehouse in Cape Girardeau," said Bess. "The old warehouse could not be expanded."

Bluff City Beer was founded in 1933 by the Bess family and is owned by Alvin "Buddy" Bess of Poplar Bluff, Joda L. Bess of Cape Girardeau and other members of their families.