BUSINESS GROWTH: OVER 50 FIRMS OPEN DURING THIRD QUARTER

PERRYVILLE -- Service and retail businesses continue to enjoy rapid growth throughout a seven-county area of Southeast Missouri, show statistics compiled by a government planning agency.

The area recorded a total of 52 business openings during the third quarter of 1991, show figures compiled by the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission in Perryville.

"Twenty-eight of the new businesses were of service varieties," said Ron Steele, regional economic-development planner for the commission. "Another 23 new businesses were retail establishments," he said.

The seven counties are Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Iron, Madison, Perry and Ste. Genevieve. The commission issues business reports quarterly that indicate economic activity throughout the seven-county region it serves.

"We review all newspapers throughout the region as well as a number of statewide periodicals for reports of new, expanding and closing businesses in the region," said Steele. "Six business closings were reported during the third quarter, resulting in a net gain of 46 new businesses."

In addition to new businesses, 20 expansions were reported in the seven-county region.

"New and expanding businesses in the region resulted in a total estimated gain of 282 new jobs," said Steele.

Cape Girardeau County is the leader in new businesses in the region, with 25 for the quarter, followed by St. Francois County, where 15 new businesses were recorded. Cape County also reported 15 expansions.

Since the close of the third quarter Sept. 30, more than 400 more new jobs part time and, or, full time have been added to the growing job list in Cape Girardeau County, with the opening of four retail operations three restaurants and a supermarket.

The region has recorded a net total of 143 new businesses, with more than 800 new jobs during the first three quarters of the year. Just over half of the new businesses, 74, are in Cape County.

"Not included in the closings was the Brown Shoe Co., which announced plans to shut down its shoe manufacturing facilities in Madison County," said Steele. "The closings are scheduled to start in the fourth quarter."

Brown Shoe announced in August its intentions to close facilities at Fredericktown in Madison County; Charleston in Mississippi County; Caruthersville in Pemiscot County; and Bernie in Stoddard County. The closings will affect more than 1,500 workers, about 550 at Fredericktown, 500 at Charleston, 400 at Bernie and 100 at Caruthersville.

Layoffs are expected to start in November. However, since the original announcement, the company announced that a few of the operations may remain open.

Of the 74 new businesses in Cape Girardeau County in 1991, only two have closed, leaving a net total of 72.

Twenty-eight of the new 30 new service businesses in 1991 remain in tact going into the 10th month of the year. All 23 retail establishments are still in operation.

Two large expansions were announced in Cape Girardeau County during the third quarter, said the commission report.

The largest will be a $7 million, six-acre professional and retail development on Mount Auburn Road by Health Services Corporation of America. It will be adjacent to the group hospital-purchasing firm's headquarters.

Another big expansion project is that of Rust & Martin, which is building a new store at Broadview and Route K.

Also on the planning board is an expansion to Port Cape Girardeau in downtown Cape Girardeau. The business has purchased an adjacent building, which will be used for the expansion.

Other recent expansions in Cape County include the 2,000-square-foot addition to South East Missouri Bank and a 6,000-square-foot warehouse expansion at Younghouse Distributing Co.

Following are numbers of new businesses, expansions and closings of businesses for the seven counties that comprise the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission. The totals represent totals for the third quarter: July, August and September.

Regional totals: 52 new businesses, 20 expansions, six closings.

Bollinger: Two new businesses, no expansions or closings.

Cape Girardeau: 25 new businesses, 15 expansions, two closings.

Iron: Four new businesses, no expansions or closings.

Madison: One new business, one expansion, one closing.

Perry: Two new businesses, three expansions, one closing.

St. Francois: 15 new businesses, one expansion, one closing.

Ste. Genevieve: Three new businesses, no expansions or closings.