E.C. BARTON & COMPANY BUYS CAPE GIRARDEAU BUILDING SUPPLY COMPANY

E. C. Barton & Company, headquartered in Jonesboro, Ark., has purchased 74 West Building Supply and Home Center in Cape Girardeau.

Barton & Company, established in 1885, is the oldest employee-owned company of its kind in Arkansas.

Niel Crowson, president and CEO of E.C. Barton, announced the purchase of the Cape Girardeau company Tuesday. The 74 West Building Supply and Home center, located at 4680 State Highway 74, was previously owned by Herb Annis of Cape Girardeau.

The new operation opened as Barton's of Cape Girardeau Monday.

Greg Hufford, who joined Barton's in 1992, is manager of the Cape Girardeau store.

Hufford, a native of Arbyrd, Mo., most recently served as manager of Barton's in Leachville, Ark.

E. C. Barton and Company, currently operates 24 Barton retail stores in Missouri -- including Cape Girardeau and Sikeston -- and Arkansas.

The company also operates 18 discount stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, and a wholesale distribution company and a brokerage company in Jonesboro.

The company employs about 400 people, with a payroll in excess of $8 million a year.