ON THE MOVE: BUSINESS, INDUSTRY IN MARBLE HILL, BOLLINGER COUNTY

Thunder Valley Smokehouse is one of the businesses Loyd Ivey has opened in Marble Hill.

Shirley Thele, seated, owns Personal Touch, a hair and tanning salon in Marble Hill. Hairdresser Johanna Shetley works at the salon.

Personal Touch is in a former broom factory building that was remodeled.

This sign greets motorists coming into Marble Hill from the east on Highway 34. A similar sign is on the west edge of town.

MARBLE HILL -- Business is on the move in Marble Hill.

In just a few paragraphs it would be impossible to sum up all the activity going on in this small Bollinger County community of about 1,500 residents.

"We're seeing some things happen," said Dr. Ben Ellis, a veterinarian, and Marble Hill mayor. "We have a new restaurant, an expanded home center, a new beauty shop and tanning salon, and, only last week, we issued a permit for construction of a building to house a new General Dollar Store."

During the past two years, there has been an increase in single-family home construction -- eight new homes during the past year -- and a six-unit apartment complex is on the drawing board.

"People are taking notice of our community," said Ellis, "and we're doing things to make it more attractive for new business and industry."

The city recently received approval for a grant to improve infrastructure at its industrial park.

Bids have been open and contracts have been awarded for new infrastructure work at the industrial park, including roads and water, this fall, said Ellis.

Among industries in the park are Crader Equipment, which distributes and services Stihl equipment; Heartland Industries, a packaging company; and Vance Electrical, which reconditions and repairs small electric motors.

Two grocery markets are in the town, and a third grocer company has expressed an interest.

"We're seeing a lot of development and remodeling," said Ellis.

One couple, John and Shirley Thele, purchased an old building and has completely remodeled it into a beauty shop and tanning salon, said Ellis.

The Theles are also planning to build an apartment complex at the site.

"That's something we really need," added the mayor. "Rental apartments are scarce here.

"John Thele is owner of Thele Construction, and his wife, Shirley, operates "Personal Touch," the beauty and tanning salon.

"We had to completely remodel the building," said Mrs. Thele. "It was previously a broom factory. The building had also previously served as an upholstery shop and ambulance garage."

The new businesses opened in July.

"We hope to start work soon on the new apartment complex," said John Thele. "We'd like to see it open in November."

"We're just a small rural community," said Ellis, "but we're seeing a rural sprawl. People from all areas of the country stop in my office almost every month to discuss moving here."

One man has played a big role in the resurging economy in Bollinger County.

"Loyd Ivey has been a real leader in the community," said Ellis. "He has been a big booster and consistently offers encouragement."

Ivey, a native of the area who has returned after a 30-year absence, is president and CEO of MTX, an international electronics manufacturing company specializing in high-tech products sold throughout the world.

Ivey, who still directs MTX, which has manufacturing facilities in five states, has opened a number of businesses in Marble Hill:

-- Thunder Valley Home Center.

-- Thunder Valley Car Wash.

-- Thunder Valley Smokehouse.

-- Thunder Valley Realty.

-- Deer Run Estates Subdivision.

The Thunder Valley Home Center serves a wide area, including Bollinger and Cape Girardeau counties. The 40,000-square-foot facility is on an 8-acre tract on Highway 34 East.

He has also purchased acreage in the Marble Hill Airport/Industrial Park, where he hopes to add yet another industry -- a high-tech electronics manufacturing facility -- in the future.

Ivey was recently honored by the Regional Commerce and Growth Association with the John T. Crowe Award, presented by the RCGA to people helping improve the quality of life in the region.

In presenting the award, RCGA director Greg Williams, said Ivey has put "a lot of heart and soul back into Bollinger County."

Ellis and Marble Hill businessman Rod Jetton agree.

"He (Ivey) has been a tremendous asset to our community," said Ellis. "In addition to his other business, he raises cattle, resulting in feed and other agriculture purchases."

"Ivey's investments in the area have been a big plus for the entire area," said Jetton, of Jetton and James Real Estate in Marble Hill.

The Jetton and James company opened more than a year ago and has already doubled its first-year sales goals.

"The activity here has been great," said Jetton. "We're seeing more new home starts, and sales of existing buildings have been good. We surpassed our 1997 goal the first five months of the year and have almost doubled that goal now."

The agency uses the "talking house" concept in its operation.

"The talking house can provide potential buyers quick information," said Jetton. The talking house is actually a mini-radio station in the home, which transmits a minute-and-a-half message on the house -- its size, type and other information.

Marble Hill set the stage for economic growth in 1973 when it joined Lutesville to purchase property on Highway 34 West, a mile outside the city limits, for an industrial park. An airport was established a year later.

Marble Hill and Lutesville -- separate cities until 1985 -- became one city then. Following a vote a year later, the official name of the consolidated city became Marble Hill.

It wasn't until 1992 that the industrial park acquired it first business -- Heartland Industries.

The industrial park has seen growth in the past few years. Crader Distributing joined the park in 1995, with a $1.7 million, 47,000-square-foot facility. The park is also home to McCormick Tires, a tire wholesaler; Vance Electrical Co.; and the property owned by Ivey.

Bollinger County Co-op acquired the former Crader Distributing building and has added other buildings to provide a lien of farm supplies. Liley Funeral Home has added a new monument yard, and two contractors have initiated new subdivisions in the city, said Ellis.

"We're just a small rural community," said Ellis, "but we're seeing a lot of new development to go along with existing businesses."

These include a Subway Sandwich shop; Midwest Sports, a sporting goods shop; an office supply and printing company; automobile repair shop; and others.

Ellis said the city and Bollinger County provide a lot of labor force for Cape Girardeau County and other areas. "We don't have a superhighways here, but we're hoping for continued improvements to Highway 34, which leads from Jackson to Marble Hill."

Bollinger County's labor force during a recent month was 5,197, with about 4,800 with jobs for a 93.5 employment rate.