REGIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES STRONG

Business development continues at a brisk pace in Southeast Missouri.

A total of 18 new businesses situated in Cape Girardeau County during the third quarter of 1992. That was the situation in just one of the seven counties served by the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission headquartered at Perryville.

Seventeen new businesses situated in St. Francois County and a total of 58 new businesses have been reported in the seven-county area. In addition, 15 companies have announced expansions in the third quarter.

"Business activity started rebounding in the second quarter of 1992," said Ron Steele, regional economic development planner for the commission. "The business scene throughout the area, especially in Cape Girardeau and St. Francois counties, is a busy one, and that's a good economic indicator."

Over the past six months April through September a total of 103 new businesses have started in the area that comprises the planning commission. An additional 22 expansions have been announced, with the creation of 746 new jobs.

More than 550 of those jobs came during the third quarter July, August and September said Steele.

"New and expanding manufacturing activity has resulted in about 200 jobs during the third quarter," said Steele.

Mid-America Lime Co., a joint venture of Chemical Lime Co. and Marblehead Lime Co. to mine and process lime in Ste. Genevieve County, will utilize two kilns initially and employ about 50 people.

A big boost to Madison County is American Sampling Co., which has opened in the former Cap America Building in Fredericktown.

"The new firm packages and distributes advertising packages for new mothers and advertising packages of diabetic products for distribution by doctors," said Steele. "The company is employing 32 people initially."

Another Madison County operation, Gipson Sawmill, opened in Marquand. The firm manufactures boards for pallet and packaging industries, and is employing 15 people.

Several of the new retail operations in Cape Girardeau are restaurants Papa John's, Phoenicia Restaurant, Backyard Bar-B-Que, Subway Sandwich and Salads Shop and provide more than 80 total jobs.

Heilig-Meyer Furniture, a retail furniture company, is providing employment to more than 30 people in new operations at Cape Girardeau and Farmington.

Some big announcements not included in the third-quarter reports were those of Sam's, Lee-Rowan, and Lowe's Home Center. Work is already under way on an 81,000-square-foot expansion for Lee-Rowan at Jackson, and Wal-Mart has announced that a Sam's retail store will open next year just south of the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Cape Girardeau.

Lowe's, the second largest chain of home centers in the U.S., is looking at a site in the Cape West Business Park for a 115,000-square-foot facility.

"Growth is continuing," said Steele, who keeps tabs on business openings and closings in the commission's seven counties of Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Iron, Madison, Perry, St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve. "Following that slow first quarter 31 new businesses January through March things have been moving."

Cape County, which has averaged more than 100 new businesses each of the past two years, may not hit that figure in 1992, but is currently leading the area with more than 50 new businesses through September. Second on the list is St. Francois, with 41 new businesses during the first three quarter, 17 of them during the third quarter.

Amidst the good news was some bad. Six closings were reported during the third quarter, resulting in the loss of 23 jobs. Also, an early fourth-quarter announcement by Interco will see several jobs lost by the closing of a small Florsheim facility in the Nash Road area.

Of the 58 new businesses in the third quarter, 27 were in retail and 22 in services; eight are involved in manufacturing.

The largest individual job gain resulted form completion of the new Grandpa's Store in Ste. Genevieve, which will employ about 100 people.

New businesses and expansions throughout the seven-county area include:

Cape County (all Cape Girardeau unless otherwise indicated): Antique Center Mall, antiques and collectibles; Papa John's Pizza; Sprigg Street Service, gasoline and convenience store; Seven Seas Import Shop, imported items; Creative Wood Products and Custom Cabinets, Delta, wood products; Phoenicia Restaurant, food sales; Backyard Bar-B-Que, food sales; Cape Girardeau Motors Inc., used-auto sales; Subway Sandwich & Salads, second location, food sales; Heilig-Meyer Furniture, furniture sales; Dr. K. Charles Cheung, health care services; Tracy's Karate Studio, martial arts training; Tanfastiks Tanning Salon, Jackson; Reed's Catering Service; En-Vision Design Engineering, Jackson, custom electronic design; Sprigg Street Medical Center, health care; Perkins Cleaning Service, Jackson, commercial and residential cleaning; and Brown Errand Service, Jackson, shopping and other errands.

Expansions include opening a new residential care section at the Lutheran Home and the announcement that Chateau Girardeau will add 34 new residential cottages.

Bollinger County: Starla's Floral Boutique, Highway M and Route 51, floral sales; and Patton Junction Livestock Auction, Highway 72, Patton, livestock sales.

Iron County: KML Silk Floral Designs, Ironton, floral sales; and Claudia's Hair Care, Arcadia.

Madison County: Townhouse Restaurant, Fredericktown, food sales; Country Cottage and Doll Palace, Cherokee Pass, crafts, gifts and dolls; Farmers State Bank, Marquand, financial services; Tele-News Plus, Fredericktown, communications; ClaRu Deville, Fredericktown, skilled and residential health care; Gipson Sawmill, Marquand, precut lumber for the pallet and container industry; American Sampling Co., Fredericktown; courtesy product packages for distribution by hospitals.

Perry County: Andrew's Flower Garden, Perryville, floral sales; Country Flower Shop, Biehle, floral sales; Chester Savings Bank, Perryville, financial services; M&M Kids Kampus, Perryville, licensed child care; Perryville Overhead Door, residential and commercial doors; and W&L Ornamental Wood Products, clocks, frames and other wood products.

St. Francois County: Eagle Eye Apparel, Farmington, clothing sales; Villa Audio & Videos, Farmington, audio sales and video rentals; Doughboy Donuts, Flat River, food sales; Heilig-Meyer Furniture, Farmington; The Great American Bakery and Deli, Farmington, food sales; Lillie's Family Tree Deli, Farmington, food sales; Barney's Gas and Mini-Mart, Highway 67 north of St. Francois State Park, food and gas sales; Hilltop Tavern, Bismarck, alcohol and food sales; Auto Zone, Farmington, auto parts and supplies; Mineral Area Monument Co., Farmington, carved monuments; Flat River Cleaners, Flat River, dry cleaning; Missouri Home Care, Flat River, home health care; Teresa's Tender Touch, Farmington, therapeutic massage; Accu-Tune & Lube, Farmington, auto services; Freedom Auto Repair, Bonne Terre, auto repair and service; Valo Manufacturing, Flat River, manufacture of screws; Protech Valve and Controls Inc., Flat River, manufacture of control devices for valve industry.

Expansions include a First State Bank facility at Maple Valley Shopping Center in Farmington.

Ste. Genevieve County: GrandPa's Discount Store, Ste. Genevieve, retail sales; Dr. Michael K. Thornton, Ste. Genevieve, health care provider; Chateau Care of Ste. Genevieve, senior citizens live-in center; Manufacturing Technique Inc., Ste. Genevieve, siding display cases; J.B. Metal Works, Ste. Genevieve, welding fabrication and sheet metal work; Mid-America Lime Co., Ste. Genevieve, lime mining and processing.