Small business gone wild

From small to standing tall in the national market, how two local businesses have found success outside Southeast Missouri.

To understate, Lambert's and My Daddy's Cheesecake are examples of small business success. Having outgrown several buildings, now not even Southeast Missouri can contain them.

"We hope you come hungry, leave full, and hopefully have a laugh or two!" reads the slogan at Lambert's. The original restaurant in Sikeston, Mo. opened in 1942, owned by Earl and Agnes Lambert, with the capacity to seat 41. After Earl's death, Norman, Earl's son, and his wife, Patti partnered with Agnes; the restaurant remains family owned.

Cape Girardeau's My Daddy's Cheesecake fills up for lunch on Thursday, April 26, 2007. (Kit Doyle)

In 1994, Lambert's opened another restaurant in Ozark, Mo., right outside of Springfield. This was followed in 1996 with a third in Foley, Ala.

Jerry Johnson, the general manager of the Lambert's in Sikeston, says one of the biggest challenges in having more than one Lambert's is "taking people from stores you already have to start a new one." Relying on tested and trusted employees in the new restaurants provides important consistency of food and service. Plus, according to Johnson, it gives employees the ability to move up into better positions.

Although there are requests for Lambert's elsewhere, Johnson says "I don't think they'll ever franchise."

My Daddy's Cheesecake is taking a much different route. Their first franchise is opening late this summer in Destin, Fla. More are being considered.

However, consistency is just as important to Wes Kinsey and Kevin Stanfield, who now own the legendary bakery. That is why all the cheesecakes sold at the franchise will still be made at the Cape Girardeau store.

"The main purpose in doing it here is to protect the quality and recipes. Our reputation is built on the quality of our cheesecakes. This reduces the startup costs of our franchises, too," says Stanfield.

Shipping their products is nothing new for My Daddy's Cheesecake. Their cheesecakes have successfully sold from the business Web site and in grocery stores for years, building the brand in the process.

Founded by Tom Harte, a retired professor at Southeast Missouri State, the business quickly outgrew Harte's kitchen and was bought in 1996 by Kinsey. Stanfield and his wife, Susan, joined him in ownership eight years later.

When asked about the decision to franchise, Stanfield said, "We just thought we had a niche in the marketplace, with what we consider a casual fast atmosphere. It's a trend in the country and something no one else is doing with a bakery, breakfast, and lunch."

With the decision comes a new set of challenges. Primary in Kinsey and Stanfield's mind is getting the word out about possible franchises. The current location can produce enough for up to ten, and the owners are already looking ahead to building a separate production facility.

No matter how many franchises are opened, however, there is a commitment to keeping the quality, consistency, and personal feel of My Daddy's Cheesecake intact. You can't leave your past behind you, say Kinsey and Stanfield.

One of their main suggestions to businesses hoping to see this kind sustainability is careful selection of employees. Although it may take time to carefully hire, "the patience pays you back," says Kinsey. "We couldn't do what we do without the staff that we have."