Scott City flooring company changes hands

Heartland Custom Flooring in Scott City is now owned by Rob and Joan Stephens of Jackson.

Heartland Custom Flooring, previously owned by Fred Lange, was founded in 1994. The business offers commercial and residential flooring brands in hardwood, ceramic, carpet, laminate and vinyl. It provides flooring and installation services for construction and remodeling/rehabilitation projects in Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois, northern Arkansas and western Kentucky. The transaction was facilitated by Murphy Business of Cape Girardeau, a business brokerage firm. For the past six years Rob Stephens has worked as the sales manager for ServPro of Cape Girardeau and Scott Counties.

Lange will remain with the company over the next few months to ensure a smooth transition.

* Dobbs Tire will open its new Cape Girardeau location today at 607 S. Kingshighway. This makes the 39th location for the tire and automotive center, which also has locations in St. Louis and Southern Illinois. The store has 11 employees, who were all hired from the area, and store manager John Frankiewicz, who previously worked with Dobbs in St. Louis, said Dave Roedner, store supervisor. In addition to offering nine brands of tires, Dobbs does all types of automotive repairs. Dobbs is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It is closed Sundays. Founded in 1976, Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers Inc. is the largest tire and auto service retailer in the greater St. Louis area.

* The Bank of Advance has acquired the Chaffee, Mo., branch of Montgomery Bank. Bank of Advance has entered into an agreement to purchase the branch at 102 E. Yoakum St. in Chaffee. In addition to Advance, the bank has branches in Bell City, Mo., and Dexter, Mo.

"Our decision to sell the branch in Chaffee was a strategic decision and also a difficult one," said Ken Witbrodt, president of Montgomery Bank. The sale is expected to be finalized in the first quarter of 2013.

* United Mobility and Seating has moved from 1802 Broadway to 1940 Golden Eagle Court, according to Tom Kelsey, commercial broker with Lorimont Place Ltd. who handled the recent real estate transaction. The new location is just off North Kingshighway where Heartland Distributing Co., a food services distributor, was previously located. The new 5,000-square-foot facility will enable the company to expand both in office, service and repair space along with additional storage capabilities, Kelsey said. United is considered the largest independently owned wheelchair company in the country. The Cape Girardeau branch is one of 57 locations in 25 states. The company has seven offices in Missouri, Kelsey said. United offers service, repair and parts for all of its mobility equipment.

* Black River Medical Center, which opened in June in Poplar Bluff, Mo., has earned accreditation for all services by the Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. The accreditation cycle, which is valid for up to 36 months, began Aug. 24. The three-bed hospital was created through a partnership between Poplar Bluff Medical Partners and Saint Francis Healthcare System.

Southeast Missourian Business Editor Melissa Miller can be reached by email at mmiller@semissourian.com or by phone at 388-3646.