Lorimont development on the market

One of Cape Girardeau's most prominent office parks is for sale.

That would be the multimillion-dollar Lorimont office park development, home to such Cape Girardeau businesses as MedAssets, HealthSouth Rehabilitation, State Farm Insurance, Pyramid Medical Services, Audiology Center, The Yellow Pages and Lorimont Real Estate offices. There are several others.

But just because the development is for sale shouldn't be a signal for the 100 or so employees out there to polish their resumes. The businesses themselves aren't going anywhere.

"We want to be real clear about that," said Tom Kelsey, whose real estate firm, Lorimont Place, is looking for an investment buyer. "We're just looking for someone who wants to own it and manage the property. The businesses are staying put."

The development is situated along South Mount Auburn Road and has 90,500 square feet of office space. It sits on seven acres of property next to Westfield Shoppingtown West Park.

The office park development was built in 1993 by local businessman Earl Norman. MedAssets, a hospital supply purchasing group, purchased Norman's business, HSCA, in May 2001, and contracted to purchase the real estate development.

MedAssets, with 60 Cape employees, is committed to maintaining offices here, Kelsey said. But the group has decided it would prefer to enter into a long-term lease with a new owner rather than purchase the property.

Also included in a sale will be a 31,834-square-foot two-level office and retail lease space area that currently has seven office tenants. Lorimont has teamed up with Landmark Real Estate Group in St. Louis in search of an investment-type purchaser.

B&B celebrates 10th

Marsha Toll, the owner of the Bellevue Bed and Breakfast, says the best aspect of owning the B&B for 10 years has been meeting all of the wonderful people from so many places.

The Bellevue invites everyone to celebrate its 10th year of operation by attending one of two open houses at the historic home at 312 Bellevue St.

Open houses will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday and from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Guests will be able to tour the house, learn of the historic significance of the home, witness Victorian parlor magic and be eligible for door prizes. Refreshments will also be served.

The Bellevue Bed & Breakfast is listed on the local historic register and was built in 1892 by the Henry Hunze family. It opened for business as a bed and breakfast in 1993 and has since earned a three-diamond rating by Triple A travel service. It is the longest operated bed and breakfast in Cape Girardeau and has hosted reporters from Time magazine, NPR radio and guests from as far away as Switzerland and Australia.

The open house celebrations are open to the public and do not require an invitation.

"I want this celebration to be a thank you to the Cape Girardeau community for its support of the Bellevue and for welcoming my guests into their stores and community," Toll said.

I'm sure the stores were glad to have them.

Sweet Peas

Sweet Peas clothing and gift shop opened last week at 34 N. Main, according to owner Joni Welker. The store is mainly geared toward baby clothes and gifts for mothers and grandmothers.

Here's how Welker describes it: "We have a lot of gifty items. We have an upscale French baby line of clothing, Sucre D'orge. We have Circle E candles and lots of baby powder scented ones. We have frames, birthday hats with matching outfits." They also have maternity clothes.

Golden touch

Ashley Gilder has opened a Touch of Wellness in Jackson at 810 E. Jackson Blvd.

Gilder is one of the first graduates from Metro Business College's new massage therapy program. A Touch of Wellness offers Swedish massages, aromatherapy, reflexology (the feet) and other forms of massage.

"It's good for the body," Gilder said. "It increases circulation. It gets rid of toxins. It's for overall wellness."

Gilder is trained in anatomy, physiology and massage therapy and has more than 600 hours of training, 100 more than Missouri requires.

Ashley, if everyone who is uptight stops by your new shop, business should be booming.

Spice of life

Varieties has opened in downtown Cape Girardeau at 36 N. Main, owner Matt Taylor tells me.

"It's basically knicks and knacks and gifts and novelties and different things like that," said Taylor.

The shop has everything from glass horses and wind chimes to incense burners.

Quiznotes

Quizno's is remodeling to fit the franchise's new look, owner Eileen Gates tells me. They are changing the sneeze guard so that people can watch their sandwiches as they're made.

They're also changing the look of the inside, including changes to the pickle and pepper bar and adding a new line of drinks. The adjoining section of the business, formerly a gas station, is now a Cash Depot, which is a business that cashes checks and sells phones.

Scott Moyers is the business editor for the Southeast Missourian. Send your comments, business news, information or questions to Biz Buzz, 301 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699, e-mail smoyers@semissourian.com or call 335-6611, extension 137.