Long-time appliance dealer retiring

Unlike some professional athletes, Richard Weber knows when it's time to throw in the towel.

"I'm tired," he said. "I'm going to retire."

After 40 years, Weber, 75, has closed Weber TV and Appliance Sales and Service, which has operated in Cape Girardeau since 1976. It opened in 1964 in Kelso, Mo., and later operated in Scott City.

Weber has sold a ton of televisions, washers and dryers and refrigerators in his day. He sold TVs back when people would "ooh" and "aah" at the thought of seeing Ed Sullivan in black and white. He sold washers and dryers back when they made people sigh at the novelty of not having to hang their underwear on a backyard clothes line.

Weber didn't make a lot of headlines over the years, outside of the occasional police report listing that someone had stolen a VCR. His business did get some deserved credit at Christmas, though, when Weber TV sponsored a gift tree for the Cottonwood Residential Treatment Center.

Mainly, though, he just went about his business serving customers.

He got to know those customers well, many who continued to go back and buy when appliances came with more colors and gadgets.

"I'll miss the customers," he said. "But, you know, it's time to quit."

In addition to being ready to retire, business had taken a hit from "the big guys," like Lowe's and Sears, who have edged out the family-owned appliance centers, he said.

About six months ago, thoughts of retirement crept in. A couple weeks ago, he made the decision. In the end, it really wasn't a hard one.

"You just know when it's time," he said.

* These pretzels are making me thirsty: When Hassan Ali opens the Different Twist Pretzel Co. at Westfield West Park later this month, don't expect regular, dry old pretzels.

"They call it a different twist for a reason," said Ali, who operates such a store in the Kentucky Oaks Mall in Paducah, Ky. "We do a lot of different things with pretzels."

For example, Ali said the pretzel store offers cheese wraps, which are pretzels with cheese inside. He also will sell hot-dogs inside pretzel dough. There will be ham and cheese wraps, pizzas made with pretzel dough and other bites of pretzel goodness. Later, he plans to add ice cream. (NOT with pretzel dough, I assume.)

Ali said he had been looking to expand when he came across the Westfield West Park Web site. He will be in the spot across from Chick-Fil-A.

He hopes to open June 20, but it might be a week or two later, he said.

* New look for Drury: The Drury Lodge at the intersection of Interstate 55 and William Street in Cape Girardeau has undergone extensive renovations and updates, giving the hotel the feel of a lodge-style structure.

The new lodge now features a shingled roofline and an A-frame canopy enhancing the entrance. The lobby has undergone extensive updating and features a three-story, stone fireplace, stone-encased columns and several wrought-iron, lodge-style chandeliers.

The hotel's 139 rooms have been updated with coordinating carpet, drapes and fixtures. Microwaves and refrigerators are in all rooms. New larger desks with computer hookups and ergonomic chairs have been added. Irons with ironing boards, coffeemakers and hair dryers are available in all guest rooms, along with an upgraded TV channel package.

"We've renovated Drury Lodge because our customers appreciate accommodations that look new," said Chuck Drury, president of Drury Inns Inc. "And with hometown ties to the Cape Girardeau market, we see this renovation as one more way we can show our commitment to the Southeast Missouri area."

* That's really apropos: When the tornado hit Jackson a few years ago and destroyed her home-decor and gift shop, Jan Watkins packed up what she could and headed to the Crossroads Shopping Center to reopen Apropos in Cape Girardeau.

But her lease is up at the end of June, so she is planning to close up her Cape Girardeau operations and head back home. She's already reopened her new Jackson Apropos in the same building she was in before at 117 E. Jefferson St.

"The rent was too high here," she said last week. "It's average for the footage I get, but with my overhead, I just don't make enough to make it."

She's hoping some of her customers will follow her to Jackson.

"There's a lot of them that said they would and some said they won't," she said. "They say they just don't go to Jackson. With getting some of my Jackson customers back, it will even out."

* Hertz, doesn't it? The Hertz franchise has taken over the local Cape Girardeau franchise at 879 N. Kingshighway that was locally owned by Charlene Bach. Someone at the car rental store tells me that the only change the customer should see is cheaper rates.

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