Sikeston native opens new sandwich shop in Cape

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When Sikeston, Mo., native Chris Dye attended Missouri Baptist College in St. Louis, he lived right next door to a sandwich shop called Mr. Goodcents.

So when he was looking to start his own business after a few years in marketing and insurance, he decided to open one of the sandwich shops in Cape Girardeau.

"I got hungry for it so I thought I'd open one," said Dye. "And I knew they were everywhere in Missouri except here. This is the first one in the area."

The restaurant -- one of more than 125 franchises in 13 states -- opened here Jan. 7 with a VIP lunch at the 1,450-square-foot shop at the new strip mall at 820 N. Sprigg. Dye liked the location because it was near the university and Mr. Goodcents shops are popular among the college crowd.

More than 150 invitations were sent out and Dye offered free sandwiches, pasta and Cokes to as many as could fit into the 34-seat restaurant. The restaurant employs 15 people and also offers carry-out and delivery service.

Casey at the bat

The convenience store wars in Cape Girardeau may have another player this summer.

Casey's General Stores Inc., which operates 1,327 convenience stores in nine Midwestern states including Missouri, hopes to open its first Cape Girardeau store sometime after May.

Plans on file with the city's Inspection Services Division -- which are not yet approved -- call for a 2,720-square-foot store at the corner of Broadview and Independence streets.

If that approval happens, the store will employ as many as five people, said company representative Tom Grueber. The company is based in Ankeny, Iowa, just north of Des Moines.

It may not be the only Casey store in the area, Grueber said.

"We're looking at other sites down there too, but we've got to get through this one before we can get serious about that," he said.

The property would have an address of 2541 Independence and would be owned by the franchise, Grueber said. Cape Girardeau plan-review specialist John Creutz said they just began looking at the plans last week.

Annual chamber banquet

Mark your calendars for the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce 2002 annual meeting. It takes place Jan. 25 at the Show Me Center with cocktails at 6 p.m. and the dinner at 7.

Chamber president John Mehner says to expect between 600 and 750 people in attendance. In addition to presenting the Rush Limbaugh and the Small Business of the Year awards -- both highly guarded secrets -- Mehner said he's got some surprise local talent lined up for the evening.

The program will include honoring retiring board members as well as introducing the chamber's new board chairman, Bill Kiel, the head fund raiser for St. Francis Medical Center Foundation.

The dinner will be followed by a dance featuring the Mid-Life Crisis band. That is made up of Chuck and Frank McGinty, Luke Landgraf, Sid and David Gerlach, Sissy Burnett and Phil Wagoner. (I can attest that Chuck is good; I've heard him thump that bass at church.)

Tickets are $40 each or a table can be reserved for $320. For more information, call John Mehner at the chamber at 335-3312.

The kindest cut

Barber Eric Brown rang in the new year as the owner of the new Southeast Missouri Barber College. The college, which actually opened in December, is at 305 N. Frederick right across the street from the post office.

Brown is a Sikeston native but has been a barber in Cape Girardeau for the past six years. Brown said he knows the barber profession is growing but noticed smaller markets have fewer -- if any -- places to train.

"There aren't any schools anymore," Brown said. "And as the older barbers retire, there's no one to take their place. So I thought it would be a good idea to put a school here. I want to do my part to keep the barber profession alive."

Brown is the primary instructor, and he said he already has eight students who are attending the 7 1/2-month course that costs $3,000. He teaches would-be snippers practical skills such has how to properly cut hair and razor shaving as well as newer services such as hair coloring, perming and relaxing.

Brown is the only employee other than a part-time assistant.

Second Mac's

Mac's Smokehouse Airport Restaurant owner David McAllister says business hasn't exactly been taking off lately at the airport, with road work bogging down vital Interstate 55 traffic. Not to mention that the events of Sept. 11 have made some people afraid to fly from -- let alone eat in -- airports.

McAllister has no intention of closing down the airport restaurant but plans to open a second location at 525 N. Silver Springs Road in the same mini-mall as Soap and Suds.

The new 1,400-square-foot restaurant will have 24 to 30 seats and will be geared toward carry-out, McAllister said. He plans to use nine employees to operate the restaurant.

"We've been hurting here financially," McAllister said. "We're not closing out here, but we just needed some way so my customers can get to me. We have a following."

Empire strikes back

The new Empire Trade World looks to be a collector's dream.

The new flea market located in the old TriCon Industries building at 334 N. Broadview opened Dec. 15. Owner Russell Gadberry said he chose to open a flea market because Cape Girardeau doesn't have anything like this currently in our area.

The 43,000-square-foot indoor flea market has 267 available booth spots, and Gadberry said he has already rented out 25 to dealers who are selling things like figurines, old metal signs, silver jewelry, wood crafts, books and other collectibles.

Most of the renters work under consignment, which means people set up their booths and then Gadberry sells for them.

"People who like to collect things will love it out here," he said.

Flipped out

Youngsters are already doing somersaults at Heartland Gymnastics, which opened its doors Jan. 5 at 819 N. Kingshighway, located in the gym constructed below Papa John's Pizza. (The entrance is in the back.)

Scott City resident and registered nurse Debbie Estes has been taking her daughter Kassi Knight to gymnastics since she was 3. Fifteen years later, her daughter is one of the instructors to help kids as young as 15 months get into the swing of things. Aerobics classes for mom are also available.

Prices range from $25 to $45 a month.

"Our culture is so unhealthy and fat," Estes said. "We hope to get moms and kids off the couch and active."

It also wouldn't hurt a certain business reporter.

Quickly

The lovely Vi Keys sends her apologies for not being able to say goodbye after working at the Holiday Inn for so many years but wanted to let everyone know she can be heard tickling the ivories at Downtown Consignment.

Capaha Bank marketing assistant Leslie Walker tells us that the Capaha Bank Training Center at 109 Independence is slated for use beginning March 1, but it's not for customers. It's where the bank will do its training as well as hold board meetings.

Big Dave's Pawn has been granted a business license to open at 51 Plaza Way.

Major Brands has moved over to 334 N. Broadview from its South Kingshighway location.

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