COMO | April 2020

A PRIL 2020 | T HE T R AVEL & TO URISM ISSU E | A PU B L ICATION OF TH E B U SIN E SS TIM E S COM PAN Y

ALEX GEORGE IS AN OPEN BOOK PAGE 21 BRANSON OR BUST PAGE 52 WHAT'S NEW ON THE WEST SIDE? PAGE 98

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Cameron Neal Joe Machens Ford What’s the number one quality that makes a great car salesperson? Honesty.

What car feature is most requested from your customers? Ford Co-Pilot 360.

What make and model did you first learn to drive or own? 1992 Chevy Lumina.

What car color do you sell the most often? White.

What’s something you wish more car shoppers knew? There is more than just buying a car, it should be about the “after the sale” follow up. I like them to know I’m always here for them and can call anytime.

What 2020 model are you most excited about?

Completely redesigned 2020 Explorer.

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What model offers your customers the most bang for their buck? 2020 Ford Escape. Now standard with safety features that were only in higher end models last year.

Where is the most scenic drive in Columbia? Going to the big tree in McBaine. If you have an hour to kill, its a great view.

What car did you pick your prom date up in? 2008 Chevy Tahoe LTZ. Tell us one example of how your dealership goes above and beyond. Here at Machens Ford we take customer service very seriously, We will take care of you so great, that you’ll never want to do business anywhere else.

PROFESSIONALS S P O N SO R E D CO N TE NT

Arthur Brown Columbia Honda What’s the number one quality that makes a great car salesperson? That’s easy! Honestly being a good genuine person.

as offering our Honda Sensing safety package in the majority of models in all trim levels. Honda is also expanding the hybrid tech in the new CRV.

What car feature is most requested from your customers? Remote start.

What model offers your customers the most bang for their buck? The EX Honda CRV. It offers all the bells and whistles at a very affordable price.

What make and model did you first learn to drive or own? Chrysler LeBaron.

What car color do you sell the most often? White with beige interior.

What’s something you wish more car shoppers knew?

That the industry has changed and the majority of car salesmen are focused on customer service.

What 2020 model are you most excited about? I’m excited about the brand in general for 2020. Honda is doing some amazing things moving forward as far

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Letter from the Editor

ART DIRECTOR’S PICKS

Travel in Its Many Forms

A

fter returning home from a study abroad trip to Northern Ireland a few years ago, I bought myself a ring with a quote inscribed: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

I wanted a token to celebrate the trip I’d just taken that had pushed me far outside of my comfort zone, and I wanted to give myself a reminder to keep exploring new places and pursuing what challenges me.

Since then I’ve visited a few more countries and traveled thousands more miles. I hope it never stops. Travel exhilarates me and is one of my passions, which is why I was so excited when we decided to focus one issue on the topic of travel. But who knew that by the time this issue would come out that our country would be under severe travel restrictions?

Even still, I hope we can all enjoy this issue as a way to dream of places we want to visit when this is over and a way to escape the realities of the news. Let's get bitten by the travel bug, even if we never step foot out of our homes.

For those who like to hop on planes and fly away to new destinations, start this issue off by reading Mary Kate Hafner’s personal telling, on page 37, of her trip from Columbia Regional Airport to Mexico City for a long weekend trip full of culinary experiences.

Or you can start by exploring the homes Columbians have built in places like North Carolina, Colorado, and Costa Rica that they also rent on Airbnb. Why rent from a stranger when you can feel like you’re supporting a neighbor? Flip to page 31 for photos.

If you’re less interested in packing a suitcase for a new experience, let your mind take you to new places! Jump to page 21 and read about our cover model, author, festival organizer, and business owner Alex George, who recounts his life thus far and shares some details on his newest novel “The Paris

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."

Hours.” To get a new experience, you can also just hop in your car and drive to the west side of town to explore the new shops and entertainment venues at the mall when the shelter-in-place order has been lifted (page 98).

And, of course, let’s not forget about the tourists and short-term residents we welcome to Columbia throughout the year.

How do they make Columbia feel like home?

How do they integrate themselves into the community? We asked a traveling nurse, True/False Film Fest programmers, and an artist in residence those very questions. Read their answers and more on page 91.

Hiking in the woods has been a lifetime passion for me. My latest hiking obsession is foraging morel mushrooms.

While waiting for the weather to turn and for the fickle morel to pop up, I take delight in these harbingers of spring.

I’m no expert, but these are the trailside wildflowers I notice year after year.

Trout Lily This small flower is one of the first to pop up. It has mottled green and grey leaves with a single yellow or white flower.

Bloodroot Larger than some early spring flowers, this single white flower appears fairly ordinary. However, if you were to dig up and slice open the roots, you’d find a bright red liquid.

Dutchman’s Breeches When I think of this flower, I think of how my grandma still calls pants "britches." These white flowers with yellow tips grow on stems that appear to bend under their weight. The flowers do look like an odd kind of trouser.

ON THE COVER Author Alex George is this month’s cover model. His newest novel, “The Paris Hours,” comes out in May. Photo by Keith Borgmeyer.

A PRI L 2020 | THE TRAVEL & TO URISM ISSUE | A PUBLICAT ION OF T HE BUSINE SS T IME S COMPANY

Wishing you well,

ALEX GEORGE IS AN OPEN BOOK PAGE 21 BRANSON OR BUST PAGE 52 WHAT'S NEW ON THE WEST SIDE? PAGE 98

EMMA BENTLEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Novel Escapes COMOMAG.COM

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Editor-in-Chief Emma Bentley Emma@comomag.com

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We’re•so¶ much•more¶ than•a¶ bookshop.

You’ll love not only what’s on our shelves but what happens between them, as well!

Readings, signings, talks, book clubs, and more.

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INTERNS

Prince Chingarande, Jasmine-Kay Johnson ON T H EM E

What’s your go-to travel spot?

Hannah Kueck Department Editor

Anthony Jinson Photographer

Nickie Davis Advisory Board Member

Barbie Banks Advisory Board Member

My go-to vacation spot is any national park. I love going on hikes and watching animals in their natural habitats.

I generally try to go somewhere new, but if I had to pick, I'd say Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It's a beautiful resort town, but it also has this historical area that is very interesting and fun to explore.

Beach! The beach, the beach, the beach! If I could pick up Columbia and set it right on the beach, my life would be 100%.

My go-to vacation spot is Table Rock Lake in southwest Missouri. Table Rock Lake is clean, peaceful, and altogether lovely.

22 S. 9th St., Columbia Mon – Thu: 10-6 • Fri – Sat: 10-8 • Sun: 11-5 mail@skylarkbookshop.com (573) 777-6990 • SkylarkBookShop.com

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Because books.

FEATURES

98 WHAT’S NEW ON THE WEST SIDE? Exploring what’s being built and discovering new favorites on Columbia’s west side of town.

APRIL 2020 | The Travel & Tourism Issue

13

50

78

Editor’s Letter

FAVORITE FINDS Let’s Go!

CELEBRATIONS

LIVING

65

21

COUPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW Chad & Jaime Freidrichs

ART & CULTURE An Open Book

27 PET FRIENDLY A Labor of Love

WORKING

29

CLOSER LOOK

WELLNESS Unlocking the Brain

31

69 70 BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS

1Canoe2

80 NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT Centro Latino de Salud

83 BUSINESS UPDATE Direct Travel

87 PERSON YOU

HOMES Home Away From Home

73

37

75

106

LOCAL GOVERNMENT An Audit Battle

Amy Schneider

GOURMET Meet Me in CDMX

MOVERS & SHAKERS

SHOULD KNOW Mike Griggs

THIS OR THAT

52 BRANSON OR BUST A hometown girl’s guide to the best attractions in the Springfield-Branson area.

59 ON THE ROAD AGAIN Looking for a nearby place to unplug and unwind?

The COMO magazine staff shares their favorite weekend getaways.

91 CALLING COMO HOME (FOR NOW) Meet four people who have settled in as true Columbians — at least for the short-term.

Living

37

31

MEET ME IN CDMX

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

A long, gluttonous weekend in Mexico City reveals how food reflects the area’s history and changing culture.

Whether you’ve dreamed of vacationing in Estes Park, North Carolina, or Costa Rica, these local couples would love to share their second homes with you.

65 COUPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW Chad and Jaime Freidrichs describe their nomadic relationship and their favorite places to live and work.

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APRIL 2020

Living

ART & CULTURE

An Open Book Alex George dishes on life as an author, bookshop owner, festival founder, and world traveler.

BY BRANDON HOOPS PHOTOS BY KEITH BORGMEYER

B

ooks run Alex George’s life.

They compel him out of bed at 5:00 in the morning to spend lonely hours writing. They send him careening around the globe to London, Seattle, and Baltimore in the span of a month. They number more than 15,000 hardbacks and paperbacks on the walls of a 3,000-square-foot building in downtown Columbia.

Sure, the author, book festival founder, and bookshop owner spends a good amount of time practicing law, but books are what most engross his thoughts and minutes.

“Every day is different, and for that I give thanks,” Alex says.

ESCAPING THE JUGGERNAUT If there’s one place where Alex can step away from his hectic schedule and allow for a little falling action, it’s at Skylark Bookshop, walking among the broad canyon of books with soft sunlight breaking in the Ninth Street window.

“This place brings me enormous amounts of joy,” Alex says. “I love every day that I walk in here and see all these books. It’s a beautiful place to hang out and exist.”

The shop, which opened in August 2018 and has become a celebrated fixture in Columbia’s arts scene, can trace part of its origin story back to England, Alex’s home country.

Early in his career, Alex spent eight years working in London and Paris as a corporate attorney.

COMOMAG.COM

21

It was a demanding job, and he often dreamed of creating more than large collections of legal documents.

“I’ve always been a big reader and, sometime in the ’90s, I went through a bad phase of reading a lot of terrible books,” Alex says. “I would complain to people and make claims that I could do better, and someone finally said, ‘Prove it.’”

Alex took on the challenge. He bought a computer and wrote early in the mornings before going to work. It didn’t take long for the three chapters he had in his mind to bloom into more.

When he finished his first novel, he was lucky to find a publisher quickly.

He followed with another two and a half novels before giving up law in 2000 to write full-time.

In all, Alex published four books in England. Although Alex cringes a bit at what he calls his “public apprenticeship,” those first steps are what led to a career recalibration.

“Had I not got that first book published, I probably would have stopped,” Alex says. “I would have gone, ‘Oh, well that was fun, I did that thing, and I’ll give it to my grandchildren someday.’”

SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF The empirical evidence is hard to deny. As much as Alex would like to say he’s not much of a risk taker, he has repeatedly stepped into the unknown and tried new endeavors.

One such marker moment came in 2003, when he moved to Missouri with his then wife.

Even in a new environment, while trying to requalify to practice law, he made time to write. His experience as an immigrant fueled his creativity and would eventually form the foundation of “The Good American,” published in 2012 by an imprint of Penguin/Putnam.

“I particularly enjoy writing — just the act of creation and telling these silly stories just keeps me going, and when I don’t do it, I get very cranky,” says Alex, whose second book published in the United States, “Setting Free the Kites,” won the Missouri Prize for Fiction in 2018.

The idea for the Unbound Book Festival was sparked during Alex’s road tour promoting “The Good 22

APRIL 2020

American.” The festivals he attended and spoke at possessed a depth of community and conversations that impressed him. It made him think of Columbia. If there are two features that exemplify his adopted hometown’s distinctive style, he thought, it’s festivals and books.

It took several years of dreaming and 18 months of intense coordination before Unbound made its debut in 2016.

“When I started the festival, the biggest weapon in my arsenal was my incredible ignorance of what all it was going to take,” says Alex. He created an event that’s completely free to the public, which means, as he likes to joke, he spends 11 months raising money and one month spending it.

Skylark Bookshop Skylark Bookshop may still be in its infancy, but that doesn’t mean the team is content with a traditional path forward.

“We’re trying to be really innovative in what we do,” Alex says.

The Skylark Reading Spa is a popular gift package meant to pamper book lovers.

Individuals come into the store for a donut, coffee, and an informal conversation with a bookseller. Over the course of an hour, the bookseller makes recommendations suited to tastes or suggests new discoveries. The guest finishes their experience with a $100 gift certificate to spend, guilt-free.

Skylark also offers subscription packages of three, six, or 12 months.

Each month, a book is hand-picked, specially wrapped, and mailed to your home. Customers answer a questionnaire to inform selections.

Bag provided by American Shoe

The Paris Hours Alex’s newest novel, “The Paris Hours,” releases May 5.

The novel’s creation was sparked by real-life French novelist Marcel Proust. While reading a memoir by Proust’s maid, Alex found himself intrigued by the writer’s request for her to burn all his notebooks, which she did.

But something in the back of Alex’s mind thought: What if she didn’t? What if she saved one? What if there were secrets in that notebook?

The story takes place during one day in Paris in 1927, and centers on four separate

characters: a painter, a writer, a puppeteer, and Marcel’s maid, whose sagas are told in alternating order.

In addition to Marcel, lots of real-life characters populate the book but stand on the periphery of things.

Even though it takes place in a 24-hour period, the story moves at a pace that lets the narrative tend to the humanity in us all and immerses readers in the intimacy and intricacy of the cast.

Preorders are available at Skylark.

COMOMAG.COM

23

Skylark’s Bestselling Books of 2019 “The Ugly Truth”

by Jill Orr

“The Wolf Wants In”

by Laura McHugh

“Lincoln in the Bardo”

by George Saunders

“It was very important that we didn’t charge,” Alex says. “It’s an issue of accessibility. I firmly believe that books are for everybody, and I didn’t want any barriers to entry.”

From the outset, Alex has worked alongside countless volunteers to make the festival possible. He continues to celebrate those immense contributions and the community’s active reception. Nearly 10,000 attended in 2019. (Unfortunately, this year’s festival has been canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.)

The open arms Columbia extended to Unbound gave Alex the confidence to open Skylark Bookshop and fill a gap he saw in the market. Working alongside his business partner, Carrie Koepke, and six dedicated and passionate employees, has provided added assurance.

“Again, rather like the festival, I didn’t quite know how much work it would be,” Alex says. “But I also didn’t know how much fun it would be either. I adore every minute of it.”

In 2019, Skylark Bookshop was named one of Southern Living magazine’s “Best Bookstores in the South.”

I firmly believe that books are for everybody, and I didn’t want any barriers to entry.

This type of recognition has given Alex a platform. He recently signed a contract with Blue Flower Arts to travel and talk about literary citizenship and his diverse commitments. His hope is to use his voice to show how books, including the shops and festivals, can be a force of good in the world.

After all, in the city where he arrived a stranger all those years ago, there is a story yet to be inhabited.

“In our own little way, we are trying to make Columbia a place that its residents can be proud of,” Alex says.

“The potential feels limitless in what we can do.”

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Living

PET FRIENDLY

A Labor of Love Eddie Dzuik shares his experience as a judge in one of the oldest sporting events in history.

BY McKENNA NEVILLE

T

his February, Columbian Eddie Dzuik was a judge for the most important dog show in the world — The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City.

“I got the invitation over two years ago, and you’re not allowed to say anything until nine months before the show,” says Eddie, the COO of The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. “One of the biggest challenges was keeping my mouth shut. I wasn’t allowed to say anything to anybody.”

From the time he was a kid, Eddie has loved dogs, “My family has always been animal crazy. I used to ride my bike to the grocery store parking lot to watch dog obedience classes,” he remembers.

Soon after his adventures to the grocery store parking lot began, Eddie’s family brought home a beagle and began showing it.

Since then, he’s been hooked.

“It was 40 years ago, in 1980, when I went to my first Westminster. I was 15 years old, and at the time, I was lucky — I actually won the breed that year,” Eddie says. “I’ve been to most of them since then.”

Many Westminster wins followed for him, culminating in two Best in Show beagles: Uno, in 2008, and Miss P, in 2015. There have only been three other trainers with more than one Westminster Best in Show winner.

At Westminster, the dogs are judged in groups of breed, function, and best in show.

Breed judging happens during the day, with 200 different breeds represented. Next, the winners of best in breed get split into seven groups based on function: herding, hound, non-sporting, sporting, terrier, toy, and working. Then, the top seven dogs appear in the show at night.

“The quality of the animals themselves was incredible. Having been involved in showing and breeding dogs the better part of my life, I loved having that number of high-caliber dogs to sort through,” Eddie says.

His job was to judge basenjis, basset hounds, beagles, and dachshunds, sending the best of breed to compete in best-of group at Madison Square Garden. “To be honest, once I got there,

“I don’t know a good analogy other than this: You’re a referee and you’re selected by the NFL to ref the Super Bowl.” the breeds they gave me to judge are breeds I’m familiar with,” he says. “I wasn’t really nervous.

I got in the zone and did my job.”

This year, there were 30 judges, 10 of whom were first-timers. Eddie says judging dogs is not a profession, “It’s a labor of love — it’s something you have to enjoy.” With Westminster being a once-in-a-lifetime experience, he thinks you’d be crazy not to enjoy it, though. “I don’t know a good analogy other than this: You’re a referee and you’re selected by the NFL to ref the Super Bowl.”

On top of judging, Eddie got to be part of incredible NYC experiences. “The fact that I wore a tux four nights in a row — stuff like that is a little different, right? The

Westminster judge dinner was held at the New York Yacht Club. When will I ever be a guest at the Yacht club in New York again? I mean, never,” he laughs.

Beginning in 1877, the Westminster show is, with the exception of the Kentucky Derby, the oldest running sporting event in the country’s history. There’s a huge tradition to it.

“There are hundreds and hundreds of people who are licensed to judge at dog shows, so to be one of those 30 people selected by the Westminster is an honor.”

Eddie continues, “And to be invited back 40 years after attending my first one? That was a full circle thing, after all these years.”

COMOMAG.COM

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Living

WELLNESS

Unlocking the Brain A closer look at how EMDR treatment can desensitize the stress resulting f rom trauma.

BY PRINCE CHINGARANDE

“IT’S REALLY BEAUTIFUL. People come in and they’re upset, and you know they’re going to get upset when they start talking about it, but then they come out on the other side of it. It’s the most amazing experience,” says Dr. Nancy Hoey, a licensed professional counselor and certified clinical trauma professional at Grace Counseling LLC in Jefferson City.

Nancy is talking about EMDR, a form of psychotherapy treatment used to treat mental health issues.

EMDR was developed in the late 1990s by a psychologist named Francine Shapiro. The treatment, which stands for eye movement, desensitization, and reprocessing, involves a self-healing process in which the brain is stimulated to process past traumatic events. By analyzing these experiences, the individual undergoing the treatment begins to release the stress that results from trauma and initiates a post-treatment life void of issues related to the stressful event.

“When a disturbing event occurs, it can get locked in the brain. The images, sounds, thoughts, feelings, and body sensations can also get locked in the brain. What EMDR does is stimulate the information and allow the brain to process the experience.

It mimics what happens in REM sleep, when your eyes move back and forth, so it’s basically your own brain that’s doing the healing,” says Nancy.

EMDR treatment is not only used for trauma-related issues. Its steps can also be applied to deal with chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and even sports injuries.

The EMDR treatment process is quite simple and straightforward. It starts with identifying what the treatment goals are.

According to Nancy, this can take a session or two. Then, the patient discusses the issues that they’re struggling with, and from there, the therapist’s goal becomes to help the patient trace their issues back to the earliest experiences that triggered them, “unsticking” the issues from the brain in the process.

“In the future, we’ll probably be able to look inside the brain when people are doing EMDR and really see what it is going on.”

— Dr. Nancy Hoey The session then proceeds with the therapist placing their fingers in front of the patient’s eyes and moving them back and forth. Other therapists may use a light bar, cones, or even tapping to stimulate

the patient and achieve this back-andforth movement. This is called bilateral stimulation and lasts about 20 to 30 minutes.

“Sometimes it gets really scary, so when the scary or upsetting part comes up, it can feel like the patient is moving into a dark tunnel. However, we want to make sure the patient comes out on the other side, and when they get to the other side of it, their memory is desensitized. The memory is still there, but the material is not as sensitive,” Nancy says.

The full EMDR experience is meant to be brief, so patients can require four to five sessions to completely mentally detach the negative experiences and reduce their impact on the brain. With increasing expansions and development in the medical field and neuroscience, EMDR treatment is only getting better understood.

“In the future, we’ll probably be able to look inside the brain when people are doing EMDR and really see what it is going on,” Nancy says.

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AWAY FROM Whether you’ve dreamed of vacationing in Estes Park, North Carolina, or Costa Rica, these local couples would love to share their second homes with you.

BY AU R O L A WED M A N A LFA R O

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W

hen planning your next trip, skip the hotel and stay at a friend’s home away from home.

These Columbians have second homes in North Carolina; Estes Park, Colorado; and Costa Rica, and they would love to share them with you. So whether you’re dreaming of a tropical getaway or a relaxing mountain view, they’ve got the home for you.

Among the Turtles The sun disappears below the horizon while the waves gently roll back and forth on the shoreline.

Suddenly, baby turtles emerge from the sand. It’s no wonder that this Costa Rican oceanfront villa is called Casa de las Tortugas (House of the Turtles).

Chris Kellar and her husband, Dan, bought the house seven years ago and never looked back. “I didn’t want to be anywhere else but Playa Langosta,” says Chris, a Columbia native who hopes to partially retire in Costa Rica.

Playa Langosta stretches along parts of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, and it is the quieter upscale neighbor of Tamarindo, a popular surfing beach. Casa de las Tortugas features six bedrooms, a spacious kitchen, and a private pool — not to mention a unique design and décor concept.

“The first owner worked for National Geographic, and when the house was being built, it was the talk of the town,” explains Chris. The owner imported teak columns

and elegant doors straight from Indonesia for the house.

When Chris took over the home, it underwent a restoration process. The result was a luxurious, updated villa with a distinctive look.

Casa de las Tortugas offers the privacy of a home with the benefits of a resort. A housekeeper, groundskeeper, nighttime security guard, and a concierge ensure guests have a pleasant and relaxing experience.

“You can get down to having fun and enjoying your vacation the way you like to.

There’s no having to think who to call or how to get somewhere. The concierge can take care of everything for you,” says Chris.

From yoga to ziplining to surfing, there is an abundance of activities to choose from.

“It is an endless outdoor playground. The only thing they don’t have is a ski mountain,” jokes Chris.

Book it on: www.vrbo.com/470823 Rate: $1,450 per night, excluding holidays.

Discounts available when renting for one week.

Price subject to change.

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Living

HOMES

In the Rocky Mountains Hot chocolate at the Y, horseback riding, and organized sunrise hikes are intact in Greg Bier’s memory. Throughout Greg’s childhood, he spent summers with his family at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado.

“I got to go out and explore, and I became aware and respectful of all the wildlife out there. It’s amazing to see how small you are once you get out into the wild,” Greg says.

Greg’s parents bought a cabin in the area in 1993, and eight years ago, Greg purchased it from them.

Conveniently set across the road from Rocky Mountain National Park, Bierhaus is a homey cabin with full amenities. The threebedroom home features a fully equipped kitchen and a barbecue pit on the deck. You

can start your morning cozying up on the leather sofa, your feet being warmed up by the fireplace as you take in the pictureperfect mountain view. Later, you can go out for a hike and prepare to spot elk. The Big Thompson River is just 200 feet away.

If you want the inside scoop on backtrails to avoid busy trail heads, or if you want to keep bears from breaking into your car, Greg has tips for you. “I know Estes Park really well — what restaurants to go to, which hikes to

recommend, depending on the guests’ age or on their children’s age,” Greg says.

Above all, Greg wants to connect with his guests and offer them a good time, “My family uses the cabin — it’s not just an investment property. When you’re in the cabin, we want you to have the same experience as we do.”

Book it on: www.vrbo.com/335597 Rate: $200 to $300 per night. Varies according to the season.

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Festival Fever Brevard, North Carolina, is the small and charming mountain town that captivated Jerry and Lora Blair.

Lora and Jerry lived in Winston-Salem and in Durham, North Carolina, for several years and always talked about possibly going back during retirement. Little did they know that a Google search for “festivals” would lead them to the town where they would buy not one, but two homes.

“We wanted something with a view, or some kind of outdoors interest, and we wanted a small town. We went to Brevard for the White Squirrel Festival and we just fell in love with it,” says Lora.

Through her business, Hilltop Properties LLC, Lora purchased a long-term rental house in downtown Brevard and a shortterm rental mountain house.

“The Mountain House is warm and relaxing.

It has top-notch amenities and incredible views,” says Lora. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Bear Mountain house is the perfect place to stay for a romantic getaway or an outdoor adventure. The two-story living room windows highlight the stunning mountain view, which you can enjoy while the fireplace keeps you warm and cozy. The home was recently refurnished, so you will find an open floor plan, a modern and spacious kitchen, and three welcoming bedrooms.

Immerse yourself in nature by biking, fishing, or kayaking — the Bear Mountain house offers plenty of nearby options.

“Within five minutes you have access to the French Broad River, and within 10 minutes you can find several state and national forests and parks,” says Lora.

Enjoy the music and arts scene at the White Squirrel Festival in May or dress up and dance at the Halloween festival in the fall. Get ready to have fun and reset; this comfortable mountain house awaits your visit.

Book it on: www.vrbo.com/1435573 Rate: $225 per night. Price subject to change.

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Living

On White Sand Beaches “Everyone in Costa Rica has a story of how they discovered this magical spot,” says Becky McHugh.

Becky’s Costa Rican story started in 2003 when she and her husband, Phil Lapkin, visited the country for an anniversary trip.

Their first night there, Becky and Phil met some people who had been exploring Costa Rica and heard their stories about ziplining, horseback riding up to waterfalls, mud baths, and everything in between.

“We were surprised. We generally lay on the beach, read a book, and have a cocktail.

All of those stories sounded so unique, so different. That was the beginning of us discovering what a special place Costa Rica is,” says Becky.

Six months later, the couple had a second home. Their four-bedroom luxury villa, Casa las Brisas, sits on Playa Flamingo’s white sand

beach, where the gentle ocean breeze keeps you cool and comfortable even on hot days.

With more than 4,000 square feet and an array of common and private spaces, the home is perfect for traveling with extended family or other couples. Made for cooking enthusiasts, the chef-ready kitchen is equipped with high-end appliances and cookware. Outside, a private pool, jacuzzi, and grill set the scene for entertainment filled days.

Spend your vacation at Casa las Brisas sipping on Costa Rican coffee (or cocktails) and enjoying the ocean view from the terrace, or take advantage of the many activities Playa Flamingo has to offer, including sport fishing, diving, and beautiful golf courses. The property manager is nearby and will gladly provide concierge and guest services.

“We think the country, people, and location are ideal, and it’s a pleasure for us to

HOMES

share our home. We want people to enjoy it and have as much fun as we do,” says Becky.

Book it on: casalasbrisascostarica.com Rate: $375 to $625 per night, excluding holidays. Varies according to the season.

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Living

GOURMET

MEET ME IN CDMX A long, gluttonous weekend in Mexico City reveals the area’s history and changing culture through food.

BY M A RY KAT E HA FNE R PHOTO S BY B L A K E M cGR EW

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L

ong-distance relationships are tricky. Even with our infinite options for digital connection, the feeling of being physically present with those we hold close is unmatched. So, how do you stay connected with friends who live 400 miles away?

You vacation.

For years, Jasmine, a close friend from college, and I have met in a city over a long weekend to make up for lost time. This year’s destination was Mexico City, or CDMX, a cosmopolitan hub that has held its top spot on my must-travel list for its eclecticism and culinary footprint.

Sitting in a bowl between mountains, CDMX is the largest metropolitan area by population in North America, with about 21 million residents. CDMX also has the largest population of Americans outside of the United States. The city is as overwhelming in its physical size, people, food, and culture as its people are overwhelming in their generosity. With only a few days, Jasmine; her fiancé, Blake; and I made the most of our time in CDMX.

HERE TO EAT AND EXPLORE Flying out of the Columbia Regional Airport early on a Thursday morning, by the time I landed and settled in CDMX, it was raining, and I was hungry. With my travel companions still flying over Texas, I sought my first meal.

A common symptom of high school Spanish is that one often doesn’t retain much.

Throughout my trip, I felt embarrassment over my lack of language skills. For a country that has a massive influence on my life and my country every day, it was humbling to admit the little I knew about its electrifying language and history.

Sitting down at Café El Asturiano, the hurdle of not speaking Spanish came to a point. Funny choice to visit the largest Spanish speaking city in the world without having mastered the most basic Spanish fundamentals, right?

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As the only non-CDMX resident in the café, my language dilemma was obvious.

When the café’s owner came over to assist me, my search for a snack turned into a multi-course meal and lecture on traditional food found in Mexico City.

My menu included fresh agave fruit juice, a light and brothy chicken soup, caramelized plantains served over rice, a brazen portion of chicharron (fried pork belly), followed by a smooth coffee and a sweet. The texture of the pork belly was gelatinous and chewy. I ate all of it.

One of the best parts of traveling to a new place is experiencing its food. As our universal commonality, food is an outstretched hand to introduce people to new cultures. When we eat, we use all five of our senses, and by tasting a place, you get to know a place’s history, culture, and people.

Living

GOURMET

An American Dream The city’s sizable American expat population has begun to influence the CDMX food scene in more substantial ways.

In the neighborhood of Juarez, Cicatriz Café is run by a brother and sister team from New York City. Breezy and inviting, Cicatriz offers a more vegetableforward menu, which can be hard to find in the city.

My meal at Cicatriz comprised of aceite de oliva y almendra (almond olive oil cake), zanahorias rostizadas (charred carrots sitting on a tahini yogurt topped with salsa macha), and a creamy cortado.

AL PASTOR. BRING IT ONCE. BRING IT THRICE. Tacos are the entry point for a lot of Mexican food. If you’re in CDMX and not eating the street food, you’re missing out. It doesn’t matter where in the city or the time of day, street stalls are there to subdue the mere idea of hunger.

There is a stall on every block serving something delicious, such as tortas, fresh fruit, or a snack crate. My favorite snack was caramel-covered nuts dusted with white sesame seeds. I may have pulled a squirrel and brought home an emergency supply for the winter.

Since tacos take up 40% of my food pyramid at home, I focused on taco street stalls, which seemed to share a similar formula. Submerged in a cauldron of bubbling fat, each piece of meat is essentially confited until perfection. Here is where timing is essential. Arrive too early to a stall,

and the meat will be chewy; however, arrive too late, and it will be overcooked. Around midday the meat will be tender and ready.

Like many cities, CDMX has an endless number of markets, full of snacks, goods, and fresh fruit (even in the autumn and winter).

Our first street taco was in the Coyoacan neighborhood outside a bustling market.

Sitting on a child-sized plastic stool, we devoured shredded chicken tacos with a cactus salsa, topped with queso fresco, which is a subtle and fresh crumbling white cheese.

Salsas and other toppings were scooped out of full-sized buckets.

Often, the middle of the copper pots housed a rounded plate for tortillas to heat up after taking a dip into the fat. In CDMX, I experienced tortillas as not only a vessel for flavor, but also vital to the experience itself.

We were able to taste the differences of the tortilla between stalls, some leaning thinner

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and towards the flavor of the meat itself, others thicker and nuttier.

When ordering, the vendor pulled meat out of the pot, chopped it, and handed it over to us.

Customers can request certain pieces, but if you’re like me and lack crucial Spanish speaking skills, then pointing, smiling, and overpaying for one’s tacos may be the best strategy.

One of Mexico City’s most famous street dishes is tacos al pastor. One can recognize al pastor by its cooking method, where layers of pork rotate on a spit next to a heat source. It’s a cousin of shawarma, which was introduced

Let ’s Salsa At every street stall or restaurant, there is salsa. Each one is entirely its own. There is no standardized salsa recipe. One must taste and smell every salsa to understand.

The salsas sit on tables in small bowls that can be distributed onto each bite of food. Smelling a salsa beforehand can give you the idea of its taste and spice level.

Salsa is not always hot, but when it is, it plays no games. The Mexican palate can handle heat.

According to an Uber driver, and a painful app-driven translation, children start eating hot foods around 3 years old in the form of spiced candies.

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to Mexico by Lebanese and Iraqi immigrants.

Mexico adopted local flavors of meat and dried chiles to create al pastor. Thinly sliced pork, pineapple, chopped onion, topped with cilantro make al pastor irresistible.

“GRACIAS, VUELVE OTRA VEZ” - THANK YOU, COME AGAIN Walking around the neighborhoods of Roma Norte and La Condesa, the lushness of the city surrounds its pedestrians. An abundance of trees and public nature spaces suggests that the city lives inside a jungle. It’s only fair to note that I experienced only a small slice of the city compared to other cities I’ve visited, but I felt at ease and safe throughout my entire trip.

The people I encountered were only hospitable and generous to an outsider.

Unfortunately, at home, the narrative of the city is different. I often hear Mexico and Mexico City’s vibrant culture, rich in history and art and generous people, pawned off as political playing cards. Conversations around my trip focused on warnings of imminent danger. When asked why I was going, I said, ‘to eat.’ By opening myself to that experience, I encountered hospitable and generous individuals who welcomed outsiders.

Only one warning: CDMX spoils its visitors with warmth. While I experienced only a morsel of CDMX, I left the city enamored and heartsick. It’s a city that radiates life, and I can’t wait to experience it again.

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Shop Hours During COVID-19: Monday-Saturday, 11-2 How to order: • Call 573.443.4438 to order over the phone.

• Text 573.219.6193 to order VIA text/FaceTime.

• Choose pick-up, mail, or delivery (for FREE in Columbia city limits with a $20 purchase.)

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YOUR BUSINESS HAS A STORY. WE CAN HELP YOU TELL IT. chimaeric.com | 573.289.5540

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Brendan Rost

Anne Tuckley

Jake Baumgartner

Ross Kulik

Marc Schumer

Beth Arey

ROST LANDSCAPING

ANNE TUCKLEY HOME

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Preparing for Initial Consultations

By Brendan Rost Find more at rostlandscaping.com

R

enovating a landscape offers endless possibilities and an opportunity to make an environment your own. In order to achieve the desired results from a project, it’s important to clearly convey your expectations. The initial meeting with a client is where we, as designers, gain the most insight on important factors such as lifestyle, function, style, and budget.

Your lifestyle defines your needs, which makes it a vital consideration. Young families often need to avoid fall hazards, can benefit from coaching on plant care, and need to anticipate future needs when considering a project. Retirees and busy professionals, on the other hand, require convenience, low-maintenance, and simplicity. We can anticipate many of these needs, but if you take a moment to identify what your lifestyle demands and inform your contractor, it ensures a design that is well suited to your routine.

If you’re new to renovations or have no knowledge of landscape design, explaining your vision for a space can be a challenge.

Other times, clients simply haven’t formed an opinion of what they want. Pinterest boards, magazines, and example sites are

terrific ways to get your personal taste across. A lot of this process is conveying the feel of the space, once that’s communicated, tailoring the space to your needs becomes straightforward. If you’re unsure, ask your designer what they see in the space and go from there. The landscape works best when it complements the architecture and space around it. Incorporating a flair from another style with the help of a knowledgeable designer can give your yard that pop that makes it stand out from the blur of suburban landscape.

In function, there is beauty. Features like steps, walls, and screens are often overlooked but can become keystones of a project with the right material and placement. Many features that aid in aesthetics serve a dual purpose: water features or paths for drainage, walls for seating and retainage, and boulders for

accents and foundation are a great start.

It’s important to explain the issues you’re facing and rely on the designer’s expertise to solve the problem in an aestheticallypleasing manner.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room—budget. It’s perfectly reasonable to be unsure of the price tag of your wish list and the only way to find out is to have it bid by a reputable contractor. Revisions are a natural part of the process, but if you have a ballpark on what you’re able to afford on your project, please share it with the estimator. By communicating any budgets upfront, instead of after the first draft, you can streamline the design process.

Every project is unique in its own way, but planning ahead and adequately communicating your wants and needs will get your project moving in the right direction from the start.

Brendan Rost

ROST LANDSCAPING Brendan Rost is a Columbia native and son of owners Tim and Toby Rost. He grew up playing at the garden center and nursery and has worked in all divisions of Rost Inc. Brendan received his B.S. in Horticulture and Design from the University of Missouri and now works as a designer in the landscaping division. He thrives on building relationships and creating unique landscapes that complement the space.

573-445-4465 ROSTLANDSCAPING.COM

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Now is the time to create.

By Anne Tuckley Find more at AnneTuckleyhome.com

W

hen the clock ticked from 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2019, to midnight January 1, 2020, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that what has become our present reality was a few short months away.

As the economy slows down, travel halts, and people hunker down in their homes, it is easy to suddenly feel emotionally and socially bare.

I spent a recent weekend doing a lot of selfreflection, and as I scroll or flip through the endless journalism and personal accounts, there is one constant I am seeing: innovation.

People are creative. Small business owners are completely shifting how they do business so that they can continue to do business.

Neighbors are singing together across balconies. Friends are hosting virtual happy hours. As long as we stay creative and as long as we have that outlet, our experiences and opportunities are not halted.

So while you are home, indulge in your own creativity and the creativity of those around you. Take one of the numerous virtual online museum tours. Sit on your porch and write that book you've been wanting to start. Bond with your loved ones while tackling those home design projects. Look up new recipes from another culture to take your tastebuds out of their comfort zone.

Brainstorm with friends as to how you can impact those that need help right now.

Creativity is powerful.

Anne Tuckley

ANNE TUCKLEY HOME Anne has been in the interior design industry for over 20 years and has resided in many metropolitan cities from NYC to Houston while honing in on her skills. Her specialties are interior design and home staging, with a focus on unique perception. Anne graduated with a BFA in fine art with a concentration in design and illustration. She has extensive experience in designing new construction as well as remodeling and conceptualizing out-of-the-box ideas. She ensures cutting edge design and superb customer service.

108 CORPORATE LAKE PLACE, COLUMBIA, MO 65203 573-639-1989 | ANNETUCKLEYHOME.COM

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We’ve Got Your Back

By Jake Baumgartner Find more at baumgartners.com

H

ow long has it been since you replaced your mattress? Are you looking for a new mattress, but don’t know where to begin?

After a long day of work, a mattress that fits your needs is a crucial element in the bedroom. Mattresses continue to evolve everyday, and this evolution gives you several varieties to choose from. Here are a few types of foam-formed mattresses to help guide your shopping.

TEMPURPEDIC OR GEL-MEMORY FOAM Memory foam is a popular choice for people looking for a new mattress since its creation in the 70s. So what’s the big deal about a memory foam mattress? Memory foam mattresses conform and remember the curves of your body. As you lay in bed for a peaceful night of sleep, the memory foam gets pushed down, allowing your body weight to be evenly distributed. This also creates ease to relieve your pressure points.

Tempurpedic foam is a complete step above regular memory foam. It relieves all pressure points while sleeping.

INNERSPRING Looking for some durable support for your sleep? The classic innerspring mattresses

are continuing to adapt, so much so, that they won’t be going out of style anytime soon. These coil mattresses will offer you a comforting night of sleep and support your entire body for any movement you make throughout the night. Most innersprings now are made with individual pocketed coils to prevent motion transfer but also give you a supportive base.

HYBRID

Can’t decide if a memory foam or innerspring mattress is right for you? Try a hybrid mattress. These hybrid mattresses

are made up of a combination of memory foam and coils to give you the best of both worlds for your relaxing night of rest.

A hybrid mattress will provide you with breathability, comfort, and support for your night. A hybrid mattress will give you the benefits of an all-Foam with a more traditional feel of an innerspring.

Need help choosing your next mattress?

Whatever your project, we’re here to help. Visit our showrooms in Columbia and Auxvasse and let our staff help you start the year off right with the latest living room furniture.

Jake Baumgartner

BAUMGARTNER’S FURNITURE Jake essentially grew up in the furniture industry as he is the fourth generation involved in Baumgartner’s Furniture. Working very closely with his father, Alan, Jake has been devoted to the stores full-time since 2004. His greatest enjoyment, however, still comes from working closely with the customers. He is married to Sarah and they have two active boys, Noah and Laine. Jake received his degree in finance from Saint Louis University.

573-256-6288 BAUMGARTNERS.COM

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Mortgage Rates and the Coronavirus

By Ross Kulik Find more at tlclender.com

L

et’s face it — the last couple of months have been tough on all of us. Heading into the spring with a blazing economy and a historically favorable housing market for homebuyers, we all seemed to be on cruise control. Then came COVID-19. Now a sense of uncertainty seems to have taken over almost every facet of our lives, and unfortunately, that includes the mortgage industry.

As concern about coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads across the globe, markets are reacting to its real and perceived threats to economic growth.

Treasury yields are (way) down, which has in turn pushed interest rates in the mortgage market down as well. In the short-term, that can be a good thing, especially for anyone looking to refinance.

But while low mortgage rates may have lenders hustling for business, the economic impact of the coronavirus on the mortgage market will undoubtedly be a challenge in the long-term.

THE ECONOMY

A booming economy means folks are in the market, plain and simple. An uncertain economy usually means just the opposite.

While the stock market will ebb and flow as it has throughout its history, supply chain disruptions will hurt certain sectors of the economy in the longer term, with some of those ramifications being felt by ordinary citizens and families.

Manufacturing industries in the Midwest and South rely on outputs from China. While Midwestern states may not suffer the largest blows due to Chinese struggles, we won’t be immune from both direct and indirect consequences across a variety of industries.

THE MORTGAGE INDUSTRY These economic realities play as big of a role in the mortgage industry as low interest rates.

In fact, in the short-term, it will probably play a larger role.

Chief Financial Analyst for Bankrate, Greg McBride, was recently quoted as saying “The falling yield on the 30-year treasury bond is reflective of the concerns about the impact of coronavirus on the U.S. and global economies; however, the 30-year bond doesn’t directly affect mortgage rates.

Instead, look to the 10-year treasury note where the yield has fallen below the 1.5% threshold and is drawing closer to the alltime low of 1.37%.”

THE MORAL OF THE STORY Is there uncertainty out there? For sure!

But now is still a good time to shop your mortgage. Rates on 30 & 15 fixed rate mortgages are low, which if utilized, could mean paying off a loan much quicker and saving a mountain of cash in the process.

In the mortgage world, every situation is unique. Your variables may mean bettering your situation by looking now, while others might not.

One thing is for certain . . . it never hurts to ask! Contact me today and we’ll make sure you have the info you need to make a good decision!

Ross Kulik

TOTAL LENDING CONCEPTS Ross grew up in St. Louis but calls Columbia home. He is married with two wonderful daughters and two sweet dogs. Over the last 20 years, he has counseled numerous families on how to purchase and refinance their homes. As you may know, the mortgage industry has changed immensely. How do you know who will best help you through this process with honesty and integrity? Ross’s repeat customers say that he made their transactions effortless, and they appreciated his honest and straightforward approach. When Ross is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family and hiking and biking on the many trails and parks in and around his hometown.

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To Tint a Home

By Marc Schumer Find more at windowtintcolumbiamo.com

T

here are a lot of decisions to make when you’re a homeowner. Tinting your windows with Llumar Vista Window Film is one of the best decisions you can make for not only your house, but also your family.

Here are some reasons why tinting your home’s windows is one of the smartest decisions you can make as a homeowner.

IMPROVING CURB APPEAL The color of houses go in and out of style so quickly that it’s hard to keep up with these latest trends. Window tinting, however, remains consistent. Tinting provides several benefits for your safety, comfort, and wallet. Not only that, but after the tinting has been installed by The Tint Guys, it will require minimal maintenance on your part.

IMPROVING SAFETY AND SECURITY Crime, vandalism, and natural disasters are just some of the events homeowners worry about today, but there’s a simple solution to help decrease some of this worry: window tinting. Llumar Safety and Security Window Films are designed with heavy-duty polyester that have been bonded with strong adhesives which help keep your windows in tact in the point of impact.

IMPROVING PRIVACY

Everyone should be able to be at ease when they are in the comfort of their own home.

Window tinting can help make this possible by making it more difficult for your neighbors to see you as you are going about your day, but it won’t restrict you from a nice view of the outdoors.

IMPROVING SAVINGS

Missouri weather can be unpredictable.

As the seasons begin to change and the temperatures start to rise, so does your energy bill. Llumar Vista Window Films helps reduce these warm temperatures to provide

you with a more comfortable home and a more comfortable bill.

IMPROVING YOUR SCREEN TIME No one likes when a glare disrupts your ability to watch your favorite movie. Whether your vision is being disrupted on the television, phone, or laptop, window tinting can help decrease this glare. Llumar Vista Window Film can reduce these glares, allowing you to have a relaxing screen-time experience.

Are you ready to take the next step to improve your home? Give the Tint Guys a call; we’ll find the right Llumar Vista Window FIlm for you.

Marc Schumer

THE TINT GUYS, A DIVISION OF SOUND PERFORMANCE INC Marc and his wife, Shelly, have been in business in the same location serving Columbia and the surrounding areas for nearly 20 years. Their original focus on personal connection, expert service, and value-based products stands as true today as it did in 2001. They truly enjoy bringing solution-based options with competitive pricing to all of Mid-Missouri. They split their time between their work-family and their six kids and one grandchild.

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Finding the Right Agent

a real estate agent can make a very big difference in the sale of your home. Agents come with a variety of skills and it’s important to pick one that’s right for you. Here’s a list of questions to help you “interview” an agent:

By Beth Arey

1.

Find more at discovercolumbiamo.com

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f you’re planning to put your home on the market soon, you are certainly not the only one! Some studies have shown that homes sell for the highest dollar (and the quickest!) during the first months of Spring. While it might seem like an “easy” time to sell, there are steps you shouldn’t skip! Investing in

2.

3.

How many years have you been working in the Columbia market? What is your level of experience?

Do you have a personal list of preferred contractors such as handymen, real estate photographers, lawn care professionals, home inspectors, etc?

Do you offer a selling plan that includes things such as open houses and marketing?

4.

5.

How many closed deals do you average per month or year?

How easily can I get into contact with you? Are you able to get back with me in a short amount of time?

All of these questions will help you find an agent that is the right fit for you, and some of the answers to these questions might hold a higher priority to you than others! We also suggest meeting with your prospective listing agents to walk through your home and get a better feel for their personality and the suggestions they might have for getting your home “market ready.”

Beth Arey

TRACY AREY REAL ESTATE Beth enjoys learning about the clients she serves and creating the reality of achieving homeownership! Competitive by nature, she shines best when working with buyers. The best part of her day is when she’s able to tell her client that their offer has been accepted! Within the brokerage, she is Tracy Arey Real Estate’s broker, buyers’ agent, and transaction coordinator. Her family is the core of who she is; between Tracy and her, they have four children, two daughters-in-law and two granddaughters. Tracy and her are so proud of their kids’ accomplishments and the people they have grown up to be! Did you know that Beth received two degrees from the University of Missouri and taught elementary school at both Shepard Elementary School and Columbia Independent School?

Lets

GO!

Can’t make it to warmer regions?

Start planning your next escape with a few of our favorite travel essentials.

PHOTO BY KEITH BORGMEYER STYLED BY TIFFANY SCHMIDT

Products courtesy of:

PLUME • Leather luggage tassel • Leave the Path sticker • Wood pen • Aromatherapy • Maars wooden travel cup

POPPY • Explore More journal • 1canoe2 wallet • Hemlock scarf • Leather keychain • Pins

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JESSICA SHAW • Leather crossbody bag • Leather wrap bracelet • Stone bead bracelet • May Your Travels Be Many notebook

ALPINE SHOP • Reusable straws • Laundry bag • Compass flask

Living

FAVORITE FINDS

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BRANSON OR BUST A hometown girl’s guide to the best attractions in the Springfield-Branson area.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BETH BRAMSTEDT

BACK IN THE MID-1980s, when my parents declared we were moving to Ozark, Missouri, I thought they were crazy. I knew about the Ozark Mountains, and the Lake of the Ozarks, but I couldn’t wrap my head around living in a small, one stoplight town named Ozark, located on Highway 65 between Springfield and Branson.

But move we did. And while I migrated to Columbia for college, my parents and sister settled in Ozark, giving me ample opportunity to watch the area’s development through the years.

Today, the Highway 65 corridor from Springfield to Branson serves as a seamless driveway connecting the area’s best attractions, including Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, in Springfield, and Big Cedar Lodge and Dogwood Canyon, in the Branson area.

My dad has also since been elected the mayor of Ozark, so he and my mom were happy to host when I told them we wanted to give readers a personal tour of the best fun the area has to offer.

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WONDERS OF WILDLIFE Did you know that the lion’s mane jellyfish is the largest jellyfish species known to exist?

Their bell can get as wide as seven feet, while their tentacles extend over 100 feet, making it longer than a blue whale.

And while containing one in an aquarium would be virtually impossible, curious museum goers can see a diver interact with one via video at Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, which sits next to the national headquarters of Bass Pro Shops in Springfield. The 1.5 million–gallon aquarium opened in September of 2017 and is a not-forprofit educational conservation attraction.

I wanted company for my excursion there, and my mom was happy to oblige.

The 350,000-square-foot experience took us just under five hours to complete and led us around a 300,000-gallon circular ocean, past 35,000 animals including 800 species of fish, eels, sharks, rays, and jellies, and through 1.5 miles of immersive wildlife galleries, featuring a record-setting collection of game animals and 4D dioramas.

Once we worked our way past the opening exhibits, our journey transported us under the ocean to a coral reef, where parrotfish swam about and bright blue eels lurked in the shadows. Center stage was the wreckage of a ship, the mast and crow’s nest covered in barnacles. Tropical fish of all shapes and colors splashed around, and a look over the railing’s edge revealed stingrays gliding freely below.

I found myself particularly enamored by the harlequin tuskfish. Based on their bright colors and rainbow stripes, it was hard to believe that they are a solitary and territorial species.

With the push of a door, we left the ocean behind and found ourselves in a dark and creepy swamp. The rock formations, trees, and even the sounds reminded me of trips to

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the Florida Everglades. Flamingos, otters, a pelican, and even a beaver played in the surrounding water while an alligator kept a keen watch over the people coming and going.

The journey continued through the Amazon, where piranhas, peacock bass, and frogs frolicked behind the glass. The temperature changed dramatically as we moved into a cave, which was full of short-tailed bats, stalactites, and albino catfish.

The adventure had something for everyone. Kids felt the velvet-like skin of the rays, fishing buffs took in the bass museum and other exhibits, and the brave paid a little extra to swim with the sharks (while enclosed in a metal cage, of course). Along the way, photos, videos, and memorabilia of Johnny Morris’ own fishing adventures gave us a sense of the man behind the attraction and his passion for conservation.

The journey wasn’t complete without a visit to the wildlife galleries located upstairs at Bass Pro. The adventure began with the history of the great buffalo hunt of local Native

Americans, along with the expedition of Lewis and Clark, depicted through the eyes of an artist who followed their route while painting.

A tour of the national parks was up next, along with lifelike dioramas of the animals that inhabit them. A few steps later, the walkway led to Sheep Mountain, an expansive room that featured animals hunted in Spain and Nepal by John Paul Morris, Johnny’s son. With a touch of the screen, we learned the names of each species of sheep on display and where they were found.

The galleries also included Penguin’s Cove, where the quirky nautical birds dove and slid in and out of the water, entertaining us with their waddling and honking.

An impressive African exhibit transported us to the Serengeti, complete with open grasslands full of giraffes, elephants, and zebras roaming about.

Following an exhibit of work

by David Yarrow, a renowned wildlife photographer, we found ourselves back in the real world educated, amused, entertained, and ready for dinner!

I BRAKE FOR FUNNEL CAKE

S ILV E R D O LL A R CIT Y While Silver Dollar City will offer a nonstop season of thrills during their 60th Diamond Jubilee this year, my recommendation is to show up with an empty stomach and eat your way through the park.

The world-class festivals, rides, and attractions will only whet your appetite for Chester’s kettle chips, Buckshot’s skillets, Fanny’s funnel cakes, and much more.

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BIG CEDAR LODGE Big Cedar Lodge offered a scenic drive down a three-mile private road that featured panoramic views of the Ozark Mountains, Table Rock Lake, and a few deer (if you’re as lucky as we were). A waterfall cascaded from the conference center as my mom and I passed across several water crossings and steered our way to the registration building.

Beautiful gardens of daisies, lilies, and pink and purple wildflowers took our breath away while signs for the Cedar Creek Spa, The Shoppe at Big Cedar, and Truman’s Café and Custard caught our attention.

From the grounds alone, it was clear that Johnny Morris developed Big Cedar as a destination for friends and families to connect to the outdoors while enjoying all the comforts of home.

The world-class resort includes welcoming accommodations, mouth-watering restaurants, two full-service marinas, a 50,000

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square-foot activity center, Buzzard Bar, four golf courses, several swimming pools, and countless fishing and outdoor adventures.

And for those wanting to pamper themselves, Cedar Creek Spa offers a sublime experience. The entrance was stunning and the atmosphere serene. The absence of cell phones and voices were noticeable, and artwork by Johnny Morris’ wife, Ginny, added a personal touch to the exquisite space.

With any facial, massage, or body treatment, guests have full use of the spa, which includes a heated pool and sauna in each dressing room, an outdoor patio with lounge chairs, an indoor relaxation room for reading, a co-ed grotto soaking pool, and fi replaces in each of the treatment rooms.

Every detail of Big Cedar was designed to foster tranquility, hospitality, adventure, and a genuine sense of heaven on earth.

QUACK QUACK

F IN LE Y R I V E R DAYS

A trip to Southwest Missouri would be incomplete without a stop in Ozark, my old stomping grounds.

The reason for my current trip: Finley River Days at the Sertoma Duck Race Festival.

The annual summer festival takes over the local park and boasts live music, games and activities for the kids, food, handmade crafts, a hot air balloon glow, and even a duck race. It’s the best of small-town life, and I immediately felt at home.

After watching my niece ride a kayak and stuffing my belly with barbeque and homemade root beer, I settled in among family to watch the sunset, followed by the glow of the hot air balloons.

It was the perfect end to a week of fun and adventure. As I sat watching the stars, taking it all in, I made a note to come back on June 19 and 20 for the 2020 festival. Date subject to change or cancelation.

And by then, I realized, Finley Farms, Johnny Morris’ new development, will provide even more reasons to visit. After all, the weekly farmers’ market I experienced the night before is only the beginning of a plan that includes a brick coffee shop, a working farm, chapel, the renovated mill, and new dining and shopping opportunities.

DOGWOOD CANYON

Despite the summer heat, a cool breeze blew as I gazed at the Indian Cliff Falls and enjoyed my barbecue brisket sandwich and ice-cold lemonade on the patio of the Canyon Grill.

My mom and I chattered quietly, eagerly anticipating our upcoming Wildlife Tram Tour.

What was a 260-acre trout farm when Johnny Morris purchased it in 1990 is now a 10-plus acre wildlife conservation area and nature park. Even the entrance, which houses the restaurant, a working mill, the gift shop, and a conservation center, is a beautiful site. Sycamore trees in full bloom cover the landscape in a sea of green. An azure sky and colorful wildflowers beckoned us to explore.

The property is managed by the Dogwood Canyon Foundation, which is dedicated to protecting the natural plants and wildlife of the area. Adventure seekers can tour the canyon using their preferred method of transportation: bicycle, Segway, horse, tram, or their own two feet.

While other methods offered a slower-paced, personal view of the area, the two-hour, openair tram ride was the only option for visiting the pastures, home to American bison, elk, deer, and longhorn cattle herds. That made our decision easy.

As our guide steered us through the rugged landscape, she reminded us of how Johnny got his start. Johnny’s dad owned the Brown Derby liquor stores in Springfield. In 1972, at the age of 14, Johnny started selling fishing lures out of the back of those stores. Eventually he opened a one-stop fishing shop, and Bass Pro Shops was born.

Today, Johnny’s legacy extends to providing spaces, like Dogwood Canyon, for people to get out and enjoy the outdoors for themselves.

Our leisurely drive takes us past Little Indian Creek, a self-guided fishing area, an ancient burial cave, crystal clear trout streams, and dozens of cascading waterfalls.

A stop at Hope Wilderness Chapel yields a breathtaking view of the scenery and a chance to admire the craftsmanship of the Dogwood Canyon staff, who built the structure in 2002 to replicate churches from the 1800s. It now serves as a popular wedding venue.

At Glory Hole, often considered the favorite spot of guests, we had an opportunity to feed the giant rainbow trout. We discovered that the pool

is 16 feet deep at its center and the adjoining cave extends 300 feet into the mountain behind the waterfall. When the sunlight hit it just right, the water illuminated a brilliant turquoise in color.

After admiring the beauty of Seven Pools, Turtle Rock Bridge, and Emerald Pool, we arrived in Arkansas. As we drove through the tall grass, everyone aboard searched earnestly for the family of deer. The effort paid off as someone spotted them nestled in the grass, enjoying an afternoon nap.

As the drive continued, our group experienced a surprise — the herds of elk and American bison grazing together near the road. The tram pulled up and stopped. As we looked around in amazement, elk strolled up to the vehicle, checked us out, and then continued about their business. While the buffalo stayed sitting still, their massive bodies and faces were close enough for us to admire their features and fur. I imagine this is what Johnny Morris intended when he envisioned the purpose of the property in those early days.

And while the Longhorn cattle were hiding on this particular day, it only gave me another reason to come back in late April, when the 250 dogwood trees in the canyon will be in full bloom.

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Thank

You, Columbia!

See You Next Year.

On the Road Again The COMO magazine staff shares their favorite nearby weekend getaways where they unplug and unwind.

BY JENNIFER TRUESDALE

Warm summer days are coming, and when our shelter-in-place orders are lifted, why not consider a weekend getaway right here in Missouri? Here are four trip options, none more than a four-hour drive away, that come highly recommended by the COMO magazine staff. Whether you want a relaxing spa sanctuary, a shopping blitz, a winery experience, or a prayer retreat, these options have you covered.

Luxurious & Indulgent

The Elms Spa and Hotel, Excelsior Springs

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f your idea of a perfect weekend trip includes top-notch spa services at a gorgeous destination hotel, look no farther than the Elms Hotel and Spa in Excelsior Springs, just two hours west of Columbia on the northeast side of Kansas City.

The hotel has a long and storied past, originally becoming known as “America’s Health Haven” in the late 1800s for the reported healing properties of its springs. The fi rst two Elms hotels burned to the ground in 1898 and 1910.

A popular wedding and retreat venue, today’s hotel was built in 1912 and sits on 16 garden-fi lled acres. Despite the Great Depression, the hotel flourished in the 1930s, hosting many celebrities and politicians, including soon-tobe president Harry Truman and Al Capone.

Whether you choose a “classic” room, a “superior” room, or a “royal experience” room, you will find upscale furnishings and superb customer service. The 25,000-square-foot spa facility boasts a European lap pool, 24/7 fitness room, hot tub, sauna, and services like massage, facials, manipedis, hair styling, and body treatments for men and women alike.

And don’t forget about the dining! 88 at the Elms serves rustic American Midwest fare with locally sourced ingredients for breakfast,

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lunch and dinner. The Imbibe lounge features Missouri beer, wine, coffee, and fancy cocktails, and The Tavern, an additional lounge, serves pub fare and cocktails and makes a great place to relax for those in town for a meeting or conference.

COMO’s publisher Erica Pefferman frequents the Elms and fi nds it difficult to name just one thing she enjoys the most. “First, the spa is amazing!” she says.

“It’s one of my favorites of all time, and I’ve been to a lot of spas. Also, the bar on the top floor with all of the woodwork is delightful, and it’s such a good time to relax with a cocktail.”

Erica is also quick to note that she enjoys going with other people. “I love to go with my two best friends. We use it as a way to get quality time together and decompress while still staying close to home. The hotel's historic charm is amazing! We loved exploring all of the old floors and corners,” she says.

As for what a fi rst-timer should try, Erica recommends exploring the grounds as well as the hotel. And as you enjoy a nice cocktail or glass of wine in the bar, ask the bartender to tell you some of the historical stories attached to the Elms. For example, did you know that it’s where Truman found out he had actually won the election for president? That story and more await you at the Elms.

Scenic & Refreshing Chaumette Vineyards and Winery, Ste. Genevieve

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f taking in some fresh air and gazing out over rolling scenery while enjoying a glass of wine is your ideal weekend getaway, consider taking the three-hour drive to the Chaumette Winery and Vineyards in Ste. Genevieve.

Established in 1990, the winery sits on 310 acres, 30 of which are devoted to grapevines. The Chaumette Village features elegant, rustic villas and suites for guests that boast gorgeous views of the property. With all of these beautiful amenities, it’s no wonder the winery is a popular place for people to tie the knot.

The winery also hosts a balloon glow each fall at sunset, a memorable, free

event that’s a great option for families.

The Grapevine Grill features a farm-totable menu and Cajun cuisine dinners each Thursday, and the tasting room is a must for enjoying their wide selection of craft wines. The selection is mostly dry, with semi-sweet and sweet wines available, including a vintage port.

Chaumette even has a wine club you can join that will send you two bottles of wine six times a year, and it comes with perks like discounts at the Grapevine Grill, gift shop, and the villas.

Contributing editor Beth Bramstedt visited the winery last summer with her husband. “We were captivated by the laidback pace and beauty of the winery. We explored the grounds, relaxed at the pool, and watched the sun set over the hills.”

She recommends not rushing your experience and making plans to stay for two nights to experience both lunch and dinner at the Grapevine Grill. “Even the burger was extraordinary, especially when enjoyed with the view from the outdoor patio,” she says.

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Shop Until You Drop

The Mennonite Community, Versailles

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f you love to explore local shops and restaurants when you travel, consider devoting a weekend to Versailles, just north of the Lake of the Ozarks, where you can find more than 100 shops owned by local Mennonites.

Downtown Versailles boasts a variety of boutique and thrift shops, selling everything from hand-crafted gifts, spices, and gardening supplies to furniture, antiques, seeds, plants, fabric, quilts, and fresh produce.

With Versailles just more than an hour’s jaunt from Columbia, plan to leave early enough to give yourself plenty of time to shop.

“I felt like I was on a treasure hunt of sorts,” says Amy Ferrari, COMO’s operations manager. “We went store to store and were never really sure what to expect or what we would find. It felt like an adventure.” She recommends grabbing the brochure with the map of all the stores. Many of the shops themselves carry the brochure, but you can also get one online.

From Versailles, head east on Highway C to Lehman’s Restaurant, a Mennoniteowned establishment that features traditional Mennonite cooking for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are also a number of Mennonite bakeries in the area for those with a sweet tooth.

Looking to stay a while? Check out one of the historic bed-and-breakfasts in Versailles.

The Hilty Inn is a beautiful Victorian home built in 1877 that boasts breakfast in bed and vegetarian options, while the Manley Estates is a fairy-tale cottage that is more than 140 years old and fi lled with antique furniture.

Nearby Jacob’s Cave allows you to take a look at the world’s largest geode. If a weekend getaway wouldn’t be complete without a round of golf, the Rolling Hills Country Club’s 18-hole course is open to the public. Managed

by PGA professional Steve Nowalski, the course is moderately challenging, with gentle rolling hills and three lakes. And the Lake of the Ozarks is just 15 minutes away, so enjoying many of the area’s attractions is easily doable in a single weekend.

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Get Unplugged Assumption Abbey, Ava

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hile visiting a monastery may not be the fi rst thing you think of when looking for a weekend getaway, the Assumption Abbey can’t be beat when you want some quiet time to reflect, pray, meditate, and completely disconnect from the disturbances of modern technology.

The abbey is nestled in the Ozark woods of Ava, about an hour and a half southeast of Springfield, just north of the Missouri-Arkansas border. The monks who founded the abbey were of the Cistercian Order and came to Ava from Iowa in 1950 to establish the monastic community. The monks living there now are from Vietnam.

The Guest House has nine modestly furnished rooms (no telephones, TV, or Wi-Fi), in which guests may stay for free, though donations are greatly appreciated. If you wish to visit with children, the Family Guest House can accommodate families and is about a mile from the monastery.

Breakfast is self-served, and two meals a day prepared by the monks are offered to guests, but don’t expect anything fancy.

Guests are invited to roam about the 3,000 acres of rolling hills, streams, and trails on the property. The monks observe seven sessions of prayer daily, the fi rst beginning at 3:15 a.m. Their lifestyle creates a generally silent way of life, and this is not the place for noisy cell phones, laptops, or tablets.

“I've returned over and over again because it is such a valuable reset for my brain,” says Cassidy Shearrer, COMO’s art director. “It is a mental health balm.

Depending on what is going on in life, sometimes one of us ends up sleeping most of the weekend. I end up keeping odd hours, waking when I wake and sleeping when I want to sleep.”

Sound wonderful? Cassidy advises folks to bring cash to buy one of the renowned fruitcakes that the monks bake as a means to offset the operating costs of the monastery, and to call ahead to let the monks know you are arriving.

Be patient, as most of the monks are not fluent in English.

Otherwise, bring that pile of books you’ve been meaning to read, your journal, and your hiking boots. “I consider regular trips to this place to be crucial for my sanity,” Cassidy says.

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Quality in every aspect.

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We feel such gratitude

for all those who’ve become such dear friends and valued clients.

We are blessed

to have gotten to know you … and help dress you!

MY SISTER’S CIRCUS We look forward to seeing you when we reopen!

573-443-5618 • 1110 E. Broadway, Columbia Independent Distributor of LipSense

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Living

COUPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW

Chad & Jaime Freidrichs Chad and Jaime Freidrichs describe their nomadic relationship and their favorite places to live and work.

HOW DID YOU MEET? Jaime: In 2000, the summer before I started

college, we both worked at Busters inside the Campus Inn. I was the day-shift waitress and Chad was the night-shift cook, but we worked together one afternoon for an event.

He requested to work a day shift so he could work with me, and we went on our first date that afternoon.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST DATE? Chad: Jaime accepted my invitation to watch “The Blair Witch Project”! She was terrified, but she put on a brave face. We don’t see scary movies anymore.

WHAT KEEPS YOU BUSY DURING THE WEEK? J: I help nonprofit organizations raise money

by providing fundraising coaching and technical support. All of my work is done by phone, video, or email, so I can work from anywhere with an internet connection. My clients are all in Missouri, so the work keeps me connected with home while we travel.

C: I’m a documentary filmmaker, so I spend

most of my time working on my current project. I also do remote freelance editing work and help other filmmakers finish their films.

HOW DOES TRAVEL PLAY INTO YOUR LIFE? C: Travel is at the center of our current lifestyle.

We had been settled in Columbia together for over 15 years, but three years ago, we decided to live a “location-independent” lifestyle — where we move from place to place like nomads — for at least a year. That year began in Budapest in May of 2018. Since then, we’ve continued to travel throughout the world, typically living in places for between two and six weeks. We usually return to see friends and family in Missouri at least twice a year.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR FREE TIME? J: We love watching professional soccer.

We’re both really big Liverpool fans in the English Premier League. And as we travel, football (as it is called everywhere else) is a fun sporting event to attend with the local fans. We’ve been to professional soccer matches in Brazil, Turkey, Hungary, Colombia, Greece, and Mexico.

WHAT IS THE KEY TO A LASTING AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP?

C: Japan, because it’s the whole package. The

place is so different from the U.S. and so fun in so many ways. Japan makes me smile just thinking about it. The cities are clean and green and efficient, and nature is never too far away.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK? C: For longer periods, we’ve enjoyed Turkey,

Central Europe and the Balkans, and Thailand. But if I had to pick one home away from home, it’d be Mexico City.

J: Communication. In our wedding vows,

Chad promised to talk to me a lot and listen to me even more.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE

C: I think the basic reason we’ve had such

J: When we were back in the U.S. in

longevity is that we genuinely enjoy each other’s company in just about every context (except scary movies).

December, we took a short trip to New York City where a clip of Chad’s 2011 film was on display at the Museum of Modern Art. I coproduced and co-wrote the film with him, so that project will always stand out as a favorite for many reasons. Seeing it in a world-class museum with so many people stopping to watch the clip was an amazing experience.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DESTINATION AND WHY? J: Cappadocia, Turkey. It is a magical place

with unbelievable rock formations, cave hotels, ancient underground cities, and fantastic Anatolian food. Also, 150 hot air balloons ascend nearly every morning at sunrise, which is an incredible sight from the ground and also an unforgettable first balloon ride.

PROJECT TO WORK ON TOGETHER?

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THE TWO OF YOU? J: More travel! This year we’ll visit five

continents, including Africa for the first time.

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EST 1925

We’re Hiring!

Now hiring full-time, part-time, and temporary team members.

Mowers & Grounds Maintenance Technicians

General Cleaners

Day and evening shifts available.

Apply online at atkinsinc.com today!

“Shoulda Called Atkins!”

(573) 874-5100 • atkinsinc.com •

Working

83 YOUR ADVENTURE AWAITS Jerry Price, a travel agent with Direct Travel, reflects on more than 30 years in the travel industry.

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COMING INTO THEIR OWN 1canoe2 looks back on their first 10 years of business and ever-evolving aesthetic.

87 PERSON YOU SHOULD KNOW Meet Mike Griggs, director of Columbia’s parks and recreation department.

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CLOSER LOOK

APRIL 2020

Morgan explains that the day care offers Columbia’s dogs five services: day care, boarding — also referred to as “NightStay” — grooming, training, and Woof’s at-home services.

“We’re not just putting your dog in a kennel all day. The big thing for Woof’s is socializing.

It’s more of an enhanced day care approach,” Morgan says.

The goal of Woof’s services is for dogs to return to their owners with better behavior than they started with.

Morgan’s plans for the future include continuing to grow and find more markets that are in need of a day care center for dogs.

“We’re offering a home away from home for your animal,” she says.

205 E. NIFONG, STE. 130 573-615-0495 WOOFSPL AYSTAY.COM/COLUMBIA

Paleteria El Tajín

Three Story Coffee

Business partners Nick McKague and Tony Anderson believe there are three stories when it comes to coffee: the farmer’s, the customer’s, and the coffee shop’s. These three stories come together at Three Story Coffee, a coffee house that began in Jefferson City before opening in Columbia.

Nick explains that Three Story Coffee values the relationships they have with their farmers and customers. “We buy directly from the farmer and have [the coffee] imported in.

We can help them produce a better product, which in turn makes them more money and allows us to provide a better product to our customer,” Nick explains.

Currently, the partners want to focus on providing a top-quality product to the Columbia community and seeing how Three

Story Coffee can grow from there. Nick says, “We want to share our story and tell people why we invest in our farmers and why we do the things we do — because we want to help other people.”

300 N. TENTH ST., STE. 100 573-447-8050 THREESTORYCOFFEE.COM

Woof’s Play & Stay

With a passion for dogs and a search for a new market, Woof’s Play & Stay opened its doors to the fi rst Columbia location in late January after its success at locations in Kansas and Kansas City. The dog day care is run by avid dog lover and area manager Morgan Rankin.

The Herrera family’s dream of owning their own business, paired with the persistence of Yesica Herrera, the chef of the family, sparked the creation and opening of their own Mexican restaurant, Paleteria El Tajín.

The restaurant offers a wide range of dishes that are popular in Mexico, from empanadas to mangonada, a traditional ice cream treat.

“We wanted to do something that people don’t find easily here in Columbia,” Yoselin Herrera, co-owner of Paleteria El Tajín, explains. The dishes offered at Paleteria El Tajín are recipes from the Herrera family kitchen that were taught to Yesica over the years.

Yoselin explains that while opening another location is the family’s big vision, right now, they’d like to get a space that’s big enough to make their own ice cream and popsicles. Yoselin says, “When people come here, they find a good experience — we have something totally different.”

923 E. BROADWAY 573-447-6595 PALETERIAET.COM

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Briefly in the News A PR IL 2020 70

APRIL 2020

ED UCATION

Local Family Opens Movie-Based Interactive STEM Program Six Pixels Studios, a Florida-based youth education franchise, announces the opening of a new location in Columbia. Owners Matt and Adelle McAllister discovered Six Pixels Studios while looking for a program for their children. The enrichment program is built around movie making, YouTube, photography, stop motion, animation, and prop design. The Columbia location will offer afterschool opportunities, birthday parties, and special events across the year as well as a summer camp.

NONPR OFIT

Bethany Christian Services Launches New Program Bethany Christian Services, a global nonprofit that supports children and families, announced that the Safe Families for Children program will expand from St. Louis to Columbia. The program was founded in

Working

2003 as a solution for parents and families experiencing traumatic poverty, addiction recovery, homelessness, unemployment, and other circumstances that would make the family unit vulnerable. Bethany Christian Services has partnered with the Boone County Children’s Services Fund to launch this program.

service and satisfaction are some of the factors that resulted in this award, which is limited to the highest-rated professionals who have a minimum of three HomeAdvisor reviews over a period of six months.

“We may be connected more than ever online, but if families don’t live near relatives or have a trusted friend or neighbor in their community, a sudden upset in their lifestyle might completely upend their family.”

U.S. Cellular Invests $13 Million in Missouri

-CHRISTINE CORCORAN, COLUMBIA REGIONAL BRANCH DIRECTOR AWARD S

Clean Air Columbia Receives Award HomeAdvisor Pro has named Clean Air Columbia a recipient of the Best of HomeAdvisor Award for 2019. An air duct cleaning and sealing company, Clean Air Columbia has been providing services to the Mid-Missouri area since 2004. Clean Air Columbia specializes in air duct cleaning and sealing for both residential and commercial clients — customer

I NVESTMENTS

U.S Cellular announced that it made a $13 million investment in its network infrastructure, store environment, and statewide communities in Missouri in 2019, including nearly $12.6 million to enhance the network experience for Missouri residents through upgrades that improve coverage, capacity, and data speed. To better serve consumers and small business owners and create an enjoyable in-store shopping experience, the company invested $352,000 to update, redesign, or relocate seven retail stores in Missouri.

NO NPR OFIT

Socket Supports Local Nonprofit Socket donated $5,000 to the Central Missouri Foster Care & Adoption Association. Th is donation will help support the association’s Odyssey Program, which helps foster parents get personal care time while also providing children in foster care a time to have fun and be with other children who are in foster care.

HEALTH CAR E

FDA Approves Additional Mo-99 NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, a global innovator in the production and distribution of radioisotopes used for medical imaging, is one step closer to opening their Columbia facility. They recently announced that the Food and

BRIEFLY

Drug Administration has approved the addition of two molybdenum-99 (Mo99) fi lling lines at the Columbia location.

Mo-99 is a medical radioisotope used to produce technetium-99m (Tc-99m), the most widely used diagnostic imaging radioisotope in patient health care. The Columbia facility is part of NorthStar’s ongoing expansion plans to increase production and capacity of domestic, non-uranium Mo-99 for the U.S. health care system.

INSUR ANC E

Shelter Insurance Invests in Strategic Insuretech Partnership Shelter Insurance recently established a strategic partnership with SixTh irty, a St. Louis-based venture fund that specializes in enterprise insuretech and fintech startups and technologies. Th is partnership enables Shelter to mentor SixTh irty portfolio companies, develop disruptive insuretech technologies, and assist with startups’ strategic planning.

The startups will have access to Shelter's deep insurance expertise as well as their network of businesses and partners across all insurance verticals.

HEALTH CAR E

Columbia Eye Consultants Optometry Forms New Partnership Columbia Eye Consultants Optometry has partnered with Vision Health Eyecare Center in California, Missouri.

Th rough this partnership, CECO will have six locations in Mid-Missouri and will allow VHEC to remain locally owned and operated. Together, these two well-established practices will increase efficiencies, improve patient care resources, and ensure the presence of privately owned, medically oriented optometry in Mid-Missouri for years to come.

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APRIL 2020

WOODRUFF

Woodruff, an employee-owned full-service marketing and communications company, recently made transitions in their executive leadership team. Shelley Thompson has been named the chief executive officer, Scott Kington has been named the company’s president, and Terry Woodruff, one of the company’s founders, is now the chairman of the board. Terry has been working and leading the company for over 28 years.

TIM JACKMAN

The Previsor Insurance Board of Directors has named Tim Jackman interim president and CEO. In this role, Tim will oversee the Previsor operation, including service agreements with Missouri Employers Mutual. He will also maintain responsibility at MEM for advancing automation and operational efficiency priorities in the claims and customer service departments. He joined MEM in 1995 as general claims manager and has held several roles and leadership positions since.

previously worked in private practice as an attorney for over 20 years, representing and advising individuals and businesses in matters involving estate planning, corporate law, contracts, and business transactions.

and Pulaski counties. After he graduated from University of Missouri-Rolla, he worked as a commercial loan officer specializing in agricultural financing while also owning and operating a family farm.

MISSOURI EMPLOYERS MUTUAL

R YA N C A M P B E L L

Missouri Employers Mutual has expanded its executive roles.

Jennifer Peck has been named vice president of corporate strategy and marketing.

Jennifer’s role includes leading strategic decision-making and communication, integrating financial data and analytics, gathering critical input from across and outside the company to achieve strategic goals, and providing vision and leadership for strategic marketing. Roger Walleck has been named vice president of underwriting and consultative services, which includes the underwriting, premium consultation, and safety and risk services teams.

His role includes managing agency and policyholder relationships to maximize company profitability and customer service.

C H R I S WAT K I N S

Central Trust Company is pleased to announce Chris Watkins as vice president and relationship manager. Chris's primary role is to provide guidance and expertise to clients in matters concerning estate planning, trust administration, wealth management, and business succession planning. Chris

S E N AT O R J U S T I N B R O W N

The Bank of Missouri is pleased to announce that Missouri State Senator Justin Brown has joined their regional advisory board. Senator Brown was elected in 2018 to represent Missouri’s 16th Senatorial District, which includes Camden, Crawford, Dent, Phelps,

Ryan Campbell has recently joined the team at The Callaway Bank. Ryan will primarily focus on the lending and banking needs of both business owners and individuals with an overall goal of building toward their long-term financial well-being.

A member of the Mid-Missouri Estate Planning Council, he is also a certified mortgage planning specialist. Ryan brings more than 20 years of experience in residential and commercial sales to the team.

JACKMAN

WAT K I N S

PECK

COLLIN TUCKER

Simon Oswald Architecture congratulates Collin Tucker, their newest intern architect, on his selection as a National Design Awards 2019 honor recipient from the Society of American Registered Architects.

Collin received SARA’s national design award for his senior thesis project at Drury University — the M.T.E. Stadium, an adaptable, civic building environment capable of various urban experiences through physical transformation of the building. Collin joined SOA in May of 2019 after receiving his Master of Architecture degree from Drury.

WA L L E C K

BROWN

TUCKER

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Your House. Your Shelter. ®

Mike Messer

908 Rain Forest Pkwy., Ste. C Columbia, MO 65202

573-442-5291

MMesser@ShelterInsurance.com

We’re your Shield. We’re your Shelter.

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APRIL 2020

Working

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

An Audit Battle Reflecting on the year-long exit audit conducted on former Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley.

BY KRCG 13’S KERMIT MILLER

A

special investigation of an elected official suggests an unsavory politicization of policy in that official’s office, but finds no specific evidence of criminal wrongdoing by that official. After claiming exoneration, the official suggests a political bias by the investigator. Sound familiar?

Not to suggest the parallels with the investigations of President Donald Trump go any deeper than that, but the recently released exit audit of former Missouri Attorney General (and, now, U.S. Senator) Josh Hawley by State Auditor Nicole Galloway bears at least a passing resemblance.

Galloway, a Democrat, launched the audit late in 2018, after the Kansas City Star reported a newly elected AG Hawley had brought in campaign-paid aides to advise the tax-paid attorney general staff on office priorities and assignments. That prompted the left-leaning American Democracy Legal Fund to complain formally to Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft that, almost from day one, Hawley had used the resources of the AG’s office to build a campaign for the U.S. Senate.

Ultimately, Ashcroft would exonerate Hawley, but not before asking Galloway to get involved, since he did not have the legal authority to subpoena witnesses or documents.

Galloway’s people spent over a year interviewing staffers and reviewing the content of various meetings and discussions. Hawley and other Republicans have suggested the amount of time spent indicates a “witch hunt.” Galloway says it only took that long because current Attorney General Eric Schmitt would not cooperate in a timely manner.

In any case, the auditor eventually concluded that the reports of using campaign people to set the agenda of a state office

were true, though the practice did not constitute a crime. Farther over the legal line was the use of private email accounts and electronic communications apps by Hawley and those consultants (resulting in some communications that were not retained) and the all-to-familiar use of a state vehicle for private and/or political travel (which Hawley insists was reimbursed, though Galloway says there is no documentation for that reimbursement.)

Apparently not content to claim victory and walk away, Hawley launched a preemptive strike. Having seen a draft of the 450-page audit report weeks before it was to be released to the public (and therefore, by law, not yet something Galloway could discuss), and based on a misdirected August email from Pam Allison, a Galloway staff audit manager, Hawley went public with allegations that the auditor’s people had manipulated the findings to make the audit more critical of him than the evidence justified. The now-infamous email discussed dropping one area of concern and “beefing up” another, with an immediate follow-up to “disregard the previous email.”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing happening,” Hawley told me during an interview on January 15. “That is absolutely a violation of auditing standards, ethics rules, maybe state law.”

Hawley’s public reaction triggered an outcry from Republican state lawmakers in Jefferson City and a hearing before the House Special Committee on Government Oversight, in which panel members grilled senior people

from Galloway’s office over the protocols in place to prevent bias in audits.

“The key with any audit report is the results . . . the findings, conclusions, and recommendations . . . have to be based on the evidence that’s found,” Jon Halwes, Galloway’s director of audits who identifies as a Republican, told the committee. “And if there’s information in there that’s biased, it’s gonna come out, because there won’t be support there for the information.”

Galloway finally released the audit report on February 7 and summoned reporters to her capitol office to address the allegations. She even had Allison, a long-time office pro whose audits of past public officials have triggered criminal investigations and prosecutions, available to explain what she meant — and what she did not mean — by the phrase, “beef up.” Galloway said the communication was nothing more than professionals in a process of evaluating the evidence.

Galloway insisted there was no bias, and she blasted Hawley for discussing the audit when he knew she could not.

“The unfair attacks by Senator Hawley in an attempt to deceive taxpayers about the nature of this audit are disturbing. But, unfortunately, they are not surprising,” Galloway told reporters. “My career staff carried out this audit professionally and in adherence to professional audit standards, sometimes in the face of abusive attacks.”

But it did not end there.

The auditor also released transcripts of the conversations her staff had with people working in the attorney general’s

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"Apparently not content to claim victory and walk away, Hawley launched a pre-emptive strike." office. Galloway told reporters, given Hawley’s allegations, that was the only way to verify the audit’s findings, and that the public deserved the truth. In a news release the same day, AG Schmitt (like Hawley, a Republican) said the law required that the transcripts be kept confidential, and that Galloway might have committed a felony by releasing them.

“These confidentiality provisions serve important state interests by encouraging state agencies and state employees to cooperate fully and freely in state audits,” Schmitt’s general counsel Johnathan Hensley wrote in an earlier letter to Galloway.

In their response, Galloway’s people said the release of transcripts was at the discretion of the auditor, and the people interviewed were made aware it could happen before they talked. The response described Schmitt’s assertion as a “veiled threat.” Hawley, himself, pushed the issue, filing a formal complaint against Galloway’s accounting license with the State Board of Accountancy.

Of course, all of this comes as Nicole Galloway seeks to unseat incumbent Republican governor Mike Parson, and it’s tempting to conclude, but for that, the coordinated assault on her integrity likely would not have materialized. In the past, Galloway has enjoyed the reputation of a professionally qualified, apolitical accountant, and editorial writers have observed that anything which suggests otherwise harms her chances in November.

“It’s clear that Mike Parson and his Republican allies are scared of the truth and terrified of Nicole Galloway,” Christina Amestoy, the deputy communications director for the Democratic Governors Association, said in a written statement. “(The audit) made it abundantly clear the RGA [Republican Governors Association] and legislative Republicans were only politically motivated and looking to throw mud at a credible public servant.”

Kermit Miller anchors the 6 and 10 p.m. news for KRCG 13. You can reach Kermit at kmiller@krcg.com

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Coming Into Their Own 1canoe2 reflects on their f irst 10 years of business.

BY PRINCE CHINGARANDE PHOTOS BY SADIE THIBODEAUX

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F

ulton, like most college towns, has a fair amount of important small businesses that color the town's business scene. One of these businesses is a paperie that creates cheerful paper goods. Th is year, 1canoe2 will celebrate 10 years of being in operation and providing customers with thoughtfully made products that never fail to brighten up faces.

1canoe2’s story is one of yearly progress. The store opened in 2009 and since then, their production process has developed to allow for an increase in the products they create. Initially, they produced their goods manually, printing their cards on an antique letterpress.

“We, as a company, would draw stuff and then print it on an old letterpress ourselves. There was no other person involved — it was just us making things in really small batches and selling them to people on Etsy,” recalls Beth Snyder, the company’s founder and owner.

Since then, the store has improved in sourcing and product development and now has a stronger grip on their market’s demands. Currently, they print larger batches of about 1,000 cards, a tremendous increase from the 100 they began with. They produce some of their goods in India and China, and have established stronger cohesion in their artwork.

Because of this growth in their business acumen, 1canoe2 has various bestselling products. One of these is an extra-large calendar which comes with a reusable wooden hanger made in Moberly, Missouri. The calendar is 24 inches by 36 inches and painted in colorful tones that evoke happiness and the feeling of being at home, an integral part of the store’s ethos.

In an industry where artistic trends are ever-changing and artists feel pressured to produce work which yields the most money, 1canoe2 stays true to making only

Working

2008 Beth receives a tiny hobby letterpress and her passion for printmaking begins.

2009 Beth buys a larger letterpress and starts making items in large quantities.

2011 Beth attends her first wholesale trade show in New York – the National Stationery Show.

2012 1canoe2 hires their first full-time employee.

2013 1canoe2 moves from Beth’s basement to a renovated barn on her partner's family farm.

2016 The company moves into

CELEBRATIONS

what aligns with their aesthetic. Although being influenced by trends is inevitable, they always strive to create work that has their specific flair.

“We're always trying to evolve and create our own trends more than we're try to follow whatever is out there. But with that said, there's always exciting new color palettes that are popular,” Beth shares. “For me, it always just comes back to color.”

At the moment, Beth is gravitating more towards desert colors, which she describes as “a dusty rose in the sand balanced with a dark, rich green color.”

Every year, 1canoe2 releases a huge collection of works in May. After titling the collection, they create around 30 products for it. The creation process starts with selecting a color palette and a theme. Although 1canoe2 doesn’t adhere to trends, they won’t select a color palette that’s too far from what most artists are doing. Beth’s style is sort of “modern-colored with lots of texture on the warm colors and anything that's bright and happy,” she says.

Being Resourceful 1canoe2 is also committed to sustainability and responsibly producing the products they carry in their store.

Beth shares, “We're one of the industry leaders in trying to make things as plastic-free as possible. We recently just switched over from having a plastic sleeve on every single card to having a sticker that keeps the card together.”

In the event that they need to use plastic, 1canoe2 opts for more eco-friendly options that cause less harm to the environment. They source their textiles from a place in India that produces non-toxic dyes and participates in many other eco-friendly practices. Their paper is recyclable and also printed by a printer with the highest eco-friendliness certification achievable.

In addition to honoring environmental integrity, 1canoe2’s team has also developed into a strong group committed to producing honest and thoughtful work.

“One of my biggest accomplishments is the team of women that I've gathered,” Beth shares. “We all work together and it's like a magical combination of people on the team. They are all wonderful, hardworking, super brilliant creative people, and we all have a common goal of just doing the best job we can every day.”

Th is “magical” team has propelled 1canoe2 to greater heights, and 2019, according to Beth, was the store’s most successful year ever. They yielded their best sales and achieved numbers they never had before.

Th is success is heartwarming for Beth as the company has stood strong for 10 years (a rarity with small businesses), and she shares, “Th ings have gotten cohesive, and we've kind of found our groove and figured out what works for us."

a newly renovated

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COMOMAG.COM

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Together We Can

Centro Latino

A grassroots organization, Centro Latino, empowers the underrepresented.

Founded: 2000

BY JASMINE-KAY JOHNSON

Board Members:

A

t Centro Latino de Salud, volunteers and participants alike live by three words: juntos se puede, together we can.

The longstanding community group empowers Latinos, and the Columbia community at large, by providing Latino families and individuals with education, community, and health services.

It’s been 20 years since Centro Latino first opened their doors, and today around a dozen students participate in the program. For Centro Latino’s executive director Eduardo Crespi, quality means a lot more than quantity. “We are a small organization with big results,” he says.

The organization was established after Eduardo saw the need for culturally appropriate services for the Latino community. Although he currently resides in Florida, his heart lies in Columbia with the many volunteers who keep the organization running. One of those volunteers is MU student Dorothy Scales. “She’s priceless in the work she’s doing,” Eduardo says.

Dorothy, who was recently promoted to the volunteer role of program director, has been volunteering with the organization for nearly two years.

She has also served as the outreach coordinator for the after-school program as well as head coordinator, with the help of MU’s Office of Service-Learning. “I ran the after-school program, which was a lot of scheduling, setting up transportation, and orienting volunteers,” Dorothy says. Now she helps Eduardo handle grant writing, scheduling, and overall operations.

Fortunately, MU’s Office of Service-Learning still lends a hand in giving Centro Latino a slew of volunteers, social media interns, and event coordinators. “It’s not just one person doing everything,” Eduardo says.

Working Beyond School Hours Their after-school program is a big part of Centro Latino’s model. It runs Monday through Thursday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and acts as a time for local kids to learn and play beyond regular school hours.

“Our after-school program started for Latino children, but now it’s morphed into students who are immigrants and on the free-and reduced-lunch pro-

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gram,” Dorothy says. There are now a handful of students from immigrant families who speak Swahili, for example.

Since first joining the Centro Latino team, Dorothy has seen the after-school program grow in the right direction. “When I started, it was kind of chaotic,” she says. The program lacked structure, which was desperately needed. Taking matters into her own hands, Dorothy used her role as head coordinator to implement some necessary ideas. “Seeing the kids have the structure that allows them to work and do their homework efficiently is pretty cool,” she says.

While Dorothy works behind the scenes, others spend their time differently. Volunteers, most of whom are only scheduled for two days each week, are paired with specific students for the duration of a semester. This means each student gets two alternating, but consistent, volunteers. “That volunteer really acts as a mentor for the kids,” Dorothy says.

“We like to keep them with the same one consistently because they form a relationship and are able to help them with their academics better and know them better.”

Besides homework help and some well-earned downtime toward the end of the two hours, the children are provided with healthy snacks through the Kids in the Kitchen program. Kids in the Kitchen is a program run through MU that encourages healthy diets through hands-on learning experiences and the USDA’s MyPlate. “We also teach the kids how to make the snack in hopes that they bring those healthy habits back home to their families,” Dorothy says.

Encouraging Community Efforts Students aren’t the only ones who can receive educational help. Centro Latino offers both Spanish and English classes to the public.

Spanish classes are $10 per session and are held on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. “It doesn’t matter your fluency or your level of Spanish,” Dorothy says. “Anyone’s welcome, and we have volunteers to help if you need one-on-one help.”

Centro Latino’s English as a second language, or ESL, classes have been offered since the program’s

Eduardo Crespi executive director

Vicky Boyd-Kennedy president

Rev. Heather McCain vice president

Brad Boyd-Kennedy, secretary

Mission Statement: To empower Latinos, Latino families, and the general public through provision of services and guidance in navigating the health, education, and cultural resources of Mid-Missouri.

“We are a small organization with big results.”

— Eduardo Crespi

Working

A glimpse into Centro Latino's after-school program.

start and are conducted with the help and partnership of the Frederick Douglass School for Adult Education. ESL classes are year-round and take place on Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to donate $5.

Typically, Centro Latino’s ESL classes target working-class Spanish speakers in the area. The classes are meant to ease the troubles that non-English speakers can face when navigating different areas of life, from shopping to medical care — Centro Latino even offers support by translating documents. According to the website, “The long-term goal of Centro Latino’s ESL classes is to enable the ESL students to become more competent, confident, and self-sufficient members of the community.”

An Impact Like No Other Whether it be through tamale fundraisers or language classes, the programs that Centro Latino offers are just one way that they’ve solidified their place in the city among those who utilize its services. For Eduardo, Centro Latino is more than what meets the eye; he says that he considers Centro Latino to be responsible for “pioneering the beautifica-

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

tion” of the Garth and Lynn neighborhood, for example. But more importantly, Eduardo is proud of what Centro Latino has been able to accomplish without the major financial backing that other nonprofits benefit from. “We do the work with or without money,” he says.

Plans to commemorate the organization’s 20-year success are not yet in place. “I’m in the works of planning something,” Dorothy says. Whatever the celebration may look like, a two-decade milestone for a grassroots organization is certainly worth recognizing.

CENTRO L ATINO 609 N. GARTH AVE. 573-449-9442 CENTROL ATINO.MISSOURI.ORG

COMOMAG.COM

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BUSINESS UPDATE

Your Adventure Awaits Jerry Price, a travel agent with Direct Travel, reflects on over 30 years in the travel industry.

BY HANNAH KUECK | PHOTOS BY KEITH BORGMEYER

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J

erry Price never had intentions of being a part of the travel industry. His business endeavor prior to becoming a member of the industry was owning a full-service liquor store with an emphasis on fine wines. But in 1987, his adventure in the travel industry began when he purchased Summit Travel. He later went on to purchase two more travel agencies, which he merged under Summit Travel.

“We lived happily ever after until 2001, when 9/11 occurred. It was a tremendous challenge to the industry,” Jerry says. Demand for travel weakened, and he found that the majority of his sources of revenue had dried up — previously, airlines were paying them 10% for selling tickets to their customers, but eventually that number dwindled to nothing. He had to reinvent a new revenue stream for his agency.

In 2010, Jerry’s agency was purchased by Suzi Davis Travel. This new company was owned by a Columbia family and headquartered out of Bloomington, Illinois. And it was a larger company with eight offices in the Midwest.

In 2015, Suzi Davis Travel was purchased

by Direct Travel, which Jerry describes as “an uber-big international agency.” Five years later, Direct Travel continues to help create and guide adventures for their customers. And in light of recent travel challenges created by COVID-19, they will also help Jerry navigate the industry changes. And this time he’ll be an employee, not a business owner.

“I have a lot more freedom. I no longer sleep in a fetal position, which you do as a small-business owner because of all the stresses,” says Jerry. But above all, he’s enjoying it again, especially the moments he has with his customers.

ALL ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS “The connection between me and a customer, when it clicks, is a wonderful moment,” Jerry says. “I have customers that are wonderful people, and they’re wonderful to work with.”

The moments when he gets the opportunity to help a customer make a lifelong memory and the moments when his customers value his suggestions during their planning meetings — these moments make him the happiest. Thankfully, he gets to experience these moments often.

With years of experience, Jerry has had the opportunity to build strong bonds with his customers. So much so that when they’re preparing for another vacation, they come back to him. Jerry explains: “Booking travel is a somewhat intimate experience for people. It has to do with creating an experience that they will remember.”

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Because of these intimate moments and experiences, Jerry explains that working in travel is addicting for him. “It’s not just selling them a bottle of wine, or a dinner, or a gift — we’re giving them a whole experience,” he says.

With every story his customers come back to tell him and every thank-you card he receives, Jerry continues to get fulfi llment from his job as an agent even after nearly 30 years.

Jerry describes the agency’s average customer as someone with a middle-class income or higher, with an average of $1,500 to $3,000 to spend for a five- to seven-day trip with friends or family. Many people Jerry has the opportunity to work with wish to go to a warm, sunny resort — Mexico, the Caribbean islands, and Hawaii are some of the most popular destina-

tions. But the destinations aren’t limited to just tropical regions. Jerry has organized vacations to Italy, Paris, London, and beyond.

THE TRAVELING TRENDS Jerry sees and experiences several trends in his work, both in Direct Travel itself and in the travel industry as a whole. With the advent of the internet, people started straying away from the traditional travel agency and moved towards online travel portals. But after an abundance of confusion and mistakes, they have reverted back to traditional, brickand-mortar travel agencies for help. They see even more customers as years pass.

Another trend Jerry is seeing is retirees exploring more unique locations such as South

America; Jerry sees a lot of adventure in these customers. Jerry and Direct Travel have been able to customize the experiences for these adventurous customers because, as Jerry explains, “We just roll with it.”

JERRY’S OWN ADVENTURES Despite working in the travel industry, Jerry doesn’t get to travel as often as one might expect, unless it’s in the course of his work where he escorts a group annually to various destinations. For 13 years, he has taken a group, made up of 50 people, to explore different destinations. “It’s difficult to put together and make sure everything runs smoothly, but in the end it’s a wonderful adventure,” Jerry says.

When he’s on this trip, it’s crucial for Jerry to know even the most minute details so he can anticipate his travelers’ needs. He’s the one to resolve any problems the group might encounter during the trip, from fl ight disruptions to problems at the resort. “I want to be there for the group as a safety net,” Jerry says.

Apart from his annual trip to Costa Rica, Jerry has a list of other destinations waiting to be explored. Some of his travel recommendations include the Maldives, Iceland, the South Pacific Islands, and certain pockets of Europe he describes as “gorgeous.”

When Jerry does get to travel for leisure, it’s not the location he’s traveling to that matters, but rather the people he’s traveling with. The people, he explains, can make or break a trip. “I can be on a beach or I can be on top of a mountain skiing. If I’m with people that I love and care about, that’s the most important thing to me,” he says.

Jerry explains that there can be some skepticism about using a travel agent. But to that, he says: “People don’t always know what they don’t know, but we can anticipate things they may need, and we have enormous resources that we can provide them with. And we help them learn these things so that they can make a better-informed decision.”

JERRY PRICE, DIRECT TRAVEL 1400 FORUM BLVD., STE. 2 573-445-4969 | DT.COM

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I don’t just see a customer.

I see you.

While other insurance companies just see a customer, I see a neighbor in my community. I’m here to get to know who you really are so I can help life go right.

LET’S TALK TODAY.

Phyllis Nichols, Agent

573-443-8727 | phyllis.nichols.g15k@statefarm.com 1006 West Boulevard North | Columbia

1706814

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APRIL 2020

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company State Farm Fire and Casualty Company Bloomington, IL

Working

PERSON YOU SHOULD KNOW

Mike Griggs Director, Columbia Parks and Recreation Department PHOTO BY ANTHONY JINSON JOB DESCRIPTION

Managing and overseeing all parks and recreation services offered by the City of Columbia in order to meet the recreational needs of city residents. Directing the city’s long-range parks and recreation services development and capital improvement planning while ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations.

HOMETOWN

Columbia.

YEARS LIVED IN COLUMBIA

59 years.

QUOTE YOU LIVE BY

“Every time you are able to find humor in a difficult situation, you win.”

FAVORITE VOLUNTEER OR COMMUNITY ACTIVITY

Years ago, it was coaching my two sons in a variety of youth sports, and now it’s the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival. What a great event for Columbia!

FAVORITE RECENT PROJECT

That’s like picking my favorite son! I love the partnerships we developed in working on the MU Health Care Pavilion at the farmers’ market, the Gans Creek Cross Country Course, and the sports fieldhouse. »

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A CITY OF COLUMBIA EMPLOYEE YOU ADMIRE

John Glascock and I spent a lot of time together when he was the public works director and when he was deputy city manager. During all this time, I admired his honesty, desire to do what’s best for all of Columbia, and his strength in making the hard decisions. (Wish I could have answered this before he was promoted to city manager, because now it sounds a bit self-serving!)

WHY YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR JOB

I have the best job in Columbia and truly feel honored to represent our department.

We provide parks, trails, facilities, and recreational programs and events for Columbians of all ages. Whether you enjoy taking nature strolls on trails and greenspaces, watching the Fourth of July fi reworks, or participating in competitive or recreational sports, we have something for you. I recently met a woman a few years older than me who had recently lost her husband. She told me she didn’t know what she would do if it wasn’t for the staff and programs offered at the Hillcrest Community Center. That’s why I’m passionate about what I do.

WHY YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT COLUMBIA’S PARKS

Columbia doesn’t have an ocean or a beach, a theme park, a major water park, mountains, a marina, or a pro sports team. But thanks to citizen support, we do have a beautiful park and trail system to distinguish our city and help draw families to want to live here. Our park system is an integral part of our community, as can be seen by how often parks are featured in our local newspapers and news channels. We receive about 200 requests a year from our citizens to host special events in our parks, from weddings to major music concerts. It’s hard to imagine Columbia without its parks, and I am so happy to play a part in it.

WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR PROFESSION

The positive impact that a parks and recreation agency can have on its community by supporting economic development, strengthening safety and security, fostering human development, increasing cultural unity, protecting

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"It’s hard to imagine Columbia without its parks, and I am so happy to play a part in it."

MOST PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE THIS ABOUT COLUMBIA’S PARKS

In our last parks and recreation citizen survey, it was revealed that 92% of Columbia households use our parks and 82% use our trails. How many businesses or services can say they serve that large of a portion of our community?

HOW YOU WANT TO IMPACT THE COLUMBIA COMMUNITY

I want to continue the high standards and quality of services that were established by former directors Dick Green and Mike Hood.

FAVORITE COLUMBIA RESTAURANT AND A DISH YOU’D RECOMMEND

I’ve been going to Tony’s Pizza since high school. You can’t beat their gyros. environmental resources, strengthening community image and sense of place, providing recreational experiences, facilitating community problem solving, and promoting health and wellness is often undervalued and underestimated.

Thankfully, that’s not the case in Columbia, which makes me so proud to work in and be a part of this community.

IF YOU WEREN’T DOING THIS FOR A LIVING, YOU WOULD . . .

I started off in journalism before switching to parks and recreation, so an ideal job outside of the work I do now would be a sports writer.

THE NEXT CHALLENGE FACING YOUR DEPARTMENT

Overall, the City of Columbia has funding needs, as sales tax is not collected fairly between local stores and online retailers.

For our department, we have numerous employees that will be retiring over the next three to five years, and being able to recruit quality candidates and train new staff is a priority. We want the next generation of employees to uphold the high standards established many years ago.

YOUR NEXT PROFESSIONAL GOAL

As I will likely be one of those retiring in the next several years, my goal is to develop a comprehensive succession plan for not just my position, but for all other positions in our department. We want passionate, dedicated public servants to carry on our tradition of excellence.

WHAT YOU DO TO RELAX

I love exploring our local and state parks.

WHAT YOU DO FOR FUN

Anything related to sports.

FAVORITE OUTDOOR ACTIVITY IN THE SPRING

Riding our bikes on MKT Trail to the Forum 8 movie theater. The bike ride justifies the insane amount of popcorn I eat.

FAVORITE PLACE IN COLUMBIA

While I love several of our parks, from Cosmo to Stephens Lake, my favorite, fullof-memories (good and bad) location is MU’s Memorial Stadium.

ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF

I believe our department has a good reputation with the citizens and visitors to Columbia. Th is is because we honor our promises to voters in regards to the commitments made in the park sales tax renewal ballot issues. Our staff works hard in soliciting public input and listening to what people want, thus we’re able to develop parks and projects that people want and are willing to support. Finally, we strive to be excellent stewards of the resources entrusted to us.

A SURPRISING FACT ABOUT YOU

I think people would be surprised to know that I have an extensive baseball card and comic book collection. My parents didn’t throw them away!!

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CALLING COMO HOME

) w o N r o (F

Meet four people who have settled in as true Columbians — at least for the short-term.

BY KAT IE PE RRY H A R R I S PHOTOS BY ANT H O N Y J I N S O N

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W

hat is it that makes COMO a place to call home? Is it a favorite dish at a favorite restaurant, bringing back those taste memories? A fall bike ride on the MKT trail? Or a weekend celebrating creativity at the True/False Film Festival?

Some of us have grown up here and lived here our entire lives, while others have adopted the town as their own more recently, whether for family or a career or something else. Whatever your reason for living here, it’s ultimately the welcoming people and the sense of community that make it feel like the best place to live, work, and play.

Meet four people who live in Columbia on a short-term basis for their work as film programmers, a nurse, and an artist.

They’re calling Columbia home — for now — and are happy to share their thoughts on how they experience our city and what makes it feel welcoming.

Amir George

The Fest Programmers As part of the True/False team, programmers Jeanelle Augustin and Amir George encourage artists to come to Columbia for the film festival and serve as ambassadors.

Amir has been a programmer for some time, accustomed to traveling to different places for stints, but he had never been to Columbia when he was first approached

by True/False. “It sounded like a fun opportunity,” he says. A Chicago native, he immediately started his research by googling Columbia. “I didn’t realize the impact and the presence that True/False has in this town,” he says. “I think being a part of that is cool.”

Jeanelle, who previously worked for the Sundance Film Festival, had attended True/ False before and knew she was comfortable with the size and feel of Columbia. “I found it really charming during the festival,” she says.

“It was cool how there were art installations that activated different spaces. I loved the alleys. I knew a little more about what I was getting myself into,” she laughs.

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Jeanelle Augustin

“Nothing feels exclusive here.”

—Jeanelle Augustin While they’re in Columbia, both Amir and Jeanelle stay in the homes of families who are friends of the festival. It’s a fun way for them to get to know people who not only live here, but who also are true moviegoers who can engage in conversations about films.

They’ve traveled with the team to Amsterdam and Japan in search of the best films and new artists. “We try to include the best films from around the world,” Jeanelle says. “But sometimes those artists don’t know

us or are just beginning their career or think they wouldn’t get in, so they don’t apply.

We’re strategic about where we go so we can engage artists who may be less connected to the industry.”

When they’re not working or watching films, both enjoy riding bikes on Columbia’s trails. Amir loves hanging out at Uprise Bakery and seeing shows at Café Berlin.

Jeanelle is a fan of Moon Yoga and loves the healthy, clean food at Nourish Café.

Jeanelle finds plenty to do through Columbia’s art scene. “Columbia is a super vibrant arts community,” she says. “There’s something to do all the time, from First Fridays to Living Windows to the cinema and restaurant week. You have residents pitching in and doing funky extracurricular activities, and nothing feels exclusive here.”

For Amir, nothing beats the experience of the True/False festival. “It’s the greatest

party in town,” he says. “We came from other places, from around the world, just to bring films to exhibit here in Columbia. It’s an important cultural experience.”

The Artist in Residence Alix Lambert grew up in Washington, D.C., and moved to New York when she was 17, where she’s lived since then. A documentary filmmaker, writer, and visual artist, she’s also

lived in Los Angeles, where she wrote for the television series “Deadwood,” among others, and has spent residencies in places like Florida and North Carolina.

Alix first came to Columbia for a few days last year to judge a student competition at MU, and now she’s here as the university’s inaugural artist in residence, a program recently launched by Chancellor Alexander Cartwright to invite established and

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Alix Lambert

emerging artists to celebrate the arts and cultivate creativity across disciplines. “I have taught at a lot of schools and they don’t always support the arts like MU has, especially with the interdisciplinary approach,” Alix says. “That was really exciting to me. I like Columbia. It’s a comfortable place to be.”

Columbia’s support of the arts scene is important to Alix. “Talking about True/ False and looking at all the bookstores and theaters here, I feel there’s an embrace of the arts and journalism. That’s an important part of the community to me, wherever I’m living,” she says.

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“There’s a presence from the university in a good way — there’s constantly people thinking, creating, and experiencing a sense of community.”

—Alix Lambert

Alix’s interest in the courtroom as a reflection of the community is evident in her new book, “Courtroom,” made up of drawings and interviews from her years sitting in court.

“If you want to understand the community you live in, simply sit in a courtroom and pay attention,” she says when describing the book.

Outside of teaching and working on her film, Alix has hiked to the Devil’s Icebox and has enjoyed the beauty of the Missouri Theater. Alix has discovered downtown restaurant favorites like Café Berlin, Sycamore, and Main Squeeze, and she particularly likes that Columbia is very walkable. “Columbia has been very welcoming and supportive,” she says. “There’s a presence from the university in a good way — there’s constantly people thinking, creating, and experiencing a sense of community.”

Alix is a reminder that, for many, Columbia represents a change of pace. “I’m a New Yorker, and I love New York, but I’m always happy to leave and come back,” she says.

“Travel recharges me and gives me a different perspective. I like Columbia and the university, and I especially like the support and embrace of this non-traditional way I’ve tried to approach my course and my own work.”

The Traveling Nurse

While she’s in Columbia, Alix is working on her own documentary film and also teaching an undergraduate class on crime to journalism and film students. “A lot of my students are working on local crime stories, some of them from history,” she says. The class has already taken a field trip to the Boone County Courthouse to visit when court was in session. “Part of my interest in taking the kids to court is you learn about your community — not just the case itself, but the jurors, whoever else is in the courtroom. It’s a cross-section of what your community is, and when I sit in the courtroom in Key West, Florida, what I learn is different from what you see here in Columbia.”

Heather Hill didn’t know a lot about Columbia before coming here. “Beyond Shakespeare’s Pizza and the university, I wasn’t aware of the community at all,” Heather says.

As a traveling nurse, Heather is based in Springfield, Missouri, and through her agency, she’s currently contracted to work at University Hospital. Contracts are typically 13 weeks and can be anywhere in the country. Heather is working in Columbia for the third time — a testament to her feelings about both the city and the health care system. “I really like the small-town feel and the diversity the university brings to the community,” she says. “I like the people, too. Everyone here has been really nice.”

Working at a teaching hospital is a new experience for Heather, and she finds it to be a supportive environment. “The staff work hard to support the next generation of medical professionals,” she says. “I admire the commitment they make to that, and I admire the team that supports success for the next generation.”

Heather’s co-workers have also provided her with a sense of community. “I engaged my co-workers and know what’s going

“I found a second home with my Airbnb family.

I think that’s contributed to me staying in the area”

—Heather Hill

on in the community through them,” she says. They’ve introduced her to restaurant favorites like Las Margaritas and The Pasta Factory, among others.

While she hasn’t had a chance to attend a game yet, she’s a big football fan and follows Mizzou sports. “I bought a sweatshirt,” she says. “I find myself more engaged with how the college is doing with sports.”

Columbia also feels like home to Heather since she stays in the same Airbnb when she’s in town, and the home is an easy commute to the hospital. “I found a second home with my Airbnb family,” she says. “I think that’s contributed to me staying in the area. I’ve also reached out to the neighbors, and that makes me feel like I’m part of the neighborhood as well.”

Outside of work, Heather enjoys walking around Stephens Lake, Flat Branch Creek, and the trails. “What I love about Columbia is their commitment as a community to trails and safe places for people to walk and bike,” she says.

The welcoming nature of the people of Columbia ultimately made Heather decide to stay here for multiple stints. “What makes Columbia unique is the integration of the university into the community,” she says. “People still welcome you with open arms. Part of the reason why I’ve stayed in Columbia is because the people of Columbia are very welcoming.”

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A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERIES

What’s New on

BY N I CO L E FLO O D PH OTO S BY K EI T H B O R G M E Y ER

Those who know Columbia know the city by the different parts of town and what each side has to offer.

This series will explore new business development in Columbia along with things to do, places to eat, and shops to explore. This month, we kick off the series with the west side.

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A drone view of the mall and the Stadium Boulevard and I-70 interchange.

the West Side?

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A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERIES

WE S TBU RY V ILL AG E The new Westbury Village market development off Scott Boulevard consists of a 45-acre tract that is zoned for commercial and residential spaces. It will be a mixed-use development on the west side of town that serves area residents with a grocery store, restaurants, professional offices, multiple medical offices, a convenience store, fast food, pharmacy, bank, car wash, and more. The Westbury senior living project will be part of this development, too, along with apartment homes for all ages.

From its inception, the infrastructure took six to eight months to complete. According to Travis H. McGee, owner of the construction company heading up the Westbury development, the entire project is a five- to seven-year deal, with most businesses being open by 2025 and the whole project being completed in 2027. “Th is development has produced over 1,000 construction jobs and 500 jobs moving forward,” he says.

Travis adds: “The goods and services on the west side of town were limited to where people had to travel across town to receive goods and services. As the west side of town continues to grow, Westbury will serve the west side of Columbia. It promotes walkability and livability for the community.”

Travis’ company has worked with the City of Columbia on this development and has paid 100% for all infrastructure in-house without assistance from the city. “We’ve worked to improve the safety of Scott Boule-

vard by widening the streets, adding new signal lights and deceleration lanes, and have put all utilities underground at no cost to the city,” says Travis. “Th is project is a real benefit to Columbia and the west side of town.”

CH R I S TI A N FE LLOWS H IP CH U RCH In January, Coil Construction broke ground at the new Christian Fellowship Church located at the corner of Chapel Hill Road and Louisville Drive. The new single-story, contemporary facility will feature a large, open auditorium that seats more than 800. Phase one of the building will be 38,615 square feet, and they anticipate multiples future phases, as well.

The building will include adult classrooms, an atrium, a multipurpose room, a kitchen, office space, and children’s classrooms. The property will also include an outdoor amphitheater, walking trails, a lake, a community garden, a sports field, and more. Construction began in February, with completion scheduled for some time before June 2021. The church purchased the 37 acres of land in 2001.

“We have talked at length about the call on our church to increase our capacity to receive more people and reach more na-

A rendering of Christian Fellowship Church’s new building.

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WHERE TO

EAT B A M BOO TE R R ACE

Bamboo Terrace offers some of Columbia’s finest, authentic Chinese food. Whether you’re ready for tasty crab Rangoon or pork dumplings or you want to be more adventurous and try the Korean seafood jum bong, you can find it all at Bamboo Terrace.

They are closed on Tuesdays and close between lunch and dinner on weekdays, so plan your next trip accordingly.

T H E PASTA FACTORY

The Pasta Factory has been serving Columbia with original Italian cuisine since 1976.

Whether you’re looking for classic Alfredo, lobster ravioli, or an Italian sandwich, you won’t be disappointed. In addition to serving dinner, they also offer a happy hour and pick-up orders.

T R U M AN ’ S BAR & G R ILL

Truman’s Bar & Grill is the perfect bar and grill vibe in west Columbia. They’ve been a local hangout for more than 15 years and boast good bar food in huge portions. Looking to try a new type of burger? Order their bison burger! On Saturdays and Sundays, Truman’s has a breakfast buffet until 2 p.m. This is a town favorite before Mizzou games. Truman’s also has a great happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight every day, and on Tuesdays, they have all day happy hour. They also have several events happening throughout the year, which you can find on their website.

WE S T S ID E

A rendering of Shelter Insurance’s new building.

tions with the gospel of grace. Since 1995, I had been wrestling with concerns that our current facilities might be hindering our assignment to minister to the people of Columbia and beyond,” says Phil Schaefer, senior pastor at Christian Fellowship Church.

Moving the church also creates space for Christian Fellowship School, which currently serves almost 300 students from more than 40 churches in pre-K through 12th grade.

“If we had stayed in the storefront where we originally met, we would likely not exist as a church today,” adds Phil. “We will not be ‘settling’ onto this new property. I hope we never settle. The new building prepares us for ministry that we are not yet operating in.”

S H E LTE R IN SU R A N CE Shelter Insurance has been a staple in Columbia for nearly 75 years. “We want to be a good corporate citizen and try to do things for the community where we live and work,” says Jay MacLellan, director of public relations and corporation training for Shelter.

With construction on their new north campus facility starting in summer 2018, Shelter Insurance is continuing that legacy. The new, two-story building is 100,000 square feet with a basement and is projected to be ready next month, with all departments being in place by the end of August. “We will start with moving over our warehouse and shipping and receiving areas fi rst, as well as

our printing department,” Jay says.

“We have various departments that work together but aren’t located in the same area, and this will allow us to put a few of them under one roof to work more efficiently. Over the years, we have grown in the home office and need more space,” he says.

Coil Construction is the general contractor on this project, and they have worked with efficiency in mind by installing features like LED lights. “One thing we’ve tried to do in a lot of our newer buildings is to think about the future,” Jay says. Coil Construction and Shelter Insurance have both also partnered with minority- and women-owned businesses as they search for vendors and contractors in Mid-Missouri for the construction.

Eventually, they will tear down the old warehouse to add additional parking. “When

WHERE TO

SHOP

you have more space and more people, parking is necessary to complete the project,” adds Jay.

TH E CO LU M B I A M A LL Columbia Mall is one of the biggest and most important developments on Columbia’s west side, and now three new developments are underway to add even more to the mall. “The western part of Columbia continues to have a strong demand from new retailers and restaurants who are looking to expand their businesses,” says Rusty Strodtman, senior general manager of the Columbia Mall.

In late 2019, the Columbia Mall sold approximately 1.5 acres of their parking lot to a hotel developer called KJ Hotel Properties LLC. The hotel developer is based out of

When shopping on the west side of Columbia, look no further than the Columbia Mall. Versona, a division of CATO Fashions, is coming soon to the mall. It’s a retailer stocking women’s apparel and a wide range of accessories, including jewelry, belts, and scarves.

“Versona will be opening this month in the former Charming Charlie’s location that is located outside [the mall] between the two Dillard’s stores,” says Rusty. “Versona is a cutting-edge retailer that we are very excited has chosen central Missouri for one of their newest prototype stores.” Rusty adds that the new store will be adding approximately 20 new parttime and full-time retail jobs.

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WE S T S ID E

A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERIES Level Up in the Columbia Mall

WHAT TO

DO MIDWAY GOL F & G AMES

“When we took over in 2015, our goal was to turn this into MidMissouri’s premier family fun destination,” says Kory Neisen, general manager of Midway Golf & Games. “We try to create a fun atmosphere for people who like being outside, and we want people to have fun and be entertained.”

The large entertainment complex features a driving range, a par-three golf course, and mini-golf, along with batting cages, go-karts, and things like life-sized checkers and battleship.

In 2019, Midway Golf & Games also added axe throwing, archery tag, and laser tag. Their 300-squarefoot laser tag field is perfect for groups of 12 or more. It’s all outside and is like a paintball experience without the mess.

“It’s just a place to come out and enjoy. The landscaping is beautiful, and it’s just something we are really proud of,” says Kory.

SHELTER IN SUR ANC E G ARDENS

Shelter Insurance Gardens feature an impressive 5-acre garden with over 300 varieties of trees and more than 15,000 annuals and perennials. “It was born from an idea from a gentleman by the name of Scotty Garrett, who was the superintendent of grounds in 1974, and [the park] was dedicated in 1975,” says Jay MacClellan, director of public relations and corporate training for Shelter. “Since then, it’s become a landmark in Columbia for people to go and enjoy.”

The park features six unique gardens, including a sensory garden with braille, a rose garden and lily pool with a gazebo and fern garden, a Japanese maple and conifer garden, a desert garden with cactus and sand, and a Vietnam memorial. “All of those gardens give you the sense of being in different places in the world,” says Jay. The gardens are free to the public and open between 8 a.m. and dusk.

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southern Missouri and will be building a new hotel in the future.

“At this time, we do not have an exact hotel brand or the tentative schedule for such a hotel,” says Rusty. He adds that the original plans called for a 4-story, 106 room hotel located between Bernadette Place and Hutchens Drive on the mall’s parking lot.

“The Columbia Mall is very excited about the new hotel and the customers that will be visiting this new hotel. Th is is an example of an in-fi ll project, where we are taking a large parking lot that isn’t fully utilized every day of the year and adding a residential element to an already very successful retail and dining destination,” says Rusty. “We believe the hotel will be a strong traffic generator and be very complementary to the over 100 existing retailers at Columbia Mall.”

In addition to the future hotel, the mall welcomed Level Up Entertainment in November. “Level Up is a 30,000-square-foot entertainment venue owned and operated by Nic and Brooke Parks of The Pinball Company,” says Rusty. “Level Up has one of central

Missouri’s largest selections of arcade games with some of the old classic games mixed in with the newest cutting-edge games.” They also have a large selection of alcoholic frozen drinks, mixed drinks, and beer on tap. In the near future, Level Up’s restaurant construction will be completed and they will start offering food.

“The long-awaited Dillard’s second store location is near completion in the former Sears store that closed back in 2018,” says Rusty. The new Dillard’s men’s, home, and children’s departments held their soft opening on February 22 and their grand opening on February 26. “The current Dillard’s store will be remodeled and converted to 100% women’s clothing, shoes, and accessories.

Th is new multimillion-dollar store will create approximately 100 new jobs,” Rusty adds.

“In an age of closing department stores, Columbia Mall continues to buck that trend by opening another department store,” he says. “With Dillard’s south store opening, the Columbia Mall department stores are 100% leased.”

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SUPERIOR GARDEN CENTER/ROST LANDSCAPE.............................. 44 & 64 THE BANK OF MISSOURI................................................................................................104 THE BROADWAY HOTEL................................................................................................... 89 THE TIN ROOF........................................................................................................................... 41 THE TRUST COMPANY.........................................................................................................25 TIGER FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS CENTER................................ 20 TLC MORTGAGE...................................................................................................................... 47 TRACY AREY REAL ESTATE...................................................................................42 & 49 TRUE FALSE FILM FEST..................................................................................................... 58 UMB................................................................................................................................................. 89 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI HEALTH CARE.............................................................. 3 WILLIAMS & ASSOCIATES EYECARE......................................................................... 28 WONDERS OF WILDLIFE....................................................................................................8

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300 St. James St., Suite 103 Columbia, MO 65201

“Hawthorn Bank is the reason I have Vows Bridal.”

“Being so young and wanting to start a business, my fear was every bank would laugh me out the door.”

“Hawthorn Bank took me seriously and listened to my plan for owning my own bridal shop. I can’t thank them enough for believing in me and my dream.”

– Tori Sporleder Vows Bridal

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