Open for Business: House Counsel

House Counsel
A Springfield husband and wife renovated the former Aunt Martha’s Pancake House into lifestyle goods marketplace and design studio House Counsel. The first-time business venture of Jeannie and Mark Breshears opened Aug. 9 at 1961 S. Glenstone Ave. The couple bought the property in late 2017 for an undisclosed amount and spent around a year renovating it with the work of Parham Builders and Ireland Architects Inc., Jeannie Breshears said. Startup costs were well over $100,000, she said, not including the property purchase. The 2,750-square-foot store, which employs three, carries furniture, house decor and tableware. Next to the store, a 540-square-foot space at 1958 S. Glenstone Ave. houses the company’s design studio and is open by appointment only. Aunt Martha’s Pancake House closed in October 2015. In its early days, the restaurant was known as a spot visited by celebrities, including musicians Slim Wilson, Chet Atkins and Red Foley.
Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday
Phone: (417) 501-1331
Web: HouseCounsel.com 

Mochas and Meows LLC
Mochas and Meows LLC, a dual-purpose cafe featuring adoptable cats, opened its doors Oct. 25 in Branson. The first-time business venture for Mary Trexler had a Nov. 1 grand opening at 3265 Falls Parkway, Ste. V, in the Falls Shopping Center. Trexler’s business incorporates 2,500 square feet between two units she’s leasing for undisclosed terms with J.W. Franklin Co. She also declined to disclose startup costs. Mochas and Meows has a coffee shop on one side and a separate cat lounge on the other side. The menu includes coffees, espressos and teas, as well as fruit, peanut butter and dessert smoothies. Drink prices range from $3-$7, with smoothie bowls at $9. In the cat lounge, felines are available for adoption via Branson-based Shepherd of the Hills Humane Society. The cat lounge has a cover fee of $6 for 30 minutes or $10 for an hour, which includes unlimited coffee, Trexler said. 
Hours: 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, cafe; 10 a.m.-7 p.m., cat lounge 
Phone: (417) 289-2280
Web: MochasAndMeows.com 

Greene County Operations Center
The Greene County Operations Center opened Oct. 24 at 1210 Boonville Ave. Built on the site of a parking lot, the 17,500-square-foot, two-story structure consolidated the county’s janitorial and maintenance services, print shop, metal fabrication and plumbing shop, microfilm, mailroom and central supply. Those services were previously housed in various locations throughout the county campus. It also was designed with loading docks and warehouse space, which officials said are not available at any other county facilities. The center’s construction came in under budget, at $3.8 million, and it houses a total of 27 employees, said Greene County spokeswoman Donna Barton. Originally budgeted at $5 million, Branco Enterprises Inc. served as general contractor, and project architect was nForm Architecture LLC. The project was paid for from the half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2017, Barton said. 
Hours: 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
Web: GreeneCountyMo.gov