Dake Wells receives chamber’s Small Business Award

Reaching its 20th anniversary this year, Dake Wells Architecture Inc. also can add a community honor to its list of accomplishments, as the firm is the recipient of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 W. Curtis Strube Small Business Award.

“This is awesome. Thank you so much to the chamber for this recognition among such a strong group of finalists. It’s really an impressive group this year,” said Brandon Wells, co-owner of the firm, upon accepting the award during the chamber’s annual luncheon May 1 at Oasis Hotel & Convention Center.

Wells, who co-founded the firm in 2004 with Brandon Dake, briefly became emotional after taking the stage, as he saluted those he credits for helping the firm over the years. Dake Wells previously was a finalist for the Small Business Award in 2015.

“I also want to thank our team for the incredible effort that they put into all of the work that we do,” he said. “For us, architecture is a team sport, and please forgive my bias, but I think we have the best team around.

“We’ve worked with some amazing engineers, contractors and consultants over the years, without whom our work would remain on the page,” he said, also acknowledging the clients who took a chance on hiring them. “Thank you for your patience with us and your willingness to go along for the ride.”

The firm’s founders originally set up shop two decades ago in Dake’s guest bedroom using folding tables with a milk crate and toolbox before moving a few months later to its first office location downtown. The 401 W. Walnut St. space was once occupied by the former Dungeons of Doom haunted house, according to firm officials.

The firm relocated in 2017 to 134 Park Central Square, Ste. 300, at which time it employed 15. Today, Dake Wells has more than doubled its staff to 35.

Despite challenges in the firm’s early years of existence, which included the Great Recession, Wells recently told Springfield Business Journal he and Dake felt confident in their abilities to make the business a success.

“I suppose we felt like that from the very beginning,” he said. “We didn’t really have a backup plan, so we knew we had to make it work. Brandon and I have always been big believers in hard work. Just like if we just put our minds to it, we’re going to figure out a way to make this work.”

Some projects under its belt include Aetos Center for the Performing Arts, Jarrett Middle School, Liberty United Methodist Church, Andy’s Frozen Custard, Missouri State University’s Glass Hall renovation and the Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing at Ozarks Technical Community College.

“Dake Wells Architecture exemplifies the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation that drives our local economy,” chamber President Matt Morrow said in a news release. “The commitment to creating not just beautiful spaces, but also spaces that enhance the lives of Springfield residents, is truly commendable.”

Chamber officials estimated approximately 360 attended the annual ceremony.

Dake Wells received the award over finalists, in alphabetical order:

• 417 Magazine, a lifestyle and business publication owned by Logan Aguirre.
• Ireland Architects Inc., an architecture firm led by Stephanie Ireland that started in 2000.
• Ozark Empire Fairgrounds & Event Center, an organization in business since 1937 that holds over 100 events annually.
• Volt Credit Union, a financial institution with 7,000 members in the Springfield area.

“We founded the firm and have worked to build a place where the focus has been on doing the best design work that we can do, and particularly design work within the public realm,” Wells said. “In other words, it’s projects, places, and spaces that serve the community in some way.”

In late 2018, the firm opened a second office in Kansas City.

“We’re kind of gaining a little bit of brand recognition in the Kansas City market, which is a market where there are a lot of really good firms,” Wells said. “Whether there will be another office in another location at some point, I suppose that’s possible.”

While declining to discuss plans for a new office, Wells said the firm has no intention of leaving downtown.

“We’ve always been committed to the success of downtown,” he said. “As architects, we understand and we believe in how important a strong downtown environment is, frankly, in any city, any town.”

Last year’s Small Business Award winner was Kare Health & Wellness LLC, a functional medicine business from owner and founder Keri Sutton, according to past reporting. Honorees are selected based on written applications reviewed by an independent panel of judges comprising previous recipients, local business experts and volunteers of the chamber’s Small Business Council.

Judges this year were Brad Coy, Impact Recruiting Partners LLC; Heather Haun, Kare Health & Wellness LLC; Paige Oxendine, Habitat Communication and Culture LLC; Andy Peebles, Carnahan Evans PC; and Angie Way, Gold Mechanical Inc. and formerly BRP Architects.

The council was founded by the late Curtis Strube, a former director at Drury University’s Breech School of Business Administration.