Lampost gets new owners after 37 years in business

by Karen E. Culp

SBJ Staff

The Lampost Gift Shop has a new set of owners, following the retirement of its longtime owner, Carol Knopp.

Henry and Kay Brensing purchased the 37-year-old Lampost Gift Shop March 10. Founded by Carol Knopp in 1962, the Lampost has been at its original location in the Brentwood Center since opening, Kay Brensing said.

Knopp has decided to retire and will leave running the store to its new owners, Kay Brensing said.

"We plan to keep the shop pretty much as it is. We may add a few lines as we go along, but for now, it's pretty much business as usual," Brensing said.

The Lampost sells collectibles and gifts and is one of Springfield's longest standing gift shops, she added.

The Brensings, who worked in real estate in Branson, said they had been looking for a business to buy when they learned the Lampost was for sale. They were also interested in relocating to Springfield, Kay Brensing said, so they decided to purchase the shop.

"It's going to be something different for us, but we're really looking forward to it," she said.

The store employs three full-time and one part-time employee, including the Brensings. The Brensings, natives of Kansas, have been in southwest Missouri for seven years. They still manage some real estate in the Branson area.

They have no prior experience in retail, but Kay Brensing and her son ran a distribution company that sold cassettes, videos and compact discs to businesses in Branson for use in their shows or stores, she said.

"We're really looking forward to getting involved in the chamber and getting to know the business community here," Kay Brensing said.

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