On the Edges

Nixa

Garden Shed offers 'casual elegance'

Nixa gained another restaurant when the Garden Shed Restaurant opened July 9 at 1528 N. Main St., a block south of Highway CC.

Originally a ranch estate, the two-acre site consists of a 2,100-square-foot converted home, a garden patio, parking and a barn.

There is inside seating for 73 people, with room for 40 on the patio.

The primary owner is Holly Budd and the general manager is Lucy Duxbury. The chef is Mike Bastin, a former Holiday Inn executive chef who had a northern Italian style restaurant in New Jersey.

The Garden Shed is closed on Monday but opens for lunch at 11 a.m. and stops seating dinner guests at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Sunday brunch is served 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The 22-employee restaurant serves unique appetizers and pasta specialties with gourmet sauces. Budd described the dining experience as "casual elegance." Budd has been working on renovations and landscaping since last fall.

She plans to renovate and add on to an existing barn to offer banquet space for 150 people. A garden with a pond, fountains and a waterfall will also be landscaped for a wedding site.

"The demographics of Nixa kept the chain restaurants out. But people were screaming for a fine-dining, sit-down restaurant," Budd said.

She formerly had a resort and restaurant in Mountain Home, Ark. For information, call 725-7929.

1999 indicators all up significantly

The city of Nixa is taking in about $30,000 more per month in sales-tax revenue than in 1998, according to City Manager Mike MacPherson.

"If you take the previous year's amount of $800,000 and add $360,000 to it, that's where you'll be, about a 35 (percent to) 40 percent increase, which is pretty significant," he said.

MacPherson attributes much of the increase to the new Wal-Mart Supercenter, which opened in January. Sales-tax revenues reflecting additional dollars spent at Wal-Mart were not received until April. MacPherson said additional city revenues will help develop a park and a community center. In the future, there will be additions needed for City Hall and the Police Department and land for a soccer and softball complex.

"There's also been a significant growth in new businesses in 1999," MacPherson said. From January to June there were 27 new business construction projects begun in Nixa. That compares to 13 in 1997 and 24 in 1998. "That's significant. What's happened is the city of Nixa is developing a population to support more business. More people are willing to shop in Nixa," he said.

Through June 1999, Nixa issued 399 building permits, compared to 533 for 12 months of 1998. Of the 399 permits issued, there were 117 new residential, 111 residential additions, 16 duplexes, 64 apartments, 27 new businesses, and 64 commercial additions.

In 1998, 533 permits were issued, including 251 new residential, 186 residential additions, 16 duplexes, five apartments, 22 new businesses, and 33 commercial additions.

Ozark

Chamber sponsors a night with the Ducks

Members of the Ozark Chamber of Commerce can purchase $4 discount tickets for an Ozark Mountain Ducks game at PriceCutter Park Aug. 7.

Gates open at 6 p.m. prior to the 7:05 game with the Rio Grande Valley White Wings. The first 1,000 fans will receive umbrellas from Springfield 33 and Taco Bell.

Tickets may be purchased at the Ducks ticket office at the stadium or by faxing credit card orders to 581-8342.

Or reserve tickets by calling Sherri at 581-2868.[[In-content Ad]]