On the Street

With construction of a new headquarters under way in Springfield, Marisol International is preparing to relocate its Kansas City office. Marketing manager Kelley Dunn told the Kansas City Business Journal that the freight forwarding company will move to larger space in Briarcliff Village in May. SBJ reported Oct. 3 that Marisol is building new corporate headquarters at 2424 W. Kingsley and planned to open offices in New York and Los Angeles this month and in Hong Kong and Shanghai, China, by the end of the year.

Talent-DeLay connection

Missouri Sen. Jim Talent is holding back for now on returning contribution dollars from former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. After DeLay was indicted for his campaign work with Americans for a Republican Majority – the same political action committee responsible for a $5,000 contribution to Talent’s campaign in 2002 – Missouri Congressman Kenny Hulshof, 9th District, returned about $15,000 he had received from DeLay since 1996. Talent spokesman Rich Chrismer said Talent is neither presuming innocent nor guilt and will await a court decision.

$3 bil Halloween season

There’s money in those trick-or-treat bags. Halloween is the sixth-largest spending holiday with $3.29 billion expected to change hands this season, according to the National Retail Federation. The average person will spend $48 on merchandise – 60 percent of consumers decorate their homes – and $18 on sweets – 95 percent buy candy, according to an NRF survey conducted by BIGresearch. Here’s how holiday spending breaks down: $435.3 billion for winter holidays; $13.19 billion for Valentine’s Day; $9.6 billion for Easter; $11.43 billion for Mother’s Day; and $8.23 billion for Father’s Day, with Halloween next.

Nightclub for $2.7 mil

Loren Moore has listed the Intensity Nightclub building, 2951 E. Sunshine, with Murney Associates for $2.7 million. Moore opened the 12,000-square-foot club in April 2004 for $2.5 million. Intensity closed this year after noise complaints from residents. Agent Mark Kerivan said the building has been on the market for several months and has received interest from potential buyers for a variety of commercial uses, including an auto dealership, church facilities and another nightclub. However, Kerivan said the property is not zoned for an auto dealership. Moore could not be reached for comment.

Slice of Nice

Springfield businessman Jim D. Morris, president of Morris Oil, has donated to the state’s Department of Natural Resources his boyhood home and the 161 acres it sits on in Missouri’s boot heel. The Dunklin County land was dedicated Oct. 8 as Morris State Park. Missouri State Parks Commissioner Larry Russell called the act “a great and wonderful gift for the citizens of Missouri.” The park features a two-mile hiking trail and is home to large beech, white oak and sycamore trees, as well as more than 300 plant species.

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