Next Level Sport KarateRichard Osborn Jr. opened Next Level Sport Karate on Jan. 11 at 1317 W. Sunshine St. A seventh-degree black belt, Osborn teaches martial arts, karate and tae kwon do, with help from two volunteer instructors. The studio’s traditional training is rooted in tae kwon do, with football drills and other strength and agility exercises blended in, said Osborn, who has taught martial arts in the Ozarks for more than 15 years. The studio has a family class – a family of four can train for roughly $100 a month – as well as a Little Dragons program for 5- and 6-year-olds. Hours: 5:30–8 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Phone: (417) 865-6398.
Pedorthic Footcare Services LLC Lee A. Hunter, a certified pedorthic therapist and certified massage therapist, moved Pedorthic Footcare Services LLC on Dec. 1 to 1111 E. Republic Road, Ste. 120. The business, which provides shoe modifications, inlays and custom orthotics for individuals with foot and ankle problems, spent 25 years at 1320 W. Sunshine St. Hunter said the move allows her to expand her retail business, increasing the number of comfort shoe lines carried to nine from four, including Birkenstock, Brooks, SAS and P.W. Minor. Hunter said shoe prices range between $89 and $320 a pair. While she still will provide clinical services paid for by insurance companies, Hunter said the retail expansion will allow her to work with more people who have foot problems or need help finding shoes that fit correctly. “About 95 percent of foot problems just come from shoes that don’t fit right,” she said. Pedorthic Footcare Services has two additional full-time employees and one part-time employee. Hours: 9:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Phone: (417) 869-0535.
Five Star Houseboat Vacations LLCDave and Nancy Long opened Five Star Houseboat Vacations LLC on Jan. 1 at 338 Nautical Circle in Kimberling City on Table Rock Lake. The business provides vacationers four-day, five-day and weekly rentals of four houseboats, and Nancy Long said she already has lined up several bookings. Long said the boats are now under construction at Lakeview Yachts in Monticello, Ky., and she expects to receive the first completed vessel next month. Long said startup costs were about $1 million, with Arvest Bank as the lender on an $860,000 loan backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The boats have private bedrooms, water slides, tracking satellites for TV reception, linens, towels and cooking utensils, according to www.tablerockhouseboatrentals.com. Weekly rentals are $4,990 for boats that sleep up to 10 people and $6,390 for boats that sleep up to 14. The peak rental season is May 28–Sept. 6, and the off season is May 1–27 and after Labor Day through roughly mid-November. Phone: (417) 988-1387.
Springfield Business Journal brings you new businesses each week. Send business info by e-mail to sbj@sbj.net or by fax to (417) 799-0603.
