Farmers Gastropub
Bill and Christina Griffiths opened Farmers Gastropub on Oct. 19 in the former Ophelia's restaurant space, 431 S. Jefferson Ave., Ste. 160, in Wilhoit Plaza. New to the Ozarks, the gastropub concept - and its emphasis on upscale, casual food from local sources - started in the early 1990s in London, said Englishman Bill Griffiths. He said the term combines the words gastronomy, the art of fine foods, and pub, short for the British public house. "What we're trying to do here is work with the local growers and producers," he said, in hopes of rallying community support. Griffiths has bought black angus beef from Mountain Grove's Rocking Z Ranch; chicken, turkey and produce from Millsap Farms north of Springfield; bread from Artisan's Oven on Ingram Mill Road; and pork from Fair Grove's Horrmann Meat Co. Farmers Gastropub, which employs 22, is divided into an English-style pub and a prix fixe bistro for intimate gatherings. Hours: 9 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 9 a.m.-midnight Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Phone: (417) 864-6994.
Backcountry Outfitters
Tim Fowkes turned his fly-fishing hobby into a profession when he and wife Becky purchased Backcountry Outfitters on Dec. 1. The store, 2863 S. Campbell Ave., sells fly-fishing rods, reels and accessories, including fly lines and boxes, waders and vests. "I love to fly fish," said Fowkes, a former plant supervisor for Moark LLC in Neosho. "Somebody told me once, figure out what you love to do and figure out how to make a living at it." The Fowkses bought Backcountry Outfitters for $200,000 from Michael and Kristina Kyle, Tim Fowkes said. The store's annual revenues are about $200,000, he said, with Sage fly rods the leading product and fly-tying materials the top-selling category. Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Phone: (417) 889-6548.
Messiah's Lighthouse Child & Family Development Center
The Lighthouse Child & Family Development Center, in collaboration with Messiah Lutheran Church, opened a second child-care facility Oct. 1 at 925 E. Seminole St. The nonprofit state-licensed center serves 30 children between the ages of 6 weeks and 5 years, said Lighthouse Executive Director Erica Harris. Launched in August 2007 as a project of the Musgrave Foundation, the Christian faith-based organization provides education and support to children and families, some of whom are below federal poverty levels and are not charged for care. In its first year of operation, at 2548 N. Fremont Ave., the participating families' average household income grew by $5,000 and their debt decreased by $8,000, Harris said. Lisa Allen is director of the new center, which employs 10 and operates on $300,000 a year, Harris said. Funding comes from tuition, state and local grants, and Messiah Lutheran Church dollars, if necessary, she said. Hours: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Phone: (417) 881-4119.[[In-content Ad]]
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