Open for Business

Beledi, Bellydance & Ancient Arts opened April 5 at 200 E. Commercial. Owner Brittney Banaei (pictured at right with Karen Sinderman) started belly dancing about five years ago but has been doing Persian dancing her entire life. For her primary dance influences, she cites Los Angeles-based Zahrah Zuhair and Yasmina Ramsy of Toronto. Belly dancing hails from the Middle East, Banaei said. “The movements are natural to a woman’s body,” with dances mostly done through torso and abdomen movements. The term beledi means “of the people” and points toward the folkloric elements in the dance’s style, she said. She teaches 22 students in beginning, intermediate and advanced classes. Cost for a five-week intro class is $30. Two dance troupes – Oasis Dance Troupe and Red Moon Tribe Dance Group – also use the facility. Banaei rents from Mary Collette for $400 a month with an open-ended lease. Class times meet at 5:15 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and 6:15 p.m. Thursday. Morning classes are held at 11 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

Rugs & More at 4127 S. Kansas Expwy., Ste. 124, opened May 1. The 3,000-square-foot shop handles more than 400 area rugs from eight weavers, which includes producers in Egypt, China, Pakistan and India, said owner Tom Peterson. Beyond its selection of braided, round, square and oval rugs, the shop sells accessories, such as padding and runners. Prices on a 5-by-8-foot rug can run from $129 to $1,050, he said. Peterson said the three-employee shop would net most of its sales from individual accounts, although he encourages both decorators and designers to utilize his rugs. He has a five-year lease with Morelock-Ross, but would not disclose the lease amount. Anticipated revenues for the seven months of 2004 are about $400,000. Delivery is free within 30 miles. Store hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

DJ’s Café opened March 15 at 5453 State Highway FF in Battlefield. Owners John and Darlene McCarthy, who also own restaurants in Marshfield and Fordland, have a three-year lease with Willett Construction. John McCarthy would not disclose the lease amount. While the restaurant is currently 2,000 square feet, plans are to increase it to about 7,800 square feet by adding a buffet and sports bar in the next 90 days. The cost of the infill ran about $28,000, he said. The restaurant has 10 employees. Formerly working as a chef at The Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, as well as the Las Vegas Hilton, John McCarthy worked at Village Inn locally for a year before opening his own restaurants. Restaurant hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.