Open for Business

Gallery at the Lake, on north Highway 13 in Kimberling City, owned by Tom Hoath, put the finishing touches on its interior expansion and building appearance, and hosted an open house Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, according Bern-adette Sandberg, gallery manager. "The renovation took about a year," Sand-berg said, and "... expanded the display area two or three times. The exterior changed dramatically as the ordinary building was refaced with a French country look, she said. The gallery, which was renamed from Time Frame Gallery to reflect its new direction, now carries original art, Sandberg said. Hoath also owns Midwest Laminating Inc. and has been a member of the Kimberling City business community for 22 years. Gallery at the Lake is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday.

Cottage Kids LLC, at 3745 S. Cox Road, a new child-care center within Chesterfield Village, is located in one of the original farmhouses of the Cox family who developed Chesterfield Village. Owner Tonya Honeycutt, who is also mother of two, said that the center has the "warmth and comfort of a home-like setting with the curriculum and enrichment of a large child-care center." The four full-time teachers have four-year, child-related degrees and are encouraged to develop individual research-based curriculum for each child. Four teachers work part-time. Cottage Kids offers a 1-to-3 teacher-to-child ratio in the infant room, a better ratio than required by state regulations. Cottage Kids cares for children ages 6 weeks to preschool 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Sara Carter is the center's director.