Open for Business

Springfield Flower Co. opened Feb. 7 at 1300 E. Sunshine, Ste. A, where Cy’s Flowers used to operate. Three former Cy’s employees – Kelly Anderson, Ian Shelton and Brian Pendergrass – joined forces with Marty Moore to rent the 1,200-square-foot storefront and start fresh after Cy’s closed Dec. 24, said Shelton, a former floral designer for the Las Vegas Hyatt Regency. Shelton and Anderson are the floral designers, Pendergrass is in charge of business management and marketing, and Moore is in-house counsel. Hours are 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, and by appointment Sunday.

Lola’s Pastries & Eatery opened Jan. 27 at 110 N. Fort in Nixa. Owner Robin Paulson said the 2,200-square-foot location, named for her grandmother, seats about 96. The café serves homemade pastries and desserts and espresso drinks and offers customers relaxed seating. “I think we offer something that Nixa doesn’t have anywhere else,” Paulson said. Paulson has eight part-time employees. Hours are 6:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The Skinny Improv, a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, opened Nov. 5 at 205 Park Central East, Ste. B-1, in the Holland Building. Chad Harris, who co-owns the business with Jeff Jenkins as a division of their Upside Down Creative Group, said The Skinny Improv has 11 part-time employees, seven of which are local talent performing improvisational comedy. “It’s a little dose of ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’ and Comedy Sportz and long-form improvisation,” Harris said. The group performs 7-11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

A new monthly regional magazine, The Ozarkian Spirit, debuted March 4. Kim McCully-Mobley, who was editor of The Aurora Advertiser for 17 years, is owner and managing editor of Spirit Publishing LLC, formed Jan. 19. The company is run from 1416 S. Elliott Ave. in Aurora. Husband Al Mobley is executive publisher and son Jake McCully is student consultant. The first issue had 48 high-bright pages and a glossy full-color cover. The magazine focuses on Ozarks cultural issues, folklore, history, social concerns, food music, dance, art and events. McCully-Mobley, who teaches English and journalism at Aurora High School and is on the adjunct faculty lists for Drury University and Crowder College, said that current plans call for 3,000 copies to be printed each month and distributed throughout southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas. Hours are 3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, noon-6 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m.-noon Saturday.