Open for Business: Advanced Metal Fabricators

Advanced Metal Fabricators
Kristy and Brian Chastain closed Sept. 2 on a deal to buy Advanced Metal Fabricators Inc. from Jason O’Neal, the original owner of the company, which opened in 1998. Kristy Chastain declined to disclose the purchase price or terms of the couple’s lease for the company’s 15,000-square-foot building at 1050 E. Lynn St. that O’Neal continues to own. Chastain is chief financial officer, while her husband is president of the eight-employee company that specializes in fabrication of sheet metal for residential and commercial customers. She said metal products manufactured at the company include fascia, guttering, roofing panels and soffit. It also makes specialty products for inside homes such as railing and custom chimney caps. Most of its clients are within a 500-mile radius of Springfield. Chastain said she previously had a nearly 20-year banking career, which included work at Metropolitan National Bank, Guaranty Bank and The Bank of Missouri, while her husband was project manager at Central States Industrial Equipment & Service Inc.
Phone: 417-873-9696
Web: AmFab417.com

Hatch Auditorium
A Jan. 13 ribbon-cutting ceremony signaled the launch of The Hatch Auditorium, a flexible 500-seat event venue near the city’s southern boundary at the Library Center, 4653 S. Campbell Ave. Vickie Hicks, community relations director for the Springfield-Greene County Library District, said the Hatch Auditorium will serve as a community space. It can host intimate networking sessions and after-hours gatherings in its lobby area or musical performances, banquets, lectures and readings, made possible through flexible seating configurations. The 19,340-square-foot addition to the west side of the Library Center was designed by Sapp Design Associates Architects Inc. with Branco Enterprises Inc. serving as general contractor for the $8.2 million building. The facility was paid for through private donations, including a naming-level donation from the Hatch Foundation, a family-funded philanthropic organization, plus Springfield-allocated funds of $4 million from the American Rescue Plan Act for COVID-19 recovery.
Phone: 417-882-0714
Web: TheLibrary.org/branch/the-library-center

7 Brew Coffee
About a month after debuting in Republic, 7 Brew Coffee opened its first location in Ozark on Nov. 17. Brandon Sebald, who is a company franchisee via Brew Crew LLC with brother Chris Sebald and their friend, Larry Wilson, said the roughly 510-square-foot coffee stand is at 1630 W. South St., less than a half-mile from Ozark South Elementary School. Startup costs were around $1.5 million, Sebald said, adding the location has a staff of nearly 60 employees. It’s the 72nd location across four states for the Arkansas-based Brew Crew, Sebald said. He said the company also has plans later this year for its eighth 7 Brew location in Springfield, as well as its first shop in Nixa, at 415 N. Massey Blvd. According to its website, 7 Brew now has 663 shops in 38 states. The coffee franchise features dual drive-thru lanes with a menu including iced and hot coffees, Italian sodas, energy drinks, shakes, smoothies and teas. Prices range $2.50-$7.
Web: 7Brew.com