Open for Business: Clarion Inn & Suites

Clarion Inn & Suites
Elliott Lodging Ltd. on March 1 rebranded the Comfort Inn & Suites at 3370 E. Battlefield Road to the Clarion Inn & Suites flag. Both brands are holdings of Choice Hotels International Inc. Hotel operator Gordon Elliott said he purchased the 55,600-square-foot property from The Bank of Missouri for $2 million in April 2014 and performed a full renovation of the building for an undisclosed amount. Elliott said current rates range from $89 a night for a standard king or double queen room up to $140 for a two-room suite. The hotel has 104 rooms and 25 employees. Elliott said the Baymont Inn & Suites at 3776 S. Glenstone Ave., which he co-owns with Sam Hamra, will switch to the Comfort Inn brand later this summer. Phone: (417) 520-6200. Web: ChoiceHotels.com

Cosmic King LLC
Kirk Holbert expanded Cosmic King LLC with a retail store March 1 selling comic books at 1915 N. National Ave. Holbert said he purchased the 2,900-square-foot building in 2008 for an undisclosed amount as warehouse space for his online business until opening the 1,300-square-foot storefront. He previously leased the space to Games & More. With three employees, Cosmic King sells and trades comic books, DVDs, collectibles and vintage video games and sports trading cards and also sells phone cases. Hours: 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Phone: (417) 862-5888. Web: Cosmic-King.com

Gig Salad LLC
Gig Salad LLC relocated March 1 from 811 Boonville Ave. to 312-314 E. Olive St. CEO Mark Steiner, who co-owns the company with Steve Tetrault and Locke Bircher under The Gig Bureau LLC, said Gig Salad signed a lease for 5,500 square feet with Westward Alliance LLC for undisclosed terms. Estimated relocation costs were less than $100,000, he said. Membership costs for the online booking platform for performers and event planners range up to $40 per month or $299 per year. Steiner said Gig Salad employs 16 in its Springfield office and another 12 employees in Wilmington, N.C. Hours: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Phone: (417) 889-9909 Web: GigSalad.com

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