Open for Business: Dynamic Earth Equipment Co.

Dynamic Earth Equipment Co. opened Feb. 21 at 3036 S. Fremont. The store's 5,000 square feet formerly housed More Time Outdoors, and now features much of its inventory with various additions, said owner Matt O'Reilly (pictured), who purchased the business from Travis Paquin in November for an undisclosed price. O'Reilly set up a renegotiated lease arrangement based on the existing store's contract for another two years. Store upgrades include a carpet re-do and the addition of a 14-foot-high, 300-square-foot "bouldering wall" complete with in-place hardware for climbing and testing gear. The store sells climbing and camping supplies, canoes and kayaks. It buys and sells backpacks and used bicycles. It also has an area for watching outdoor videos and a trail-mix station. O'Reilly hopes his strategy of "cross-marketing" to patrons using his various brands will help achieve a monthly sales goal of about $35,000. In January the store expanded into an adjacent 2,200 square feet of space to the south. The store employs four and is open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.

Gold Minds opened March 1 at 3354 S. National in Kelly Plaza. The 5,600-square-foot store is a hybrid of two retail types, said owner Steven Diullo. Inventory features teacher supplies and resource books, as well as children's toys with an educational slant. It also carries homework helpers for parents, he added. The interior will be visually appealing and will themed with mining camp, pine trees and a one-room schoolhouse, said Diullo, a former Marshfield High School teacher. He bought the business about a year ago from Suzy Appleby and estimated 2003's sales revenues of about $277,000. Diullo assumed the balance of Handcrafted Hardwood's lease and signed up for another five years, he added. Two advantages of relocating the store from its previous location at 4240 S. Fremont are to place it in a mall context with cross-customer opportunities and to increase traffic visibility, he said. The store has six employees and operates 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:30-4:30 Sunday.

Superior Auto Service opened Jan. 26 in 1,600 square feet of space at 1517 N. Kansas Expwy., said owner and manager Jeff Goldenberg. The building, which formerly contained another repair service, employs two and handles complete auto repairs. He has a one-year lease and has painted, put signage up ans installed, a car lift was installed, he said. Goldenberg said site selection of a main north-side intersection should heighten his visibility and business, but added, "It's not a building that I'll outgrow in the next year or two." His decision to exit the car dealership he worked for as repairman and start an independent shop was to "invest in my family's future," he said. Store hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.