Open for Business: Grooms Office Environments

Grooms Office Environments
After more than 25 years at 1285 E. Montclair St., Grooms Office Environments moved April 21 to 3861 South Ave. Jonathan Garard, who has co-owned the nearly 50-year-old business with wife Audrey since 2015, said the company purchased the 16,500-square-foot building near Alamo Drafthouse Springfield from the Bennett family, which previously owned and operated Wheeler’s Furniture. Garard declined to disclose the purchase price or relocation and renovation costs. Services for Grooms Office Environments include commercial furniture sales, design, space planning and installation. Garard said after so many years of leasing space, it was time for Grooms to invest in a building of its own, noting the move gave the 36-employee company twice the space as its former Montclair Street home. The additional room allows the company, which was started by Olin Grooms in 1977, to put down permanent roots in Springfield and better showcase its offerings, including a new patio and lawn space with outdoor furniture, Garard said.
Phone: 417-883-4646
Web: GroomsInc.com

Cast Iron Print Works
The ownership of Springfield brand design and illustration studio Fried Design Co. started screen-printing business Cast Iron Print Works LLC on June 12. Josh Sullivan, founder and co-owner of Fried Design Co., said both companies operate out of the Fried office space, 3938 S. Lone Pine Ave., Ste. 102, in the Galloway Creek development. Cast Iron Print Works focuses on custom apparel and promotion products, and organizers say its partnership with Fried Design offers clients services from initial concept development through final production. Sullivan declined to disclose startup costs for Cast Iron Print Works. He said Cast Iron hired Wes Eaton, who closed his print shop in Memphis, Tennessee, to relocate to Springfield and take a production manager and lead printer position with the company. Sullivan said Cast Iron employs four, adding he owns the new venture with wife JuliRose Sullivan, Todd Carroll and Bryan Elliott. The Fried ownership team consists of the Sullivans and Carroll.
Phone: 417-242-1116
Web: CastIronPrints.com

The Kennedy
Above Bruno’s Italian Restaurant, at 416 South Ave., Aubrey Kennedy opened a 2,000-square-foot bar on July 1. Dubbed The Kennedy, she said the new downtown bar south of the intersection of South Avenue and Walnut Street will have a July 18 grand opening. With a 50-person seating capacity, The Kennedy serves beer, wine, nonalcoholic drinks and specialty cocktails, such as the Italian Job, which has blood orange vodka, Campari, Cinzano and grapefruit juice. It also has a small appetizer menu featuring items such as bruschetta. Kennedy said the new bar’s space was already part of the property when she bought Bruno’s earlier this year, and it works under the same license. She declined to disclose startup costs. The bar is starting with one employee, Kennedy said, adding she hopes to soon expand the staff to three. Kennedy purchased Bruno’s in January from Matt Clark and Sean Levy. Bruno Gargiulo started the restaurant in 2003.
Phone: 417-866-0007
Web: TheKennedy.net