Open for Business: Imaginasium

Imaginasium
Amber and Cody Walters wanted their children to have a safe place to play, which led them to purchase Imaginasium, an indoor playground, on May 19. After seeing on Facebook that the previous owners, Mandi and Erik Pilkinton, were selling, Amber Walters said the ownership transition occurred over around a month. She said her family purchased the business for about $19,500, adding that she and her husband are the 3-year-old venture’s sole employees. Imaginasium is in the Shamrock Center at 3444 S. Campbell Ave., Ste. O, and Walters said there are no plans to move until at least the end of their three-year lease with O’Reilly Investment Co. Walters said they pay $2,300 a month to rent the 3,200-square-foot space. Prices for all-day open play start at $6 for crawling children up to 23 months old, and $11 for those older. Those with memberships can pay a monthly fee ranging $40-$80 for unlimited play access. Walters also said Imaginasium hosts birthday parties, starting at $150 for two hours.
Phone: 417-368-2908
Web: Imaginasium417.com

Dirty Dough
Utah-based cookie chain Dirty Dough’s first Springfield location opened June 18 at 2515 S. Campbell Ave., Ste. 100. Franchisee Isaac Aldridge owns the local shop via Dirty Dough Springfield, which is at The Creek, a mixed-use development on South Campbell Avenue. The 1,200-square-foot Dirty Dough shop includes a drive-thru and a 10-person staff led by store manager Sheree Sterling, Aldridge said. The company specializes in cookies loaded with toppings and filled with stuffings. Examples include Brookie, a brownie cookie stuffed with caramel, and The Reverse, a peanut butter cookie filled with fudge. Prices range $5 for a single cookie up to $45 for a dozen. The Dirty Dough cookie lineup rotates every week, Aldridge said, adding his shop also sells shakes and Dirty Scoops. Although Aldridge declined to disclose startup costs, a $49,500 franchise fee and 7% royalty fee is expected of franchisees, according to the company’s website. He also declined to disclose lease terms with Walker Hospitality Group LLC, which owns The Creek.
Phone: 417-201-5144
Web: DirtyDoughCookies.com

Outrun Strategies
With a combined 13 years of experience at consulting firm Environmental Works Inc., two of its employees exited earlier this year to start their first business ownership venture, Outrun Strategies LLC. Katie Wendt and Dylan Vandel teamed up to launch the two-employee, home-based firm on March 4. Wendt said startup costs were $20,000 for the company, which offers consulting services for software platform Deltek Vantagepoint, along with system support, online and video training, and data management consulting. Wendt said she and Vandel had been working with the Deltek Vantagepoint platform since Environmental Works became a user in 2019, noting they both have since become certified in the system. She said Outrun Strategies provides the duo with the opportunity to expand their business and help other companies reach the full potential of their data, systems and processes, adding the enterprise resource planning system primarily is used by project-based firms such as architecture, engineering and environmental compliance.
Phone: 417-291-0830
Web: OutrunStrategies.com