Open for Business: Jos. A. Bank Clothiers

Jos. A. Bank Clothiers opened April 9 at 2825 S. Glenstone, Ste. F-20 in the Battlefield Mall. The 4,000-square-foot store is the Baltimore-based, privately held chain's fifth Missouri location, with other stores in Kansas City and St. Louis, said Richard Bosworth, sales and operational manager (flanked, left to right, by sales executive Philip Bennington and assistant manager Tony Dorsey). The store carries tailored men's suits, tuxedos, business casual clothing, golf apparel, dress shirts, belts, ties, underwear and shoes. The 99-year-old company operates 222 stores in 35 states. Five employees work at the Springfield location, which Jos. A. Bank leases from Simon Property Group. Bosworth would not disclose the monthly lease amount or its length. Hours of operation are 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.

Millennium Communications Inc., an 11-year-old St. Louis-based public relations firm, opened a 525-square-foot Springfield office June 1 at 300 S. John Q. Hammons Pkwy., Ste. 111, in the John Q. Hammons Building. The firm employs six in St. Louis and one locally. Its work is done primarily with real estate, professional services, construction and business development firms, said Barbara Pierce, owner. Company services include media relations, crisis communication, Web site development and printed materials design, she said. Her goal for the local office is to have five major clients on board by the end of 2004. Pierce has a two-year lease with Plaza Realty & Management Services Inc. but would not disclose the monthly amount. Hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Tri-Lakes Metro Title Co. opened April 1 at 3844 South Ave. with six employees. The company is the enterprise of co-owners Michael Holden and Steve Babbit. Holden owns Columbia-based Guaranty Land Title; Babbit owns Branson-based Tri-Lakes Title & Escrow. Together, the firms did about $8.5 million in gross sales last year, Holden said. The Springfield operation's six employees will try to match its book of business to the market by doing about 80 percent residential and 20 percent commercial work, he said. The company has a three-year lease with C& M Realty Co. at about $12 a square foot, he added. Holden predicted 2004 revenues of about $200,000 for the South Avenue location. Hours of operation are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.