Open For Business: Modern Sips Acai Bar

Modern Sips Acai Bar
A longtime educator made a professional pivot by taking over ownership of downtown drink shop Modern Sips Acai Bar. Debbie Wells, along with her husband, Chris, are the new owners of the 1,700-square-foot shop at 323 E. Walnut St. Wells said she bought the business on June 1 from Michael Elder, who had owned the shop since October 2023. The purchase price was undisclosed. Wells said she’s among the shop’s four employees, which include the couple’s two daughters, Madeline Mackey and Isabelle Wells. The Wellses own the business via MDI Collective LLC, she added. The menu at Modern Sips includes acai bowls with toppings such as fruit, granola, honey, Nutella and peanut butter, as well as protein smoothies, energy drinks and hot and iced coffees. Wells said she and her husband signed a three-year lease for an undisclosed rate with Springfield Lofts, a division of Brentwood Management Inc. Wells has spent the past 15 years as a teacher in the Republic School District, most recently working as a digital content specialist.
Phone: 417-469-3175
Email: mdicollective323@gmail.com

Vintage Paris
An ownership change took place on June 12 for Hollister coffee shop Vintage Paris LLC. Matt Farmer said he and his wife, Jessica, exited the 17-year-old business they’ve owned since 2012, after selling it for undisclosed terms to another married couple and frequent customers, Greyson and Mary Smither. The complexity and needs of the business didn’t match the focus Farmer said he and his wife had to offer it anymore. The Farmers said Greyson Smither, a regular at the shop since 2012, is a College of the Ozarks graduate and has experience in the hospitality and facility service industries. The Farmers also both graduated from the private Christian college in Point Lookout. Farmer said that all 18 of the shop’s employees stayed on amid the transition. The company is coming off a strong revenue year of roughly $500,000 in 2025, he said, adding he and his wife will remain available to the Smithers for consultation and support. Vintage Paris has been in its current location at 7900 State Highway 165 since late 2021.
Phone: 417-593-7952
Web: VintageParisCoffee.com

Adventure Seekers
Orlando, Florida-based Ripley’s Believe It or Not! World Entertainment expanded its footprint in Branson with the recent purchase announcement of Adventure Seekers and its FlyRide theater from Randy Little. The deal for the 3115 W. 76 Country Blvd. attraction closed June 15 for undisclosed terms, said Ripley’s spokesperson Suzanne Smagala-Potts. Adventure Seekers bills itself as “a family-friendly fun factory” with more than 150 interactive exhibits, games, hands-on displays and more, according to its website. The FlyRide theater, which is a fully immersive cinematic flight experience, includes iconic landmarks, such as the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls, as well as dinosaur shows. It is located inside the entertainment venue. Adventure Seekers, a roughly 1-year-old attraction, joins Ripley’s operations in Branson that comprise Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Branson, Ripley’s Super Fun Park Branson and Creative Custom Fabrication. Ripley’s has more than 100 attractions in nine countries.
Phone: 417-605-3211
Web: AdventureSeekersBranson.com