Open for Business: North Star Christmas Co.

North Star Christmas Co.
Husband and wife Derek and Jennifer Baker expanded their Christmas-focused e-commerce venture to a brick-and-mortar shop at 301 E. Commercial St. with the March 15 opening of North Star Christmas Co. North Star is a year-round Christmas retailer that sells myriad options for the holiday, including lights, nutcrackers, ornaments, ribbons and stockings. Baker said a dozen trees decorated by his wife fill a large portion of the 2,000-square-foot store. He said the couple signed a one-year lease for an undisclosed rate with building owner Kelsey Rogers. North Star replaces Rogers’ Bees Knees Roller Skate Shop, which shuttered last year. Derek Baker said they started selling and installing Christmas lights in 2012 when living in California. That business, Christmas Lights Are Us LLC, was halted briefly when they moved to Oregon but resumed upon their relocating to Springfield in 2019. By then, they grew their Christmas collection, leading them to become an e-commerce venture selling lights, ornaments, household items and more.
Phone: 417-720-1008
Web: NorthStarChristmasCo.com

Yell Aviation
A new Branson area flight school, Yell Aviation LLC, took off Oct. 18. Founder Brandon Gammill said he and his wife, Alyssa, own the venture, which operates at the Branson Jet Center, 130 Wright Brothers Road, in Hollister. The couple has a concessions agreement with the Branson Airport for hangar and office space at the jet center. While declining to disclose terms of the agreement, he said startup costs for Yell Aviation were roughly $150,000. Gammill said his school offers private, commercial, instrument, certified flight instructor and multi-engine training for students, adding Yell Aviation follows Federal Aviation Administration guidelines. Gammill is a CFI and owns the training aircraft, a 1967 Cessna 172H and a 1967 Piper Twin Comanche. Aside from its training programs, he said Yell Aviation offers tours of the Branson area. Gammill said he previously was a flight instructor with Short Final Aviation LLC in the Branson area. The couple formerly owned a pressure-washing business, which he said they closed in 2022.
Phone: 417-294-8831
Web: YellAviation.com

Penny’s Cleaning
Penny Harris, owner of Springfield-based Penny’s Cleaning LLC, said she closed March 31 on the acquisition of Verv Cleaning for $92,000 from Morgan Graffis. Harris said she was approached by Blaire Chrouser, partner at the Kingsley Group business brokerage company, about the opportunity. Graffis is no longer involved with the business, Harris said, adding she felt it would be an exciting way to grow her company. With the combination of Penny’s Cleaning and Verv Cleaning, Harris now employs 10 employees and four subcontractors. Three of those employees and the subcontractors come from Verv Cleaning, she said. Harris said she’s exploring whether to keep the Verv Cleaning name in operation or merge it into her company. Penny’s Cleaning has around 75 recurring clients, she said, noting the purchase of Verv Cleaning brings 50-60 new clients on board. Harris has operated Penny’s Cleaning for 16 years this summer. The company has an office at 3444 S. Campbell Ave. in the Shamrock Center.
Phone: 417-848-3848
Web: PennysCleaning417.com