Open for Business: Ozark Crane Services Inc.

Ozark Crane Services Inc.
Joplin-based Ozark Crane Services Inc. bought Springfield’s Professional Equipment Movers Inc., 1406 W. Division St., on July 19. Purchase price was undisclosed, but Joplin-based Southwest Missouri Bank provided financing, said Allen Tennis, Springfield vice president. Ozark Crane has operated in the Springfield and Branson markets for 10 years. Todd Eads started the crane and forklift rental business with two cranes in 1983 in Joplin. With cranes ranging from 8 tons to 165 tons, Ozark Crane Services rents cranes and forklifts and offers millwright services with operators for each, Tennis said. Clients include Empire District Electric, Gold Mechanical Inc., Hartman & Co. and Burlington Northern Inc. Hours: 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Phone: (417) 864-6764.

In Stitches Sewing Café
Diane Gardner-Wilham opened In Stitches Sewing Café on Nov. 29 at 705 N. 10th St. in Ozark. The business rents sewing machines and workspace for projects by the hour, and Gardner-Wilham offers sewing classes. While working a previous job at Springfield Sewing Center, where Gardner-Wilham was recently laid off, she saw an opportunity to meet customer inquiries about sewing machine rentals. Drinks and pastries also are available in her store, which is modeled after a sewing café in San Francisco, and group sewing parties can be booked. After encouragement from friends, Gardner-Wilham and her husband, David, refinanced their home to reduce their payment and received a $17,000 home equity loan from Empire Bank to start the business. She found 10 sewing machines from an area high school’s home economics department for $20 apiece. Hours: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Thursday. Phone: (417) 582-2233.

State Beauty Supply
State Beauty Supply moved Nov. 19 to 1905 S. Bedford Ave., said owner Fred Dupy. State Beauty Supply bought vacant land from Bank of Missouri for an undisclosed amount and built a 7,000-square-foot store, about 1,000 square feet larger than the old store, across Sunshine Street at 3645 E. Sunshine St. State Beauty Supply sells shampoo, conditioner, coloring, hair spray and styling tools wholesale to beauticians in its territory, which covers northeast Springfield, north to Bolivar, northeast to Lebanon and southeast to Mount Vernon, Dupy said. Hours: 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Saturday. Phone: (417) 889-1700.
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