Open for Business: Chicago Smerqs Springfield

Chicago Smerqs Springfield
A husband and wife added to their business portfolio with the March 18 opening of Chicago Smerqs Springfield. The barbecue eatery owned by Bill and Anedra Mosley occupies roughly 1,400 square feet at 3202 W. Republic Road, Ste. 500. Anedra Mosley said startup costs were close to $100,000, declining to disclose the four-year lease rate with Ozarks Investment Properties LLC. She said the restaurant originally was planned as a franchise venture with a friend who owned a Chicago Smerqs in Chicago. However, when the friend’s store closed, she said the deal fell through and the Mosleys moved forward using their own recipes. The menu includes pork ribs, beef brisket and fried catfish. Prices range $7.50-$22, according to its website. Mosley said the five-employee restaurant was closed for several weeks this summer due to damage from a fire and reopened Aug. 5. The couple also own A & B Blessings Home Healthcare LLC, and Bill Mosley owns real estate firm BMJ Realty LC.
Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday
Phone: 417-350-1226
Web: ChicagoSmerqsSpringfield.com

Valley Mountain Quality Meats
Valley Mountain Meat LLC made its retail debut Aug. 16 at 432 E. Mill St., Ste. 100, in Rogersville’s Finley River Plaza shopping center. Operating as Valley Mountain Quality Meats, Daniel Scott co-owns the venture with Garrett Jernigan, John Elkins and Paul Schmidt. He said the partners originally thought about building a meat locker plant for processing but happened upon the 2,000-square-foot space in Rogersville formerly occupied by Family Pharmacy, which shuttered last year. He declined to disclose startup costs or lease terms with center owner DMAN Rentals. The shop handles custom butchering for retail customers, as well as precut and frozen meat. Scott said beef products currently come exclusively from his Angus beef farm, which he’s owned in Webster County since 1984. Aside from meat, the four-employee shop sells seasonings, glass-bottled milk from Mountain Grove-based Ozark Mountain Creamery LLC, wood pellets, and grills from Weber and Traeger.
Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-
3 p.m. Saturday
Phone: 417-753-7664
Web: PrimeCutBeef.us

Aerie
Clothing retailer Aerie, a women’s lifestyle brand of American Eagle Outfitters Inc., opened a store May 20 at Battlefield Mall, 2825 S. Glenstone Ave. Aerie sells a variety of apparel, including sleepwear, swimsuits and lingerie, as well as accessories and beauty products, according to its website. American Eagle Outfitters spokesperson Olivia Messina declined to disclose startup costs and lease terms with mall owner Simon Property Group Inc. Messina said store manager Carolyn Billingsley leads a staff of 28 at the 3,900-square-foot venture. Aerie is currently in 360 shopping malls across the United States and Canada, Messina said, adding the Springfield store is the company’s fourth in Missouri.
Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon-6 p.m. Sunday
Phone: 417-512-6994
Web: Aerie.com