May 4—The village of Airport Drive is seeing more businesses setting up shop, including a new pizza restaurant along Fir Road that can be accessed by drivers on Highway 171.

A Gambino's Pizza restaurant is being constructed at 101 Village Landing in Airport Drive. Ground for the project was broken late last year. The restaurant offers pizza, pasta, calzones, sandwiches, salads, appetizers and desserts.

Near Gambino's is Verts Neighborhood Dispensary located at 25733 Fir Road. The dispensary will be celebrating its second anniversary in August. The business, formerly called BesaMe Wellness Dispensary, was rebranded to Verts last year.

Verts Neighborhood Dispensary has been expanding to new locations in Missouri and Michigan. A Dollar General also opened up along Fir Road in late 2021.

Missouri voters passed recreational marijuana for adults 21 and up in November.

Clerk Sue Hirshey said there are tentative plans for the lot of the former Kum & Go convenience store located at 5958 N. Main Street off the roundabout. The location closed in November 2017 after Kum & Go officials said the building didn't provide enough space for growth or renovation.

"We do have a company hoping to open a car wash there, but plans haven't been approved yet," said Hirshey. "It will be a tunnel car wash, but it won't be Zips. It's a different company."

The lot on the other side of Fat and Happy on North Main Street has been cleared and is for sale. The location of the former Fancy Flamingo Flea Market 5171 N. Main St. has been purchased by Smartlock Self Storage. Hirshey said the company offers climate-controlled storage units.

Smartlock Self Storage operates fully automated storage units with 24-hour access, utilizing a "no key" entry system. The unit can be rented online and accessed through a phone app.

"They're hoping to open those soon," said Hirshey. "Smartlock renovated the building for the interior storage units."