Wally Kennedy: Menards coming to town in big, big way
Jul. 21—While in Springfield earlier this week, I checked out a Menards store. There are two of them in Springfield — one on the east side and one on the west side. I went to the one on the west side at 3803 W. University St.
I have seen these stores while traveling interstate highways in Kansas en route to Colorado. They look big from the highway, but they're even bigger up close.
I started my journey in the garden center. The planting season is waning, but they still had some plants. The size of the operation would suggest that at one time the garden center had a lot of plants. The center featured all kinds of garden and patio ornaments. As a gardener, I was happy to see that I will have another option in the not-too-distant future.
But wait, there's a lot more. This store has sections dedicated to toys, camping, bedding, outdoor furniture, pets and wildlife, home accents, grilling, big and small kitchen appliances, health and beauty products, power tools and groceries, including a dairy section. The exterior and interior lighting department is huge and includes a section where you can find the parts to repair a broken lamp. This is in addition to being a home improvement store with lumber, roofing, siding and plumbing.
Earthwork for the new Menards store in the 32nd Street Place development, north of Sam's Club, is in full swing. After some unfounded speculation early on that it might not even come to town, Menards has filed three building permit applications with the city in connection with the project that total nearly $9.5 million.
Jeff Abbott, spokesman for Menard Inc., in a recent email, said the Joplin store will open next year and that it will be similar to those in Springfield.
Right now, I don't think we can fully grasp the impact that the 32nd Street Place development will have on the Joplin market in the years ahead. When you look at the number of apartments under construction, it's pretty clear that a lot of people will be living there. They will shop at Menards, Sam's and other nearby stores. They will eat at nearby restaurants and the new ones that will come to the vacant building sites controlled by Menards. They will see movies there. It's going to change the dynamic of southeast Joplin in a big, big way.
New buffet opens
A sign posted near the entrance to the new King Buffet in Webb City said the restaurant was planning to open this week in the City Pointe shopping center. The closure of the East Buffet earlier this year created a big vacancy in the shopping center at the southeast corner of Madison Avenue and MacArthur Drive. East Buffet, which struggled through the pandemic, was a popular destination for sushi and Asian specialty dishes.
Nice touch
The people who brought you the Joplin Uplift mural at First and Main streets have placed a solar-powered light on a nearby Liberty utility pole to illuminate the mural at night. This low-impact approach is perfect.
Awhile back in this column, I suggested that downtown Joplin could benefit from a bit more light at night. For the most part, the reaction to that suggestion was favorable. But a couple of emails from readers indicated that what I was suggesting would further contribute to the light pollution affecting our night skies.
First, I wasn't advocating for the use of klieg lights in downtown Joplin. Second, I have two telescopes and I'm not unfamiliar with light pollution. I just thought this downtown mural and others could be better illuminated at night.
I would personally like to thank the supporters of the Joplin Uplift mural for making this happen. Well done.
Something to watch
The future of the former Joplin Public Library building at Fourth and Main streets could be decided in the near future.
Word on the street has it that two companies are actively vying for the property.
Details to come.
Contact Wally Kennedy at wkennedy@joplinglobe.com.
