Wally Kennedy: Mexican restaurant planned for Stone's Corner shopping center

Aug. 5—The Meat'n Place Hometown Grill, located in the shopping center at the northwest corner of the Stone's Corner roundabout in the village of Airport Drive, has closed.

The restaurant opened in April 2017 with an emphasis on Cajun cooking.

Before that, the place was the 417 Food Factory, and before that it was Magoo's, which served food and had a popular sports bar.

A new restaurant with ties to Pittsburg, Kansas, could be opening its doors there later this month if all goes as planned.

Guadalajara Mexican Grill, located in Pittsburg's Plaza Shopping Center, 1620 S. Broadway St., will open its second location in the former Meat'n Place, according to a spokesman at the Pittsburg store.

That store has operated for almost seven years.

I checked out this restaurant's menu online. This appears to be a full-service Mexican restaurant with a bar and fare ranging from simple street tacos to sophisticated seafood and steak entrees. The online menu prices appeared to be quite reasonable, like $2 for a shrimp taco or a lunch special for $5.99. The restaurant will offer specials on almost every day of the week. To see the menu online, visit guadalajaramxgrill.com/menu.

If the food in real life appears like the food you see on your computer screen, look out. This place could be a real contender for superior Mexican food in the greater Joplin market. We shall see.

Details about the opening to come.

Bargains galore

If you are looking for a bargain, make sure to check out Daily Deals and More Joplin, which recently opened in a storefront at the north end of Chase Colton Plaza, 420 N. Range Line Road.

The shop specializes in returned merchandise from Amazon, Target and Kohl's. The merchandise, displayed on racks and in bins, includes clothing, household decor, electronics, shoes, purses, backpacks and cooking supplies. A store spokeswoman said, "Our inventory changes every week. We always have something new."

Hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The website is dailydealsandmorejoplin.com.

This is one of two Daily Deals and More stores. The other is in Neosho.

Tax holiday

The sales tax holiday that started Friday will continue through Sunday. The state sales tax of 4.225% will not be charged in connection with certain eligible items. Most Missouri counties and cities in our area, including Joplin, have opted out of the holiday.

Retailers across the region, including those in Northpark Mall, have been stocking shelves and prepping for the back-to-school season.

"Our retailers can't wait to welcome the community with back-to-school shopping for the entire family," said Susan W. Hoff, marketing manager for Northpark Mall. "This season, it's all about spotlight-stealing styles, from vivid colors and prints to more-is-more accessories."

Not sure what items qualify? Visit the Missouri Department of Revenue website for more information on what items are eligible, such as school supplies, clothing, computers and other items as defined by state statue.

Contact Wally Kennedy at wkennedy@joplinglobe.com.