A Hazelwood gas station owner was looking to reopen, but has realized a few hurdles in its path are too expensive to embark upon. Instead Harinder Singh will lease the property, formerly know as Hazelwood BP, located at 7000 North Hanley Rd. It will continue as a small repair facility. New Tenants Ghassan Ayesh approached Hazelwood City Council at it February 6 meetings representing Hamlan Hot Stone, LLC and asking for a special land use permit for the property. He said his intent is to operate a vehicle service and repair facility at the location. "I will operate a minor mechanical repair …

2012 was for Worldwide International Food Market owner Amjad Salem, what it was for any new small business owner: one of growing pains. Salem recently approached Hazelwood City Council, to request a 6-month extension on a land use permit to build a restaurant inside the market, located on Taylor Road in the City of Hazelwood. Salem said issues with contractors has stalled the project. "We've even tried to recoup our money (from the contractors)," Salem said. "I'm praying 2013 will be a better year for us." City Councilman Bob Aubuchon suggested Salem request a one year extension. "If you get …

A Hazelwood gas station owner is looking to re-open but has a few hurdles in in path including major updates to his gas tanks. Harinder Singh approached Hazelwood City Council back in October of 2012 about being the owner of the service station, formerly know as Hazelwood BP, located at 7000 North Hanley Road. At one point it was a full-service gas station where minor auto repairs also occurred. Once the gas station closed, repairs were still performed. In October, Singh found out when reapplying for the special land use permit for the property that current Hazelwood regulations require a new…

A new fitness center has made its way to St. Louis Outlet Mall. Feel Good Fitness, the brainchild of St. Louis fitness trainer Alicia Dillon is a 2,000 square foot fitness center specializing in dance exercise. Feel Good Fitness will offer a variety of classes including five different styles of Zumba, Hip Hop, Chair Cardio, Boot Camp, and Mommy and Me – all taught by certified personal trainers.  Feel Good Fitness will also offer counsel from a weight management coach. It opened Wednesday and is located across from the Nike Factory Store. “We use the joy of moving to music to increase body …

As social media continues to grow and evolve and more businesses step into the scene, it's almost imperative for businesses to develop and maintain an online presence in order to remain competitive. According to a TechJournal article last year, businesses using social media to attract new customers rose by 43 percent during the course of a year. Tip: You might want to "like" these active, Hazelwood-centric Facebook pages! But if you’re a business owner or an entrepreneur looking to break into the social engagement landscape, there are some pain-free ways to get started. Here are five to get …

Jacqueline O’Quinn has always wanted to help other people improve their quality of life, and on Oct. 1, she will begin to fulfill that lifelong goal when she opens her own in-home care business in Hazelwood. The business will be located at 320 Brookes Drive, and it will become the first FirstLight HomeCare franchise in the state of Missouri. FirstLight has plans to open a total of 12 Missouri locations in the next 3 to 5 years, with five of those being in the greater St. Louis area. “I have been a caregiver since childhood, when I cared for my grandmother after a stroke,” O’Quinn said. “…

A new legislation in St. Louis County could mean some extra steps and a little pinch for some Hazelwood business owners. Beginning on Sept. 4, the new law will prevent business owners from getting the permits and licenses they need in order to run their businesses if they haven’t paid their property taxes.  “If you own a Saint Louis County-based company that’s delinquent on any of its personal property taxes, you won’t get any annual license or permit from us until you pay what you owe,” said Eugene Leung, Director of Revenue for Saint Louis County in a press release. He added that while the …

Dawn Bonin is pleasantly surprised with the success of she and her husband Senol's first food business venture. A business she described as his dream. Located inside a small strip mall on Howdershell Road across from the Hazelwood Fire Department, you wouldn't expect a small diner with warm welcoming staff, but there you have it. Just two months after Jo Jo's Kitchen opened in the City of Hazelwood, come on any given morning and you'll find a packed house. "This is all my husband," she said. "He has always wanted to have a restaurant and he was the one looking for a place. "He made it happen…

There is more than meets the eye going on inside Dale’s Music, located at 6235 North Lindbergh Boulevard. Automatically known for more than 20 years of instrument purchases and rentals, along with music lessons, the store has evolved with time to include much including major renovations. Owner Greg Smith said he has made many improvements to the building and services to ensure his business continues to be a family-friendly learning environment for kids and parents alike. "We are the same family oriented store dedicated to those with a love for music but we are expanding to all aspects of …

Hazelwood business owner Monica Black recently appeared on the STL TV Live show with host Christia Parker. Black is the owner of Etiquette Inclusion, a company she formed in 2010. Read More: Local Mom Aims to Make Your Kids More Polite and Expand Their Opportunities During the nearly 11 minute segment on STL TV Live, Black shared a bit about her own background and explained how understanding etiquette has benefited her in her own life, as well as how knowing and employing proper etiquette can help open doors for anyone. She also provided etiquette tips for everything from holding your fork …

When the four owners of the Hair In Motion salon met nearly three decades ago, they all worked at a salon owned by someone else. They became fast friends who kept in touch even after they all left that shop and worked at various other salons around town. Then, 18 years ago, they discussed opening their own salons because they needed flexibility in their jobs and wanted to own their own businesses. They soon agreed that it that would be almost impossible without a joint effort. The partnership provided the perfect solution, and since the responsibilities are split four ways, each salon owner …

Welcome back to our series on how to start a small business in Hazelwood. This week, we're offering tips and resources on how to choose the ideal Hazelwood location for your business. Last week’s experts, David Cox, Richard Shoaf and Chris Coleman, are back with more tips for potential small business owners. Finding your spot Finding your ideal location will depend on a number of factors; most importantly, the type of business you’re running. “Any realtor will tell you location, location, location and this is very true,” Shoaf said. “Your location will become part of your brand and with some …

The City of Hazelwood is “open for business,” according to its economic development department. “We’re ready, willing, and most importantly, able to support companies both large and small,” says the city’s website. “When we say that we’re business-friendly, we mean it.” If you’ve been following our series on how to start a small business in Hazelwood, you know that we’ve discussed ideas for choosing a business concept, including the development of unique business ideas and tips and suggestions for franchise opportunities. We’ve also discussed writing a business plan. This week, we’re …

As we continue our series on how to start a small business in Hazelwood, we're back this week with part 2 of a discussion on different types of business ownership options and tips on how to determine the legal structure of your business with expert advice. See Part 1: Ownership Options and Legal Structures for Small Business Owners in Hazelwood Advice from the Experts “Questions on how to incorporate your specific business would be best answered by someone such as a CPA or attorney,” said David Cox, the City of Hazelwood’s economic developer, adding that he recommends Harold Voss, CPA, who …

As we continue our series on how to start a small business in Hazelwood, we're back this week with a discussion on different types of business ownership options and tips on how to determine the legal structure of your business. We'll continue the discussion next week in Part 2, where we'll get expert advice. In case you’ve missed previous editions of our small business series, we have shared ideas for choosing a business concept, including the development of unique business ideas and tips and suggestions for franchise opportunities. We’ve also discussed how to write business plans and given …

Are you thinking about starting a small business in Hazelwood? The city is already home to more than 1,000 successful businesses, and its proximity to Lambert St. Louis International Airport and major highways makes it ideal place to start a business venture, according to David Cox, economic developer for the City of Hazelwood. Cox said it's important to write your business plan early in the process.  "I see a lot of projects where there is no plan until late and it’s harder to start the business," he said. Let’s get planning! If you’re considering opening a business in Hazelwood, we hope you…

When you’re considering starting a small business, the first step is to decide exactly what you want your business to be--to develop a business concept. Whether you choose to go the potentially safer route and open a franchise or you choose to think outside the box and open a unique business, the first thing you need is a good idea. Since we discussed buying a franchise last week, we’re going to focus on coming up with your own original business idea. We’re taking a little inspiration from some Hazelwood business owners who shared the different ways they were inspired to start their own …

Have you ever thought of opening your own business? Hazelwood is home to more than 1,000 business, and city officials say they have a great deal of experience in both dealing with various industries and helping residents to grow all different types of businesses. The first step in building your business is to decide exactly what you want to do—to choose or create your own business idea. Although this seems pretty obvious, many people know that they want to be entrepreneurs, but they don’t know exactly how they want to go about doing that. The good news is that you’ve got plenty of options. …

If you’ve ever considered starting a small business, you might be doing yourself and the Hazelwood community a favor. How can opening a small business help you? While most small businesses don't become overnight successes, hard work and careful planning combined with a great idea can lead to serious financial success. Plus, opening your own business gives you an opportunity to do something you want to do. You can follow your passion, provide a service or product that the community needs--and you can be your own boss. How can opening a small business help the Hazelwood community? In addition …

Situated in the old Starbucks Coffee building on Howdershell Road is a gem of a shop called Tony’s Donuts and Bakery. Owners Kathy and George Badra opened their first shop in Maryland Heights in May 1995 and the Hazelwood location in September. They refer to their business as more of a café, and the shop presents patrons with many more options than a traditional doughnut shop offers. Along with doughnuts there are vast assortments of pastries, bagels, croissants, cakes, cupcakes, sandwiches and more. There is even a drive-thru window for those not wishing to come inside. Because of their wide…