News briefs, notes, catch-up items, hot takes and other miscellany to wrap up the week Read More Weekend Wrap: Saturday, Jan. 28

News briefs, notes, catch-up items, hot takes and other miscellany to wrap up the week Read More Weekend Wrap: Saturday, Jan. 21

Columbia resident December Harmon, who describes herself as a "human and civil rights activist who rose to prominence for her outspokenness on the Citizens Police Review Board in her hometown Columbia, MO," is running for the U.S. Senate. Following is the full text of the press release annou… Read More December Harmon joins race for U.S. Senate

Como Smoke & Fire got its new location in south Columbia opened this week. Read More CoMo Smoke & Fire open in south Columbia

A new four-story hotel that would be built between Hwy. 63 and the existing Holiday Inn Express at the Stadium Blvd. exit on the east side of Columbia was approved by the city planning and zoning commission this week. Final approval now goes to the city council. Read More New hotel OK’d by planners, litigation continues

A Louisiana-based sports bar co-owned by former NFL quarterback Drew Brees plans to open early next year in the old Houilihan’s restaurant in the Broadway Bluffs Shopping Center area. Read More Drew Brees' Walk-On’s to open near Broadway Bluffs

Construction of a major new road, completion of another and some corresponding neighborhood connector streets are being studied for south Columbia. Read More Major new east-west road on drawing board for south Columbia

A new non-profit group called First Responder Support has been organized in Boone County with the goal of promoting goodwill between first responders and the community, increasing awareness of the realities facing first responders, and providing relief and support to those who serve Boone Co… Read More New non-profit to support first responders

The Salvation Army has assumed sponsorship of Columbia’s historic Christmas Parade and announced parade grand marshals and a presenting sponsor. Read More Salvation Army taking over Christmas parade; Minchews named grand marshals

Members of the public are invited to attend a grand opening and ribbon-cutting event for the new terminal at Columbia Regional Airport, 11300 S. Airport Drive, Wednesday, Oct. 19. The event will take place from 3 to 6 p.m., with the ribbon-cutting ceremony beginning promptly at 3 p.m. Member… Read More Airport plans grand opening for new terminal

Midway Golf & Games has broken ground on a TopTracer Range, the No. 1 range technology in golf, which will become the flagship venue at the Midway family entertainment complex west of Columbia. Read More Construction underway on Midway's new TopTracer golf venue

Plans are underway for a new high-rise apartment complex on the corner of Tenth and Broadway in downtown Columbia. Read More New high-rise apartment complex planned for downtown

Beyond Meat, the Nasdaq-traded Los Angeles-based producer of plant-based meat substitutes with a manufacturing facility in Columbia, is having difficulties. Read More Hard times hit Beyond Meat

Nine new recruits for the Columbia Police Department will be hitting the streets soon, fresh out of academy training at the Law Enforcement Training Institute. The new officers pictured above are, from left, Kevin Barrett, Taylor Korte, Doug Stafford, James Morris, Maurico Wilson, Jonathan Q… Read More New police recruits hit the street for field training

A new Aldi grocery store is under construction and scheduled to open later this year off Conley Road north of Walmart on Columbia’s east side. Read More New Aldi under construction on east side

A $10 million plan to demolish the former Ellis Fischel Cancer Center on Business Loop 70 was approved by the University of Missouri Board of Curators this week. The work is expected to be completed sometime in 2023. Read More Wrecking ball coming for Mizzou North

Renovations are underway for a new Hawaiian Bros Island Grill that is scheduled to open later this summer on Grindstone Parkway at its intersection with Grindstone Plaza Drive in south Columbia. The space formerly housed a Jack in the Box restaurant that closed in 2020. Read More Hawaiian Bros Island Grill prepping location on Grindstone Pkwy.

Hoss’s Market on Club Village Drive in south Columbia is changing hands July 1. Hoss and Trish Koetting, who have operated the popular gourmet market and restaurant are selling to Ben Hamrah and Amanda Elliott, who own the Beet Box in the city’s Arcade District northeast of downtown. Read More Hoss's Market changing hands

A fifth Wendy’s in Columbia is set to open this fall in the former Moe’s Southwest Grill location off 9th Street downtown near the MU campus. Read More New Wendy's planned for downtown near MU

(This story was updated to include the plumbing company and the glass installer.) Read More Contractors file lawsuits against Odle companies, seek mechanic’s liens

Disagreement about a name for branding a promising new business and entertainment district near downtown Columbia has pulled neighboring businesses and two developers into a dust-up unlikely to yield any winner. Read More Resolution unlikely in Stockyards, Arcade dust-up

Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe will kick off the opening celebration of the Compass Music Center in Columbia on June 3. The new facility is located in the Hillel Building, 1107 University Ave. The celebration will begin at 11 am. Read More Kickoff celebration planned for new Compass Music Center

An $8 to $9 million upgrade to the Grindstone Pkwy. entrance and exit ramps on the east side northbound Route 63 is in the works for late 2024 and early 2025. Read More Major improvements planned for northbound Route 63 interchange at Grindstone Pkwy.

The new Moser’s grocery store location in the Westbury Village off Scott Blvd. on the city’s west side opened for business this week. Read More New Moser's on west side open for business

With the help of a $1.3 million federal grant, the Columbia Farmers Market will be able to double the amount of space it has under roof. Read More $1.6 million expansion coming to Columbia Farmers Market

Columbia Mayor Brian Treece was recently named Vice President of Strategy and Development at EquipmentShare in Columbia. Read More Outgoing Mayor Brian Treece joins EquipmentShare as VP

Bailey & Blush Boutique is planning a grand opening of its women’s clothing and accessories shop for 10 a.m. Saturday March 12 at its new location at 913 E. Broadway in downtown Columbia. Read More Bailey & Blush Boutique opening downtown

Crunch Fitness, the new recreational fitness center filling the space of what used to be Office Depot near the corner of Providence Road and Broadway, is getting ready to open later this month or in early March. Read More Crunch Fitness planning to be open later this month

Columbia’s third Schnucks location is scheduled to open later next month in the new Battle Crossing shopping center on the city’s northeast side. Read More New Schnucks ready to open next month

Rebranding, renovations and a new management affiliation were introduced recently at the iconic Tiger Hotel in downtown Columbia. Read More Tiger Hotel rebranding as IHG's new upscale 'voco'

An Amazon fulfillment facility is coming to the Cartwright Business & Technology Park near the Columbia Regional Airport. Read More Amazon fulfillment center coming to property near airport

Mizzou North, the former Ellis Fischel State Cancer Hospital on Business Loop 70 is one of nine buildings the university plans to demolish. Read More Plans call for demolition of former cancer hospital

American Airlines will reduce the number of flights out of Columbia Regional Airport in February from the 138 originally planned to 96. The 42-flight reduction will affect flights to Dallas and Chicago. Read More American reducing flights from Columbia

Do you ever walk to your car at night looking over your shoulder? Do you know what to do if someone attacked you in? Are you interested in learning what to do to defend yourself if this happens? If your answer is ‘yes’, the University of Missouri Police Department can help. Read More Mizzou PD empowering with free self-defense classes

The developer of the Aria Apartments received approval from the city council Monday for a 10.64-acre mixed-use development to be known as “The Kitchen & Discovery Offices,” located on the southwest corner of Discovery Parkway and Endeavor Ave. Read More City council green-lights ‘The Kitchen’ development on Discovery Parkway

Ground is being moved on the parking lot at the northeast corner of Providence Road and Ash St. near downtown Columbia in preparation for the opening of Yummy’s Donuts in the existing building on the site. Owners Linh and Kim Nguyen are planning a drive through utilizing the alley behind the… Read More Yummy's Donuts coming to corner of Providence/Ash

Goldie’s Bagels opened at 909 Cherry St., Columbia, MO downtown last week in the space formerly occupied by Harold’s Doughnuts. Co-owner Amanda Rainey will eventually also operate a deli from the location. The business formerly operated as a pop-up at Pizza Tree. It will open at 7 a.m. every… Read More Goldie's Bagels opens downtown

After 12 years at the corner 9th and Walnut downtown, La Siesta Mexican Cuisine is closing its doors for good on Dec. 22. Read More La Siesta closing downtown location

Looking for the perfect gift for a friend, coworker or family member? Read More A COMO Holiday Gift Guide: 8 perfect presents

International Café on Ninth St. downtown plans to close its doors for good and the end of the year after 32 years in business in Columbia. “We have made the difficult decision and have decided to retire and close the restaurant at the end of December 2021,” announced owners Elizabeth Hernade… Read More International Cafe closing downtown after 32 years

Lloyd and Fontella Henry, who started Big Daddy’s BBQ in Columbia with a food truck in 2013, will open their second location later this month in the old McLanks Family Restaurant location at 1802 Paris Rd. Read More Henrys expanding Big Daddy's to second location in old McLanks

Tacos 4 Life, a chain with restaurants in six states, is planning a new 4,200 square-foot restaurant on East Green Meadows in south Columbia, across from Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin Donuts. The city of Columbia's planning and zoning commission has approved the company's plan. It is expected to… Read More Tacos 4 Life planning restaurant on Green Meadows

Family-owned Peggy Jean’s Pies has an eye on growth, with a second location currently in the works for Columbia. Read More Second location in the works for Peggy Jean’s Pies

The developer of the Aria Apartments is planning a 10.64-acre development that would include retail, residential, and an indoor and outdoor recreation facility. The development will be knowns as The Kitchen & Discovery Offices. It would be owned by P1316 LLC, a company owned by the Odle … Read More Entertainment complex planned for Discovery Parkway

Sonic is awaiting city council approval to build a new restaurant and drive-up in the 3700 block of Buttonwood, near Nifong next to Andy’s Frozen Custard in the location of a former Kentucky Fried Chicken, which will be torn down. It would be Sonic’s sixth location in Columbia. Read More Sonic wants to build on Buttonwood

Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom is planning to open at Broadway Bluffs in the location that formerly housed Houlihan’s. Old Chicago features signature dishes like Chicago-sytle deep dish pizza, Sicilian Pepperoni Rolls, Italian nachos and calzones. Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom was founded i… Read More Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom opening at Broadway Bluffs

After 13 years at its location on Sixth Street downtown, Coley’s American Bistro closed its doors for good last week. Owners Brian and Kerri Coley announced their decision on Facebook and said the business and related assets are for sale.  Read More Coley’s close downtown restaurant

Crunch Franchise is planning the February opening of Crunch Columbia, a $5 million, 40,000-square-foot fitness facility, with $1 million dollars' worth of state-of-the-art equipment at 101 S Providence Rd, in a renovated space that was formerly the Office Depot. Fusing fitness with entertain… Read More Crunch Fitness opening in former Office Depot space

Toasty Goat Coffee Co. recently moved to a new location at 515 S. Scott Blvd. on the city’s west side. The business is owned by siblings Rachel Bryan and Nate Prevette and their spouses Josiah Bryan and Danelle Prevette. They specialize in direct-trade, single-origin fresh-roasted coffee. Th… Read More Toasty Goat Coffee Co. in new location on Scott Blvd.

Chicken Salad Chick will be opening in the location that was formerly a Verizon store at 300 Brickton Rd. in the Broadway Shops where Broadway meets US-63 on the east side of town. Chicken Salad Chick has operations in 17 states and features Southern-style chicken in salads, sandwiches, soup… Read More Chicken Salad Chick coming to the Broadway Shops

Winter Haven, Florida-based Hungry Crab Juicy Seafood plans to open this winter in the former Agave Mexican restaurant location on the I-70 business loop. Hungry Crab Juicy Seafood offers a diverse range of juicy seafood, including King Crab, shrimp, blue crab, snow crab, crawfish, clams, oy… Read More Hungry Crab opening on business loop

A new climbing gym called COMO Rocks is scheduled to open early next year in a 9,400 square foot facility at 205 E. Nifong Blvd. The “world class gym” will have bouldering and roped climbing. Owner David McGee is offering a pre-opening membership special that includes 20 percent off climbing… Read More New climbing gym to open on Nifong