Business/Consumer

By Charles Christian Shopping locally offers both a unique gift experience and a boost to the local economy. Local shops in downtown St. Joseph are already decorated and ready for the Christmas rush. After Black Friday and Local Business Saturday, shops are hoping that positive momentum carries into the Christmas season. Finding gifts for the

By NewsPress Now A Downtown shop will be shifting to an online space. The owner of The Unique Unicorn in St. Joseph announced on social media that she will close her physical storefront at 618 Francis St. at the end of December. However, this is not the end of the business. In the post, she

By Ashley Luthans A football player turned entrepreneur brought a message about the importance of positivity to the audience at the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce’s annual Chairman’s Breakfast on Thursday. The keynote speaker, Jon McGraw, was a professional football player for 10 years and a safety with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2007 to

By Nicole Scott Savannah, Missouri, residents have a new grocery store option. Dollar General announced on Monday the opening of a new DG Market at 1605 N. Highway 71. It features a section of fresh meat and produce along with brands and products that other Dollar General Stores carry. “We are excited to provide Savannah

By Jazmine Knight A local business recently celebrated the grand opening of its first storefront. Balloons D’Lux, located at 3508 N. Belt Highway, hosted a grand opening at 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2. The business specializes in personalized balloon garlands, arches, centerpieces and more using biodegradable, natural latex balloons. Owner Johanna Kline started Balloons

By Kirsten Stokes The news that a Downtown coffee shop will be closing its doors at the end of this month spotlights the challenges facing small businesses, particularly in that area of town. Toe Beans Coffee House, 114 S. Eighth St., cited a lack of traffic as the reason it will be shutting down later

By Chris Fortune Shoppers are bargain hunting after Thanksgiving with a plan to support local on Small Business Saturday. Shopping at large retailers and seeking large markdowns on popular items can be tempting on Black Friday. It’s become a tradition for many retailers to start deals before the holiday and extend them into the weekend,

By Ashley Luthans It was below freezing on Friday morning, but that didn’t stop shoppers from heading out to find the best deals. Many stores were open before the sun was out, bringing in the most dedicated bargain shoppers. Lots of people make Black Friday shopping a tradition, including Sloan Ridpath. “We come out every

By Ashley Luthans Whether you’re shopping in person or online this holiday season, keeping your purchases and financial information safe requires attention. When out in stores, make sure to keep your belongings close, not allowing them to leave your sight. Frank Till, executive director of the St. Joseph Safety Council, advises women to keep purses

By Kirsten Stokes Before travelers get to the dinner table this Thanksgiving, they’ll face what could be the busiest travel period on record. According to the Transportation Security Administration, agents expect to screen 18.3 million people traveling through airports from Tuesday through Monday, Dec. 2, an increase of approximately 6% from this time in 2023.

By Leah Rainwater With almost 72 million people traveling by car for the Thanksgiving holiday, roads will be busy this week, calling for some extra attention from drivers. “Road trips have always been very popular for the Thanksgiving holiday as people go visit loved ones. But we know that also, road trips have had a

By Chris Fortune A new animal care facility will be built near the Shoppes at North Village in an area busy with development over the past year. Buchanan County Commissioners closed on the sale of land at 5423 North Pointe Dr. this week. The property is just north of where a new My Place Hotel

By Leah Rainwater The local business community met with elected officials at a special event on Tuesday night. Leaders from the St. Joseph School District, City of St. Joseph, Buchanan County, the Missouri House of Representatives and the Missouri Senate attended the Elected Officials Social. The recently re-elected Buchanan County Western District Commission was in

By Ashley Luthans Owners of Toe Beans Coffee House say they will be closing on Sunday, Dec. 29. The coffee shop at 114 S. Eighth St. has been open for two years. In an online post, the owners cited a lack of traffic as the reason for closing the business. The post said all events

By Charles Christian Though passing down the family business has become more difficult, St. Joseph and surrounding communities still have multi-generational family businesses that dot the landscape. The Conway Center for Family Business notes that around 30 percent of family-owned businesses make the transition into the second generation however, only about 12 percent will be

By Chris Fortune Evergy is warning its customers to watch out for door-to-door salespeople falsely claiming to be affiliated with the electric services company. Officials with the energy company said customers are reporting solar companies performing unauthorized work under the guise of being affiliated with Evergy. “While Evergy has working relationships with solar companies in

By Chris Fortune A St. Joseph holiday tradition is underway as local businesses are now handing out tickets that include one worth $10,000. Wednesday marks the start of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce’s 18th annual Shop St. Joseph holiday program, which encourages residents to spend their money locally during the holidays. About 125 businesses

By Leah Rainwater With mild weather sticking around a little while longer, now is the chance to prepare your home for winter’s coming chill. AAA has recommendations for homeowners to get ready for winter weather before it hits. “Now is the time that you really want to make sure your home is ready for colder

By Chris Fortune After closing nearly a decade ago, the Woodson building at 3510 Frederick Ave. will serve a new purpose. A developer is turning the building, which most recently housed the Colgan Alternative Resource Center nine years ago, into luxury apartments. Developer Doug Williams moved to St. Joseph from Oregon, and after running into

By Cameron Montemayor Plans for a new and diverse public market in Downtown St. Joseph are rounding into form as project officials press ahead with the next steps of development. The St. Joseph City Council approved a grant agreement with the Chamber of Commerce this month to provide $60,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds

By Leah Rainwater Taxpayers may be able to keep more money in their pockets during the 2025 tax year. The Internal Revenue Service came out with 2025 inflation adjustments for taxes on Oct. 22. Some key things to know about the adjustments are the increase in standard deductions for those filing single or married individuals

By NewsPress Now It may be Halloween week but the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce already is looking ahead to Christmas and a popular holiday program. Local businesses that would like to be part of the annual Shop St. Joseph program can register now. Participating businesses give out tickets to customers that could be drawn

By Chris Fortune A new Midtown restaurant is bringing Chinese and Mexican flavors under one roof. Moshu Shi Mama began serving Mexican food to customers at 2302 Mitchell Ave. a couple of weeks ago, but it began to fully live up to its Chimex title on Saturday when it started offering Chinese dishes. Co-owner Ivan

By Jazmine Knight One local tavern is ready to continue its 125-year legacy with some new owners. Russell Book and Melissa Winn have taken the helm at the Brown Bear, 2028 St Joseph Ave. It all started with Winn’s husband BJ. BJ’s dad owned the tavern many years ago and it has always been a

By Kendra Simpson Whiskey Blue Limousine and Cornelius Heavy Wrecker have made it their mission to save lives and prevent drunk driving accidents by providing St. Joseph residents a safe ride with their new party buses. For $35 a night, people have a safe way to travel for an evening out and can also go

By Kendra Simpson With less than a week before Halloween, St. Joseph residents may be rushing to find the perfect costume for a decent price. While shopping at a chain store may be convenient, there are more unique and cheaper ways to dress to impress. The average adult spends roughly $37 on a Halloween costume, not

By Ashley Luthans B&J Skate Center celebrated its 48-year anniversary with a grand reopening on Wednesday. Alyson and Jake Fisher have owned B&J Skate since 2023, and they have renovated the space to improve the skating rink. Now that renovations are nearly done, the new owners wanted to reintroduce the skate center to the community.

By Ashley Luthans New businesses are opening their doors at several locations around town. Black Kat Salvage II is an antique store located at 902 Edmond St. that features multiple vendors. The store is full of vintage items, clothing and more. “It’s just an eclectic mix of items that people have collected over the years

By Charles Christian More than just a bank, Holy Rosary Credit Union on St. Joseph Avenue is a gateway to a new beginning. This is especially true for those new to the United States and seeking a financial start. Isaura Garcia, the credit union manager, said many who apply for loans start with almost nothing,

By Charles Christian Annual November benefits updates can be confusing, but getting advice from an expert can lower the anxiety of making the right selections. In November, most companies and individuals prepare to update their benefits packages for employees. For new employees, and for those new to the process of choosing benefits, the task of