Blue Springs seeks public input on proposed property maintenance codes

Special to the Journal

A proposed ordinance to put Blue Springs in the business of policing the exteriors of buildings is getting a mixed reaction from the City Council. Mayor Steve Steiner opposes the ordinance, saying he’d rather the council vote on it during the next mayor’s watch. He said he’s concerned
that it’s too general, worried about the impact on elderly residents and is too close to “big brother” government. “How are we going to prevent a vindictive neighbor from using it as a tool?” Steiner asked. But council members support at least presenting it to the public for comments and then having a “first reading” March 17, a step toward adopting the regulations. The city will hold informational meetings on the codes from 6 to 8 p.m., next Wednesday and March 12 in the multipurpose room of Howard L. Brown Public Safety Building, 1100 S.W. Smith St. Several council members said residents want the code to clean up problem buildings, prevent blight and protect property values. “All of our neighboring communities have a maintenance code, and a lot
of our residents think we do, when we don’t,” Councilman Lyle Shaver said. “As the city gets older it becomes more significant.” A recent community survey asked whether the city should have a stronger maintenance property code. The result: 67 percent of respondents were supportive, 24 percent didn’t know and 9 percent were not supportive. At last week’s council meeting, one resident spoke in favor of such a code. Anthony Barulich said he lives next door to a house that
has been vacant four years. The water and natural gas have been shut off, but the electricity is still on. The absentee owner keeps the lawn mowed, he said, but it hasn’t been painted or stained in many years. He said he stayed up July 4 for fear a bottle rocket would catch that house
on fire. Squirrels have gnawed holes in the wood siding to make nests inside, and should
they bite through electrical wiring they could cause a fire, he said. “The siding is like tinder
now,” Barulich said. “I could light the siding with a match.” At the March meeting the council could offer amendments to the code and vote, although Steiner hinted he might use his power
to set agendas to delay its enactment. Scott Allen, director of community development,
said that under the city staff’s plan, a code-enforcement officer would do inspections primarily based on complaints and wouldn’t be “patrolling” streets looking for violations. The violation would be “truly egregious,” he said. The city would need an additional codes-enforcement officer, office space and a vehicle to put the program in effect, at a cost of nearly $89,000 for startup costs,
with about $50,000 ongoing expense, Allen said. He anticipated a July start date for enforcing the codes. Council members Sheila Solon and Jeff Quibell said the city should consider setting up a program to help elderly people who can’t afford fixing up their homes. Solon said Blue Springs could set up a minor-home repair program similar to one in Lee’s Summit. That community uses a portion of its annual federal grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development that is intended to aid low- and moderate income residents. The city also could contact churches and civic groups to help such residents. Councilman Ron Fowler said he also is concerned about the vagueness of the ordinance. He said that if city officials were strict enough many buildings would be considered in violation. He said his own home didn’t meet the proposed code for street numbers. Fowler said he does support a maintenance code and wants to keep the issue moving
forward, but he also wants rules to be clear so that they address serious defects. “Somewhere between a cracked driveway and an abandoned house no one has lived in for 10 years, that we
want to go out and get,” he said.

Camps offered to hone performing skills

By Brett Dalton
The Journal Staff

At Bravo! Academy of Performing Arts in Blue Springs, the instructors aren’t merely concerned with teaching their students how to sing and dance. The purpose of the studio, according to its Web site, is to “develop each student’s potential as a performer,” which involves enhancing the students’ skills while also improving their confidence to use those skills. “The cool thing about this studio is it teaches the students techniques and confidence they can use in everyday life,” said Meg Tucker, Bravo! marketing director. This summer, Bravo! is taking its instruction a step further by offering various musical theater camps aimed at teaching the students everything there is to know about musical theater production. From July 7 to Aug. 1, Bravo! is conducting “The Pirates of Penzance” musical theater camp for students entering the sixth through 12th grades. The camp will offer instruction on aspects of theater, such as vocal training, acting, staging, and
dancing. The camp also will cover behind-the-scene aspects such as makeup, auditioning skills, sets and props. “We aren’t interested in just teaching the kids how to sing and
dance,” Tucker said. “So while they are learning to do that, they also will learn everything involved
musical theater. We want to hone their skills with both techniques and encouragement.”
On July 31 and Aug. 1, the students will take the lessons they learned and put them to use in performances of the “Pirates of Penzance,” a comedic opera that made its offi cial premier in
New York City in 1879. Tucker said “if all goes well at the camp,” the troupe will have the
chance to compete in Atlanta, Ga., in the Musical Theater International competition.
Bravo!, which opened in October 2007, also will conduct another camp from July 7 to Aug. 1 for younger students entering first through fifth grades. The “Disney Cinderella” musical theater camp will instruct the students on various aspects of musical theater, but on a lower level at which young children can comprehend, Tucker said. Those students also will take part in a production of “Cinderella” at the Aug. 1. Their performance and the production of “The Pirates of Penzance” is tentatively set to be located at the North Springs Methodist Church in Blue Springs, Tucker said. Tuition for both camps is $90 per week or a $350 onetime payment. The first week’s tuition is due to reserve a spot in the camp. Also, from June 9 to 13, Bravo! is conducting a camp for students entering the sixth through eighth grades who have a desire to be in a rock band. Tucker said a band of high school students will teach the students all that goes into becoming a garage band. At the end of the camp, the students at the camp will have the opportunity to play in a studio and record a CD. For more information about Bravo!, the camps or to sign up for the camps, contact Bravo! at 816-220-9100 or visit its Web site at www.bravo-academy.com.

RENEW THE BLUE REPORTS DEEDS TO COUNCIL

By Miranda Wycoff
The Journal Staff

Renew the Blue is continuing efforts to fi nd ways to improve Blue Springs. Last week Renew the Blue co-chairs made a presentation to the Blue Springs City Council on the progress they have
made over the past six months. The Renew the Blue group is made up of residents and business owners to identify what the city of Blue Springs should look like 10, 15 and 20 years from now.
Every six months the group presents their findings and progresses to the City Council.
“Renew the Blue co-chairs Jeannie Lauer and Dave Wright reported the great strides the Renew
the Blue group has made over the past six months particularly in the areas of education, economic development, quality of life, government and community planning,” said Blue Springs
Mayor, Steve Steiner in his weekly newsletter. According to city information, when the group began in May 2006 it identified five key performance areas including economic development,
education, government, planning and re-development and quality of life. In terms of economic
development, the group identified four areas to develop business technical and research parks, expanded educational choices and expanded healthcare availability. Accomplishments cited
with the business technical and research parks included identifying available land and the Blue Springs EconomicDevelopment Council has met with several potential developers regarding the
development of the parks. Within the realm of economic development for education, Renew the Blue reported to the Council that Graceland University is now offering classes in Blue Springs, William Woods University has visited the city and is considering opening a campus in Blue Springs and the R-4 School District has purchased the Metropolitan Community College Blue
River Campus. Renew the Blue also reported that it met with St. Mary’s Hospital and Children’s Mercy Hospitaland Robin Schluter, CEO of St. Mary’s, has agreed to join Renew the Blue to help
direct the group’s healthcare initiatives. In terms of education, the group identified three strategies, post-secondary education needs, early childhood development needs and educating the community on all the educational opportunities available. As for progress made in this area, Renew the Blue said they have brought together several existing groups within the community for
beginning talks concerning a performing/ visual arts center in Blue Springs. Future plans for education include building the performing/visual arts center and bringing early childhood
and adult educational opportunities to the area that reflect the needs and wants of people in the community. Goals and strategies for the government in Blue Springs included aligning the postal boundaries, improving the functioning of all city commissions, enhancing the flow of communication between the government and the citizens and educating the citizens of the financial issues and needs facing the city. In these areas, Renew the Blue spokespersons said they have gotten the zip code for the south M-7 area to utilize the city of Blue Springs
name, among others. The group’s representatives said they hope to have a proposal to the City Council concerning postal codes by summer 2008 and proposing a plan for developing
a Citizen’s Advisory Committee that will assist in informing citizens on how the Blue Springs government works and their financial issues, among others. As for planning and redevelopment,
Renew the Blue presented to the Council that they have developed a transportation proposal
which takes advantage of existing resources in the community. According to Renew the Blue information, the proposed plan will provide an alternative to the congested roadway system
in Blue Springs and other communities in Eastern Jackson County. Future plans for planning and re-development include contacting the Mid-America Regional Council to provide a service plan to meet various commuter needs, increasing the number of commuter bases and routes, creating
high-occupancy vehicle and car pool lanes and establishing a light rail and commuter routes to Johnson County work centers, among others. Finally, the group presented accomplishments in
enhancing the quality of life for Blue Springs residents. The group’s representatives said they have worked with six community groups to develop a land and water conservation grant application to build a disc golf course. In addition, they said they helped promote the need for
citizens to provide their input on the recent pool feasibility study. As for future plans to enhance the quality of life in Blue Springs, Renew the Blue representatives said they hope to meet with the Blue Springs Police Department and the Blue Springs Parks and Recreation Department to assess the need of security in parks. For more information on Renew the Blue and its six-month presentation, visit its Web site at www.renewtheblue.com or the city’s Web site at www.bluespringsgov.com.

Flu may have killed elementary teacher

By Brett Dalton
The Journal Staff

The family of a Blue Springs woman who died unexpectedly last weekend
believes she died from the flu.
Stephanie Bentele, 46, died during the early morning hours of Sunday, Feb. 24. She was diagnosed with the flu just days before her passing, said Leo Bentele, Stephanie’s father.
Leo Bentele said on Wednesday afternoon the family had yet to see the death certificate and didn’t know, as of press time, the exact cause of death. Leo Bentele said he is convinced his daughter died from the flu.
“She was diagnosed with the flu, and she was prescribed (an antiviral) drug called Tamiflu and that’s what she was being treated for,” Leo said. “I don’t know what else it would be.”
Stephanie Bentele spent 10 years in the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District and taught at Hawthorn Hill, Cedar Creek and, most recently, Summit Pointe elementary schools. She also served as the K-6 Science Curriculum Specialist for the R-7 School District.
Prior to teaching in the R-7 School District, Stephanie Bentele taught at St. Bernadette’s School, a parochial school in Kansas City.
Heather Kenney, principal of Summit Pointe, said in a letter sent to parents that Bentele was popular and well-liked among students and staff.
“She was well known for her love of students and her irresistible enthusiasm for science,” Kenney said. “Ms. Bentele was never without a smile and had a kind word for everyone. She will be dearly missed by her current and former students, as well as her co-workers at Summit Pointe and throughout the school district.” To honor Stephanie Bentele’s memory, her family, in cooperation with the Lee’s Summit Educational Foundation, has created a scholarship in her name. Contributions can be sent to the Lee’s Summit Educational Foundation, designated to the Stephanie Ann Bentele Scholarship Fund, 301 N.E. Tudor Road, Lee’s Summit, MO 64066.

Out of Reach|Wildcats can’t hold late lead against undefeated Hickman Mills

By Jake Singleton
The Journal Staff

Blue Spring junior Jocelyn Price didn’t think she’d shed a tear over Wednesday’s 58-52 Class 5 Sectional loss to undefeated Hickman Mills at Municipal Auditorium.
But she was wrong.
“I didn’t think I was going to cry because it was only my junior year,” Price said. “But once I got in the locker room I started cry.”
And Price wasn’t the only wet-eyed Wildcat. Tears ran down the faces of all, and rightfully so, as the No. 2 state-ranked Wildcats fought the No. 1-ranked Cougars to the very end.
“I thought we were going to come out and at least win by five,” said Wildcat junior Drew Roberts. “I thought we came in ready this time.”
It was the Cougars, however, who came out aggressive.
Hickman senior Jaleshia Robertson hit a three to open the game, and the Cougars controlled the offensive and defensive glass as they opened up a 9-2 lead.
“It wasn’t very good,” said Wildcat head coach Tony Armstrong. “Robertson making the three was one of the things we didn’t want, and we left her open two or three times. And they are really good on the offensive boards. You know they can shoot it well — the things that underrated about them is their ability to rebound.”
Robertson scored 12 of her 18 points in the first quarter, and the Cougars grabbed five offensive rebounds as they took a 19-11 lead into the second quarter.
And while they trailed after the first, a late offensive surge by Robertson, junior Bryonna Snow and freshman Cee Cee Burius gave the Wildcats confidence.
“We figured we’d come out slower than they would because we were still a little intimidated,” Price said. “We called time out and gathered ourselves and, after the time out, I figured, ‘Why are we scared of them? We watched film. We played them once. There’s nothing to be intimidated about.’”
Price and the Wildcats showed no fear in the second quarter.
Price hit two three’s, senior Megan Best had a three and freshman Jamesia Price hit a three at the buzzer to pull Blue Springs within three at halftime, 33-30.
Not only did the Wildcats carry the momentum into the second half, but the presence of Snow and Burius underneath had slowed the Cougars on the offensive and defensive glass while Roberts looked to lock down Robertson.
“We hadn’t played (Snow and Burris) a whole lot together, but tonight, because of (Hickman’s) size, we needed the height inside to defend and rebound,” Armstrong said. “And we finally got guarding Robertson down.”
Hickman scored only eight points in the third quarter after posting 19 first-quarter points and 13 second-quarter points.
Roberts found Snow underneath for four of her seven points and scored five of her 17 points to help give Blue Springs a 42-41 lead going into the fourth quarter.
“I thought once we had the lead we were going to keep it,” Roberts said.
But Blue Springs didn’t keep its lead for long.
The two teams traded leads early and, with 3:30 remaining in the game, were tied 49-49. And after the Cougar’s went on a 6-0 run to open up a 56-49 lead with 21 seconds remaining, it was over for the Wildcats.
“We didn’t make as many plays in the last four minutes as they did — that’s the way these games are supposed to be played,” said Armstrong as the Wildcats ended their season 19-3 overall.
But with only one senior gone from its starting five, the loss to Hickman could have just served as fuel for the Wildcats next season.
“We are ball hungry for it and we are starting our workouts before the rest of the girls,” Price said. “We want to win state our senior year.”
“I think it’s a key wake up call,” Roberts said. “We want state so bad next year — our senior year — we are just going to come out hard and not give anything up.”

Save a lot of money by buying gently used

By Donna Birch
McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)

MODESTO, Calif. — When Kristin and John Webb were ready to buy furniture for their home, they didn’t go to a showroom or big-box store in search of brand-new pieces.
Instead, they headed to Crow Trading Co., a Modesto, Calif., store that sells antique and vintage furniture, decor, accessories and collectibles.
Money was a concern for the first-time homeowners, who recently moved from Los Angeles to Turlock, Calif., Kristin Webb’s hometown.
With a new mortgage and a 15-month-old toddler, “we were trying to find things we can afford,” said Kristin Webb, 36. “It’s not like we have money to burn.”
At the store, they found a “really cool” 100-year-old solid wood Asian buffet-style cabinet.
“We’ll backlight it and put all of our wine and martini glasses in it,” she said.
Webb loves its unique look and that it’s a multifunctional piece that can be used in any room.
“It’s not that I won’t buy new pieces,” she said. “But from a design standpoint, I don’t want my whole house looking like a Pottery Barn catalog.”
With uncertain economic times ahead and high prices on everything from food to gasoline, many consumers are watching their hard-earned dollars more carefully.
Unable — or unwilling — to plop down hundreds of bucks on brand-new couches, beds, armoires, coffee tables and such, shoppers are taking a fresh look at consignment, antique and used-furniture stores.
Used furniture can be found all over: in thrift shops such as Buy-Rite and charity-affiliated stores such as Goodwill, the American Cancer Society’s Discovery shops and Community Hospice’s Hope Chest. There also are consignment stores.
How a typical consignment store works: An employee evaluates the merchandise a person wants to sell and assigns a fixed price based on its condition. The piece is then displayed in the store for sale.
When someone buys it, the store keeps a previously agreed-upon percentage, which can range from 40 to 60 percent of the selling price. The rest goes to the original owner. Consignment is an option for people with gently used furniture to sell who don’t want to deal directly with potential buyers or haggle over price as they would at a garage sale.
J.S. West Bargain Annex and K.P.’s Consignment are two Modesto stores that buy and sell pieces on consignment.
K.P.’s, in business since 2004, carries everything from armoires and chaise lounges to sectionals and dining-room sets.
J.S. West’s Bargain Annex, which carries used and new discount furniture, has offered consignment services since the early 1980s, according to store manager Donna Sinchak.
“We get customers who want gently used furniture,” she said. “Sometimes people get tired of their homes having the same old look but they don’t want to spend a lot” to redecorate.
There are also those who come there to sell their stuff.
“We get people who are downsizing,” Sinchak added, “including retirees moving into smaller quarters.”
The Bargain Annex does a 50-50 split with its consignees. If a piece doesn’t sell in 90 days, the owner receives 50 percent of the final marked sale price.
Ellen Bobian of Modesto has been a regular at the Bargain Annex store on Eighth Street for about 10 years.
“I don’t buy anything new anymore,” said Bobian, 62. “Why, if you can find something just as good — if not better — at a lower price?”
Bobian said she likes to change her furniture often, so she buys and sells items on consignment at the Bargain Annex all the time. Previous acquisitions include a Victorian-style settee with a matching chair, a Flexsteel couch and a buffet.
“I paid $600 for the Flexsteel couch,” Bobian said. “I saw the same couch in a store and it was $3,000.”
There have been occasions when she waited to buy an item to see if the price would be reduced, and her patience paid off. But a few times, she delayed too long and missed out. But that comes with the territory, she said.

Just for kids

Stores such as Once Upon a Child and Little Ones, both in Modesto, Calif., specialize in children’s merchandise.
Katie Hansen opened Little Ones in the Roseburg Square shopping center in June. The store is different from a typical consignment store because it buys items outright, said Hansen.
“It’s a good business to be in because babies are always being born,” she said.
In addition to clothing, toys and strollers, the store has infant and toddler furniture: cribs, bassinets, high chairs, beds and bookshelves. The store’s furniture inventory varies depending on what people have brought in.
People come into the store “looking for good deals because they’re tired of the high prices in regular stores.”
“A lot of people are struggling,” she said. “Everybody wants to save a penny.”
The most requested items are cribs, she said.
Hansen said she gets a lot of business from grandparents who want a whole setup for their own house — a crib, changing table, high chair, swing, etc. — for their grandchildren when they visit.
Shops that sell used children’s furniture, especially nursery items, usually have strict requirements regarding what they will and won’t accept.
“It has to be clean and in good, resale condition,” Hansen said. “No broken or missing pieces, no rips.”
She’s also likely to turn away furniture that is six or more years old because of safety concerns.
Parents who want to sell their gently used nursery furniture should do a bit of homework.
“Customers should call first to make sure we’re accepting what they want to sell,” Hansen advised.
They should also have the item’s manufacturer, make and model information on hand. Store employees will check to make sure the item has not been recalled.
Hansen said any used item brought to her store should be assembled so she can verify its condition. And, she added, potential sellers should have realistic expectations about pricing. She prices nothing in her store over 60 percent of retail value.

Nothing beats a bargain

Kristin Webb of Turlock, Calif., said that although she does have some newer furniture, when it comes to substantial pieces — such as the buffet cabinet from Crow Trading Co. — she prefers old over new any day.
“It lasts forever and is visually interesting,” she said. “To get what we got, if we went into a store and bought something similar brand new, we would have paid double the price. I felt like I got a great deal.”

Decorating tips

Jennifer Williams of Crow Trading Co. shared some tips on decorating with vintage or antique pieces:
Decorate with pieces you love. Go with what you like and will work for your lifestyle.
Don’t be afraid to decorate in an eclectic style, mixing styles and ages of furniture. “A clean-lined red painted antique Chinese cabinet can look great with your great-grandmother’s Victorian chair.”
Families with children can incorporate antique furniture into their decor, too. “Some people think of antiques as being too fragile for an active family,” she said. “Many of the pieces we sell have been around for generations and have many years of use and enjoyment left.”

(c) 2008, The Modesto Bee (Modesto, Calif.)

COMMUNITY PULSE - Aquatic center

The aquatic center in Blue Springs: Their plan looks really good to me except for the fact that they are neglecting the inside pool where water aerobics for those with arthritis and other disabilities practice. And it doesn’t seem that there is any plan in there whatsoever to help some of the problems. The main problem is they have six showers, one works in the ladies room. They need some work on the plumbing in there very badly. And also they need some kind of a regulator on the heat of the water. It can range from 78 sometimes below that up to 82. It should be at 82. But complaints are made when it gets down to 78. They’ll say someone forgot to turn it back on or things like this — there’s just kind of a sloppy attitude, I think, of maintaining the pool that we have. The pool itself is very nice — large enough for exercising and so on. But it would be I think better for those who use the pool for therapeutics, a little better if we could maintain the water somewhat better.

Agreeing with Dan Hall on legislature

COMMENTARY By Mick Mithelavage
Special to the Journal

In the Feb. 23 edition of the Journal, Dan Hall’s commentary struck some very fine chords. He suggested we contact our representatives to let them know how we feel about the proposed legislation he identified. Well, here’s my personal input: I agree.
Regarding the concept of granting immunity to school employees for reporting possible child abuse, why should it be limited to school employees? There is some logic to the legislation in that most children attend schools, but singling out school employees is short sighted. Children also go to theaters, bowling alleys, skating rinks, grocery stores, neighbors’ homes and churches. The proposed legislation should apply to every citizen who reports abuse — not just school employees. On the issue of false, vindictive allegations, simply add appropriate language to the bill that would punish the false accuser. Giving immunity is fair treatment for honest, caring people who might not have the inner strength to speak out publicly, and issuing a summons is fair treatment for those who speak out with malice.
On a related topic, when will our national leaders draft legislation to punish the almighty press for their lies and unwarranted character assassinations? And I’m not referring just to those slimy paper rags at the checkout line at Wal-Mart. A few days ago, The New York Times printed a front page article suggesting Sen. John McCain had a “romantic” relationship with a female lobbyist. No basis of fact, no details, no corroborating witnesses — just rumor. In his commentary, Hall mentioned the damages done to the Duke lacrosse players for the horrible lies told about them; I’m sure he would add John McCain to his list of victims.
I agree with Hall on not amending the state constitution to reduce the number of votes needed for passing school bond issues. Lee’s Summit and other progressive, well-managed cities and school districts are doing just fine with the system we have, thank you. Lowering the bar to accommodate weaker, inefficient, poorly managed districts is not the answer to their problems.
Issuing tax credits for donations to educational foundations is fair and reasonable. Everybody pays for public schools because that’s the law — it’s not because those schools generate the best results for the public. People who voluntarily give additional funds for private education should receive recognition for their generosity and foresight. After all, private schools produce results that benefit the public too — results far greater than many public schools. I again agree with Mr. Hall.
Cell phones: what a scourge that invention has been. Not only are they an additional risk factor for teenage driving, they have totally eliminated peace and tranquility. I was playing in a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament for charity this past weekend, and one guy at the table was talking on his cell phone and trying to deal at the same time. How inconsiderate is that? Here I was, trying to lose my money for a good cause, and this dweeb could care less. If we can stop people from smoking in public, we can keep cell phones out of the hands of inexperienced and lousy drivers. After all, more people are injured and killed in auto accidents than in smoke-filled poker rooms.
Finally, but most importantly, is the topic of capital punishment. I could not agree with you more, Mr. Hall. Capital punishment has been applied to who knows how many innocent people, and financial status has always been a factor in who receives and who doesn’t receive the ultimate sentence. Capital punishment is legalized murder — same as abortion. Thank you, Dan, for speaking plainly and openly.


Mick Mithelavage, a
Lee’s Summit resident and author, is a guest columnist for the Journal. To respond to today’s commentary, call the Journal’s Rant & Rave line at 816-282-7020, or send comments via the Internet at www.bluespringsjournal.com.

Steam, cream and a dream

By Miranda Wycoff
The Journal Staff

For Blue Springs native Garin Bledsoe, owning his own business in the food industry has always been a dream.
He practically grew up in the restaurant business, and always wanted to be a chef.
On his path to realizing his dream, Bledsoe started as a dishwasher and worked his way up. And by the age of 17 he was kitchen manager at a steak house in Blue Springs.
But during his senior year in high school at Blue Springs, he felt an urge to step away from the restaurant business.
“As a senior I decided I wanted to part ways with the food industry,” Bledsoe said. “I wanted to have time to do the senior activities and not come home all greasy every night.”
From then on he worked the normal part-time jobs of a teenager until graduating college.
After college he pursued a very different career path — working with financial and mutual funds for DST for 10 years.
But a few years ago the restaurant industry began calling him back into the business.
He talked with his wife, Anne Bledsoe, also a Blue Springs graduate and teacher in the Independence school district, and they decided to open their own business.
But the restaurant business wasn’t exactly the path that the Bledsoes took.
“Owning a restaurant is a huge risk,” Garin said. “So we began looking at some other type of venture to entertain.”
That’s when they began to look into the coffee industry.
“We looked into it and discovered that a locally owned coffee shop could survive in a Starbuck’s suburbia,” Garin said.
As a result, Garin and Anne opened the Steamin’ Bean Coffee Co. at 1875 N.W. M-7 in Blue Springs.
“It was the right time and it’s the right location,” Garin said.
The Steamin’ Bean officially opened on the first of the year, held its Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Feb. 14 and will hold its grand opening celebration the week of March 17 through 21.
The grand opening will consist of a fundraising event with the local 4-H club and a canned food drive for the Community Service League in Blue Springs.
The Steamin’ Bean offers a variety of frozen drinks, espresso, coffee, cappuccino and other hot drinks. In addition, the coffee shop serves 16 flavors of gelato — Italy’s version of ice cream made with significantly less butterfat than American ice cream, according to the company’s Web site.
Garin said he started making gelato as a hobby for the past year.
“I had a chance to sample some gelato the other day while I was on the Plaza and I feel very confident in my product,” he said.
Garin said the gelato is made on site daily.
In addition to drinks and gelato, the Steamin’ Bean serves lunch from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. daily.
“I serve a sandwich of the day, a wrap of the day and a salad of the day and two soup options,” Garin said. “So if you like one certain thing, you know to come in and eat lunch at the Steamin’ Bean on that day.”
The coffee shop also serves cookies, pastries and muffins. And very soon Garin said it will be offering a new line of breakfast items.
The Steamin’ Bean is open Monday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
For more information on the Steamin’ Bean Coffee Co., visit its Web site at www.thesteaminbean.com or call 816-220-BEAN (2326).