Some of my fondest memories as a boy relate to visits to my grandfather’s farm on the east side of Round Prairie in Newton County — especially during the winter.
In the late 1950s, the farmhouse was heated by a wood stove. Fuel for the cookstove also was wood. The preferred woods were oak and hickory because they burned slowly.
When you walked in the door on a cold winter’s day, you instantly would be warmed by the heat of burning wood. Couple that with the smell of a blackberry cobbler in the oven ... well, you get the picture. Life then was a lot like a Norman Rockwell painting.
The wood stove was tall and oval in shape. It held a lot of wood. It would get really hot. The best part was toasting one side and then the other.
Those memories surfaced Friday when I visited a new storefront on Range Line Road. Steve’s Fireplace & More has opened in Bayberry Square. The shopping center is across from Northpark Mall.
Steve McNeely has opened the shop with his brother, Travis, who has 20 years of experience as a masonry contractor. They specialize in sales, service and installations.
The featured brand is the Magnum Flames stove, which comes in wood, pellet and natural gas. The store has several models on display, including one that can be connected to the ductwork in your home. Also on display are an example of Travis McNeely’s stone work and some examples of artificial stone that can be purchased. The store also is doing patio fireplaces.
If your existing stove needs service or your chimney needs a good sweeping, Steve’s can do that, too. For about $150, the crew can inspect your stove and clean out the soot. That is an average price. A chimney that requires scaffolding to reach would cost more. Details: 417-623-1170.
With the price of natural gas and electricity going up with no end in sight, wood heat is becoming an increasingly popular option. A rick of wood sells for about $35 to $45, maybe a little more. That price does not include delivery.
Get a wood stove, bake a blackberry cobbler and you can be a character in your own Norman Rockwell scene.
New store
It won’t be long before the new Ashley Furniture Homestore opens in the former Goody’s storefront at Seventh Street and Range Line.
What’s amazing about this is the speed at which this storefront has been reworked from a clothing store into a furniture store. The contractor, Brian Eggleston, with American Construction, of Joplin, said the work from demolition to finished product has taken about 35 days. With about 33,000 square feet of showroom space, that’s an impressive achievement.
I checked out the store on Friday. It’s huge, and it looks great. Soon, $1 million worth of furniture will be moved in and displayed. It will be complemented with $500,000 worth of accessories. Eight designers will be brought in to make each furniture setting look like something you would see on HGTV.
I predict this opening will be one of the biggest this year on Range Line. Details to come.
Another closing
Quality Outdoor Products, 4901 S. Range Line, has closed its doors. The business specialized in carports, covers for recreational vehicles, garages and dog kennels.
The store and another one in Columbia were closed by the company, which has its headquarters in Jackson, Tenn. The company still has some dealers in Missouri.
If you have news about something happening on Range Line Road, dial 417-623-3480, ext. 7250; or send an e-mail to wkennedy@joplinglobe.com; or send a fax to Wally Kennedy at 417-623-8598.
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<img src=" http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/tuesday.gif" border=0> Wally Kennedy: New fireplace store heats up Range Line
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