The Holden Image

Businesses

Not only has Holden seen a growth in population but also in the business district, as a number of businesses have built or rented space in Holden's new business development on Highway 58 East in Holden.

The initial phase of the development began when the Lloyd family announced the purchase of acreage just west of Holden's city limits in order to build a new grocery facility. Additional businesses would soon follow including State Farm Insurance, Farmer's and Commercial Bank, Dollar General, Place's (later acquired by Shopko/Pamida), and a new branch of the Bank of Holden located inside Lloyd's Foods. Cedar Lane Apartments also built a new complex just north of the Lloyd's building.

A new fourplex located northwest of Lloyd's is currently under construction and will house a new Subway, Godfather's Pizza and Sunsations.

Along with a new facility, Lloyd's Foods also added a number of new departments to go along with their modern, up-to-date store. Additional acreage remains for further development. Interested parties should contact the Lloyd family for further details.

Holden maintains a strong downtown district.

Unlike many small communities across Missouri, Holden continues to have a busy, viable downtown business district. Anchored by two strong banking facilities, a number of retail and professional businesses call the downtown area home.

Several of these businesses have recently expanded or updated their existing facilities. Walker's Variety, located in the center of the business district, is celebrating its 11th anniversary this year. The store, which was previously located on the south side of Second Street, is now located in a much larger building on the north side and has expanded twice since their move.

In addition to purchasing the former Musser's Department Store, owners Scotty and Paula Walker recently bought the adjoining building to the west. It houses the RadioShack portion of Walker's business and future expansion is planned for additional areas.

After a large fire in 1997, Mike Levy of Holden Drug/Healthmart completed a redevelopment of his store, including a new patio storefront. The drug store includes a deli, where many local business people and school personnel enjoy lunch.

Western Auto and Roberts Furniture, owned by Chuck and Phil Roberts, sports a new look these days, as both the exterior and interior portions of the business have been changed and updated. The changes allow more showroom space for furniture and appliances.

Holden Tax Service (HTS), owned by Stella and Russell Smith, recently completed a new front on their downtown building. The modern brick front is a positive change to the downtown area. Also, Mike Hough, owner of Starlite Video, completed work on the front of his building as well and added a large neon sign on the front.

Harmony House Restaurant owners, Steve and Cindy Hall, recently ventured into the Bed and Breakfast business, buying the former Holden Auto Parts building in the 200 block of Market Street and converting it into their new business.

Jim and Jenny Sollars of Holden Package and Holden Inn at Pine and Second streets continue to work to improve the appearance of their building, which is a landmark in the downtown area. New sidewalks have been poured, complete with decorative lamp posts. Tuckpoint work and painting on the building's exterior continues.

Work is also underway in the former Oden Chiropractic building now owned by Anthony Taylor. Taylor plans to open a weight and fitness center when construction is complete.

The tree-lined downtown area continues to be a hub for activities and traditional celebrations in the community. Every year in late September, Second Street and adjoining thoroughfares become filled with people, vendors and games during the annual Holden Fall Fiesta.

Generation plant under construction north of Holden.

Pictured at right is a computer-rendered model of the electrical generation power plant currently under construction about 1.8 miles north of Holden along Highway 131.

The facility, being built by Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. of Springfield, MO, is currently under construction and planned to be completed late this year or early in 2002.

The power plant is scheduled to begin supplying electricity to rural cooperatives throughout Missouri and in portions of Oklahoma and Iowa in May of next year.

Construction cost on the 321-megawatt generation facility is estimated at up to $125 million. It is planned to occupy less than 12 acres of the 79-acre site purchased by AECI and will feature three 107-MW simple-cycle combustion turbines.

The primary fuel for the units will be natural gas, with fuel oil backup. Siemens Westinghouse Power Genera-tion is providing the design and construction services, along with related equipment for the power plant project.

AECI is owned by and provides wholesale power to six regional 51 local electric cooperative systems serving over 750,000 homes and businesses, representing 1.95 million individual consumers. In 1999, AECI was ranked 60th in a listing of the top 100 revenue-producing cooperatives in the nation for 1998.

As a part of a Chapter 100 bond tax-incentive program entered between AECI and the Johnson County Commission, a $1 million grant to the county will be in turn granted to the Holden R-3 school district when the power plant enters operation.

Aluminum foundry anchors local employment base.
For a half a century, the aluminum foundry Stahl Specialty Co. in Kingsville and Warrensburg has provided a solid employment base for Holden and all of Johnson County.

Stahl Specialty, one of America's largest permanent mold aluminum foundries, operates six foundry facilities under 12 acres of roof, employs more than 850 people and ships nearly 50 million pounds of castings per year for customers worldwide.

Many of Holden's in-town and rural residents look to the foundry in Holden's smaller sister town Kingsville for employment.

Since the company's founding in 1946 by Glenn Stahl as a one-man, one-room shop, it has seen phenomenal growth. One reason for that growth is the innovation begun by Glenn Stahl and continued by the company throughout the remainder of the 20th century. Stahl's early breakthroughs to perfect the permanent mold process for large-scale castings set the tone for the company he built.
Continuing breakthroughs in materials, production techniques and technology have made Stahl a world-class leader in today's aluminum casting industry.

Jack Moore, president of Stahl Specialty, acknowledges the important role that hard-working residents of the Holden and Kingsville area have played in the aluminum foundry's continued growth and success.

"Your employees are the most important asset you have," Moore said. "It's their ingenuity and productiveness that allow us to be competitive in the marketplace. And that competitiveness is what helps you grow your business."

The ability of Stahl Specialty to develop innovative casting techniques and the company's combined efforts to insure a quality product give it a unique place in the industry.

Stahl Specialty goes beyond simply casting aluminum products; in-house machining assures that when a product leaves the foundry, it is what the customer wants, and the company's fleet of delivery trucks and range of shipping options guarantee that products arrive in time and in safety.
Stahl Specialty is also an important part of the aluminum foundry industry. In the 1950's, the company first developed tilt-pour permanent mold casting technology.

Based on this and other technologies developed at Stahl Specialty, the company is one of the world's largest makers of permanent mold foundry equipment.

Not only does Stahl's rotary autocast equipment allow high-volume, high-quality production, the company provides aluminum furnaces and is often called upon to make metallurgical analyses.

The company has also been increasing ties with other foundries worldwide since its purchase in May 2000 by Waupaca Foundry, Inc., of Waupaca, WI. The two companies now combine Stahl's aluminum castings with Waupaca's wide range of ductile and gray iron products.

This has brought Stahl into closer contact with other foundries owned by Waupaca's parent companies, the Budd Company of Troy, MI, and Thyssen Krupp Automotive. The Budd Company is a leading supplier of automotive components with $2.5 billion in annual revenues, and Thyssen Krupp is a $5.7 billion supplier to the automotive industry worldwide.
Earlier this year, Stahl began extended exchange programs with other Thyssen Krupp foundries in Germany, and the Waupaca sales department has been working closely with the Stahl Specialty sales department to help benefit both companies.

Becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Waupaca Foundry has had a positive impact on Stahl Specialty, Moore said, primarily due to the strong synergy between the two companies.

"There's a lot of similarity in our companies," he said, "between the way we think, and the way we work and the way we manage. ... It's their full intent to grow their business and to grow our business."
The intent of Stahl management is to continue growing and expanding the foundry's business, Moore said, and new jobs being added during 2002 will certainly create growth.

"The next few years look very positive and promising," he said. "We have quite a bit of new business coming in on the production side."

Holden home to two local, independent banks.
The City of Holden and the surrounding area are fortunate to have two strong financial institutions serving the community.

The Farmers and Commercial Bank and the Bank of Holden have both played a big part in the development and growth of western Johnson County for many years, and they continue to grow and offer additional services as well as additional facilities.

The Farmers and Commercial Bank has its main facility in downtown Holden and offers branch facilities in east Holden, Kingsville and Lone Jack. The bank built a full-service facility in Lone Jack four years ago and most recently finished their east Holden branch this past year.

Marilyn Mickey-Clay is the chairman of the board of directors and Bob Mickey serves as president of the bank.
The Bank of Holden also has its main facility in downtown Holden and also offers a drive-in facility on Market Street, a branch in Lloyd's Foods on Hwy. 58 East, a branch at Bi-Lo Foods in Warrensburg and another full service facility on 13 Highway South in Warrensburg.

Bank of Holden's most recent expansion was the opening of the branch at Lloyd's Foods and the drive-through facility on Market Street.

William Terry is chairman of the board of directors, and Michael Terry serves as president.

Both banks are known for their generosity toward the community as they have supported numerous projects to benefit area communities and schools.