June: Closer Look
West Main Pizza
The recently opened pizza spot, located at 923 E. Broadway, is West Main’s second location, after success in Jefferson City. The restaurant is locally owned by Charlie Christiansen and family.
The concept is fast, casual pizza, Christiansen says, and customers can build their own pizzas or salads with unlimited toppings for $9. West Main offers unusual sauces, like basil pesto, roasted garlic puree, and black bean spread. Christiansen’s wife, Jessica, is an MU grad, and his little brother attends MU.
“We wanted to bring our passion of pizza here and let everyone try the made-from-scratch dough with our garlic buttered crust and unique toppings, not to mention different pestos and purees to fulfill the patrons’ needs,” Christiansen says. They’ve been focusing on staff training and building consistency to create repeat customers. “We’re blessed and pleased to bring this concept to Columbia, and we just hope Columbia is happy to have us too.”
Contact: 573-777-7711
Website: westmainpizza2.com
Carolyn Paris Consulting
Carolyn Paris is a staple of the Columbia community, and she’s started her own consulting firm to provide coaching and training to professionals. The company offers training for sales, leadership, and teams; executive coaching and consulting; and keynote speeches.
“My consulting and coaching business is about cultivating meaningful, lasting change, allowing for a fun, satisfying, powerful life for my clients,” Paris says. Her firm focuses on “what is missing,” and she works with high performers who struggle with things like work-life balance or leadership skills.
“I help people gain success in the areas of their life that are missing,” she says. Paris has experience in the banking, technology, and advertising industries. The company’s mission statement is to “guide high performers in movement towards a goal. This is efficiently and effectively accomplished through new distinctions, actions and projects that enable the client to attain and maintain this new level of satisfaction in their life.”
Contact: 573-819-6705
Website: carolynparis.com
Pakity
Pakity sells pre-packaged hiking backpacks that are ready for adventure. Each backpack has four compartments, which contain basic kitchen, safety, hygiene, and first aid equipment, and the pack also includes a plastic bag to keep clothes dry and an empty compartment for food. Hikers can also add a sleeping bag and tent to the pack. Founder Kim Stading is developing a new website where consumers can not only order their packs, but also interact with other hikers on the site. Hikers can post blog entries and photos about their trips. “This is in hopes of inspiring our hikers to visit new places with the comfort of having a list, or several, from someone who has already been there,” Stading says. Pakity wants to recruit clients like school missions or scout troops in order to provide packs for large groups. She says the startup is currently looking at funding methods.
Contact: [email protected]
Website: pakity.com