July: A Closer Look

Christensen Capital Investment Group

Christensen Capital Investment Group is a real estate investing company specializing in multi-unit and residential property development. Their team is comprised of licensed property appraisers and real estate professionals, and they purchase small residential complexes, neighborhoods, and rental property. Christensen offers research services, prospecting, property consulting, development and management, market analysis, acquisition services, risk assessment, land use studies, and home staging; they also provide investing tips to help the owners and tenants become financially free. The company is owned by Brent and Melinda Christensen.

“I think it was mainly just wanting to get financially free to bring money forward in investments,” Melinda Christensen says. “We enjoy turning property into nice places for people to live.”

Contact: 970-688-0077

Website: christensencap.com

Lovewell Aquatics

Lovewell Aquatics started with a strong passion for fish. Owner Andrew Lovewell installs custom freshwater and saltwater fish tanks in stores, businesses, and local homes, and he offers maintenance packages. “Before starting my business, I would usually be growing corals for stores,” Lovewell says. When stores selling saltwater tanks started going out of business, people from Columbia, Kansas City, and St. Louis began asking Lovewell to fix their fish tanks at home. “It sort of just turned itself into a business.” he says.

Lovewell Aquatics “is unique mainly because there isn’t another company similar,” Lovewell adds. “Other companies will complete installations, but with retail locations, their motor parts come from someplace else,” Lovewell handcrafts each piece of his tanks and installations. His goal is to be the sole provider of fish tank installments in Missouri, all the way from Kansas City to St. Louis.

Contact: 816-550-2126

Website: facebook.com/Lovewell-Aquatics

Nourish Café and Market

Nourish Café and Market opened its doors in June. Ready to provide healthy organic and delicious foods, owners Kalle LeMone and Kimber Dean serve in-café and prepared meals.

“I’ve always wanted to start a business in Columbia,” LeMone says. “I’ve always been intrigued by healthy food and the power it can have for people.”

The entire menu is free of gluten, soy, corn, and refined sugar, and everything is made from scratch. “The market portion is basically where someone, say, having breakfast in the cafe will want a salad later for lunch, so they can just grab a premade one from the market and go,” LeMone says. In the future, LeMone and Dean would also like to expand their small business to another location somewhere south of Columbia.

The restaurant is located at 1201 E. Broadway, next to The Broadway hotel, and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They also offer catering. Nutrition information and ingredients are listed online.

Contact: 573-818-2240

Website: nourishcafemarket.com