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Jane Steinbrecher Editor | jsteinbrecher@mailzimmer.com Inside Columbia magazine

from the Editor

I like my job.

That’s a pretty lucky thing for anyone to be able to say, isn’t it?

Whenever I tell people I work for a magazine, I’m usually met with some curiosity. Out-of-towners are skeptical about what all there is to write about in our little city, smack in the middle of Missouri. But between a global fil festival (p. 29), a muralist keeping downtown colorful (p. 26) and local dining so good it sparks statewide arguments, we’ll never run out of things to talk about in Columbia.

People will then usually ask if I enjoy my job. And as I said earlier, I do. I like my job, but there are days when I really, really like my job.

As I’m writing this, our photography studio has been overtaken by a mountain of cardboard pizza boxes as we judged the longest and most heated debates in Columbia (p. 36). Any day that gives us an excuse to order local pizza en masse is a good day spent at work. As magazine writers, photographers and designers, our jobs often give us a peek behind the curtain in Columbia. My co-workers snapped previews of the upcoming Stephens College fashion show (p. 54) and got under the skin of the local tattoo scene (p. 46) — since I’m petrified of needles, I headed to Columbia’s newest bar and hot dog-ery (p. 82) instead. While I can’t speak for everyone, I’m grateful for a job that allows us that behind-the-scenes perspective.

Lastly, when people ask me about work, they’ll sometimes inquire if readers are really still picking up physical magazines. When I tell them just how many years Inside Columbia has been in print, it feels good. Granted, I just got here, but it still feels good to say.

This year, Inside Columbia celebrates its 21st birthday. Maybe I’ll buy it a beer.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Carla Leible carla@mailzimmer.com

FOUNDERS

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Jane Steinbrecher jsteinbrecher@mailzimmer.com

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CONTRIBUTORS

Ava Kitzi, Wally Pfeffer, Nancy Toalson, Sara Fougere, Frances Fujiko Harvey, John Darkow

The Chicago-style dog and the Como Dog from Old Plank Tavern.

Photo by L.G. Patterson.

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Pick Your Pepperoni

We put pizza to the test — judging eight local restaurants on crust, cheese, sauce, specialty toppings and more. Flip to pages 36-45 and take a tour of Columbia’s “Little Italy” through our completely unbiased reviews and commentary. Follow us on Instagram @insidecolumbiamagazine and keep an eye on our story, where we will post a March Madness-esque bracket so you can help determine a community winner.

Have You Voted Yet Today?

Before you flip though this issue, don't miss the chance to cast your vote. From Mar. 9 to Apr. 12, Inside Columbia readers will choose our city's best coffee, best bar, best salon and more. Vote once per day in every category on insidecolumbia. net — and best of luck to the finalists

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Leaving His Mark

MEET THE ARTIST BEHIND SOME OF MID-MISSOURI’S MOST NOTABLE PAINTINGS AND MURALS.

In the basement of a typical Columbia home, you may expect to find a laundy room, a game room, a wet bar or just unfinished concete. But David Spear’s lower level looks a little different.

A black-and-white cat named Matisse roams the spacious area. Framed paintings are hung on pristine white walls. A workspace in the corner houses everything you might expect from an artist: a sketching table, easels with paintings in various states of completion, a whiteboard with project timelines (including an upcoming series of paintings and a mural), a large monitor with the definiton of “cowpuncher” as the most recent search, a wooden shelf overflowing with art history books and sketchbooks. This is where Spear researches, sketches, paints and more, until taking a small-scale idea to a blank wall somewhere in town.

While he portrays himself as, “just another artist in a community of artists,” Spear holds a prominent role in Columbia. If you’ve ever dined at Addison’s, watched an outdoor flck in the Arcade

District or walked the streets of downtown Columbia, you’ve probably seen his work.

Over the past 25 years, Spear has raised a family as well as a

BY BAILEY RIZZO • PHOTOS BY L.G. PATTERSON

series of paintings now cover those walls, depicting the chaotic nature of working in the restaurant industry. Spear says these paintings are the

and exaggerated figues, often arranged in dynamic compositions. “I consciously think about (painting) in a style that people can relate to

reputation as a major artist in town. “Columbia’s been really good to me,” he says. “It’s a great community. You start to know everybody and it has a nice art scene.”

Much of Spear’s work prior to coming to Columbia was centered on music. But when he started working at Addison’s – washing dishes, waiting tables, tending bar and more – he noticed the blank walls and decided to do something about them. A

ones most people attribute to him, but his style is scattered across the city.

When asked about who or what inspires his style most, his response was a long pause. “I think most people would tell me that I am a Thomas Hart Benton Regionalist … that’s the group I tend to get bracketed with, but that term is expandable,” Spear says. This style is characterized by narrative scenes in bold colors, rhythmic movement

here in Columbia, so working from that Midwest Regionalist style certainly helped.”

He doesn’t stop at just one artist or style, though. Spear’s bookshelf is crammed with books on art, both his own and borrowed from the library. “That’s one of my favorite things to do: study and research art history,” he says. “Through art history, you could understand a lot of history, politics, religion and all kinds of other things.”

So how does Spear take his art from commission to a 100foot wall? Research is step one. Before Spear even begins to put paintbrush to brick for his upcoming mural on the Balsamo Warehouse in the North Village Arts District, he will have spent nearly a month conducting research on the area to drive his design. “I want to know what it was before,” he says. “This whole area was Osage hunting grounds, then it was a part of the Boone’s Lick Trail, so there was a natural trail of animals that were making a path here. It’s interesting how people ended up here and what it became.”

Photoshop. “That way I can look at a little chunk at a time,” he says. “For example, I can say this guy’s nose goes from that part of ‘A’ to that part of ‘R.’”

However, the doodle grid has seen some mixed reviews once it’s on the wall. “When the towns see what looks like graffiti, they flip out, think the place has been vandalized; I’ve even been accused of Satanic messaging,” Spear says. “When I did a mural in Salem, I had a guy tell me the preacher talked about me in a sermon, saying not to judge a book by its cover.”

From deep dives into articles, history books and the Boone County Historical Society, Spear fleshes out a comprehensive understanding of the town’s history. “I just jot down little scribbles, sketching things out and seeing how they juxtapose each other,” he says. “I always want to have an emphasis on the arts, with a little bit of historical draw so it shows a timeline of important or interesting stories.”

The next step is what Spear calls a “doodle grid.” By placing an array of numbers, letters and symbols on the mural space, he superimposes the drawing on top of the grid in

During the months of work that come with completing a mural, Spear finds himsel playing a role in whichever community he’s painting in. When he spent three months in Salem, Spear befriended a Vietnam veteran and spoke with him twice a day. “He came by to watch me work and I did my best to give my time to him and everybody else,” Spear says. “I write down everyone’s name and something I remember about them to have a reference. Especially in a small town, they tell me things like this never happen there.”

Meanwhile, a mural he did in New Franklin led to the sale of several mugs with the print on it, purchased by the woman who used to live in the house depicted in the mural. “That’s something I wasn’t expecting, but it’s all about doing the research so you can connect to people in that area,” Spear says.

In Columbia, one of Spear’s most meaningful projects for him and the community is the Blind Boone mural on College Avenue. “When you’re working in an area, you start to know the people, and these people have the same struggles as each other … different color, same struggles,” he says. By bringing a historical figue of our town back to the forefront, he was able to unite the community in a similar way. “(Blind Boone) was a guy that really overcame a lot of obstacles throughout his life, and he did it with a lot of integrity. He’s an inspirational figue I think we could all look up to, so telling that story in a public mural is really nice.”

For Spear, art is the truest form of communication. “I’m not that skilled at talking, so my way of communicating is through my artwork,” he says. “(Art) plays an integral role in our society, just like music and writing. Otherwise, what are we figting for?”

In addition to the mural on the Balsamo Warehouse – which will be completed by the end of summer – Spear is also completing a series depicting local artists, entitled “For the Love of Locals.” This gallery will open on April 18 at the Boone County Historical Society.

Next time you wander around Columbia, don’t forget to take in the art that makes this place feel like home.

We’re Still Here

AFTER 23 YEARS OF MOVIE MAGIC, TRUE/FALSE SHOWS NO SIGNS OF PAUSING.

BY JANE STEINBRECHER • PHOTOS BY L.G. PATTERSON

Are movie theaters actually dead?

Signs in Columbia point to no.

Amid the spike in popularity of streaming services, lingering aftershocks from the pandemic, slashes to funding and, notably, a destructive office fie in 2023, it seemed like the future of Missouri’s most-celebrated film estival (and that of

movie theaters as a whole) was uncertain.

Since its inception in 2004, the True/False Film Fest exists upon the idea of pushing possibilities. You might’ve noticed the slogan “nothing is impossible, impossible just takes longer”

inscribed on the red walls at Ragtag Cinema.

A documentary fil festival drawing global crowds to a small midMissouri city, while local theaters are feeling the heat from streaming conglomerates, seems like an impossibility. But judging by the numbers, it’s evident that

film cuture is thriving in Columbia and True/False is continuing to climb for its 23rd consecutive celebration. This year, the fest kicks off March 5, dressing downtown in its signature, colorful eccentricity for the weekend. Across seven screens and six venues, 35 feature films two retrospective features

and 25 new shorts will be shown (selected from over 1,400 submissions) tallying to a whopping 115 screenings in total. Additionally, 10 live music showcases with featured artists and openers will rock downtown venues and bars.

Just last year, True/False hit its highest attendance since before the pandemic — 31,099 pairs of eyes admired nationwide documentaries on our hometown screens.

Less than half of the crowd was local; Ragtag Film Society reports over 50% of attendees travel for the fest. This adds up; the Columbia Convention

“

beverage, and transportation.

How does such a large festival work for Columbia? And why?

Ragtag Film Society’s

“It’s a place of discovery and great ideas, and we’re really embracing that professional stage. We want to maintain our global attraction while still keeping a local identity.”

& Visitor’s Bureau estimated in 2018 that True/False rakes in an average $2 million for the city in tourism, food and

executive director Andrea Luque Káram says True/ False couldn’t exist anywhere else. Specifically, it’s the

combination of small-town charm with a worldwide audience that draws documentary creators’ and fil-lovers’ attention to Columbia.

“I think there’s a lot of magic here,” she says. “The community has embraced (True/False) in a way that it’s part of our local identity, but we stay in the global conversation because of the quality of our work. Filmmakers can come here and it feels homey; they come here and get to interact with the audience. It's less of a sterile environment than other more corporate festivals.”

Andrea Luque Káram

Luque Káram is currently in the throes of planning her first estival. Despite the learning curve, she says the work has been thrilling, thanks to those within and outside the organization taking on new roles. Namely, she credits Oscar-nominated filmmaer Yance Ford, who has temporarily taken on the title of True/False’s artistic director.

But it’s the community that keeps True/False’s heart beating. “The film industy is on a decline and a lot of people are staying at home instead of going to the movies … the pandemic drove that curve,” Luque Káram says. “We’ve been recovering from that and recovering from the fie, but every single time, the community has shown up and we don't take that lightly.”

Despite theater attendance on a nationwide decline, Columbians are still showing up and filling seats. On the debate of whether

the convenience of athome streaming outweighs the experience of visiting the movie theater, Luque Káram says it’s no contest. Experiencing a film for the first time in a theater sparks more curiosity and builds more prominent memories.

“I mean, that experience is never gonna compare, right?” she says. With opportunities to meet the directors and writers, and panels following the festival’s programming, the immersive experience at True/ False is a stark contrast to the popular standard of tossing something on a streaming service, second screen in hand. “It’s not your regular moviegoing experience," Luque Káram says. It might be a world premiere. It might be a North American premiere. You might have an Oscarnominated filmmaer running the Q&A.”

You can immerse yourself in True/False by either purchasing tickets for

individual shows or buying a pass. Tickets for individual shows run $14 for students and are otherwise $20. The passes range in price at truefalse.org, but include access to music showcases, films and afterpartes.

As for the future of True/ False, Luque Káram says the crew at RagTag envisions the same festival, only bigger.

“I want (the festival) to lead the way in documentary films and their impact,” she says. “It’s a place of discovery and great ideas, and we’re really embracing that professional stage. We want to maintain our global attraction while still keeping a local identity.”

Despite the future seeming choppy or uncertain for the arts and cinema industry, True/False is here to stay. In fact, by the time the last projector has cooled and the streets of downtown have been swept after the March March parade, they’re already planning for 2027.

WHAT TRUE/FALSE FILM FEST WHERE DOWNTOWN COLUMBIA WHEN March 5-8

WEBSITE truefalse.org

Calendar

Dates and events are subject to change. Please visit insidecolumbia.net/events for the most up-to-date information.

March 14

MAR

March 6

True/False March March

Boone County Courthouse

Kick offTrue/False Film Fest with the March March, a free event where everyone is encouraged to dress colorfully, carry props and make noise. The parade will begin at the courthouse and proceed down 9th Street to the Missouri Theatre.

5 p.m., free, truefalse.org/march-march

March 11

Wizard of Oz on Ice

Jesse Hall

Experience L. Frank Baum’s beloved classic, The Wizard of Oz, like never before. Ice Creative Entertainment presents a new production of the timeless tale of Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion.

7 p.m., $47-$63, mizzouarts.missouri.edu/ event/wizard-of-oz-on-ice

March 13

COMO Mastermind

The Broadway Columbia Learn how to grow generational wealth through real estate from top investors at COMO Mastermind. Hosted by Columbia locals Megan and Jesse Walters and Daniel Burke-Aguero, you’ll have the opportunity to network and learn from industry experts.

9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., $225, comomastermind.org

March 14

COMO Man Show

Northeast Event Center

Hunting, fishin, sports, food, beer and power tools, oh my! The COMO Man Show has everything you need to indulge in the ultimate manly day. With dozens of sponsor booths, prizes, activities, displays and more, the Man Show will not disappoint.

10 a.m. to 3 p.m., $15-$50, comomanshow.com

April

11

Community Summit

Columbia City Hall

Learn more about current projects, share ideas and connect with neighbors and city leaders at the Community Summit. This is an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about strategic priorities and provide feedback on services.

9 a.m. to 12 p.m., free, como.gov/community-summit

That’s What She Said

Missouri Theatre

On a mission to provide a platform for female voices and celebrate the contributions of women in Columbia, the annual That’s What She Said event will bring the community together to hear from local speakers.

7-9 p.m., $40, columbia.shesaidproject.com

April 16-19

Unbound Book Festival

Downtown Columbia

APR

Unbound Book Festival is back for its 11th year. Attend workshops and speaker panels with internationally recognized authors as Columbia maintains its passion for literature. The keynote speaker this year is award-winning author, environmentalist and activist Terry Tempest Williams. free, unboundbookfestival.com

April 17

Max McNown - Central Bank Downtown Live!

The Blue Note / 9th Street

Kick off armer days and concert season with Max McNown, a rising country singer/songwriter with hit songs “A Lot More Free” and “Better Me For You.” After a sold-out show in Kansas City last summer, you won’t want to miss this one. 8 p.m., $50, thebluenote.com/event/max-mcnown

April 26

Spring Curated. Crafted. Created. Market

Columbia Mall

This market will feature local artisans, handmade goods, delicious treats and interactive experiences. Celebrate creativity and support local businesses who provide for mid-Missouri.

10 a.m. to 3 p.m., free, andrealynevents. com/curated-crafted-created

April 26

Earth Day Festival

Peace Park, University of Missouri

The annual Columbia Area Earth Day Festival returns with fun and education, all to support sustainability. Get gardening tips, talk to solar vendors, buy sustainable products and more. Plus, enjoy live music and food trucks. 12-6 p.m., free, columbiaearthday.org

MAY

May 23-24

Pedaler’s Jamboree

Missouri Katy Trail

Cycle through some of mid-Missouri’s best trails and parks on this twoday ride, starting at Flat Branch Park and ending at Boonville’s Kemper Park. Stop along the way and at the final destintion to hear live music and enjoy other festivities.

$35-$95, pedalersjamboree.com

May 9

Girls on the Run

Spring 5K

Stephens Lake Park

Grab your sneakers and sign up to run in the Girls on the Run Spring 5K, benefitting eart of Missouri. Each participant will receive a commemorative medal for crossing the finish lin.

$15-$40, heartofmissourigirlsontherun.org/5k

Volunteer & Fundraising Opportunities

March 21

Sewing for Second Chance

My Quilty Pleasure

(1900 N. Providence Rd., suite 201)

Create pet beds for Columbia Second Chance at this day of service, providing comfort to local animals waiting for their forever homes. No advanced sewing skills are required and all materials are provided. 10:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., $20, shopmyquiltypleasure.com

April 11

Cleanup Columbia

Columbia

May 25

Gold Star Memorial Day Parade

Downtown Columbia

After a successful return last year, the annual Memorial Day parade is back to honor fallen soldiers, as well as the families who lose a relative while in service. Show up, show out and support this parade and those who fought for our country.

10 a.m., free; comogoldstarparade.com

Participate in a citywide litter pick-up day to help clean streets, trails, streams and parks across Columbia. Volunteers will be assigned a clean-up area, with parks and trails reserved for those with young children. Bags, gloves and safety equipment will be provided. como.gov/volunteer/volunteer-programs/cleanup-columbia

Ongoing

CMHS Volunteer

Central Missouri Humane Society

The Central Missouri Humane Society is on the lookout for volunteers who love animals. Opportunities include collecting donations, walking dogs, monitoring field ply, canine enrichment, cat socialization and more. cmhspets.org/volunteer

Outsidethe B x

Our Review of the War on Pizza in Columbia.

By Inside Columbia staff

Photos by L.G. Patterson

If there’s one thing Columbians love to talk about, it’s pizza.

Odds are, if you mention Columbia pizza to an outof-towner, they automatically think Shakespeare’s, but locals splinter off ito factions of opinion — usually pretty diehard on which pizzeria is the greatest. Some insist on the classics while others prefer the smaller, hole-in-the-wall parlors where the employees recognize them or they might have a "the usual" on the menu.

We’ve all seen the figts on Facebook and Reddit. Some get more heated than others. It’s a pretty easy way to pick an argument and since we like arguing, we decided to take a look at some of Columbia’s top contenders in the pizza figt.

While it’s pretty much impossible to land on a definitive answer of hich pizza in Columbia deserves the crown, we can still try. The Inside Columbia staff called in and anonymously ordered a mass of the local favorites: no chains, no St. Louis-style slices, just eight of Columbia’s most talked-about pizzas. To get a read on each restaurant’s strong suits, we either ordered their most popular special or asked an employee to ring in whatever their personal favorite is on the menu.

We’re judging each pie’s crust, cheese, sauce, toppings and the reheat value, even though leftover pizza is best served cold. Each category will be rated on a scale from one to five. Whie there’s certainly no bad pizzas in town, Columbia has plenty of slices to study. Let’s compare, contrast and agree to disagree.

Disclaimer: The following feature is an opinion-based review. No businesses have paid for or been compensated for their appearances, nor is this feature related to paid advertising in Inside Columbia magazine.

Shakespeare’s Pizza

The tourist’s favorite and regularly deemed the best pizza in Columbia by our magazine readers. With its red towel napkins, signature brown and green boxes, and plastic cups that make their way to your kitchen cupboard — Shakespeare’s is an iconic Columbia staple, shrouded by local fame. Some say it’s overrated. Some swear by it. We kept things simple and ordered a medium pepperoni for $17.32.

CRUST Shakespeare’s isn’t exactly known for their crust. It’s mainly a vehicle, tending to hide itself behind a thick layer of cheese anyway. 2.6/5

CHEESE Don’t get us wrong, the cheese at Shakespeare’s is definitely great, as long as you can get it to stay on the pizza in the first place. It’s stringy and generous, and hits the spot as long as it’s not sliding off your slice immediately and plopping onto the plate. 3.8/5

SAUCE Not too tangy, not too tomato-y. While the sauce doesn’t stand out as much as their toppings, it certainly doesn’t hurt. 3.5/5

TOPPINGS Shakespeare’s abandons the typical, flimsy pepperoni of other pizzas. These pepperonis are nicely seasoned and unique, cut so thickly that they curve at the ends and oil pools at the center. We’d probably order a bowl of just the pepperonis. Definitely their strong suit. 4.8/5

REHEAT VAULE After zapping a slice of Shakespeare’s in the microwave, it reheats remarkably well, just a little bit greasier. 4/5

OUR OVERALL RATING 3.7 out of 5. Always a great pizza, but its reputation precedes it.

Gumby’s Pizza

Gumby’s, located off roadway with late-night slices and even later bar offerings, might have the best value with their regularly discounted pizzas. Is Gumby’s just another inexpensive college dive, though? It felt obvious to order their specialty Stoner Pie, topped with mozzarella sticks, french fries, bacon and pepperoni. We ordered a medium 12-inch for $19.

CRUST Fluffy, doughy and garlicy. Can't complain. 3/5

CHEESE Pretty good cheese pull when it’s hot. The cheese at Gumby’s definitely carries if you don’t have toppings to rely on. 3.6/5

SAUCE Gumby’s goes light on the sauce, leaving the cheese and toppings to do the heavy lifting. The sauce that is present is thin and suffocated by the cheese. 1/5

TOPPINGS There’s a lot to unpack on the Stoner. The pepperoni and bacon are crispy, and the fries and mozzarella sticks run deliciously salty and greasy, like any indulgent pizza should. You don’t have to take after the name of the pizza to enjoy it fresh — but you might be if you want to enjoy the leftovers. 3/5

REHEAT VAULE The toppings get mushy and flavorless after a battle in the air fryer or microwave. Much better fresh. 2/5

OUR OVERALL RATING

2.5 out of 5. More of a novelty than a top contender.

Angelo’s Pizza & Steakhouse

Since 1991, Angelo’s Pizza & Steakhouse has served authentic Greek and Italian fare off Povidence. Their square-cut pizzas gets thrown out in the debate fairly often, mainly among locals who know the ins and outs of Columbia’s longest tenured restaurants. We ordered the titular pizza, The Angelo’s, which comes with sausage, green peppers and onions for $22.95.

CRUST Thin and dusted with flour, this is the driest crust so far, which works since the cheese and sauce are melty and almost liquid. 3/5

CHEESE Compliments the sauce and provides a great pull when it’s hot. Can’t go wrong. 4/5

SAUCE A bit overwhelming. The sauce to cheese ratio isn’t exactly even, which makes the red sauce bubble through the layer of cheese and drown it. The sauce itself is fantastic — you can tell it’s homemade with a lot of care, there’s just a whole lot of it. 2/5

TOPPINGS Very, very generous. The veggies were hot but not overcooked, still maintaining a little bit of crunch that usually disappears when toppings are cooked away into being limp and mushy. The sausage is a little spicy with a more unique flavor than the others. 4.5/5

REHEAT VAULE With how saucy our slices of Angelo’s were, it didn’t heat super evenly. 2/5 OUR OVERALL

G & D Pizzaria

Lauded as a casual, family joint, G & D’s homestyle pizzas are also commonly fought for in the debate on Columbia pizza. They also sling gyros, salads and steaks, but we’re zeroing in on their pizza. G & D Pizzaria really seems to take their family style seriously, since the medium-sized Country Music we ordered could probably feed over half the office with the sheer amount of toppings on it. The 12-inch pizza was $25.95, making it the most expensive, but we also loaded this one up the most.

CRUST Crunchy crusts might not be for everyone. This crispy, unique crust acts as the pizza’s backbone, supporting a mountain of toppings. 3/5

CHEESE On the Country Music, at least, the cheese gets a bit lost. 2/5

SAUCE The unsung hero of G & D. The sauce is uniquely sweet and generously applied, without drowning the cheese or making your slice soggy. 4.8/5

TOPPINGS Each square is loaded with a medley of beautifully cooked sausage, pepperoni, ham, ground beef, bacon and Canadian bacon. It’s the Thanksgiving dinner of pizza toppings. 4.9/5

REHEAT VAULE Squares of G & D reheat surprisingly easy, holding up better than others. They’re a great leftover option after a zap in the microwave. 4.6/5

OUR OVERALL RATING 3.5 out of 5. This is the family pick.

The Italian Village

Ultimately, this is the sleeper pick. Inconspicuously located in a strip mall on Vandiver might be the most underrated pizza in Columbia. The Italian Village is simple, operating out of a kitchen and a small lobby, offering everything you’d expect on the menu of a carry-out Italian joint. We carded through their variety of pizzas, pastas and sandwiches, landing on their Five Cheese Pizza — 12 inches of cheese for $21.60.

CRUST The mishappen, bubbly crust on a pizza from The Italian Village is likely its strongest feature. It’s a lot more bready and fluffier than other pizzerias. 4.9/5

CHEESE As promised in the name, this pizza was the cheesiest yet with pepper jack, mozzarella, feta, provolone and cheddar cheese. 4.8/5

SAUCE Their sauce pales in comparison to the cheese. It’s a bit on the sweeter side and underwhelming. 2.5/5

REHEAT VAULE Microwaving our leftover Italian Village left the crust a little chewy, but the cheese held up. 4/5

OUR OVERALL RATING 4 out of 5. Two words: slept on.

Tony’s Pizza Palace

I don’t often hear Tony’s Pizza Palace in the G.O.A.T. debate — but when it is mentioned, I listen. People who choose Tony’s as their favorite pizza in Columbia usually know what they’re talking about. Chances are, they’ve been around town forever, same as Tony’s, which has stood proudly on 5th Street for decades. We ordered a 12-inch size of their House Special for $22.80.

CRUST On the thinner side, Tony’s crust isn’t as crispy as the others but still has a little bit of a crunch to it. Compared to their other strong suits, though, it’s not too remarkable. 2.5/5

CHEESE Great cheese pulls at Tony’s. The white cheese is stretchy and melty, definitely a highlight. 4/5

SAUCE Might be the most tomato-y sauce by far. Not ketchup-y, but likely the closest to Marinara sauce. 3.2/5

TOPPINGS Everything but the kitchen sink — pepperoni, Canadian bacon, sausage, beef, onions, green peppers, mushrooms. The toppings are above and beneath the cheese, woven throughout the pizza. Nothing’s burnt or soggy, cooked to perfection. Not to mention the sausages are the literal size of planets. 4.6/5

REHEAT VAULE The square of Tony’s managed to hold up in the microwave, although its thin crust got kind of flimsy, unable to support its mountain of toppings. 2.7/5

OUR OVERALL RATING 3.4 out of 5. A townie’s classic for a reason.

Endwell Taverna

One of the newer Italian spots to hit downtown, Endwell Taverna rakes in hungry patrons nightly, often with a wait. Endwell’s atmosphere is excellent and the drink menu is defintely a highlight — but how does the pizza hold up outside that dining room? We picked up their Margherita pizza to put it to the test. Our 12-inch pizza was $16. No protein could be why, but it’s still not as expensive as we expected it to be.

CRUST Made with sourdough, the fermented crust is delicate, crispy and pliable. 4/5

CHEESE While you don’t get much cheese on a Margherita, the splotches of fresh, melted mozzarella speak for themselves. 4/5

SAUCE Endwell’s sauce is definitely the freshest, tasting well worth the price tag of a night dining out. Rich, but not overbearing. 3.8/5

REHEAT VAULE Do yourself a favor and just eat it fresh. 1/5

OUR OVERALL RATING 3.2 out of 5. Great New York-style.

Pizza Tree

This walk-up window is another frequently-mentioned contender in the "greatest pizza in Columbia" debate. Known for its by-the-slice deals and rotation of eccentric, bold flvors, Pizza Tree is a common favorite. While there were endless specialties — the OMGWTFBBQCHIX, an assortment of veggies on their Wabbit Food and their Kimchi Pie — we ordered the Instant Classic to see if it’s worth waiting on the curb for. Our total was $22 for the 12-inch pizza.

CRUST You know a Pizza Tree crust when you see it. There’s usually a bit of char blackening the bottom of your slice; it’s dark but not burnt, flaky and easily foldable. 4.8/5

CHEESE Pizza Tree’s cheese nearly melds to the crust, decadent and oily, but not too greasy. Tastes even better if you fold your slice in half, the way it’s intended. 5/5

SAUCE Without overpowering the cheese and various toppings, the tangy sauce acts as a glue, keeping it all together. 3.5/5

TOPPINGS Always the highlight at Pizza Tree. Their signature little discs of pepperoni, combined with crispy pickled onions and fresh basil top the Instant Classic. Fresh and flavorful, with bonus points for the housemade ranch on the side. 4.9/5

REHEAT VAULE Pizza Tree didn’t reheat quite as well as its counterparts — the microwave left it a little stiff. 2.7/5

OUR OVERALL RATING 4.2 out of 5. Worth the hype and worth finding parking downtown.

ABOUT IT INK

UNDER THE SKIN OF COLUMBIA'S TATTOO SCENE

STORY BY: BAILEY RIZZO | PHOTOS BY: L.G. PATTERSON | DESIGN BY: LILYANN HAMES

Tattoos. You’re probably skeptical about what this feature could possibly offer you, or why you’re fining it in Inside Columbia for that matter. But the reality is, tattoos,

artists and shops are not slowing down. In Columbia alone, you can find numeous studios across the city, with artists and apprentices offering residents something permanent and special, right on their body. And

being a tattoo artist is no simple job — they are artists as true to their names as someone who uses a paintbrush or pottery wheel. Instead, they use a needle and a much more unforgiving medium.

Dean Jones Living Canvas Tattoo & Body Piercing

ESTABLISHING A TATTOO SCENE IN COLUMBIA

Local tattooing can be dated back nearly 40 years, to a bus stop shop on the north side of town. When Dean Jones, owner of Living Canvas, saw his boss with a tattoo, he was instantly hooked. Being only 16, he couldn’t get any tattoos himself … but that didn’t stop him from visiting the shop. “I was there one night and two drunk bikers were causing problems,” Jones says. “The tattooist didn’t even stop, he just said, ‘can you handle that?’ I tossed them out.”

From then on, he helped sell tattoos and work security. On his 18th birthday, Jones got his fist bit of ink. “The artist and I became good friends and he taught me the business. I traveled with him, doing conventions, getting photographed, published in a tattoo magazine in 1989. For whatever reason, I became fast friends with tattooists.”

Jones went from working with the bus stop artist to opening a shop (where Cafe Poland now resides) with another artist. From there, Columbia grew and several shops across Missouri later, Jones opened Living Canvas, which will celebrate 20 years in business this June.

Over the years, the tattoo industry has changed drastically, but one focus remains the same: the clients.

“For a lot of people, tattoos are healing,” Jones says. “(The artists) turn into counselors. You spend hours

what we do.”

While many shops can be intimidating at fist, Jones’ counter staff offers a welcoming experience. “They’re kind, courteous, patient … I have a fabulous group of people that play the mediary between the artist and client,” he says.

Another factor in the success of the industry is understanding how

THE ARTISTS BEHIND THE ART

In the heart of downtown CoMo, several shops boast the best artwork, tattoos and service. But who provides these experiences? Meet some of the artists moving the needle in the world of tattooing.

with a client and depending on the reason they’re getting tatted, there’s usually a purge that comes with it.

You’ve got to be built different to handle it; you get a lot of weight dumped on you, but helping people through that journey is the best part of

to meet the needs of the client. “Nobody (at Living Canvas) has an ego so big that they bite off more than they can chew,” Jones says. “All they want is to put out quality work and give people a good deal and a great piece of art.”

Since the age of 5, a sketchbook never left Amanda Rose Johnson’s side. Art is her passion — she fist channeled it by doing hair, but that wasn’t enough. When she started working the counter at Living Canvas, it all came together. “I only had one tattoo at the time, but had always been in love with the culture,” Johnson says. “Becoming a tattoo artist happened very organically; I realized I could fulfill my deam of being an artist and stay in this world

of alternative lifestyles.”

Even if they happen as a result of a drunken night or a dare, the stories that come with tattoos are forever. Johnson offers some advice from her dad: “I wanted my fist tattoo in high school right after my mom passed away, but he said to wait a full year,” she says. “If you still want it for a full year, that shows that it was a portion of you and it was significant.

Though she enjoys doing all styles of tattooing, Johnson finds erself doing black-and-gray illustrative most. More than anything though, art will always be at the core. “It’s the only activity that really brings me joy,” she says. “If I was abandoned on an island, I would make mandalas out of leaves.”

Tattooing since 2019 after leaving a job working in molecular pathology, Corey Harness says this is the most rewarding career he could’ve asked for. “I love my job," he says. "I love tattooing.”

For Harness, being a tattoo artist at Living Canvas is about more than money. “When somebody looks in the mirror and is happy with what they got, that pays me,” he says. “We’re doing art on people and it’s awesome, but we’re really in the business of selling confidence an

self-acceptance, helping people feel better about themselves or deal with things in the past. Tattoos have much more meaning than just something you wear on your skin.”

As tattoos become more modernized, some shops fall into the trap of doing as many tattoos as possible, as quickly as possible. Harness says Living Canvas does the opposite. “Some places feel like every tattooer is there for themselves, but here, we’re all a team,” he says. “We’re honest with each other, and it makes us stronger — none of our artists fall stagnant. I think that’s rare to have within coworkers, much less in a tattoo shop. It means you’ll always get something high-quality here, no matter what.”

majoring in fine at and graphic design, worked part-time at the counter of a tattoo shop and later began his apprenticeship.

Four years ago, he opened his own shop, True Heart Tattoo, located downtown. “I wanted to create a welcoming environment where even if people have never dealt with us before, they feel comfortable to ask questions or bring up ideas,” he says.

Though some argue that Columbia is oversaturated with tattoo shops, Bailey says that isn’t such a bad thing. “People have a lot of options — everybody has the same opportunity to earn people’s business,” he says.

Oftentimes, clients get tattoos in transitionary phases of life, so Bailey and his team at True Heart ensure comfort throughout the process.

“There’s some pretty emotional situations we come across,” he says.

After beginning college in an engineering program, Jake Bailey quickly realized his passion lay elsewhere. He switched gears to

“People come in for tattoos at high points and low points in their life. But we strive to treat people well and if you do that repeatedly, word gets out there and that’s how we’ve continued to grow and succeed.”

Gabe Garcia, co-owner of Iron Tiger Tat too, has been tat tooing since 2003. But his interest in the art was piqued when he was 13 years old, listening to and attending punk rock shows. He started drawing tattoos for older friends a few years later. “I didn’t know you could do it as a career, but when I moved to Columbia, that was it,” he says.

Many people enjoy their jobs, but they still wake up in the morning with a sense of dread. Garcia has never felt that, saying he has never not wanted to go to the shop. “Every day is as good as the last or better,” he says. “I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. My life would be completely unfulfilled.

The staff at Iron Tiger is 100% tattoo, 100% of the time, according to Garcia. “We are all about living as a part of the true tattoo culture and authentic tattooing,” he says.

Tattoos aren’t for everyone, but

they don’t need to be. Like most things, there’s a specific auience for it. “If tattoos are going to remain cool, there needs to be a degree of people out there who hate you for having them,” Garcia says.

Growing up in Columbia, Trent Tucker didn’t have to look very far to find his true calling: tatooing fulltime at Living Canvas, in a building right next to what was formerly a restaurant owned by his parents.

His parents, self-proclaimed tattoo connoisseurs, encouraged Tucker to be something more realistic – a motorcycle mechanic, for instance. But Tucker loved art and got a taste for tattooing at a young age. One night, when his dad brought him to the tattoo shop, suddenly he was gloved and holding a needle. “I wouldn’t leave them alone, so they said, ‘screw it’ and let me color for a bit,” he says. “I sat there and tattooed my dad’s foot, and honestly, I can’t remember ever wanting to do anything else.” So he got an apprenticeship, and over 16 years later, he remains on the corner of Broadway and 6th.

“As far as tattooing, I’d prefer to never retire,” Tucker says. “I literally want to be an old crotchety man that falls dead in this chair one day. (Tattooing) is like chasing the most finite azor’s edge of something. You can always improve and make things better, and there’s constantly a bar that you can raise for yourself.”

From working on much smaller canvases as a nail artist to being a licensed tattooist at Iron Moe’s, Angel Bui continues to establish himself in the industry. Five years after landing a coveted apprenticeship and eventually making tattooing his career, Bui reaps the benefits of job that doesn’t feel like a job. “I love what I do so much that, to be honest, I would do it for free,” he says. “This is more than a job to me. I’m here, chasing a passion, making money … it’s perfect.”

Clients need to be able to trust their artists before the needle ever touches their skin. “It comes down to how you control the situation,” Bui says. “You don’t just get (trust); you have to earn it.”

she says. “When I saw some naturallooking results of tattooing, I realized people would have a need for it.”

Because Bui has worked at Iron Moe’s for the entirety of his fiv-year tattoo career, he has seen the shop grow, bringing on new artists with a range of skills. Though they come from different backgrounds, one thing they all agree on is that they wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. “This is not a place where you walk in and see everyone completely miserable … it’s like a second family,” he says. “We love what we do and we stand behind our work.”

Beyond the world of traditional tattooing are cosmetic tat toos. Melissa Kinkade, owner of OneSeven Hair & Permanent Cosmetics, has been in the industry for eight years and specializes in everything from brows, lips and eyeliner to scar/stretch mark camouflage and econstructive tattoos for breast cancer survivors. With the same licensing as a traditional tattooist, Kinkade focuses on the parts of the body women want to beautify on a daily basis. “A lot of people my age went through the ‘tiny eyebrows’ era where they were overplucked and wouldn’t grow back; many women also lose their eyebrows with age or menopause,”

One of the most meaningful parts of Kinkade’s work is with breast cancer survivors. “A lot of people don’t think about when women have a mastectomy, they’re left with fla skin, so they often feel incomplete,” she says. “I can make a nipple that looks 3D and natural. I feel happy watching those women feel whole again, knowing it brought just a bit of normalcy back to their life.”

People often tell Kinkade, “this is the best decision I’ve ever made.” As an artist who strives to help people, this is what it’s all about. “Anytime I hear that, it makes me happy because I know I’ve helped someone in their daily routine,” she says.

Melissa Kinkade

THE STORIES BEHIND THE INK

Tattoos are permanent reminders of a season of life, a person or pet, a phrase to live by and more. The same imagery or words could mean thousands of different things, but only the person who bears the tattoo can explain the meaning behind it.

In 2017, Shane Harris and Jordan Mills, co-owners of One Seven Painting, lost their son, Bronson. Diagnosed with anencephaly at his 10-week ultrasound, he was born with an underdeveloped brain and a partial skull. “He only lived for about 20 minutes,” Harris says. “We saw him breathing, his heart beating, and then he wasn’t.”

The couple commemorated Bronson with several tattoos, alongside pieces for their other children: twin girls and another boy. In placing each of their kids on their body in some way, this opens up the opportunity to talk about them, Bronson included. “Even though it makes other people uncomfortable, it makes us feel better,” Harris says. “Having the tattoos keeps Bronson in the forefront of our minds.”

Quite literally, Harris and Mills both wear a forehead tattoo in his memory, also representing the family. Other pieces for Bronson include a photorealistic portrait of him when he was born, his name, a moose, his birthdate and his birth year. “The tattoos let me openly grieve

while talking about him and what happened in a positive way,” Harris says. “Our kids feel free to talk about their brother that died.”

In a way, the tattoos have been able to externalize the internal pain felt by the couple. “You feel so much pain when something like this happens, and tattoos really hurt,” Harris says. “It gives you a physical sense of what you’re feeling emotionally at the time.”

However, this is not to say that a tattoo is the answer to everything grief related. “If you’ve had a loss and have always wanted a tattoo and never knew what to get, that would be the one,” Harris says.

Harris and Mills are both heavily tattooed, from sentimental pieces to horror movie icons. Because of that, they are used to extra attention while out in public. While tattoos have become more normalized in pop culture, the couple says “real life” looks different. “Depending on that person’s premeditated ideas, it’s going to determine how they look at you,” Harris says. “People are hesitant to speak to us … they think we’re scary, dangerous or a bad influence.” Mills adds that eveything comes down to how you act, not how you look.

Harris says kids and animals love him because they lack preconceived notions, and is proud of the fact that

he and his wife are raising their kids to not judge other people. “Their parents don’t look ‘normal,’ so when they see anyone who looks ‘different,’ they don’t even think twice,” he says. "In fact, they're inspired by it."

The memory of losing a child will stick with the family forever, just like the permanence of their tattoos. Through body art, Harris and Mills have been able to not only be themselves, but also hold Bronson close, honoring the life he was supposed to have.

Shane Harris introduces Bronson to one of his sisters.

Photo contributed by Jordan Mills

Q A + WE ASKED COMO'S INK MASTERS...

Are tattoos safe?

Absolutely. With every other scientific thing, te more data you have, the better. Nowadays we have so much sanitation technology, so there’s nothing unsafe if done right. We use one-time-use cartridges and immediately put them in a biohazard bin, which cuts down on communicable diseases and bacteria. Everything has gotten much safer because of rules and regulations. — Corey Harness, Living Canvas

How painful is getting a tattoo?

The most painful tattoo is the one you’re getting right now. It depends on the person and location. I’ve heard people say the neck, hands, stomach and shins are really painful, but I’ve tattooed myself in each of those spots and they’re my least painful. For most people, the forearm is the least painful and ribs are most painful. — Angel Bui, Iron Moe’s

How much do tattoos cost?

It comes down to the final design, were it’s going and the size. Prices can range anywhere from $13 on a Friday the 13th special or $1,300 if you’re trying to fil a big space. But I think anywhere from $100-$150 per hour is pretty standard in the Midwest. — Amanda Rose Johnson, Living Canvas

Can you draw my tattoo for me from an idea?

Yes. We usually look at some sort of reference to make sure it’ll function properly, then draw something and turn it into a stencil. We will consult with the clients to make sure they like it and if we need to make any adjustments, we’ll communicate that too.

— Moe Rogers, Iron Moe’s

Can I bring in a reference photo for a portrait?

Definitel , but you should know that not all photos will work. Most people that do photorealism are going to be pretty picky, so be prepared for that and have several options. — Peter Tieman, Living Canvas

How do I pick a shop?

Look at portfolios, but it can be hard to judge if you don’t have a lot of experience in this world. Online reviews and cleanliness are big green flags to look fo, plus a shop should reflect passion behind te work. — Jake Bailey, True Heart

How do I pick an artist?

Use your eyes as your best judgement and pick someone who fills you wit confidence. hen hang out with them. Their attitude will last way longer than anything under the skin, so you may hate a tattoo just because your artist was a jerk. Or you could have a mediocre tattoo but had the best time, so you’ll remember a good experience. Hopefully you find someone wo’s pleasant as well as talented. — Gabe Garcia, Iron Tiger

How should I prepare?

Sleep good the night before, drink lots of water and don't get tattooed on an empty stomach. Bring stuff that will make you comfortable like a blanket or pillow. — Kayli Haygood, Living Canvas

Can I take breaks?

Totally. If someone’s tattooing you for hours at a time, it’s important to get up, get a wiggle break, get your circulation going and have a snack.

— Michael Moscoso, Iron Tiger

How do I care for a tattoo?

Using non-scented hand soap and non-scented lotion are the biggest two recommendations. If you’re out in the sun, wear sunscreen or keep it covered. — Trent Tucker, Living Canvas

Should I tip my artist?

This is still a ser vice -based industry, so yes. It usually turns out to be about 10%, but it’s not always done in money. Tattoo artists love to eat, so sometimes when a client builds a rapport with an artist, they’ll bring in coffee or food for the break room. — Dean Jones, Living Canvas

RunwayReady

Behind the Scenes of the Upcoming Stephens College Fashion Show.

Story and Photos by Ava Kitzi

Stephens College is set to host the 82nd annual The Collections fashion show in April, which highlights student designs and garments under a single theme. While the designers’ garment collections are at the forefront, behind them is a robust team of faculty, staff and students that keep the show running.

Monica McMurry, the former dean of the School of Design for Stephens and current chair of the fashion show, says the show is a focal point toward which students hone their craft; they often invest more than a semester’s worth of work into the final product. McMurry says debates over color palette, themes and more can be heated, but she takes it as involvement and passion from her students.

For this year’s installment, the team chose “Interwoven” as a central theme.

“The show is about how every single thing is connected to the next,” McMurry says. From the soil that grows cotton and how workers are treated to how garments are recycled or reused, students were encouraged to create their collections with this theme in mind. “It’s the interwoven nature of how we’re all connected,” she says. “There is a shared humanity in how we dress.”

From left to right: Lena Hunziker, Arin-Christina Hawk, Sofia Schaeer-Ramos, Audrey Keating, Caitlyn Arnold, Ava Hercules

Sustainability

Stephens senior Caitlyn Arnold’s moodboards and work area in the fashion lab are full of pastel colors, beach photos and frilly fabrics. Rooted in the style of her collection is a strong sense of who might be buying the clothing she designs. A beach-loving, East Coast woman might take a dip in the ocean or hit the town in Arnold’s floral designs.

What differentiates these garments from similar ones already on the market is Arnold’s commitment to sustainability and upcycling. Throughout her collection are numerous upcycled handkerchiefs and old sheets that she has refurbished and stitched into her modern designs.

“It started as a fun hobby,” Arnold says, regarding her collection of vintage handkerchiefs she’s utilized as patches for her garments. “I really love upcycling different materials … grabbing inspiration from that and putting that into my garments.”

Sustainable fashion is at the core of the curriculum at Stephens, with a focus on the materials that make up the clothing students create. For Arnold, this was a key part of her perspective while creating her senior collection. “There’s already so much stuffin the world,” she says. “We might as well use what we have.

Weaving Passions

Senior Lena Hunziker admits she was initially a bit intimidated by the assignment to create her fashion collection. Stephens gives students a free runway to be as creative as they want, which seemed like a lot of open space to narrow down to.

The answer for Hunziker came down to the combination of her two passions: fashion and volleyball.

As a volleyball player for Stephens, originally from Sweden, Hunziker is familiar with the gameday styles taking over the fashion world. She wanted to include the high-glamor fashion looks of the entrance tunnel before a game and pay special attention to taller women in her designs. Hunziker’s designs include typically masculine looks, like blazers, vests and buttondown shirts with more feminine tailoring and asymmetrical designs.

Like many of her peers, Hunziker’s collection came from weaving together her personal interests and

background. This means the group of collections being shown in the upcoming fashion show vary widely.

“(All the collections) are ver y different, so we knew it was going to be hard,” Hunziker says about choosing a central theme. “But now we have a (theme) that includes all of us.”

Heritage and Clothing

Senior Arin-Christina Hawk focused on her own heritage for her collection, taking inspiration from Chicago and the 70s jazz scene for her fabrics, colors and designs.

“I feel like a lot of Black Americans can definitey relate to the idea that we don’t necessarily have the same cultural heritage or connection that European families have because of slavery,” Hawk says. “Not knowing our connection to Africa, a lot of what my family has in terms of culture and what we have loved, cherished and passed on is in music.”

Hawk says that looking through family photos was enough to get her started on the idea for her collection. She was naturally drawn to a specifi a decisive, rich color scheme. The goal of her collection was to cater to the “modern dandy,” as she calls it. Business casual but with flae and vibrancy — artists could wear the same outfit t the office as they could to perform at a jazz club.

“I wanted it to feel like jazz, a sense of belonging,” Hawk says.

Past and Future Successes

The number five hlds a lot of significance to senior Sofi Schaefer Ramos: it’s how many points a star has (her mom has always called Schaefer Ramos her "little star"), it’s the number of people in her family and it’s the number of times Brazil has won the World Cup.

Her collection, Penta, which means five in ortuguese, is a collection of all of these things. Schaefer Ramos collected old jerseys and sportswear to create high-end streetwear, inspired by soccer and her memories of growing up in Brazil. From going to the soccer stadium with her grandfather to now being a goalie for Stephens’ team, Schaefer Ramos grew up surrounded by soccer. She says bringing that to her senior collection was the obvious thing to do.

Her collection primarily utilizes upcycled denim and jerseys,

along with hand-beading and embroidery to make the streetwear looks for both men and women.

One of the more exciting parts for Schaefer Ramos was the trend forecasting that came along with creating her collection. Students perform market research to fin holes in the current industry; Schaefer Ramos says it was fulfilling to see major brands lie Nike producing designs similar to hers months after she started creating. This helped her feel confidet about her future success upon graduation in the spring.

“It’s really cool to see that you're right on track with the zeitgeist,” Schaefer Ramos says. “For me, (inspiration) comes from what's the forecast and what direction (the market is going). It’s not just physical pieces; it’s more the feeling people are going toward in the next few years, and that inspires me a lot as well.”

See the completed pieces at the Stephens College fashion show April 25 at 2, 4:30 or 7 p.m. in the Windsor Auditorium or visit thecollectionsfashionshow.com.

2026 FACES OF COLUMBIA

In a world that relies more and more on digital tools from behind a screen, it’s important to remember the many wonderful businesses that make up our beloved Columbia. More importantly, the faces who provide chiropractic care, paint your kitchen, tow your car, mow your lawn and more. These people can never be replaced by an AI chatbot or a self-service screen. The faces of local businesses are what set this community apart, with all of the talented, friendly experts who are ready and willing to share their knowledge at a moment’s notice. In the following pages, get to know the faces of Columbia, and the stories and experiences that got them where they are today.

2026 FACES OF COLUMBIA

For 38 years, Phyllis Nichols with State Farm Insurance has been keeping homes insured and homeowners informed. Home values change over time and the coverage you had fiveyears ago might not protect your home properly today. Phyllis wants to make sure you are educated and covered in every situation.

While price is important, Phyllis says coverage is the most important. Clients always get open communication with Phyllis and her team, so you’ll know what you are paying for and what to expect in the event of a disaster, whether that be roof, fie, water

or storm damage. Phyllis’ team is there every step of the way.

“We don’t just send you to the app with no help,” Phyllis says. “Your policy is more than a monthly premium. It's a contract and you should know what's in it.”

Should disaster strike, the last thing you want to worry about is whether or not your home is protected. With Phyllis, you always know exactly what’s in your policy. Call Phyllis Nichols with State Farm Insurance for dependable, informed coverage.

Your lawn is one of the firstthings a guest or a neighbor will notice about your home. Whether you have sprawling grass or a yard flaned with trees, your lawn is the face of your home. And to keep that face in tiptop condition, why go with anyone else but the face of lawn care?

Micah Lasley, owner of S&L Lawn Care, has spent 12 years learning the ins and outs of lawn care and earning the trust of the Columbia community. He began this career as a side hustle, but it grew into a passion for helping others achieve their property’s full potential and educating them on proper care of their lawn.

2026 FACES OF COLUMBIA

He takes pride in enhancing clients’ properties and says seeing customers’ satisfaction with S&L’s quality results is the most rewarding part of the job.

Lasley prioritizes customer satisfaction, service and trust by maintaining constant communication and reliable delivery of services, saying customer service is the key to success in the lawn care industry.

“I was once told to always do the right thing, even when no one is watching,” Lasley says. “That advice has guided how I treat customers, run my business and make decisions.”

2026 FACES OF COLUMBIA

THE

CANNABIS

Shangri-La CEO Nevil Patel and his brother, Kepal Patel, founded Shangri-La in 2019 when they opened their firstColumbia dispensary. They saw the medicinal benefitsof cannabis for people with certain conditions such as chronic pain. Nevil’s wife is a physician, so their initial focus was on providing quality medical cannabis. Once they saw the positive impact their business had on the community, Patel and his brother expanded beyond medical cannabis once state laws permitted it.

Now, Shangri-La provides a wide range of cannabis products, both recreational and medical. Customers never have to feel intimidated when shopping; Shangri-

La’s staffmembers are readily informed to guide everyone’s experience.

“Our dispensary consultants are passionate about the products we sell, so providing them with the support, education and flexibility they need to help and support customers is essential to our culture,” Patel says.

Patel is a Columbia local, so he knows the strength of our community. He’s proud that Shangri-La’s national business is headquartered right here in Columbia, focusing on giving back to the city through food drives with the Food Bank and volunteer efforts through Project Paradise.

SHANGRI-LA DISPENSARIES 1401 CREEKWOOD PARKWAY | 3919 PEACHTREE DRIVE 573-607-9021 (CREEKWOOD) AND 573-507-6332 (PEACHTREE) | SHANGRILADISPENSARIES.COM

THE FACE OF CABINET REFINISHING

Sprucing up your cabinets with a fresh coat of paint immediately brightens a space and brings it back to life. For Shane Garrett, owner of Garrett Painting, the transformation and positive effect painting has on the energy of somebody’s home is the most rewarding aspect of his job.

Garrett Painting has blazed a trail in the professional painting industry; for 25 years they have been the goto source for refinishingcabinetry in Columbia. For Garrett, his keen eye for detail and mind for systems and processes makes the company reliable and successful.

“Cabinet painting is a very systemic task,” he says. “For

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the best results, we use the exact same process every time, much like an assembly line. This allows us to be efficient and keeps our quality at the highest level.”

In a leadership role, Garrett sets the standard for the quality of work his employees do on paint projects. He also sets the tone and culture with integrity, fairness, quality and respect — the values Garrett Painting brings to all of their clients.

“We love what we do, providing high-quality paint finishesfor our clients and friends,” Garrett says. “We also love beautifying Columbia.”

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Having a vein condition his entire adult life, Missouri Vein Care founder Dr. Michael Ryan truly understands what his patients are going through. “I know all of the pain, misery and fatigue associated with it,” he says. When new technology emerged to treat vein conditions, Dr. Ryan recognized its life-changing potential.

As a cardiothoracic surgeon who also has a vein condition, Dr. Ryan sets himself apart from other specialists in Columbia. “The benefitsI saw from vein treatment were powerful enough for me to change careers and open Missouri Vein Care,” he says.

Dr. Ryan and his team participate in Columbia health fairs and offer in-office screenings for local businesses. “When we see how much our patients’ lives are improved after treatment, we get a great deal of satisfaction,” he says.

The office began as a one-location practice over 20 years ago, but has expanded to three patient-focused locations, serving all of central Missouri. “We are excited to continue serving the Columbia community and we are grateful for all of the patients that have chosen us for their care,” Dr. Ryan says.

Ken Hirlinger, area manager of SumnerOne, has been the face of business technology solutions for over fiv decades. He grew up in his family’s business, which was over 100 years old and evolved into office equipment. After graduation, Hirlinger fell in love with the work. 35 years later, he sold ownership of the business but continued serving both new and long-time clients by selling vital technologies. For Hirlinger, the most rewarding part of his job is seeing clients achieve success with the equipment, tools and security that are essential to doing business in today’s world. Hirlinger’s

2026 FACES OF COLUMBIA

success is built on being a careful listener with an optimistic outlook.

“Honesty and excellence as core values are a good start, along with a positive attitude, a desire to help people and the energy to work hard,” he says. “A lot of people think that to be successful in sales, it takes the ‘gift of gab.’ I prefer instead to be a good listener!”

For technology and solutions you can trust, go with SumnerOne, where Hirlinger and his team give their all to make your business successful and productive.

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For 29 years, owner Joshua Korte has been our town’s go-to for tree care. Whether it’s storm cleanup, mulching, fertilizing or pruning, Korte Tree Care has your tree needs covered. This is a trade Korte learned from his family, but he’s always had an interest in conservation and nature that shows in his hard work. He started the company with a chainsaw and a pickup truck, eventually climbing to become the reliable face of tree care in Columbia.

Korte attributes success in this field to his meticulous attention to detail, both with regard to the pruning or removal work being done, along with careful bookkeeping and management of the company. As a

manager, Korte prioritizes his employees as much as his customers, which he says is the best piece of advice he’s received in the industry.

“You will never run out of work to do if you show up on time and take care of customer's problems,” Korte says. “Equally powerful was the advice that the higher the wages paid, the more work gets done.”

Korte maintains his position as the trustworthy face of tree care by calmly handling issues that might arise with both customers and employees as a trusted, informed source. To keep your trees healthy and looking perfect, go with the trusted face of tree care.

Engineering impacts every part of our community. From aviation, traffic and safety to bridges, development, transportation or water and wastewater solutions, the faces at McClure help our community thrive.

Eric Seaman PE, senior project engineer at McClure, approaches every project with professionalism and a strong sense of responsibility, because to him, no project is ever “small.” With 32 years of experience in water resources and utilities, he values the impact engineering has on everyday life. “We get to prove daily

2026 FACES OF COLUMBIA

that math and science still matter to make the world a better place,” Eric says.

Eric and his team at McClure focus on delivering solutions that make the Columbia community efficient and resilient. As a trusted face of engineering, Eric believes strong relationships start with listening.

“Listen to your client and understand their goals,” he says. “Stay current on new regulations and trends. Remain open-minded to unconventional solutions.”

THE FACE

OF

LUXURY CAR CARE

LEGENDS AUTO SPA

Legends Auto Spa, Columbia’s premier auto enhancement center, elevates and protects the look of your vehicle. At the forefront of the business is Jeremy Anderson, a husband, father, entrepreneur, philanthropist, Mizzou fan, combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient. His business was born out of a need for improved surface protection for vehicles.

Jeremy has always enjoyed a good challenge, which is where his company excels. “Your car or truck is a major asset worth tens of thousands of dollars,” Jeremy says. “Our team at Legends will safeguard that investment with revolutionary treatments and innovative products.”

Jeremy recognized early on that the existing formulas behind ceramic coatings remained virtually unchanged for decades. Although the coatings offered some protection, their chemistry was outdated, leaving products that degraded too quickly in real-world conditions. Jeremy knew there had to be a better product.

After researching and testing and with a team of industry experts, Jeremy developed Diamond Self Heal, an improved ceramic coating system. With its high-gloss shield, Diamond Self Heal provides durability and a mirror-like finishto vehicles that stops early degradation and withstands punishing conditions. The eco-friendly coating also safeguards the environment.

“All vehicles, especially luxury cars, deserve this self-healing coating,” Jeremy says. “It’s a headturning kind of gloss that definesany vehicle.

BY NANCY MOEN

Our customers love how it reduces scratches while it ramps up the shine. You can even feel the difference when you touch the vehicle.”

Legends Auto Spa backs Diamond Self Heal with a fiveyear warranty. Cars coated in Diamond Self Heal improve scratch resistance, UV protection, hydrophobicity that keeps surfaces clean and more. Legends is a one stop shop for all things car care, far beyond just ceramic coatings. Their services also include pristine finishes,window tintings, modern detailing, interior restorations and comprehensive car washes. To upgrade your vehicle to its highest potential, they offer colorchange wraps, ambient lighting, chrome deletes, underglow lighting and headliner stars.

Beyond the products they offer, customers also find famiy-like friendliness at Legends Auto Spa. Legends’ roots run deep in Columbia. It’s home. It’s where support from local families and fellow small businesses inspires the team every day. Jeremy’s military background fosters a strong work ethic and integrity in all dealings as well as camaraderie among the Legends team.

Jeremy’s unique journey also brings the company’s philanthropy to life. Legends Auto Spa demonstrates a commitment to community service by engaging in local events, fundraisers and initiatives such as the Ronald McDonald House, Columbia Foster & Adoption and the Gary Pinkel Foundation.

“It’s just the right thing to do,” Jeremy says.

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Dr. Shvetha Zarek’s career as a double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist spans more than 15 years and is grounded in clinical excellence, better affordability and deeply personal care. Over time, her focus has expanded beyond clinical outcomes to include improving access and innovation.

As founder and medical IVF director of leading innovative clinic Arbor Fertility™, the most rewarding part of Dr. Zarek’s job is being a part of people’s parenthood dreams coming true — and the babies, of course.

“There is nothing more meaningful than seeing a patient hold their baby after a long, often difficult journey and knowing our team played a role in that outcome,” Dr. Zarek says. “Every Arbor Baby represents resilience, trust and the power of compassionate care.”

Dr. Zarek is proud to be a part of the Columbia community and to provide lower intervention options. Arbor Fertility™ evaluates pricing with discounts for healthcare workers, veterans, firstresponders and educators. Dr. Zarek and her team pride themselves in expanding access with bundled costs, introduction of needle-free IVF and innovations in male fertility treatments. Devoted to innovation and patient experience, Arbor Fertility™ makes the dream of parenthood more accessible than ever.

Client relations manager Jaclyn Rogers prides her work at Ai Painting Plus on being the firstand most consistent touchpoint for homeowners. When clients begin the process of a home refresh, from when Rogers’ team walks the home and makes a bid to choosing colors and finishingthe job, Ai Painting Plus is there every step of the way. A residential painting project can be overwhelming; Rogers knows it's an important investment rooted in trust and transformation. That trust can only come with a reliable, familiar face.

“Success in this field comes down to trust and communication,” Rogers says. “Homeowners invite us into their personal spaces during stressful or

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exciting moments, and the most rewarding part of my job is honoring that trust.”

At Ai Painting Plus, they show up with the energy and passion to bring your goals to life and refresh your space. Rogers prioritizes relationships with their clientele and the community through active leadership roles in the chamber, homebuilders association, the women’s network and more.

“As a woman-owned painting company, we’re proud to serve our community with integrity, strong relationships and a commitment to raising the standard for homeowners and local businesses alike,” Rogers says.

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THE

OF TOWING DOUG PERRY TOWING

Eddie Sims has been the reliable face of towing for three years with Doug Perry Towing, but he has been building his towing career for 54 years of rich experience. He knows what works, what doesn’t, how to take care of customers and loves a good challenge.

Towing is an industry where the technicians need to think on their feet and adapt quickly when the call comes. Sims might be on the shoulder of a busy freeway, on the side of the road or in a parking lot, but approaches each situation with respect for the customer whose day had clearly taken a wrong turn.

“The most rewarding part is helping people when

they're stressed and hearing how grateful they are afterward,” Sims says. “I try to set a good example by doing the job right and treating people with respect, teaching the new guys as they join the team.”

Sims’ expertise was built over time. He grew up working on cars before towing at 16 years old with log chains, then a trailer, then finaly a real tow truck. One step at a time, it became his life’s work.

“We work hard, help people and look out for each other,” Sims says. “That's what makes this place so special.”

FACE

For 30 years in the industry, Billy Stewart has been making his mark on the cabinet world in Columbia. He started working in construction in 1986 on a framing crew, then spent nine years working for a local lumber yard which pushed him toward the cabinet industry. From then on, Stewart was hooked.

At Designer Kitchens and Baths, Stewart and his team will redesign, refresh and remodel your space to achieve your dream kitchen or bath setup. They collaborate with their customers from the concept stage to the finalproduct. Stewart says getting started and working toward the finishline is the most

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rewarding part of his job.

“It's a sense of accomplishment to turn something into an excellent design and outcome,” Stewart says. “It’s been a great career learning the cabinet trade. Every project is different and rewarding. You have to multitask daily and be ready to put out fies as they arise. That's what keeps me motivated.”

For cabinetry that transforms your space into the bath or kitchen of your dreams, go with Designer Kitchen and Baths, the company that’s motivated to elevate your home to its highest potential.

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THE FACE OF

NURSING EDUCATION

STEPHENS COLLEGE

Education is an investment. Especially in a career as rigorous as nursing, students want an education with a competitive edge and realworld clinical experience. Thankfully, Stephens College’s nursing program has more than a leg up on the competition. With a 100% employment rate, a partnership with Boone Health, much lower tuition and fees than other institutions and a three-year program instead of four, Stephens College is the go-to for future healthcare heroes. Meet the faces of nursing education: fiveStephens College students, Jonna Vanzetti, Favour Nwozor, Jazz Payne, Kenzie Chellberg and Piper Coppedge.

Chellberg has wanted to be a nurse since she was nine; she had lost her father to a heart attack and then lost a friend to a heart condition at 15. This sparked a passion for cardiovascular health through nursing. Vanzetti wanted to be a nurse when she saw how they cared for her family and brought calmness in the face of uncertainty. Coppedge grew up around the medical field with her mother being a pediatric RN and her father being a fiefigter/EMT; she says the hands-on experience at Stephens has grown her lifelong passion. Nwozor was drawn in by the profession’s requirements of strength, critical thinking and integrity, which goes beyond bedside care. For Payne, it was simple — she says she just loves to help people. Payne was inspired to enter this field by a compassionate nurse she had all throughout her childhood, saying “she is the true meaning of what a nurse should be.”

Above all else, the Stephens College nursing program is rewarding. While there are always challenges to face in higher education, Stephens’ students eagerly welcome academic challenges

and overcome them every time. These students say building close relationships with peers in Stephens’ small class sizes, the unique quickness of the three-year program, the reliable student support system, the ability to support healthcare and simply helping patients get better are the most rewarding parts of studying at Stephens College.

All fivestudents are heavily involved in Stephens College’s vibrant campus culture through their commitments to academic excellence, eagerness to learn, optimism and professionalism. Coppedge is an active member of Sigma Eta Rho and Chellberg is the president of Stephens’ Student Nursing Association, each taking opportunities to grow in the program.

Nwozor says she embodies the Stephens College culture through authenticity, discipline and a strong sense of responsibility, which are cornerstone virtues of the nursing program.

“I represent the Stephens College Nursing Program because I embody the qualities of a Stephens student: a positive attitude, dedication and kindness,” Vanzetti says. “I strive to uplift my peers, support my community and approach every challenge with compassion and patience. I feel like these values reflect both the mission of Stephens College and the heart of nursing itself.”

These fivefuture nurses all represent, in their unique ways, what makes Stephens College’s nursing program one of the most excellent, cutting-edge programs in the country. Whether it’s getting real clinical experience at Boone Health, giving back to the Columbia community or taking on leadership roles, each student in Stephens College’s nursing program provides compassionate care toward every patient.

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Lead disaster specialist at Brian Wear Plumbing & Restoration Joshua Russell initially entered the field with little understanding of what the work would entail. Then he saw the powerful impact restoration services have on the community and it drove his passion for helping homeowners and business owners recover from the unexpected.

Joshua helps bridge the gap between plumbing repairs and restoration needs. By working closely with the plumbers at Brian Wear Plumbing, he completes thorough water damage inspections and offers clear

communication and peace of mind. Homeowners either gain reassurance that their space is dry and safe or receive a well-informed plan to properly address any damage or moisture that's present.

For Joshua and his team at Brian Wear Plumbing & Restoration, trust is the name of the game. “When someone's home has been disrupted by water damage, their sense of safety is shaken,” he says. “Being able to reassure neighbors that their property is safe or to guide them confidetly through the steps needed to restore it to a safe condition makes a real difference.”

Joey Holland has always had a love for nature. Whether it was identifying Missouri native plants with his scout troop or learning everything there is to know about trees, Holland’s lifelong passion for the outdoors drove his career as an arborist as the sole owner of Holland Tree Service.

Holland says safety-mindedness is key to success in the tree removal field, along with knowledge, humility, a never-quit attitude and an emphasis on customer satisfaction. “Seeing them happy with my skill level and attention to detail is why I do this,” Holland says. “If the customer isn't happy, I'm not happy.”

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Holland Tree Service is also a survivor-run business. Holland is a survivor of Midwest Academy in Keokuk, Iowa, now permanently closed, which was one of the worst boarding schools in the country. A portion of earnings goes to awareness groups and non-profitsthat aim to shut down the troubled teen industry’s abuse for good. With Holland Tree Service, you are not only getting outstanding tree work, you’re supporting a deeply important cause: ending the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASPS) and the Troubled Teen Industry (TTI).

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When Restoration Chiropractic owners Dr. Taylor Sirois and Leah Sirois began their practice, they weren’t just building a business, they were building a place where families could truly feel cared for. From the beginning, their shared vision has been simple: help people of all ages live healthier, more connected lives.

For Dr. Taylor, chiropractic care is deeply rooted in family. As the son and grandson of chiropractors, it has been part of his life for as long as he can remember. “I grew up seeing the difference chiropractic made — not just for me, but for my entire family. I want that for my own kids now too,” he says. “Our health looks different than what is considered ‘normal,’ and I carry that perspective with me into everything we do at Restoration.”

That family-firstmindset is woven into every aspect of Restoration Chiropractic. The practice proudly serves patients from newborns to seniors, caring for families through every stage of life. From infants who may experience stress from pregnancy or birth, to active kids navigating bumps and falls, to expectant mothers experiencing the incredible changes of pregnancy and older adults focused on staying active and mobile — Restoration is there every step of the way. “No matter the season of life, we love walking alongside families who want to feel their best and stay healthy together,” Leah says.

Restoration Chiropractic focuses on precise, nervous-system-based care designed to help the body function at its highest potential, often leaving patients feeling more energized, balanced and

pain-free. They use highly specialized technology to objectively findproblem areas and give concrete data as to how the body is functioning and where there are areas that need improvement.

“Everything we add to the practice is done with intention,” Dr. Taylor explains. “We’re always looking for ways to better serve families and support whole-body wellness.” That commitment to growth, education and innovation has allowed Restoration Chiropractic to expand its services and its impact throughout the Columbia community.

Beyond treatment, Restoration places a strong emphasis on education, empowering families with knowledge about spinal health, movement and lifestyle choices that support long-term wellness. By building genuine relationships, creating personalized care plans and celebrating meaningful health milestones, the team strives to make every patient feel seen, supported and at home.

Under Dr. Taylor’s leadership, Restoration Chiropractic has grown significantly, expanding its team and deepening its roots in the community. That dedication has not gone unnoticed — the practice has been honored as Best Chiropractic Office in Columbia for four consecutive years.

Outside the office, Taylor and Leah enjoy spending time with their own family and taking part in everything Columbia has to offer. “Community means everything to us,” Dr. Taylor says. “It’s not just where we work, it’s where we raise our family, build relationships and serve the people who trust us with their health.”

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Meet the face helping keep homes and businesses powered across Columbia. Savannah Rush, president of Midway Electric, represents the team’s shared commitment to providing reliable, high-quality electrical service throughout the community.

Whether Rush is helping a homeowner feel safe and confidet in their home or supporting a local business to keep operations running, she and her team prioritize maintaining trust in the community.

“Columbia has a vibrant spirit where small businesses are integral to the city's identity,” Rush says. “Being able to grow a company that contributes meaningfully to

the local economy and supports families in our region is something I truly appreciate.”

Midway Electric is built on deep technical expertise and pride in doing the job right. Rush believes shortcuts always show up later, which is why the team focuses on doing things right the firsttime, even if it takes longer. Midway’s electricians show up prepared, communicate clearly and stand behind their work. As the company continues to grow, its focus remains the same: serving the Columbia community with integrity, professionalism and a genuine commitment to quality.

For 10 years, Nathan Goen has provided top of the line construction and remodeling work in the community. New Beginnings is Columbia’s premier home remodeling company, with exceptional service ranging from home additions, kitchen and bath upgrades, and more, even business and restaurant remodels and expansions. Goen’s focus is on good communication, quality materials and timely results.

“I just really love helping people fixtheir homes, being able to craft new spaces and new beginnings for them,” he says.

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The most rewarding part of Goen’s job, other than servicing the community, is being able to offer wellpaying jobs to his staff

“I strive hard to make everyone feel like a part of the family and team,” Goen says. “We have more of a family culture and treat everyone as such.”

Beyond providing excellent service to clients’ homes and businesses, Goen also strives to collaborate with other professionals in the industry to achieve shared goals in home improvement and construction. New Beginnings is proud to support other local businesses and suppliers. He also owns Goen Family Farms in Columbia, selling premium choice and wagyu beef.

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Patrick Norris has been an auto technician for 30 years, going on to become the master technician at Mutrux Automotive for three years. While the people of Columbia recognize Mutrux for their quality, honest, timely auto repairs and excellent customer service, they recognize Norris as the face; he is now the owner of Norris Full Service Automotive, taking over after Mutrux’s owners’ retirements.

Norris aims to continue deepening the ties his small business has with the Columbia community into the future and will provide the same quality repairs. Norris treats customers the way he’d like to be treated, with

respect and honesty. Each car that comes through Norris Full Service Automotive for repairs is treated as if it were Norris’ own personal vehicle.

“I enjoy working on cars,” Norris says. “And now, to be a business owner and have the opportunity to work with family is exciting.”

Norris Full Service Automotive is still family run and operated with Norris’ wife, Angie and son, Andrew. The business is fully local, so by supporting Norris, you are not only getting top of the line auto repair, you are also supporting an army veteran, a family and the local economy.

f lavor

Left: Western Burger

Left hot dog: The Greek Dog

Front hot dog: The Como Dog Salad: Caesar with Greek seasoned chicken

To Be Frank

MEDITERRANEAN MEETS MIDWESTERN AT OLD PLANK TAVERN.

BY JANE STEINBRECHER

PHOTOS BY L.G. PATTERSON

This isn’t your average ballpark hot dog.

Right off the iterchange of Route K and Old Plank Road, the building that used to be the Leatherwood Hills convenience store was given a new lease on life last November. Old Plank Tavern owners Margaret Moore and Kirk Utterback, two born-and-raised Columbia siblings, stripped away the tired remains of the store and made it their own. They cleared out old stock freezers and shelves before constructing a kitchen and designing a dining area so familiar and rustic that patrons would be surprised Old Plank Tavern hasn’t always been around.

“We want (the restaurant) to be nostalgic,” Moore says. “It feels very comfortable, like it’s been here forever.”

For over a year, Utterback had been collecting antiques in preparation for the tavern’s opening. Even the wooden booths are thrifted — their well-loved leather benches greet customers like an old friend.

Moore is a veteran of the restaurant industry, having owned and operated several establishments in Colorado and Wyoming. While the restaurant is still irrevocably Missourian, with its art of the Ozarks paneling the walls and a massive 9th Street Video billboard in the back of the dining area, she says an unintentional Western influence seeped into the design: mismatched and vintage in its unique style.

“Everything is used or antique,”

Moore says. “I bought the furniture at Habitat for Humanity. My mother is an artist and framed most of these pieces. We wanted to reuse and recycle as much as we could, to give the place some life.”

They envision Old Plank Tavern as being both a summer hangout space and a stop on the way to and from nearby Cooper’s Landing. The southwest region of Columbia is underserved; while they scouted several locations for the bar, this spot’s walking proximity to the trails and neighborhood made for the perfect match.

What used to be a stop for lastminute groceries and beer runs is now a homey tavern — they still have the beers, though, and the general store’s original tile flooring — with a smorgasbord menu combining Mediterranean flvors with burgers, salads and hot dogs. Utterback’s partner is Greek and Lebanese, so the gyros,

kebabs, shawarma and hummus at Old Plank Tavern mainly come from old family recipes.

On the more Midwestern side, the goober burger might ring a bell as a Missouri classic that originated at the Wheel Inn in Sedalia: a seasoned patty and cheese, smashed flat and smeaed with peanut butter. Don’t knock it ’til you try it. Other hits like their smash burger, grilled chicken salad and onionstacked western burger appear the most frequently on tickets flying in and out of the kitchen.

It’s the hot dogs where Old Plank Tavern kicks into another gear entirely. Moore and Utterback sampled dozens of hot dogs from across the country and landed on Koegels, boiled then grilled and tucked in a toasted bun. Moore’s favorite dog is the Red Hot, which is a dog covered in melted beer cheese and crushed Old Vienna Red Hot chips from St. Louis.

The Kebab Dog is loaded with shawarma and garlic sauce or gyro meat, and tzatziki, with the standard Greek dressings of tomato, kalamata olives and onion. On the eccentric end, the Elvis Dog is dipped in peanut butter and bacon bits. The Seattle Dog is dressed in cream cheese and sauteed onions.

The Como Dog is a savory-sweet take on Columbia barbecue: stuffed with homemade coleslaw and house barbecue sauce, topped with crumpled salt and vinegar chips for that extra crunch. For hot dog traditionalists, there’s still the classic

We want (the restaurant) to be nostalgic... like it's been here forever.

Chicago-style dog, with its telltale vibrant green relish, accented with a pickle spear.

Outside the kitchen and over at the bar, Old Plank Tavern’s cocktail menu sticks to the classics. Their aperol spritz and paloma are popular for spring alongside a wide beer and liquor selection. The bartop itself is carved from a tree, matching the tavern’s woody, cozy aesthetic. While the focus is on the food menu, Moore says the bar stays open beyond the kitchen’s hours, usually until midnight on weekends.

“We wanted to define ourseves as a food spot first beore we started doing

some late-night stuff,” oore says. “But we’re doing live music now every Saturday from 8 to 10 p.m. We’re going to add some trivia, potentially some karaoke.”

In the future, Moore and Utterback are planning to add a patio, but for the spring, the goal is to keep up the momentum. Old Plank Tavern has kept up a popular social media presence in Columbia, posting food flcks and memes surrounding their raccoon mascot. Pop by the tavern at 1641 W. Route K from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weeknights and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends for your new favorite dog.

Marvelous Meatballs

LEARN TO MAKE A FAN-FAVORITE APPETIZER.

BY SARA FOUGERE • PHOTOS BY L.G. PATTERSON

Often when I’m catering events, people will ask me, “what’s your favorite thing to cook?” or maybe, “what’s your favorite menu item on this buffet?”

I give different answers, depending on the season, whether or not I’m really hungry or if I’m feeling the need for a sweet treat at that minute. But what I love every single time are these chicken apple meatballs.

First of all, I grind the chicken myself because I am super picky about what needs to be trimmed. This complete recipe makes for a fresh product with

a depth of flvor that’s really uncommon for a meatball. They’re light enough to feel healthy, yet still substantial — and I haven’t even talked about the sauce yet.

So, let’s talk about the sauce. It’s bourbon based, sweet and savory. When we make it in the kitchen, we let it simmer and reduce for hours. It fills the oom with the most delectable fragrance. We have literally discussed if drinking the sauce directly would be going too far. The answer is probably, but not defintely.

If you’re looking for a signature appetizer or a batch of meatballs begging for some mashed potatoes, I highly recommend this recipe. They freeze beautifully, so make them on a cold day, eat some tonight and freeze the rest for a quick thaw and cook on a day you’re pressed for time. The sauce is also easy to make ahead of time and store covered in the refrigerator. Maybe you’d better make two batches, just in case, and let me know if you start drinking the sauce. Enjoy!

Chicken Apple Meatballs with Bourbon Sauce

Meatballs Ingredients

Ground chicken breast

Parmesan cheese

Shredded Granny Smith apple, with peel

Bread crumbs

Salt

Pepper

Garlic, minced

Egg, beaten

Fresh parsley, minced

Sauce Ingredients

Bourbon

Brown sugar

Ketchup

Soy sauce

Apple cider vinegar

Worcestershire sauce

Dried thyme

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400. Combine all meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix. Shape into one-inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees.

While meatballs are cooking, make sauce:

Combine all ingredients and bring to a soft boil.

Simmer and reduce until consistency is thick.

Move cooked meatballs to a platter with edges and pour sauce over to coat.

A Pour For Four

SAMPLE SPRING COCKTAILS FROM BARRED OWL.

BY FRANCES FUJIKO HARVEY

PHOTOS BY L.G. PATTERSON

Idecided this column should showcase what Barred Owl bartenders do best: individuality. Some of us approach our signature drinks based on what makes us happy, what we want to drink, what seems interesting or what best fits the season. Each bartender came up with cocktail they think screams “spring.”

FrancesFujikoHarveyisthebarmanageratBarredOwlButcher&Table.

Code 2219

Ingredients

Silver Cachaca

Lime Beet syrup

Mint syrup

Mint leaves

Instructions

Jacob Cox

Bubble Era

Ingredients

BroVo rose vermouth

Le Monde Pinot Nero

Club soda

Blood orange

FrancesHarveyFujiko

Shake ingredients with mint leaves. Dump into a highball glass. Garnish with a pretty sprig of mint.

Instructions

Build the cocktail in a wine glass. Add ice and garnish with a thin slice of blood orange.

Dr. Kiwi

Ingredients

Kiwi-infused rum

Green chartreuse liqueur

Lime

Simple syrup

Herb oil

Instructions

Shake and strain ingredients into a chilled coupe.

Top with drops of herb oil.

Show-Me Herb

Ingredients

Rieger gin

Lime

Genepy des Chamois liqueur

Rosemary-thyme syrup

Dolin Blanc vermouth

Rosemary

Instructions

Shake, then strain into a chilled Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Matt Baker

Andrew Ruth

WINTER WEATHER HAS COME AND GONE, SO IT'S TIME TO GET OUTSIDE AND ENJOY THE SPRINGTIME SUNSHINE.

In this edition of the Dining Guide, we rounded up the best outdoor dining spots in town. Whether you’re bringing your pup for a pint or simply soaking up some sun, check out this collection of patios, gardens and rooftops.

Listings in this guide are not related to paid advertising in Inside Columbia Magazine. The ICM staff welcomes information from restaurant owners and managers about new establishments or changes to the current listing. Contact us at insidecolumbia@mailzimmer.com.

Ozark Mountain Biscuit & Bar Southern Comfort

Günter Hans European, Beer Garden

Como Smoke & Fire Barbecue

Flyover Farm-to-Table, Southern-inspired

Delia's Mexican Grill Mexican, Tex-Mex

Park Restaurant & Bar American

Las Margaritas Mexican Restaurant Mexican

Park Restaurant & Bar American

Shakespeare's Pizza Pizza, Casual Dining

The Roof American, Tapas

Irene's Mexican, Barbecue, Southwestern

Kampai Sushi Sushi, Japanese

Logboat Brewing Co. Bar, Brewery

Beer-lovers and dog owners, rejoice! Logboat Brewing Co. has the perfect outdoor lawn, grassy and fenced-in, so your pup can run free while you sip. Choose your favorite local brew, an ale, IPA or cider, and grab a bite to eat from nearby restaurants such as Irene’s, Pasta La Fata or Ozark Mountain Biscuit & Bar.

Uprise Bakery Bakery, Bar

Nestled inside the only film cinema in Columbia and neighbors with Hitt Records, Uprise has the goods. Enjoy a sandwich, salad, pizza or pastry made that morning. Fill your cup with local beers, delicious wines, cocktails or N/A beverages and claim a patio table before it's spoken for. With your deck of cards from the bartender, bask in the people-watching 'til the bakery becomes a bar at 6 p.m.

The Heidelberg American, Pub

The Heidelberg — or just “The ‘Berg,” as many locals refer to it — offers classic bar food such as sandwiches, burgers and delectable appetizers from wings and dips to fries and toasted ravioli. Pair your meal with a beer or cocktail and head upstairs to the rooftop patio for a view of downtown Columbia and the Mizzou campus.

The Kitchen Grill & Games American

Just off Discovery Parkway, find the ultimate outdoor dining experience at The Kitchen! Dine on a specialty smash burger, pork tenderloin sandwich or farmhouse bowl from the comfort of the game room with its open garage doors or out on the lawn. From food and drinks to pickleball, cornhole and board games, there’s something for everyone at The Kitchen.

Cafe Berlin

Breakfast & Brunch, Cafe

Nourish Cafe & Market Health Food, Smoothies

Shiloh Bar & Grill Sports Bar, American

Addison's American, Casual Dining

Harpo's Bar, American

Sophia's Italian, Mediterranean

Deuce Pub & Pit Bar, American

Chris McD's Steakhouse, Seafood

Jina Yoo's Asian Bistro Asian Fusion, Sushi

Le Bao Asian Eatery Asian Fusion, Ramen

Dive Bar American, Comfort

Tellers Gallery & Bar American, Eclectic

Cafe Berlin

Breakfast & Brunch, Cafe

44 Tavern American, Fusion

Barred Owl Butcher & Table Farm-to-Table, Butcher Shop

Cherry Street Cellar Elevated American

Campus Bar & Grill American, Bar

Acola Coffee Co. Coffee

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9th Annual Taste of the Tigers

Hundreds of supporters of the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri met at Faurot Field to enjoy food and beverages for the 9th Annual Taste of the Tigers. The array of donated auction items and experiences added to the enjoyment of this event. Tens of thousands of dollars were raised to feed our neighbors throughout Missouri.

1. Denny and Dodie Douglas, Truman

2. Alexis Cooper and Kerrie Bloss

3. Sara Fougere and Lindsay Young Lopez

4. Rusty Drewing and Eli Drinkwitz

5. Trish Koetting and Janet Crosby

6. Patrick Hawkins, Matt Hawkins, Truman

7. Craig Brumfield and teve Sower

8. Melinda and Troy Norton

9. Trish Koetting, Ann Merrifiel, Heather Hargrove

Date Nov. 4

Location Faurot Field

Photos by Nancy Toalson and Wally Pfeffer, mizzouwally@compuserve.com

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Chamber of Commerce Legislative Reception

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The Columbia Chamber of Commerce held their annual legislative reception Jan. 8 on the Stephens College campus. Unveiling their priorities for this political season, the Chamber engaged with the local delegation for its support.

1. Farheen Kahn, Caitlin Ferguson, Samantha Chandler

2. Randy Cole and Kathy Steinhoff

3. Bridgette Randolph and Greg Martinette

4. Mitchell Fuemmeler and Katie Siegel

5. Lily White Boyd and Joe Priesmeyer

6. Laura Gerding and Jennifer Barth

7. Courtney Beyer and Laura Cravens

8. Suzette Waters, John Lyman, Kelley Marchbanks, Adrain Plank

9. Seth York and Stephen Webber

10. Heather Hargrove and Lisa Driskel Hawxby

Date Jan. 8

Location Stephens College

Photos by Nancy Toalson and Wally Pfeffer, mizzouwally@compuserve.com

24th Annual Legislative Forum

The Boone County Chapter of the Mizzou Alumni Association held its 24th Annual Legislative Forum, co-sponsored by Mpix and Grand Cru, on Jan. 29. Alumni and friends had an opportunity to hear of the University's recent accomplishments, priorities and vision from President Mun Choi and heard from our local legislative delegation on how they will support Mizzou.

1. Stacy Morse and Jane Wagner

2. Ryan Murray and Balaji Rajagopalan

3. Matt McGee, Michael and Connie Leipard, Heather McGee

4. Kevin Gibbens and Les Borgmeyer

5. Charlotte and Ken Dean

6. Steve Maledy, Grant Ressel, Morgan Hackney, Lesa McCartney, Jane Wagner

7. Steve Maledy and Brent Sappington

8. Denice and Richard Mendenhall

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Date Jan. 29

Location Grand Cru

Photos by Nancy Toalson and Wally Pfeffer, mizzouwally@compuserve.com

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75th Annual Cosmopolitan Pancake and Sausage Day

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The Columbia Cosmopolitan Breakfast and Luncheon Clubs sponsored the 75th Annual Pancake and Sausage Day on Jan. 31 at the Cosmo Club building. Over the many decades, thousands of Boone Countians have enjoyed this delicious breakfast and helped support the many foundational causes sponsored by the clubs.

1. Jeff and LisaWindett, Quinn Deimel, Chelsea Deimel

2. Mary Priest and Larry Adkins

3. Madison Clark, Alecia Barnette, Stella Robertson

4. Rand Williams and John Jackmon

5. Front row: Julius Henderson, Shantanya Henderson

Back row: Aaron Henderson, James Henderson

6. Oliver and Sarah Brilhante

7. Al Tacker and Mary Jo Herde

8. Doug and Jo Ellen Milner, Jaxon and Paxton Bennett

9. Judy Weitkemper and Linda Woollery

Date Jan. 31

Location Cosmo Club

Photos by Nancy Toalson and Wally Pfeffer, mizzouwally@compuserve.com

2026 Bacon and Bourbon Festival

The MO Bacon and Bourbon Festival, organized by Beth and Jacob Halls, was held on Jan. 31, at the Bur Oak distillery. Hundreds of aficionados enjoyed a variety of bourbon and whiskey as well as delicious appetizers. The place was hopping with live music provided by Travis Freutz & the Stardust Cowboys.

1. Shane and Erin Bower

2. Rita and Lynn Houg

3. Travis Freutz & the Stardust Cowboys

4. Jeff rancis

5. Kevin Dingman

6. Christy and Matthew Hawkins

7. Dennis Hazelrigg, Jan Bonnes, Heidi Bonnes

8. Jynn Baker, Jeff and aren Geotz

Date Jan. 31

Location

Bur Oak Brewing Company

Photos by Nancy Toalson and Wally Pfeffer, mizzouwally@compuserve.com

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Larry Gross Lewy Body Awareness Foundation Donor Appreciation Event

The Larry Gross Lewy Body Awareness Foundation held a donor appreciation event on Jan. 15 at the Country Club of Missouri. The foundation extended its gratitude to donors and announced a $10,000 neurology student scholarship and a $50,000 Lewy Body Dementia Research Grant at NextGen.

1. The Foundation's $50,000 Research Donation

2. Lee and Barbara Madsen

3. Ray and Dennis Hazelrigg

10. Donna and Pete Buchert 1 2 2 3 4 6 5 7 10 9 8

4. Rusty and Shannon Drewing

5. Barb Glenn, Nancy Schultz, Marie Hunter

6. Dr. Richard Barohn

7. Daisy Grossnickle, Sallie and Doug Schwandt, Skip Grossnickle

8. Joe and Sarah Dubbert

9. Molly and Jay Lindner

Date

Jan. 15

Location Country Club of Missouri

Photos by Nancy Toalson and Wally Pfeffer, mizzouwally@compuserve.com

A New View

Being a photographer, I can get some access to unique points of view of the community. In the following issues, I would like to share with you some of those sights with A New View.

The Assignment: Springtime Cocktails

The Location: Barred Owl Butcher & Table

Spring is a persnickety season in Columbia.

It doesn’t just show up and stick around for months. It teases us with warm and sunny days, then throws a cold and snowy day at us within a week.

When the sun lingers around longer, that's when I start thinking about the bar patios around town.

Spending time with friends while enjoying light cocktails on a sunny day is one of my favorite activities. Time slows down, sunglasses stay on and we bask in the golden hue with a good drink and have nowhere else to be.

It’s a stark contrast to the blustery, subzero temperatures we were experiencing just months before.

While photographing the springtime cocktails for this issue’s Cheers department, I found myself transported to a sunlit veranda where everything is just chill.

Spring doesn’t arrive all at once, but it shows up in moments like these — one patio, one cocktail, one perfect afternoon at a time.

L.G. Patterson

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Rethinking Poverty

SOUTH AFRICAN ADVENTURE PROMPTS A WORTHY COMPARISON.

Irecently returned from a two-week mission trip to Africa. It was an incredible, but eye-opening experience. My first week was spet in Cape Town, South Africa, working with leaders of an organization called Church in Hard Places. We spent time in the Cape Town Flats, a neighborhood of extreme poverty and gang violence that evolved from the apartheid-era forced transfer of Coloured and Black populations into their “own” segregated communities. My second week in Africa was a completely different experience. Working with a non-profit out of allas called Orant Charities Africa, I spent the week deep in the bush of Malawi, a vastly different environment from the urban setting of Cape Town.

I knew about Malawi because my late wife, Melody, had made several mission trips there over the years. Like her, I quickly fell in love with the people. In spite of desperate economic conditions, Malawians are the warmest, most welcoming people you’ll find on this lanet. Malawi has the lowest gross domestic product of any country in the world. More than 70% of its population lives below the poverty line of $2.15 per day. The median age in Malawi is 18. It’s a tough place to live.

Thanks to the generosity of friends and family, my wife’s foundation has built four water wells in Malawian villages since her passing in 2023. Being able to pump well water in these villages is a welcome contrast to walking nearly two miles each day to fill bucets from local, polluted rivers. While there, I was reminded of the many conveniences in modern American society that we too often take for granted. My temporary discomfort there with the summer heat, hordes of insects, unfamiliar food and the constant threat of malaria or cholera was just that … temporary. I found inspiration in witnessing how these people dealt with their daily trials. They expressed no sense of entitlement, resentment or frustration with their circumstances. They forged ahead with their daily tasks, simply focused on survival rather than getting ahead.

After spending many years on the board of the Food Bank and as a commissioner for the Columbia Housing Authority, I thought I had a pretty good handle on the complexities of poverty. Unfortunately, I have never seen deep poverty like what I experienced while in Africa. Issues like affordable housing, reliable transportation and accessible childcare pale in comparison to the constant

worry about where your next meal will come from. Aside from a 50-kilogram (110-pound) bag of maize provided by the government each month, there are no other safety net programs in Africa. Malawians have learned to survive on a lean diet of nsima and beans for their daily needs.

I was impressed by the number of non-governmental organizations (NGO) and faith-based initiatives that have stepped up to provide health care and educational assistance in Malawi. At the same time, my experiences caused me to pause and consider our dysfunctional approach to poverty in America.

I know these comments will ruffle the feathers of those working in the vast network of social service agencies in our community, but the lack of measurable outcomes begs the questions: are we really making a difference in the lives of those living in poverty right here in America? What’s the return on investment for the billions of dollars we dump into povertyrelief efforts? In Malawi, I know that I can spend $5,000 to build a water well that will serve a village of 300. I know that I can spend $800 per year to send a young girl to a private boarding school for her secondary education. These outcomes are measurable and specific.

BY FRED PARRY

It’s easy to give a man a fish but where in America are we teaching that same man how to catch his own fish

I know the argument is more complex than this; however, is there something we can learn from third-world countries with fewer resources? When we see the fraudulent abuses that have occurred under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), one could reasonably assume that we’re throwing too much money at the problem of poverty without demanding measurable results. Too many of us have accepted the status quo of ineffective programs. We’ve ignored the needs of the working poor while allowing the creation of poverty traps that disincentivize any other effort that might allow someone to do something that actually reverses the cycle of poverty.

It’s time to rethink how we address generational poverty in America. Throwing money at a problem rarely makes the problem go away. It just exacerbates an already hopeless situation and prevents others from creating innovative and thoughtful approaches that might actually make a difference.

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Do you ever wonder “Why am I even with this bank?”

It’s too easy to accept a mediocre experience when banking is just a part of life. Before, it seemed like I had to jump through every hoop for my bank. I wanted a bank that would actually work for me.

Look, switching banks is a big decision. I never made the e ort before, because I assumed I’d just get the same thing. After switching to The Bank of Missouri, I’ll never wonder if my bank can do more.

The bank of not settling. The Bank of Missouri.