GRAVOIS MILLS, Mo. — A local business that has been shuttered for six years will open its doors next month.
The former Hop and Go convenience store has sold and will reopen under a new name, “The Cup Tree OSS” in June. New owner Roger Forck explains "OSS" stands for "Oh Shucks Stop!"
“You know, when people drive in from Kansas City, and they get all the way out to Cup Tree Road, and they are 20 miles from the nearest town, and they remember, ‘Oh shucks!’ I forgot to get milk. I want them to think of me. I am going to do everything I can to have whatever they need,” Forck said.
The 2,450 square foot, long standing business is located north of Laurie at 31331 Cup Tree Road, off of Lake Road 135, in Gravois Mills. The store has been closed since the economic downturn in 2009. The property boasts a full kitchen, an office, a beverage bar, a breakfast and lunch counter, a large check-out counter, as well as a place for indoor dining.
Forck plans to stock the extra convenience store items that people typically need on-the-go, such as milk, bread, eggs, beer, soda pop, ice and more. He is currently in negotiations with an established barbeque chef about offering barbeque lunches and dinners with all the fixings.
“Everyone is thrilled it is going to reopen,” Shoreline Realty Inc., Realtor Judy Hale said. Hale sold the property to Forck, whom she said she met while working in real estate in the Lees Summit area. “This is one solid sign the real estate market has picked up,” Hale enthused.
After sitting vacant for years, the property needs some sprucing up, and Forck has begun that process with a fresh coat of paint and new furnishings. “I have always wanted a business of my own, and I am getting older, so I finally decided if I am going to do it, I need to do it pretty quick,” he said. He says he investigated the different business opportunities at the Lake, and found this store to be the most logical fit for him.
Roger Forck hails from Kansas City, Kan. and now has plans to move to Gravois Mills full-time. “The Lake of the Ozarks has always been a fun place to visit, and I know a lot of people down here,” Roger said. He has been coming to the Lake since the mid-1970’s. He especially enjoys seeing the natural scenic beauty and wildlife while riding his motorcycle.
He says he would like the Cup Tree OSS to be “laid back, friendly, and convenient... Once we get opened I will listen to what my customers want, and be try to have it for them, when they want it."
The Cup Tree OSS will be open seven days a week, in the summer months, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. For up-to-date information check them out on Facebook.
