Arnold city officials recently approved signage for a Planet Fitness gym to open in the former Arnold Bowl location. The city also OKd permits for a new wine and cocktail bar and a new cosmetology school to open in the city.
Planet Fitness received approval July 17 to place a monument sign and freestanding sign at the old Arnold Bowl site, 1140 Jeffco Blvd. The bowling alley closed in June 2022, and the building was later demolished. Planning Commission members approved site plans for the new Planet Fitness in September.
Judi’s Place Bar and Cocktail Lounge is slated to open at the former Check into Cash business, 143 Arnold Crossroads Center, at Hwy. 141 and Jeffco Boulevard.
The Brillare Beauty Institute, a nonprofit cosmetology school, will open at the former Save A Lot grocery store, 3610 Richardson Square Drive. Save A Lot closed on June 27.
Arnold City Council members took no action on July 17 when the conditional-use permits for the bar and the cosmetology school were presented for approval. By not taking any action, the council approved the Planning Commission’s recommendations to allow the two entities to open. Planning Commission members voted 9-0 on July 8 to approve the signage for Planet Fitness and for conditional-use permits for Judi’s Place and the Brillare Beauty Institute.
A spokeswoman for Planet Fitness said the company was not yet prepared to talk about its plans to open on the old Arnold Bowl site, adding that more information may be available in December.
Planet Fitness, which was founded in 1992 in New Hampshire, has more than 2,741 locations, with most gyms operated as independent franchises, according to the company’s website, planetfitness.com.
The Brillare Beauty Institute originally was named the Franklin Academy and opened in 1997 in Cleveland, Tenn. The organization changed its name in 2020 and added a campus in Chattanooga, Tenn., according to its website, brillarebeautyinstitute.edu.
Stephanie Day, the chief administrator and executive director of the Cleveland campus, said the organization plans to begin renovating the former Save A Lot building in August and hopes to complete those renovations by the end of the year and begin enrolling students in January.
Ward 1 Councilman EJ Fleischmann said Judi’s Place, which will operate in the ward he represents, is intriguing because Arnold doesn’t have many bars like that in the city. Troy Blacksher, who also represents Wards 1 said he believes the business will serve coffee in the morning and wine and cocktails during the day and evening.
“It will be interesting,” said Ward 2 Councilman Brian McArthur, the council liaison on the Planning Commission. “It is something we don’t have in Arnold. I wish them all the luck.”
Other new businesses in the works
■ A new coffee drive-thru business is expected to open in Arnold this year with the city approving a conditional-use permit for 7 Brew Drive Thru Coffee to open in the former Long John Silver’s location, 1275 Jeffco Blvd. The restaurant closed in August 2024 and the building has been demolished. The Planning Commission voted 9-0 March 11 to approve a conditional-use permit for the coffee shop, and on March 20 the council took no action on the permit, thus, approving the permit.
A spokeswoman for the coffee business said the franchise owner would likely be prepared to provide information about the Arnold location next month.
The 7 Brew Drive Thru Coffee website says the overall company has 433 “stands,” and the business offers thousands of variations on its array of coffees and other drinks.
A 7 Brew Drive Thru location is expected to open Aug. 18 at 606 S. Truman Blvd. in Festus.
Arnold city officials recently signed off on plans to open two other businesses.
■ Pawsitive Veterinary Care Animal Hospital and Clinic received its final approval to open at 18 Arnold Park Mall when council members took no action on its conditional-use permit on June 12. Planning Commission members voted 8-0 on June 9 to approve the animal hospital and clinic to open at the former Aaron’s store in the shopping plaza at Jeffco Boulevard and Hwy. 141.
■ The Axes Physical Therapy Clinic, which opened in fall 2018 at 118 Richardson Crossing, got approval on June 5 to expand in the shopping plaza off Richardson Road. The clinic is taking over the space that had been occupied by AAA Nails and Salon, 114 Richardson Crossing. Council members again took no action on the expansion, which Planning Commission members voted 5-0 on May 13 to approve.