I moved to Osage Beach with my parents from Kansas City in the mid-80's. My parents originally had the Miniature Golf Course, Touring Carts, Mini-Bikes, Go-Karts, Wave Runners, ParaSail and Video Game Arcade at Tan-Tar-A Resort, Golf Club and Spa, and I worked for them starting when I was 15 years old.

In 1995, I got married. My wife loved sewing, so my father opened a store called 'Monograms' at the resort for her to run. Monograms did custom embroidery for uniforms or one-of-a-kind personal gifts items.

After we had our first child in 1998, we moved the embroidery machine to our house so my wife could work from there. We started carrying more clothes and accessories at the store then too.

After our son began to walk, it became difficult for my wife to manage him and run the equipment, so we sold the embroidery equipment and became 'The Little Shop of Hers'. My wife retired to become a great housewife and we had a second boy in 2003!

The Little Shop of Hers carried ladies ready-to-wear apparel, gifts, accessories, shoes and some jewelry. The store grew and moved into another location at the resort and, shortly after that, opened a second location in the city of Osage Beach and continued to grow.

Tan-Tar-A Resort decided to re-organize and not renew my fathers outdoor recreation business contracts. It was at this point he told me that I had a choice. I could find a new career, or I could continue with them building the Little Shop of Hers until I decided to buy them out and make it my store. Obviously, I continued on with my father. I haven't seen a business of his fail in the past and I trusted in him!

In 2000, he consolidated the store into one location in Osage Beach. This is where we still reside. The corner of Hwy 54 and KK in the Palisades Village Shopping Center!

After a few years, my father realized that business slacked off during the lunch time frame. Since I love to cook and have cooked for myself since I was in High School, my father decided that we should expand our current location and open a Cafe. So, in the Fall of 2004 the renovation began. We opened the Cafe for business in March of 2005. Since opening the Cafe, we gained more customers and a bigger reputation and again in 2008, expanded!

Finally, after many years, I decided that it was time to give my parents a bit of a break. In July of 2009, I started the process of making the business my own. I chartered my own corporation and came up with my own store name to do business. The store is now, Lil' Shoppe! Obviously, I had to take the hers out of it. I have also decided to go out of the ladies ready-to-wear apparel as I'm just not good at shopping for ladies clothes. I am expanding the jewelry lines however. Most of us guys can pick jewelry. It gets us out of the doghouse!

Currently, the Lil' Shoppe is over 5000 square foot. The Cafe can seat 80 for breakfast or lunch and is split into two rooms so we can hold small groups off on their own for privacy. The store still continues to grow thanks to our regular customers, both from the local area, and those with vacation homes here.

I still run the store as my father did, and luckily for me, both of my parents still help me out. The store is a fun place and we really enjoy getting to know our customers and teasing with them. Make you sure come in to see us while you're at the Lake! It will be worth it!!