Splattered Ink finds new home

BY ADAM TESTA, THE SOUTHERN

Tuesday, April 22, 2008 11:15 PM CDT

MURPHYSBORO - Monday morning staff meetings at Splattered Ink will be a lot more comfortable by the fall.

The four-person team at the visual communications company has been meeting in owner Darryl Jones' basement since officially forming in 2006.

Jones became the owner of a storefront property on Walnut Street last Thursday.

The building, which has been vacant for about four years, last housed Kidz Konsignment, and the front of the store had already become unrecognizable by Tuesday morning. For those who had been inside, they would also notice a world of difference.

Splattered Ink will occupy the upper level of the building, while the lower level will be remodeled and leased out to various renters, Jones said. A deal is close to being completed between Jones and Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186 for rental of a large back room area.

This space would become a Murphysboro school store, which would be run by students and sell clothing and other memorabilia from all the city's schools. The idea of a school store was a vision of Superintendent Chris Grode when he came to Murphysboro a year ago.

"There's a lot of components to it that make it seem like it would be a really good fit," Grode said, adding the school board will likely be voting on a lease agreement in May.

Some of the appealing factors are the nature of Splattered Ink's business and the fact it will also house about four other small business ventures in the downstairs of the building. With this exposure to a full-service marketing company and other business operations, students will receive even more of a firsthand look at the real world of business.

The renovated building also will have a conference room with a full multimedia center that will be open to public organizations in Murphysboro who need to use it, said Jones, who has been part of a group developing a strategic plan for the city's Chamber of Commerce.

"It's fabulous and exciting to see that one of the vacant sites on Walnut Street will come alive again," said Kaye Carr, the chamber's executive director. "I'm hoping this becomes contagious."

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