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Extreme Events Plaza to open

BY: CHRISTI MATHIS
FOR THE SOUTHERN

Sunday, May 7, 2006 12:15 AM CDT

SPARTA - As work is wrapping up on the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, the influence of the new facility is quickly becoming apparent.

The latest addition to downtown Sparta is the Extreme Events Plaza, which will have a grand opening gala from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The business is located in what was once an old pole garage structure but since July, extensive renovations have been under way.

Now, the plaza at 1805 N. Market St. has an all-new look and a lot to offer, said owner Toni Pautler. Pautler's popular Gift Box Boutique has been relocated to the Plaza and continues to offer baby and wedding gifts, women's apparel, accessories, gift baskets, red hat jewelry and more. The shop also has Christmas decor all year long and has added a full-service florist.

Pautler is also featuring St. Louis Cardinal products created by brothers Steve and Gabe Drueke, who are Sparta natives. Their work is featured at the new Busch Stadium and more information about the company and its products is available at www.wishstone.net and www. BirdOnBat.com.

Pautler said there's another "exciting" new addition at the Gift Box Boutique. They'll be offering the six new wines being created by Red Bud's Lau-Nae Winery in honor of the World Shooting Complex.

Winery owners Donna and Mike Mollet have created the sweet Sparta Rosetta Catawba, a semi-sweet Steuben grape wine called Sparta Blush, the sweet Concord Straight Shooter Red, the Niagara grape Straight Shooter White, a petite syrah named Shotgun Red and the Shotgun Pinot Grigio. The wines are available only at the winery at 1522 Illinois 3 in Red Bud or at The Gift Box Boutique.

The wines will make their debut at the May 13 open house.

The new Extreme Events Plus has opened, offering party rental of all kinds. The party planning and rental business offers tents, tables, chairs, linens, china and all sorts of items for special events. Plaza space has also been leased to attorney Mary West, First Cellular of Illinois and the Sun Kissed tanning salon.

The Grand Opening Gala will feature appetizers, champagne, a disc jockey and much more.

"We are excited about the introduction of the Sparta label wine as well as the shooter labels," Pautler said. She said she sees many opportunities for cross-marketing and more with the partnership of her boutique and the new Extreme Events Plus along with offering the special wines. She said there's much excitement in Sparta with the new shooting complex set to open.

The facility is expected to bring thousands of visitors to the Sparta area for special events. The largest event planned will be the Grand American World Trapshooting Championship to be held Aug. 8-18 this year. The event is moving to Sparta from Vandalia, Ohio, where it's been for decades.

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