The newest Rapid City Walgreens, at the corner of St. Patrick Street and Mount Rushmore Road, opened its doors a week ago.

However, even though it's only 10 minutes from Rapid City Regional Hospital, the new store won't be open 24 hours.

A few weeks ago, I spent a few hours at the hospital emergency room on a very busy Saturday night. (I wasn't the patient this time).

After we left the hospital, written prescription in hand, we headed for the only pharmacy open at 10:30 p.m. - the West Main Walgreens. The hospital's own outpatient pharmacy closes at 8 p.m. weekdays and 5 p.m. on weekends.

And while we were there, just about everybody from the emergency room came in to get their scripts filled. It seems like the Rushmore Road Walgreens would be a natural.

Store manager Don Wiltgen said the company might decide later to make the Mount Rushmore Road store a 24-hour pharmacy. But for now, hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Otherwise, the Walgreens is pretty much like its counterparts on La Crosse Street and West Main - part drug store, part dime store and part photo service, with a few groceries thrown in.

Wiltgen moved from Denver a year ago. He replaced Loren Stanley as manager of the West Main store. Stanley took over the La Crosse Street store. This time, however, assistant manager Laura Leander was promoted to manager of the West Main Walgreens.

For now, Walgreens is probably done building new stores in Rapid City, Wiltgen said. However, the company would like open in Spearfish at some point.

My Girlfriend's Kitchen has new cook

Dave and Vicky Tennefos are the new owners of My Girlfriend's Kitchen, the ready-to-cook meal shop at Sheridan Lake Road and Catron Boulevard.

Bob and Betty Barkley opened the franchise business five years ago. The original concept: In one session, you can assemble the ingredients for a dozen fresh, family-size, ready-to-cook dinners. The staff does all of the shopping, chopping, prep work and cleanup.

That's still the concept, Vicky said, but there have been some key changes. Before, all of the meals were big. You had to have a family - or a friend willing to split the package.

Now, Vicky said, My Girlfriend's Kitchen meals come in two sizes - petit for two to three diners, and grande for four to six.

Also, you don't have to schedule a visit in advance. You can walk in and pick up dinner for tonight. They do give a price break if you schedule ahead.

Vicky's background lends itself to My Girlfriend's Kitchen. In recent years, she has been a cooking teacher, both on her own and at Someone's In The Kitchen.

Dave manages the business and marketing side of the kitchen. But he's not a cook. In fact, when Vicky was told how easy it is to assemble meals at My Girlfriend's kitchen, she needed proof.

"I said: 'Let me have Dave come in and make a meal; if Dave can do it, anybody can,'" she recalled.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 721-6450.

Patriot dealer locally owned

MikBrady Homes is the new name for now-locally-owned Patriot Homes dealership off Interstate 90's Exit 48 near Piedmont.

However, the new owners are hardly new. Mike Kuchenbecker has been running the Patriot Homes dealership for 11 years. He has been joined by his son, Brad Kuchenbecker, in the new business.

They made an offer to Elkhart, Ind.,-based Patriot and bought the local dealership.

Although Patriot is no longer directly retailing manufactured homes here, MikBrady is still an exclusive dealer for Patriot Homes - at least for now, Brad said.

Brad has been working as a factory representative for Scotchman Industries in Philip. He spent a lot of time on the road. "I'm settling down and staying closer to home," he said.

Brad's mother, Holly Kuchenbecker, who worked at Patriot Homes for six years, and Brad's wife, Carrie, are also officers in the new company.

MikBrady has a full sales, setup and service crew on staff. The dealership serves customers in a 150-mile radius, including Gillette, Moorcroft and Wright in Wyoming.

For more information, call 787-4831.

Carpet Direct comes to town

John Hudson has opened a new Rapid City carpet and flooring store - except without the store.

He's a dealer for Carpet Direct, a firm that sells carpeting, tile and wood flooring directly to customers. Hudson operates his business out of a vehicle, showing samples, taking orders and lining up installers.

"We tried to take as much of the overhead expense out of the equation as possible," Hudson said.

He moved to Rapid City from the Kansas City, Mo., area a couple of months ago. He was initially planning to open a Carpet Direct outlet in Kansas City. But he has a personal connection to Rapid City, so he brought his business here.

This is the 34th city for Carpet Direct, Hudson said.

He said Carpet Direct is the nation's No. 1 seller of Stainmaster carpeting, and it's among the top five overall in carpet sales.

For more information, contact Hudson at 430-1822 or johnthudson@rushmore.com.

Talking Business appears Thursdays in the Journal. Contact Dan Daly by telephone at 394-8421, by fax at 394-8463 or by e-mail: dan.daly@rapidcityjournal.com