CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Miracle-Ear of Cape Girardeau will celebrate its 30th anniversary next week with a ribbon cutting followed by a two-day open house event.
The celebration kicks off with a 9 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony in partnership with the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce on Monday, July 18 at 1465 N. Kingshighway in Cape.
Miracle-Ear will also hold a 30th Anniversary Open House on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 19-20, to celebrate with patients and friends of the franchise. Guests are invited to stop in between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. for a cupcake and a cup of coffee. Miracle-Ear is also offering its best pricing in years on new hearing aids during this event. Anyone interested in learning more can make an appointment by calling Cape Girardeau Miracle-Ear at 873-335-5510.
Owner and founder Joyce Hill-Cooley partnered with local investors Ken and Lisa Swinford to start the franchise in 1992 with offices in Cape Girardeau, Perryville and Farmington. A Registered Nurse and former nurse supervisor, Hill-Cooley started with Miracle-Ear as a single mother looking for a career where she could provide for her three daughters while having a better work-life balance.
“Working in a hospital is challenging and rewarding, but the hours and control over what you do are also challenging,” Hill-Cooley said. “When I came to Miracle-Ear, I could take my time to help people and do what was necessary to address their hearing loss.”
Hill-Cooley estimated 90 percent of her appointments in the early days of the company were in-home consultations. Business picked up over time and the company gradually opened service centers before eventually growing into full-time storefronts. The franchise has since expanded to five full-time stores and three service centers across Southeast Missouri with 16 employees.
Hill-Cooley retired in 2020 but handed her management responsibilities over to her daughter Molly Hill Ford who now serves as the franchise’s Managing Partner. A true family business, Hill-Cooley credits the franchise’s longevity to a people-first culture that has succeeded in retaining both employees and patients.
“To have a good business, you have to have good people. We’ve been blessed with good people,” Hill-Cooley said.
Miracle-Ear’s Cape Girardeau staff leads the franchise in staff longevity with a combined 45 years of service. Franchise Lead Front Office Associate Barbara Kirn has been with the company for 28 years while Hearing Instrument Specialist Kyle Griffin is in his 16th year in Cape.
“I think the reason our franchise has been able to grow and have such a positive impact on the community is because we have never lost sight of our goal, which is to enhance the lives of the individuals and families in our community by improving their hearing health,” Kirn said. “Joyce teaches that to everyone that comes into the franchise. As long as we strive to follow in her footsteps, we’ll continue to be successful.”
Miracle-Ear Centers Serving Southeast Missouri is a locally-owned franchise with locations in Cape Girardeau, Farmington, Jackson, Perryville, Poplar Bluff, Potosi, Ste. Genevieve and Sikeston.