CANTON, MO. -- UPDATED: May 14 at 6:30 a.m.

Construction is already underway on a new Ayerco Truck Plaza off of Highway 61 in Canton.

Now we've learned that a new national chain restaurant is slated to open this summer.

According to the Quincy Herald Whig, a Steak 'n Shake franchise will open in June.

Both businesses could bring up to 80 new jobs to Canton.

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Original Story: March 12

As many businesses start to look at what they can do to recover from the recent recession, there's plenty of good news coming from Canton, Missouri.

Business development along the Avenue of Saints is coming along in Canton, as is a $10 million dollar grain elevator project being built by the Ursa Farmer's Cooperative.

The Missouri Department of Transportation says about 10,000 cars and trucks pass by Canton Missouri on a daily basis on U.S. 61 and because of the that traffic, there are new businesses that are wanting to draw from that.

One of those places being built to capitalize on the highway traffic is the Ayerco Truck Plaza. It's being constructed at the interchange with 61 and Missouri Highway P. Besides the truck plaza there's also a national chain restaurant that's also being built in the same area.

"It's just natural when people see other people having success, they believe they too can do that and I believe we've got a good climate for business," Canton mayor Jarrod Phillips said.

And that isn't the only area for new business development in Canton. Just on the south side of town along business route 61, the Ursa Farmer's Cooperative is beginning to construct a new grain elevator. Work is just beginning on that project and it's hoped it will start operation in 2013.

Mark Fryer is the Canton Chamber of Commerce president and he said besides the retail and private investments in town, there are also some Canton residents who have ventured out and started their own business, and one of those is the Bucking Bull Restaurant and Saloon.

Fryer owns a sign company and a computer company in Canton.

"I know in my case, it was because I grew up in Williamstown and I went to school here in Canton. But I came back here because of just the connections of the folks that you knew and I think there is a lot of pride in being able to offer a service for the folks you grew up with," Fryer said.

Fryer also said because many of the customers that businesses are seeing are from Lewis County, they've been able to whether the economic downturn and now those same businesses are hoping to capitalize on what 2012 holds in store for the future.