Let's see some of the Springfield stores listed - I know some have been added since last I was there. I don't know what's there really other than C&S. I love to hit the LFS in other cities when I have time. There are always stores I try to visit when I'm in, say, Tulsa, KC, St Louis, or Nashville.
In Joplin, there's not much. The Pet Warehouse is usually sad, leaving Claw Paws as the best option there.
Claw Paws Pet Center
212 N Main
Webb City, MO 64870
(417) 673-0202
Exotic Tropicals has always been great to me. As for other stores in NWA (again excluding the sad Petco), the only other that I know of is Worlds Under Water, which moved north to Johnson from Fayetteville.
Worlds Under Water
2105B Creekview
Johnson, AR 72741
(479) 521-7258