Plans for Meyer-Albert building announced in 1914

When it was announced in November 1913 that the Albert Grocer Co., one of the oldest wholesale businesses in Cape Girardeau, was being sold to a St. Louis firm, the new Meyer-Albert Grocer Co. promised the construction of a brand new building here.

That new building was to be located at 221 N. Water St., between the Riverview Hotel and the 5 1/2-story Union Mill. A small building housing a restaurant was to be "torn down or moved to make way" for the new structure. Once built, plans were to move the former Albert Grocer operation from its building at the corner of Water and Themis streets to the new location. The old building would continue to be used as a depot for boat traffic.

Walter S. Albert of Cape Girardeau and George A. Meyer of St. Louis quickly made good on their promises, and in February 1914 an artist's drawing of the new wholesale house was published in The Daily Republican newspaper.

Drawings such as these always fascinate me. I always wonder how closely the architect's vision is realized. So, I went hunting for a photograph that showed the building. Surprisingly, my choices were few. This image shows the Water Street side of the building some time after the disastrous fire of 1916 consumed the Riverview Hotel on the north side of Broadway. The Union Mill still towers over the neighborhood.

It's likely the artist's drawing is the Main Street view. This 1960 photo shows the edge of the building on the right.

In February 1989, I wrote a story for the Southeast Missourian that reviewed the history of the Meyer-Albert company:

One of the most important business happenings in Cape Girardeau in 1914 was the building of a new structure to house the Meyer-Albert (Wholesale) Grocer Company.

The George A. Meyer/Walter S. Albert partnership was new to the city. Meyer had purchased stock in the Albert firm the year before, but the new company didn't become official until Feb. 2, 1914.

Merger of the Meyer firm with the Albert company greatly increased Meyer's purchasing power. Meyer, who lived in St. Louis, held stock in several large wholesale companies in St. Louis, Hannibal, Columbia and Illinois.

By purchasing the Albert stock, Meyer for the first time extended his business into Southeast Missouri. He also benefited from the longevity of the Albert business and its good name.

The Albert firm, one of the longest running companies in Cape's history, was established in 1857 by a Mr. Hunt and John Albert. Albert apparently succeeded to this position with the firm after Robert Sturdivant dropped out of the commission business.

Soon after Hunt's death in January 1860, Sebastian Albert became a partner in the firm and it was renamed J. & S. Albert.

Sebastian Albert bought his brother, John, out in 1877 and the firm became S. Albert Grocer Co.; it was incorporated in 1892.

(Sebastian died in 1895 and his son, Walter, took over the reins of the business. He, in turn, took Meyer as his partner in 1913.)

Early in 1914, with the ink still wet on the incorporation papers, Meyer-Albert began building its new, fireproof grocery house.

It was located on the waterfront, across from the Frisco passenger station, and immediately north of the Riverview Hotel. It extended from Main Street to Water Street.

Meyer-Albert moved into the "magnificent, new building" in April of 1914, the stock of merchandise being moved from the old building further south on the levee.

It was described as the "most modern grocery house and largest wholesale establishment in Missouri south of St. Louis."

Meyer-Albert continued to expand, acquiring several other wholesale grocery operations over the years, including Cape City Grocer Co. (1918) and Goddard Grocer Co. (1939).

At the height of its activity, the firm was one of the largest wholesale food houses between St. Louis and Memphis, and supplied groceries to stores throughout Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas.

The corporation was finally dissolved in 1958.

The Meyer-Albert building didn't survive much longer than the company. In 1960 a group of business men, including R.E.L Lamkin and Martin Hecht, purchased Meyer-Albert, as well as the Brune Cleaners building and the old Union Mill, 212 N. Main St., and an adjacent lot; the Hutson Furniture Co. Exchange store, 200 N. Main St.; the Town Pump, 12 Broadway, and the Buckner-Ragsdale Store parking lot at the northwest corner of Broadway and Water Street.

All the structures were eventually torn down, and Downtown Parking, Inc., constructed a 225-car parking lot on the site.

Here is a blog about Downtown Parking, Inc. by Fred Lynch:

Downtown Parking, Inc.