Gear-heads shift to downtown for annual car show

Terry Noffsinger of Mayfield, Ky., put the finishing touches on his 1980 Chevrolet Corvette 350 L-82 Sunday at the 30th annual River City Rodders car show in downtown Cape Girardeau. More than 150 cars and trucks were entered in the show that was co-sponsored by Old Town Cape. (Fred Lynch) [Click to enlarge]

Low riders and muscle cars filled the parking lot at the south end of Main Street on Sunday in Cape Girardeau. Each one was shined up and waiting for a prize in the River City Rodders 30th annual car show.

The show was moved downtown this year in an attempt to bring people to the area and increase awareness and patronage of Main Street businesses. It brought more than 200 cars and drivers and many more car enthusiasts.

Some people like the paint jobs, some said they like the craftsmanship and most said they just like to meet people.

"It's just a nice thing to do on a weekend," said Ron Martin of Jackson. He was sitting between his son's two Ford Mustangs -- one a black 2003 and the other a vintage burgundy 1966 GT.

Martin's son, Landon Martin, bought the 1966 Mustang when he was in high school and restored it using money from mowing lawns, his father said.

Martin, though not a mechanic by trade, calls himself a "gear-head." He recently joined the River City Rodders and was a judge in Sunday's show. He judged the Mustangs.

"We didn't have many cars here, but the cars that are here are real high quality," Landon Martin said about the Ford muscle cars.

The cars filled the parking lot across from Hutson's Fine Furniture and lined the street in front of it. The people drawn downtown wandered through the antique shops and filled the restaurants on Main Street.

"We're getting a lot more people walking by," said Kevin Schearf, owner of Riverfront Antique Mall.

His store, and many others on the strip, usually open on Sundays, but he opened early for the Car Show. Schearf said there were more people downtown, but not more customers.

He said most were just lookers, but that was still a good thing.

"The more we have down here, the more people you get," he said. Events downtown are important "so people can see what we're about."

Schearf said taking the car show downtown was a good move.

"[It is] better than the park because there you go to the car show and then you leave," he said. But downtown, "They come down here and they think, 'Oh this is neat,' and then they come back."

The River Explorer was docked at the base of Themis Street for people to board and tour.

"Today's a whole different ballgame," said Barry Robinson, proprietor at Cup 'N' Cork on Main Street.

He said more events like the car show or the barbecue festival need to be held downtown.

"The heart of this city is on Main Street," he said. "Bring it downtown, that's where it belongs."

Cup 'N' Cork is normally open on Sundays, but Robinson said he saw an increase in traffic through the cafe.

charris@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246