Cape Girardeau bourbon lounge opens to the public

Michelle Latham stands behind the bar of her new lounge, Bourbon+Bitters, on Broadway. The establishment features an expansive drinks menu and numerous seating areas.

Christopher Borro ~ cborro@semissourian.com

Insurance agent Michelle Latham had wanted to open a lounge for a few decades, thinking it a niche in the Southeast Missouri area needing to be filled. She achieved her goal when Bourbon+Bitters opened at 805 Broadway on Saturday, May 18.

Latham, the lounge’s owner, announced it in August. Bourbon+Bitters is the first business built in the former Broadway Theatre building, and Latham said it was her first choice for a location as she wanted to be part of something new bringing in more business downtown.

Her idea for a bourbon lounge in particular came about through sheer coincidence.

“My husband and I came out of a local establishment in January of 2023. It was wintertime, cold outside, 10:30 at night. There were some gentlemen sitting outside of this establishment on some wrought-iron furniture drinking bourbon, so at that point in time I had an epiphany and thought we really need an upscale bourbon lounge in Cape Girardeau,” she said.

Construction started in September and concluded shortly before the lounge opened. Latham had met with Brennon Todt, the building’s owner, in May 2023 and said he was excited by the prospect. Todt’s Todt Roofing Co. worked on the lounge, incorporating many of Latham’s design elements.

“There is no detail I didn’t touch in the place, and Todt ... they just did a phenomenal job. Everything I asked of them, they did it,” she said.

The lounge includes multiple seating areas, such as the bar, a dining area and a downstairs lounge with couches and chairs. Its menu is primarily drink-focused with a small plate menu coming out in the near future. Drinks include the eponymous bourbon, beer, gin, scotch, tequila, whiskey and wine.

Latham said many customers so far have been professionals, often middle-aged but sometimes younger.

Currently, Bourbon+Bitters has seven employees, though Latham said she is looking to hire more. The lounge is open from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays and from 3 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

For more information, visit www.bourbonandbitters.com.

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