Cream Castle closes after almost 60 years as Sikeston staple

SIKESTON, Mo. -- For almost 60 years, Cream Castle has been a Sikeston staple, serving barbecue, hamburgers, chocolate shakes and other tasty foods to the many who visited the restaurant.

On Sept. 29, Cream Castle closed its doors for the last time.

"It was a hard decision to make," owner Ray McCord said. "I enjoy my customers and enjoy fixing food for them. I've seen three generations of people come through. Their children and now their children's children."

Cream Castle opened in 1959, built by Jimmy Farrell. Ten months later, McCord's father bought the business, and he went to work for his dad. He left the business for several years after going to college and getting his insurance license, working in St. Louis for about five years.

"A spot opened up to manage [Cream Castle], and I was getting ready to have to transfer to Galveston (Texas) and I thought, 'Well, we'll go ahead and try it and see.' I'm still trying to see if I'm going to like it," McCord said with a laugh.

While McCord was trying to see whether he liked it, many Sikeston residents already had given their approval.

Not only did people like the food, but Cream Castle was in a prime spot as teenagers would make "the loop" on weekends, traveling Malone Avenue in Sikeston, circling Cream Castle at one end and The War Drum at the other.

"Gas was cheap then," McCord said. "Guys would pile in the car and all throw in a quarter for gas and drive all night long. The girls, they would park in the back row and talk."

After 45 years working at Cream Castle, McCord still was going strong but started to feel like he was missing things with his family and church.

"I've been thinking about [retirement] a little bit for a year or two," McCord said. "One of the things that really got me thinking about it was, I had a grandson wrestling in state up in Columbia, and it wasn't where I could get free to go.

"My wife's had to go to a lot of things by herself over the years, and there are things at church that I haven't been able to do that I wanted to do but didn't have time or was too tired when I got home. Twelve-hour days are hard on an old man."

After praying about it, McCord came to the decision it was time to close the doors and retire, although he joked his retirement could be short-lived.

"I'm giving myself six months. My wife may say, 'Go out and get you a job somewhere and get out of my hair,'" McCord joked.

While he is planning on enjoying retirement, he knows he will miss business and the people who ate there as much as they will miss pulling up and ordering a barbecue or a shake.

"There are lots of sweet people around here," McCord said. "I made lots of good friends over the years."

Pertinent address:

801 W. Malone Ave., Sikeston, Mo.