NEW ON THE BUSINESS SCENE: WYMANS PURCHASE ROYAL N'ORLEANS

The Royal N'Orleans Restaurant, at Broadway and Lorimier in downtown Cape Girardeau, is under new ownership.

John and Jerrianne Wyman of Merriwether Investments Inc. started operating the restaurant Oct. 1.

The Wymans are only the third owner of the Royal N'Orleans Restaurant, established in the historic Old Opera House in the mid-1950s by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Barnhouse. Dennis Stockard acquired the property and restaurant in 1987.

The restaurant's business was interrupted in March 1990 when the building was heavily damage by fire.

Although termed a "total loss," the building was rebuilt and renovated to retain its 1860s exterior look, and was reopened in February 1991.

"The business will remain the same," said Jerrianne Wyman this week.

The Wymans also operate Mollies Cafe & Bar near the corner of Spanish and Independence and Bel Air Grill, 24 S. Spanish.

The Old Opera House was 122 years old when it was damaged by fire five years ago.

The historic building, constructed in 1868 by the German Turner Society, was the social center of Cape Girardeau for a number of years. It was the scene of parties, dances, weddings, minstrels, operas, wrestling and boxing matches.

In later years, a number of businesses called the Opera House home. The first issues of the Daily Republican were printed there in 1904 by the Naeter brothers, founders of the Southeast Missourian. In 1912, the building was purchased by Dr. C.E. Schuchert and Arthur Harrison and was operated as a theater and opera house. In the 1950s, the property was purchased by the now defunct First Federal Savings & Loan, which announced plans to raze the historic building for a parking lot.

The structure was saved when the late Richard Barnhouse purchased the building, restored it to its former grandeur and opened the Royal N' Orleans Restaurant.