STRICTLY BUSINESS: NO MORE `CHANCES' FOR OLD SALOON

It was the First Chance coming into town, and the Last Chance going out.

Somewhere in history it was called Second Chance.

Now, chances have run out for a landmark Cape Girardeau building at the corner of Broadway and Pacific.

The building, which stands on ground originally owned by the Spanish commandant of the area, Don Louis Lorimier, and most recently served as the site of the High Water Cafe, a tea and coffee shop, is being torn down.

The historic building, which housed a bar or tavern for more than 100 of its 120 years, was known simply as the former "Last Chance" bar.

Different stories put the construction date of the building at 1850 and 1870, but both stories agree that it was erected by F.C. Krueger, who operated a general store in the corner (east) room of the building, and later opened a saloon in the west side of the building. He called it the "Last Chance-First Chance."

On entering Cape Girardeau from the west, a sign on the building read "First Chance" and on leaving, the sign read "Last Chance."

Oscar Becker operated a tavern at the site for more than 45 years.

Becker obtained the property in 1910, and kept it until 1947, when he sold to Tony Wulfers.

The site of the building gave it its "Chance" name.

When the building was built, Pacific Street was the city limit and the road in front of the saloon was a narrow, dirt pike called Harmony in the city and Jackson Road beyond Pacific.

The saloon was the "last chance" to have a drink before taking the Jackson Road to Jackson. And the saloon also was the "first chance" to get a drink before entering Cape Girardeau on Harmony Street.

In later years it was operated as a restaurant, pizza house and again as a tavern, this time bearing the name "Second Chance."

The two-story brick structure remained unchanged for more than a century. But in 1978, board siding was used to cover the old bricks on the first level to give it a rustic look.

The exterior as it was originally was a typical example of German-European architecture prevalent in Cape Girardeau after Germans migrated to the area.

The Kruegers purchased the site from the Don Louis Lorimier estate, and in 1850 (or 1870), Krueger erected the brick building.

As the story goes, the grocery store in the east room of the building was eventually converted into a residence. The upstairs of the house was rented to students who attended Southeast Missouri State University, then known as the Normal School.

New on business scene

Rogers Jewelers has opened its 40th retail store in West Park Mall at Cape Girardeau.

The parent company, Rogers Ltd. Inc., headquartered in Middletown, Ohio, operates Andrews Jewelers and Diamonds Unlimited stores.

Four of the five new Rogers Jewelers stores opening this fall are in Missouri, three of them in the St. Louis area.

Steve Osman, who recently moved to Cape Girardeau, is manager of the new store here. Osman, a Diamond Council of America diamond specialist, has more than 10 years experience in the jewelry industry.

Rogers was founded more than 70 years ago, in 1920, in Ohio, and continues to be a family-owned business. It is the 18th largest jewelry company in the United States.

Jeffrey Lazarow is president and chief executive officer of Rogers Ltd., which has been recognized as one of the top 100 businesses in the Cincinnati metropolitan area.

The store is observing its grand opening through Saturday. One of the grand-opening promotions will be a $1,000 shopping spree.

Jason Brown has been working with cars since he was a teen-ager.

"I started detailing cars when I was 15," said Brown, a native Illinoisan who recently opened Ziebart Tidy Car Center in Cape Girardeau. "I worked as an auto mechanic while attending Southern Illinois University at Carbondale."

Brown had completed Ziebart's technical and management training prior to opening the business at 1444 Independence last month.

Jamal Smith, of Carbondale, Ill., has also received certification by Ziebart, which is headquartered in Troy, Mich.

"Everyone who works here will eventually become certified," Brown said.

Ziebart Tidy Car offers a number of services, both individual and commercial.

"We offer total rust protection, detailing of cars, window tinting, special trimming and vehicle alarms," he said.

Ziebart, which has more than 700 stores worldwide, 350 in North America, developed a process for auto undercoating and rust proofing in 1959.

"That, and detailing, represents a big part of our business," Brown said.

Detailing includes complete reconditioning of vehicles, inside and out, restoring them as "close to storeroom condition as possible."

The business is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Brangus Feed Lot Family Steakhouse opened in Cape Girardeau recently.

The new steak-house restaurant, 2123 Broadway, is owned by Curt Bowers of Peach Orchard, Ark., and Barry Sullivan of Pocahontas, Ark.

David Nickerson, formerly of Jonesboro, Ark., is manager of the restaurant.

Restaurant hours are Sunday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Casino boat notes

The Players International riverboat gambling casino averaged more than 4,000 visitors a day in September.

The Illinois Gaming Board's monthly riverboat casino report said the Metropolis-based facility had 110,558 visitors in September for an average of 4,005 a day.

Metropolis received $428,307 in revenues from Players, and the state received $1,063,806.

The state received a total of $14 million in August as its share of revenues from its nine riverboat casinos.

East St. Louis Casino Queen and Joliet Empress continue to rank Nos. 1 and 2 in attracting visitors. A total of 364,790 visitors boarded the Casino Queen, for an average of 12,614 a day, and 275,136 visited the Empress for an average of 9,640 per day.

The Alton Belle attracted 7,653 visitors, for an average of 7,653 per day.

Statewide, 1.8 million visitors boarded the nine riverboat casinos in August.

According to Illinois Gaming Commission reports, the Casino Queen reported top payouts during the quarter in $5 slots. The Queen quarter slots paid out 92.87 percent, while the $5 slots paid 94.25 percent.

The Queen was second in $1 slot payoffs, at 94.91 percent. Heading the payout list was the Joliet North Star, at 94.95, 1 percentage point ahead of the Alton Belle II, at 95.04.

Metropolis payouts were just under 92 percent for $1 and $5 slots, and at 89.4 on quarter machines.

CARUTHERSVILLE -- Construction is under way on the $40 million Casino Aztar complex at Caruthersville.

Groundbreaking for the land-based pavilion was held last week.

The complex will consist of a two-level, 40,000-square-foot pavilion, which will house boarding facilities for the riverboat, food and beverage facilities and Aztar corporate offices.

The facility will also include parking for 1,000 vehicles and docking facilities for a 600-passenger casino riverboat.

Aztar Vice President Fritz Johnson said Aztar would be in operation next spring, regardless of the outcome of Amendment 6, which is on the ballot for the Nov. 8 election.

Approval of the amendment would allow games of chance, including slot machines, on riverboat gambling casinos.

Aztar has already applied to the Missouri Gaming Commission for a riverboat gaming license.

WILSON, Ark. -- Arkansas voters will decide on a gambling proposal in November.

Amendment 5, on the Nov. 8 ballot, would create an Arkansas Casino Gaming Commission and permit Michael E. Wilson and his partners to build a Harrah's casino and resort in a soybean field in West Memphis.

Wilson, 52, is among the largest landowners in Mississippi County in Arkansas and Wilson companies are major employers. Like his father before him, he is mayor of Wilson, population 1,068.

Golf legend and course designer Jack Nicklaus has announced that he will design a course at the resort if voters pass the proposal.