The Butcher Block opening in old Esicar's location

The historic Esicar's Old Hickory Smokehouse on Kingshighway is being transformed into a new meat shop: The Butcher Block. Peter Whisnant, who recently purchased the building, has been transforming the interior of the building, which was damaged in a fire.

Whisnant wanted to give it a new modern look while keeping the building's traditions.

"We're going to do it the way they did it 100 years ago," Whisnant said. "We will only feature choice and prime beef and pork and everything will be cut to order instead of like you see it in the grocery store." Hams and sausages will also be available.

The Butcher Block will offer 205 different seasonings, marinades and sauces, and more than 30 types of charcoal and wood to cook and smoke meats with. The store will offer fresh deli sandwiches on homemade bread. In the winter months, chili and kettle beef will be sold by the cup.

Whisnant also owns Fruitland American Meat, but saw Cape Girardeau as an ideal market for a new store with a different twist.

In addition to meats, the Butcher Block will also sell craft beers, local wines and more than 40 varieties of cheese.

A grand opening is planned for Friday. The store, 1157 N. Kingshighway, will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

* For women who are thinking of starting a business, or women who currently own or support a business, the Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will host the Women Inspiring eNtrepreneurship (WIN!) Women's Night Out from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Nov. 15 in the Atrium at the River Campus. The event is part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, and will feature Tracy DeGraaf as the keynote speaker.

DeGraaf is an author, speaker, humorist, stand-up comedian, entrepreneur, and mother of five who has inspired people to make the best of every situation, no matter what. She has been trained at The Second City in Chicago, and has been called "The Queen of Mom Comedy" when performing stand-up. DeGraaf is a small-business owner and has years of experience as a top manager in the direct selling industry. Her dynamic and entertaining presentations bring a positive and inspirational message to each audience. She encourages people everywhere to embrace life's rewards and life's challenges with a hope-filled perspective. Cost is $10 and people may register online at www.semo.edu/rl/win!/index.asp. For more information about WIN! events, contact Dr. Erin Fluegge Woolf at 573-651-2090 or erfluegge@semo.edu.

* Old Town Cape's annual Christmas ornament this year will feature a Mississippi Riverboat. The 2012 ornament is a limited edition, numbered piece produced by Hestia and is the 16th in a series. The Mississippi River is one of the defining characteristics of downtown and is a point of interest in the Old Town Cape district. "The riverboats have played a significant role in our history and with them returning to Cape Girardeau this year, we felt it was appropriate to honor them," said Marla Mills, executive director of Old Town Cape. Other ornaments available for sale include: The Hutson's Christmas Window, The Schultz School, The Glenn House, The River Campus, Port Cape Girardeau, The Red House, The Marquette Hotel, Old Lorimier School, Old St. Vincent's Church and a Millenium depiction (fireworks over Old Town Cape). Ornaments that are no longer available for sale include: the Clock and Courthouse, Academic Hall, the Old Mississippi Bridge, the Emerson Bridge and the Southeast Missourian Building. Businesses selling the ornaments include Jayson Jewelers, the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, Zickfield's Jewelers, Knaup Floral, C.P. McGinty Jewelers, Bob's Shoe Service, Shivelbine's Music, Pastimes Antiques, Hutson's Fine Furniture, Renaissance and Old Town Cape. Funds raised from the sale of these ornaments go to help support Old Town Cape's downtown revitilization efforts. For more information about the ornaments, call Old Town Cape at 573-334-8085.

* The Cateye Glasses Studio is now open at 401 N, Clark St. in Cape Girardeau. Owner Rosetta Whitten has a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Southeast Missouri State University specalizing in sculpture and several years of experience teaching art and craft classes to children and adults. The studio offers weekly art classes for children, adult art workshops, Parents Night Out, Make It-Take It Saturdays and parties for birthdays and holidays. The studio will celebrate its first First Friday art exhibition with "Devoted Transients," a show that highlights the process of making art. It features work by Charles Cohan and William H. Thielen. "Through the interaction of printmaking and painting, this group show allows the viewer to see and understand how artists thrive off their surroundings as well as each other," Whitten said. For more information, like the Cateye Glasses Studio on Facebook.

* D-Rail's Bar-b-que has opened at 3184 N. High Street in Jackson, next door to Hubble Creek Antiques. D-Rail's, owned by Darrell White, offers pulled pork, hamburgers, nachos and more featuring their homemade barbeque sauce. It is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

* SoutheastHEALTH has received a Certificate of Achievement from Sodexo, a leading provider of integrated food and facilities management services, in recognition of the successful implementation of "Fresh Inspirations" dining improvements at Southeast Hospital's Shining Star Café.

* Southeast Hospital, nationally certified as a Primary Stroke Center, has received the Get With The Guidelines -- Stroke Silver Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association. The award recognizes Southeast's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted guidelines.

Southeast Missourian Business Editor Melissa Miller can be reached by email at mmiller@seissourian.com or by phone at 388-3646.