Former Mississippi Mudhouse gets in groove as Pitter's Cafe and Lounge

A familiar face on Broadway has changed its name and make-up.

The Mississippi Mud House is now Pitter's Cafe and Lounge, and it will be hosting bands and serving food and drinks with an eclectic touch.

Much of the decor from the Mudhouse days remains, but the new mentality at Pitter's is one of variety and special offerings, not only with the food and drink, but with choices for entertainment as well.

Pitter's will hold its grand opening today, showcasing Aaron Kamm and the One Drops, a reggae band from St. Louis. Local group Doobie Derby Band will open for them.

Aaron Kamm and the One Drops has roots in reggae style infused with Mississippi River blues that is an easy groove for anyone to enjoy. The three-piece group includes Sean Raila on drums, Andy Lee Dorris on bass and Aaron Kamm on guitar and vocals.

The band has two albums to its credit, "Gnu-Gnu" and "Grow."

"They've got a pretty good following on campus, and we've been handing out CDs for a while," said Timexx Seabaugh, co-owner of Pitter's Cafe and Lounge. "We hope to see a decent crowd out to support these great guys."

Seabaugh said the owners sat down last spring and decided to transition into a cafe and lounge instead of a coffee shop.

"The coffee shop thing just didn't seem to get it, and when we started serving alcohol, [customers] didn't realize we served alcohol, so we started all over from scratch," he said.

Renaming the venue Pitter's Cafe and Lounge was an easy choice for the family-owned business. Seabaugh co-owns the cafe with his brother J.J. Seabaugh. The name comes from their mother, whose father nicknamed her "Pitter." Pitter can be found with her boys, working at the cafe most days.

They changed the layout of the business over the summer, but the show today will be the official grand opening.

The Doobie Derby Band will start at 7 p.m., with Aaron Kamm and the One Drops following.

"Since we're a restaurant and not a bar, we do all ages shows," Seabaugh said.

Pitter's menu will change from week to week but will include homemade casseroles, soups, pasta dishes, pastries, desserts and, of course, coffee.

There is also a full bar and a full breakfast menu available all day.

"Some nights we may just close the kitchen but the bar stays open, but we normally have someone here who can cook all the time," Seabaugh said.

The Issac James Band will play at Pitter's Jan. 21. The band features Joel Ekman, formerly the drummer for Stone Sour. Bleed the Divine, a fairly new local band, will open.

"As we get bigger and bigger, we'll start bringing in tributes and national acts," Seabaugh said.

He said diversity is the key to its entertainment lineup.

"We have a punk show coming up, this reggae show coming up; just want to keep it rolling."

Pitter's is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Wednesday to Friday; and 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday.

Pertinent address:

811 Broadway, Cape Girardeau