Mexican restaurant to replace Scotty's

Ruben Quesada wants you to try his wife's cooking. Really.

"Oh, my goodness, believe me, I don't get tired of it," Quesada said last week.

His wife, Gracie, and her sisters are from Mexico, and Quesada has been eating their food for years. The family recently relocated to Southeast Missouri from Southern California.

And now you'll get your chance to try his wife's cooking. Gracie and her sisters plan to open Muy Bueno -- Spanish for "very good" -- by the end of the month in the former spot of Scotty's Pizza, which is closing at the Town Plaza.

The new Mexican restaurant at 2007 Independence St. will feature dine-in, carry-out and deliveries. The interior will seat as many as 30. The relatively small menu -- "They don't want it to get too big," Quesada explains -- will include meals made from scratch, including tacos, tamales, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, etc.

The sisters have been doing a last-minute tune-up on their culinary skills at county fairs in the region.

And there's a fourth sister who cooks better than the other three, Quesada said.

"They're all good cooks," he said. "But, man, she puts the others to shame."

* Not so Rowdy: For a restaurant of this size and in this prominent of a location, this sets a record.

A week ago, Rowdy's owner Mark VanMatre closed up the sports pub and grill and put the building on the market for sale. This comes just two months after VanMatre decided to switch from Krieger's Hometown Sports Grill, a chain, into his own hometown concept.

I couldn't reach VanMatre, but real-estate agent Cynthia Austin tells me that VanMatre decided to get out of the restaurant business entirely.

"If the building doesn't sell in short order, he has some plans for doing something else with the building," she said. Short order is probably 30 to 60 days, she said.

The listing price for the 5,512-square-foot building at 2406 William St. is $1.3 million.

Did Krieger's have a problem with the new concept being too similar to their own? I'm checking for details.

* Popeye's construction starts: Midamerica Hotels has started on the new Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits, which will be between Olive Garden and Panera Bread on William Street.

Midamerica owns the restaurant and is building it and operating it, said Bob Hahn, vice president of development. The new restaurant is expected to open in late November, he said.

More than 1,800 Popeye's restaurants are in operation in 27 countries. The new Popeye's will have a drive-through. Popeye's offers Cajun chicken along with traditional fried chicken.

The restaurant chain began in New Orleans in 1972. Founder Al Copeland named his business after Popeye Doyle, a character in the movie "The French Connection."

The first franchised Popeye's opened in Baton Rouge, La., in 1976.

* Stonie's Shop moving to new $1 million building: Apparently, business is smoking at Stonie's.

I know at least two people in the newsroom who drive to Perryville to buy sausage and other meat at Stonie's Shop. Business is so good, the smoked meats shop is building a new, 14,000-square-foot store that owner Roger Wibbenmeyer hopes to move into this month.

The shop has operated at its current location at 12 N. French Lane since Wibbenmeyer's grandfather Stanislaus Wibbenmeyer -- Stonie for short -- opened it in 1959. That building is about 3,000 square feet.

"We expanded in this location about nine years ago and we outgrew it almost immediately," he said. "We have way more business than we can do out of this building right now."

The business has been in the family for four generations. Now, Roger's son, Tyson, is also involved.

The new building will mean that they can expand several of their product offerings, including having a small dine-in area. The shop sells summer sausage, snack sticks, deli trays and all kinds of fresh and smoked meats. They also plan to expand their Internet sales.

* Renaissance celebrates five years in business: In September 2001, Sherry and Mike Yaeger rented a small storefront on Main Street in downtown Cape Girardeau and opened Renaissance. Sherry, a freelance artist and designer, envisioned a charming store overflowing with atmosphere, beautiful home dZcor accents, wonderful gifts and an outlet to sell her own original art and calligraphy.

Their customers will tell you that it has become that and more.

A few months later in 2002, the building on the corner of Broadway & Main Street became available. After renovating each store front, one by one, Renaissance is now what the owners hoped for. On Sept. 9 and 10, Renaissance will be celebrating its fifth year in business with a special event at their store.

Congratulations to the Yeagers.

* Caruthersville casino sold: The St. Louis Business Journal is reporting that F. Lance Callis, a Granite City lawyer who co-founded Argosy Gaming Co., has signed a definitive agreement Aug. 17 with Aztar Corp. to acquire Aztar's casino in Caruthersville, Mo. The Aug. 25 article said gaming insiders -- gamblers? -- estimate the purchase cost as much as $55 million.

* My Daddy's update: The soft opening of the new My Daddy's Cheesecake is set for early this week and the official grand opening date has been set for Sept. 25. The new store is at 265 S. Broadview St.

* New antique store: Premiere Antiques and Crafts has opened at 19 N. Main St. in the former site of Riverfront Antiques, which has moved next door. The store sells furniture, dishware, musical instruments and crafts, said owner Glenn Wilburn.

Scott Moyers is the business editor of the Southeast Missourian. Send your comments, business news, information or questions to "Biz Buzz," 301 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699, or e-mail them to smoyers@semissourian.com or call (573) 335-6611, extension 137.