TOMMY HILFIGER: NOTED DESIGNER TO VISIT HERE

Tommy Hilfiger has come a long way.

Less than a quarter-century ago, in 1970, Hilfiger had $150, 20 pairs of jeans and an idea.

Today, the name, "Tommy Hilfiger," is one of the most recognizable names in American sportswear.

He presides over one of the largest and most successful men's sportswear companies, "Tommy Hilfiger U.S.A. Inc.," with stores in New York City, Washington and Connecticut, and he is widely acclaimed as the leading American menswear designer of the 1990s.

Hilfiger will be in Cape Girardeau this week visiting Thorngate Ltd., a Division of Hart Schaffner & Marx, which produces his men's line. Hilfiger will tour the plant Friday.

Last year Hilfiger added a new domain to his designs, the "like-father-like-son" concept with clothing designed for the 8 to 20 crowd.

"My menswear line has been successful, and my stores asked for the same thing for boys," Hilfiger told one fashion writer. "The menswear line appeals to a lot of young guys, because it's young and fun loving."

Hilfiger also said he was looking into a 4 to 7 age classification for this fall.

"I think it would be fun eventually to do the whole gamut, from newborn to 99," he said. "But I would probably do baby as hip and cool."

Hilfiger added that his wife would like to design childrenswear.

"She is a designer and collects children's clothing from all over the world," said Hilfiger. "She has a wonderful sense of fashion and style."

Hilfiger's boys' collection is housed separately from the men's line.

Hilfiger became interested in designing in 1970. Within a decade, he had opened a chain of upstate New York retail stores, utilizing his unique design and merchandising format.

He moved to New York City in 1908, and four years later founded the company that now bears his name. Tommy Hilfiger U.S.A. Inc., is a $135 million public operation.

Married for 14 years, Hilfiger says he draws much of his inspiration for the new children's lines from his children.

The Hilfiger line is a popular one in Cape Girardeau.

Children's Bazaar and Boys' World carry the children's lines here, and Famous Barr has the men's line.

Nationally, the Hilfiger lines are found in Bloomingdale's, Macy's, Dayton Hudson, Burdine's, Federated and Dillard's, among others.

The new children's lines includes a "core" line of oxford shirts, public twill pants, sweaters, jeans and jeans jacket.

"These are the staples of the boys' line," said Hilfiger. "We view the boys' lines as we do the men's -- collegiate, classic, ivy league, preppy, all-American, but tilted at the same time."

Hilfiger plans four collections a year -- holiday, spring, summer and fall. Girls also are starting to buy Hilfiger's lines. "This, I suspect, is yet another sign of the modern times," said Hilfiger.

When Hilfiger first started making clothes, it was for the 20 to 30-something crowd.

"But the 14 to 18-year-old crowd started wearing them," he said. "Back then, you probably would see one of my shirts worn with a tie, khaki's and a navy blazer.

"I'd say that same holds true today. It's cool of these youngsters to be able to afford a designer line."

Papa Bear's Daiquiris & Grill opened today in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The new business, at the intersection of Main and Independence, will specialize in Cajun cuisine and frozen drinks.

Norman Swanner, a chef of 16 years, who operates two restaurants in Thibodeaux, La., and Dean St. Pierre of New Orleans are partners in the new bar and grill, which opens daily at 11 a.m.

"We'll offer a lunch menu from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, with a dinner menu from 5 to about 10 p.m.," said Swanner.

The menu will include a soup of the day, a variety of platters and "poor boy" sandwiches and salad specials.

"We also offer a variety of 40 flavors of frozen drinks," added Swanner.

The restaurant is equipped to seat 96 but can be expanded, Swanner said.

A new Dairy Queen/Brazier restaurant near the intersection of U.S. 61 N. and Interstate 55 opens today.

The new restaurant provides seating for about 100 persons and features a drive-through facility. The new business, which will provide jobs for 40 employees, also features an inside "Playland" for youngsters.

John Shaw and Rich Lucy, who recently completed a two-week management training course at Minneapolis-based International Dairy Queen Inc., will manage the new restaurant, which will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. today.

The menu will feature standard Dairy Queen dessert fare as well as hot foods. The new building here is fashioned after the nearby Bavarian Hall.

The new Dairy Queen operation is a development of Drury Southwest Inc., with Mike Jansen as project coordinator.

"It's a prototype building," said a Drury Southwest spokesman. "Dairy Queen has several different designs across the country, and this one is a new one. It has the Drury Southwest flavor."

The restaurant will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. The restaurant also features a special cake division.

The Brazier operation is one of three offered by Dairy Queen Inc.

"Eighty-six percent of our DQ operations are Brazier operations," said Sara Blasing, director of training at Minneapolis. "The Brazier format is a high-volume, full-service one for DQ products as well as a full line of fast-food products -- hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, fries, etc."

The company also offers plain Dairy Queens, for DQ desert products only, and a "limited Brazier," for DQ products and limited fast foods.

Dairy Queen was founded in 1940, and the Brazier concept was added in the late 1960s. There are more than 5,400 Dairy Queen operations in the United States, Canada and 21 other countries.

Stev-Mark has moved its West End store up the street.

"We moved to a larger building next door," said Mark Mueller, one of the owners of the business which includes sites in the West End and downtown Cape Girardeau. "We tripled our space."

Mark, who manages the William St. store, and Steve Mueller, manager of the downtown operation, purchased the paint, wallpaper and framing business from their father in 1972, 20 years after the business was founded as Cooley Paints by Val Mueller at 16 N. Spanish. The Muellers established the Town Plaza location in 1982.

"We'll maintain our downtown location," said Mark Mueller. "We still have an art gallery there, and our custom frames will be made there."

Mueller said the new 8,000-square-foot store at 2121 William will have a triple emphasis -- paint, wallcovering and art framing.

"Framing has been a strong point with us for a number of years," said Mueller. "This will enable people to see artwork on display in a gallery setting. It also helps customers select matting and frames for their prints."

Prints and framed art also are available.

"We're also boosting our inventory in both paints and wallpaper," added Mueller.

A grand opening of the new store is planned for next month.

The Dairy Queen restaurant at 913 Broadway has reopened under new ownership.

The restaurant, previously operated by Frank Bean, closed in December when leases expired on the building and the franchise.

New franchise operators are Robert and Trudy Peeler.

"The building has been completely remodeled inside, including all new equipment," said Peeler. "And, a drive-through facility has been added."

Hours for the restaurant are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

Bean continues to own and operate the Dairy Queen at 31 S. Kingshighway. The Broadway Dairy Queen opened 25 years ago.

Central Freight Lines Inc., headquartered at Waco, Texas is expanding its interstate system to Kansas and Missouri.

Terminals opened last week in seven new locations, including Sikeston.

Other new locations are Kansas City, Saline and Wichita, Kan., and Columbia, St. Louis and Springfield, Mo.

The Sikeston terminal is at 2012 Malone St. Stan Elfrink is terminal manager.

Central Freight Lines was founded in Waco in 1925. The company employs about 4,000 people and operates more than 7,000 trucks and trailers, providing service to more than 5,000 cities in eight states.

Central Freight is part of Roadway Services Inc.

Boat Noted:

Casino stocks continue to take a beating.

Casino shares -- large and small -- have nosed downward since the day Missouri voters rejected a state constitutional amendment that would have allowed slot machines on riverboat casinos.

The measure fell short by 1,261 votes out of more than a million cast, and such gambling giants as Promus, Boyd Gaming and Hilton Hotels, and smaller companies such as Argosy Gaming, President Riverboat Casinos, Station Casinos and Players International -- all of which have some ties to potential riverboat sites in Missouri -- saw their stocks dip.

Many casino shareholders saw their stocks fall by as much three to five points on April 5. Some casinos have continued to drop.

A month ago, Players International, with riverboat casinos at Metropolis, Ill., and Lake Charles, La., was coasting along at 23 1/2 to 25. The same stock was listed at 17 late last week, a drop of more than six points in a month. Players is looking at sites in the St. Louis area.

Boyd Gaming, headquartered in Las Vegas, was listed on the New York Exchange at 17 3/4 on March 7. The day after the election, it was listed at 13 1/2, and late last week was still holding at that mark. Boyd is planning Missouri operations at Kansas City, Cape Girardeau and the St. Louis area.

Promus, which has two Missouri projects planned, was listed at 47 a month ago, but watched its stock plummet to 32 late last week.

Many gambling industry optimists says the odds are good that Missouri voters will approve the measure when and if it is offered again. Missourians approved riverboat casinos 17 months earlier, with 1.4 million out of 2.4 million voters favored riverboat gambling.

But the Missouri Supreme Court balked at legalizing slot machines, ruling that the state's constitution prohibits games of chance. Amendment 3 would have lifted the state's ban on such games. Riverboats can open their facilities in Missouri, but would be limited to blackjack and poker.

Casino operators have taken a wait-and-see attitude. Slot machines account for about 65 percent of riverboat gambling revenues. Take that away, and not many boats will be floating.

As of late last week, no date had been established for a new Missouri vote.

Meanwhile, casino stocks are not the only ones on the down side. At one point last week, the Dow Jones average, NASDAQ and S&P 500 saw slight drops due mostly, said stock officials, to concern over rising interest rates.

A new Comfort Inn is under construction at Charleston.

The hotel, at the intersection of Interstate 57 and South Main St., is expected to be completed next month. Owners of the new are Hasu Patel and Ray Patel.