Willy Jak's turning into pizzeria, game room

Say goodbye to Willy and hello to Nick.

For the past several weeks, Willy Jak's owner Robert LaGore has been busy remodeling his downtown restaurant and nightclub so he can reopen it in a couple of weeks as Nick's Family Sports Pub, a unique pizzeria and game room.

The new business will feature 10 pool tables, four dartboards, 14 TVs as well as pizzas with names like chicken florentine, BBQ chicken and Hawaiian sunset. LaGore said he is planning to open the new business the week of Dec. 9, though the game room portion is already open.

Willy Jak's is at 1 N. Main, with entrances from Main and Spanish streets.

Business was good at the restaurant, but the nightclub wasn't doing so well, said LaGore, the Metropolis, Ill., resident who is also part-owner of several restaurants, including ones in Evansville, Ind., and Paducah, Ky.

"The nightclub never went over," he said. "The restaurant did pretty well. But we were looking to go in a different direction."

The idea for Nick's -- named for the son of one of LaGore's partners -- began a year ago, when they opened a Nick's in Evansville. The son-in-law of an owner of another popular pizza place in Evansville also came on board, bringing with him pizza recipes perfected over nearly 40 years.

The Main Street entrance to Nick's will be the restaurant side, where kids can play video games while grown-ups order peel-and-eat shrimp, chicken wings, a sandwich or a shake.

Decorations will include sports uniforms of all the area schools. A party room will hold up to 50 people for birthdays, etc.

What LaGore calls the rec room will be on the Spanish Street side, where you have to be 18 years of age or older, unless you are accompanied by an adult. It's there where you will find the pool tables, dartboards, 21-foot shuffleboard and a free indoor basketball goal that looks to be regulation size.

The expansion will require LaGore to up his workforce from 25 to about 70.

"We're hoping this will be a nice family place," he said. "We want it to be a fun place to come."

Those who loved the burgers at Willy Jak's shouldn't worry. LaGore said they will still offer All-American cheeseburgers.

Everything's waiting for you

Cape Girardeau's downtown businesses -- including the Southeast Missourian -- are sponsoring a Downtown Christmas Open House from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday.

Twenty-four of the downtown merchants are opening early and staying late. There will be Christmas carolers in the street and in some businesses, along with refreshments, pictures with Santa, buggy rides, portrait drawings and door prizes.

The downtown businesses are even offering a $2,000 shopping spree. People can enter the drawing by picking up an entry sheet at any of the participating businesses and having it stamped at 12 of the 24 merchants and depositing it in any entry box. People can enter through 5 p.m. Saturday, and no purchase is necessary.

The drawing will be held at the Main Street Clock at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 9. Winners not in attendance will be contacted by phone. The $2,000 will be redeemable at any of the downtown stores participating.

Hey, Mommy

Peggy Epps has a young daughter who constantly is saying "Hey, Mommy."

That's why when Epps decided to open a crafts store/consignment shop at 403 Broadway, she decided to name it something she was used to hearing.

Hey Mommy opened Saturday, and Epps -- a former guard at the Cape Girardeau County Jail -- says it features homemade crafts such as baby quilts, antiques and collectibles, pet crafts, home-baked goods and even homemade "playdough."

Epps said she is trying to steer away from clothing, but said if people want her to sell it, she will. (A consignment store is a business where people wanting to sell things bring them in and people like Epps sells them for a percentage.)

"It's going to be a great place to find really nice gifts for friends and family," she said.

She said she's even working on setting up an online store.

Chamber of secrets

Quickly, here are some dates the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce would like you to keep in mind.

Leadership Cape applications are due back by Dec. 13. Tuition is $425 for the seven-month program. Our own Heidi Hall, who took the course a while back, raves about it. Of course, she's always raving about something.

The Holiday of Lights applications are due back by Dec. 6. They can be accessed at the chamber's Web site at www.capechamber.com or at the chamber office.

Educator of the Year nominations are due by Dec. 13. Applications can be obtained at all the area schools, at the Web site or at the chamber office. The winner is announced in early April, and the dinner is in May.

The annual chamber dinner is Jan. 31. Award nominations for the Small Business of the Year Award are due Dec. 23.

Quickly

I mentioned last week that Cape Girardeau lawyer Malcolm Montgomery was opening a new office downtown. I also should have mentioned that his former partners, lawyers Gerald Johnson and Michael Maguire, can still be found at 234 N. Sprigg. Their firm specializes in criminal and family law and worker's comp issues.

You should check out the mural that was recently painted on CRS Gas Station on Main Street near the corner of Mason Street. It's really neat and depicts antique cars, including a 1938 Ford that used to be a Cape Girardeau police car.

There is a large contingent of people around here who just love White Castle. I get calls all the time from people who have heard that a White Castle is coming. (It's mostly wishful thinking.) But I got a fun letter last week from a lady who is serious. She even said she'd be willing to start a group called "Baby Boomers for Belly Bombers." I think the good people at White Castle would take a group like that seriously, don't you?

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