A taste of Scott County

A visit to the two newest cafes in northern Scott County could be a delightful trip for the tastebuds and a time to remember the region's history.

Marsha and Kevin Hillemann of Scott City have converted a former drug store into the Illmo Bakery and Café in the Old Illmo section of town. In Kelso, the former Farmers and Merchants Bank has been transformed into the Cappuccino Cafe.

Both businesses opened during 2004.

The Illmo Bakery got it's start from a catering business run from the Hillemann's home. The Log Cabin Bakery offered about 20 menu items and word of mouth kept Marsha Hillemann busy baking breads, cakes, brownies and cinnamon rolls.

"If someone had not put the idea into our heads of opening a business in town, we would probably have just kept on with the way things were," she said.

But they didn't. And the Hillemanns didn't want just a bakery, they wanted to offer hot lunches too, but weren't sure that they would get the customer support necessary. Yet word of mouth keeps bringing in groups from Perryville, Sikeston and even St. Louis.

Hillemann said locals in the area remember coming into the drug store, which opened in 1915, for a vanilla coke or ice cream soda. Original showcases for the food and the wooden ice cream stand bring back memories for many.

"We've tried to keep it nostalgic," she said.

But the Cappuccino Cafe's barely looks like the bank it once was. For 42 years the building was a grocery store and later became a woodworking shop.

After his father's death Ressel wanted to open an ice cream shop in the building where his father used to operate a business.

After a major investment and plenty of talk about town, the combination ice cream parlor, coffee shop, antique store and art gallery opened.

Ressel has tried to maintain the interior of the building as it originally appeared. The elder Ressel had taken good care of the facility over the years and the original tin ceiling was in good shape and has been beautifully restored. The bank vault now houses historic photos of the area. Crafts, along with antiques and collectibles, are for sale in the front of the building. The rear of the store houses the ice cream and cappuccino shop. Hot lunch selections also are available.

The Ressels also own the Kelso Cottage which they rent out to visitors to the area.

businesstoday@semissourian.com