Downtown Cape prepares for Friday's open house

Old Town Cape is partnering with several downtown Cape Girardeau retailers for the annual Christmas open house from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday.

In addition to special store events, Old Town Cape will be offering free horse carriage rides, Christmas caroling, free photos with Santa and free activities for children in Santa's Workshop. Consumers can also be entered in a drawing to win a $1,500 downtown shopping spree.

Nicholle Hinkle, project manager for Old Town Cape, said that before the Christmas open house began in 2007, there were no holiday events specific to the downtown.

"The Christmas open house was started to bring more holiday traffic to the downtown area," she said. "It brings people to the stores the night of the event, and also in the weeks following for more shopping. Each store will have different specials and games to involve the customers."

For participants interested in the $1,500 shopping spree, an entry form must be completed at either Hutson's Fine Furniture, at 116 N. Main St., or at 208 Independence St., which is the storefront between Top of the Line Athletics and Four Aces Tattoos. Shoppers will be given a ticket packet and must submit at least one ticket into a Christmas box at one of the participating downtown retailers. One ticket will count as one chance to win. Participants can drop off all of their tickets at each participating retailer for more chances to win.

The retailers with participating Christmas boxes are Annie Em's Antiques and Gifts, Brown's Shoe Fit Co., Hutson's Fine Furniture, Jayson Jewelers, Kids Bazaar, Renaissance, Somewhere in Time Antiques, Zickfield's Jewelers and Gifts, Top of the Line Athletics, The Tarnished Buckle, Buckner Brewing Co., Lang Jewelers, Pastimes Antiques, eDen Spa and Salon, Bilderback Art Plaza and C.P. McGinty Jewelers.

Paula Haas, owner of Somewhere in Time Antiques, will be offering sales throughout her store.

"We will have several different specials going on, including 10 percent off the purchase of a gift certificate," Haas said.

C.P. McGinty Jewelers will have sales, too, as well as treats for holiday shoppers.

"Probably our biggest sale will be the 35 percent off of diamond stud earrings," said Rachael Hagan, sales associate at C.P. McGinty Jewelers.

Free photos with Santa and Santa's Workshop will be in the storefront next to Brown's Shoe Fit Co., and the free horse carriage rides will begin at the northeast corner of Spanish and Independence streets.

In addition to Old Town Cape, sponsors for the downtown open house include Drury Southwest, Rhodes 101 Convenience Stores and Regions Bank.

For more information, call Old Town Cape at 334-8085.

Pertinent address:

418 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

116 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, MO

208 Independence St., Cape Girardeau MO