E. Cape residents protest strip club at town meeting

~ Some town officials say they didn't know they were approving a business license for a strip club.

A strip club. It's coming to East Cape Girardeau, Ill., and no one wants to take the blame for it.

Ten residents expressed dissatisfaction to village council members at their decision to grant a business and liquor license to what will likely be a topless bar.

For their part, council members including owner of the Crackle, David Pearce, claimed to be previously ignorant of the new ownership's intentions for the club. "I had no idea what kind of business he was going to put in," said Pearce. "But once you've made an agreement you can't deny someone what they want to do."

Pearce granted a two-year lease to Stephanie Capps of Paducah, Ky. Capps and her husband own several strip clubs including Stephanie's Cabaret in Cape Girardeau. The new owners plan to reopen the 60-year-old dining club as the Big Blue Martini.

Pearce said having the establishment shuttered was "bleeding me and me family dry," costing him between $6,000 and $10,000 monthly. Pearce made assurances to concerned citizens that the new occupants will "keep it low key," and said "you won't even know it's there."

At least one councilman, Rick Smith, admitted that he did not understand during the March 14 vote that the Crackle would reopen as a strip club. "I found out after the fact what was going to take place," he said. "I actually heard about it on the news."

The liquor and business licenses were approved unanimously by the council.

Some residents aren't impressed. Community spokesman Brian Winans of McClure made a personal and emotional appeal to council members to consider their actions. He reminded them of their roles in his own childhood development and encouraged them to do whatever possible to block the club from coming.

"You have to ask yourself this," he said. "If your baby boy or your baby girl grew up to land a job at the Blue Martini lounge would you wish you had chosen morals or money?"

Winans cited news reports showing strip clubs are a "breeding ground for corruption." He also pointed out that incidents of drug use, prostitution and other crimes are often prevalent in communities that embrace adult entertainment.

East Cape Girardeau Mayor Joe Aden said that, because the two-year lease has already been signed, the council has no recourse to prevent the club from moving in. He said officials will watch the club's influence closely and warned protesters that businesses of this sort are what keep taxes low. "In a small community every business that goes out hurts our revenue," he said. "We have never raised taxes since 1975 when we were incorporated."

Pearce said those who long for the good old days need to update their views. "It's not like the times of the supper club," he said. "You can't do a supper club any more; there are too many other restaurants competing. Those days are gone."

Kenny Merriman of McClure said he and other residents still plan to protest the club the old fashioned way; through prayer. "My personal opinion is that sanctions are not the way to go because those can be reversed," he said. "But when you go to the throne of God no one can reverse that."

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245