FIRE DESTROYS RIGGS

SIKESTON -- Every day for 41 years John Southern went to work, eager to chat with his customers and help them with any dilemma they might encounter. But early Saturday, the retired manager at Riggs Wholesale Co. watched helplessly as flames destroyed a large part of his past.

Efforts from seven area fire departments proved futile when a fire razed the building supply and hardware business at 380 N. West St.

No one was injured.

By the time Sikeston Department of Public Safety received the emergency dispatch at about 3 a.m. the building was engulfed in flames. Investigations into the fire's origin continue.

Firefighters from Cape Girardeau, Charleston, Dexter, Morehouse, Miner and Vanduser pitched in to fight the blaze.

Fire Capt. Drew Juden said the fire was called under control about 11 a.m. He was still at the fire scene Saturday evening.

"My daughter called me at 3:40 a.m.," said Southern, who retired from Riggs Dec. 31. "We went out there. I couldn't believe it, you could see the flames coming out. I stayed out there for four or five hours. It was disturbing and heart-wrenching."

The company, which originated in Sikeston 50 years ago, moved from its first site at Main and Malone to larger quarters on North West Street in May 1962. It then successfully expanded into wholesale operations.

Today, there are Riggs' outlets at Kennett and Poplar Bluff in Missouri, Dyersburg and West Memphis in Tennessee and Paragould, Jonesboro and Blytheville in Arkansas.

"Never in the whole time Riggs has been here has there even been anything like this to happen," Southern said. "It really affects you."

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say there have been thousands of people coming and going from Riggs over the years, Southern said. Not only has the family-owned building supply and hardware business been popular with customers, but retained a loyal staff.

The manager and assistant manager have been there more than 30 years, and several more people have been there for at least 20, Southern said. "It's just a nice place to work."

Herbert Kitchen got the call early Saturday morning. It was the Sikeston Department of Public Safety.

"I was there in five minutes," said Kitchen, who took Southern's position as a manager. He, too, has a long history with Riggs and has worked there since 1965.

"I was just a 20-year-old whippersnapper at that time," he said. "I've got a big knot in the pit of my stomach. When you leave at 5:30 p.m. the day before and everything's fine, you don't have anything like this on your mind."