HUTSON: WINDOW GIVES JOURNEY DOWN MEMORY LANE

HEREWE GO A-CAROLING...: The holiday window at Furniture Fair, 1 N. Main, above, has an "old-town" theme with carolers and other animated figures. Chris Hutson, left, helps put the annual tradition together. Other holiday windows this year include one at Sample Carpet and one at Broadway Medical. The Hutson Furniture window revives the Choo-Chew Grill that once operated in downtown Cape Girardeau. At right is a photograph of the grill with owners Maurelian "Skeeter" and Roy "Shorty" Northcraft, who operated the grill from 1949 to 1965. A train that circled the counter brought out food from the kitchen.

Charles Hutson has ordered up something special for Christmas this year.

When Hutson's Furniture unveils its holiday window display today, it will bring back memories of the "Fabulous Fifties," and the diners that made hamburgers America's favorite food.

"Our theme this year is Santa's Choo-Chew Grill," said Hutson, president of Hutson Furniture, 43 N. Main. "Its design is from a restaurant that was located on Good Hope during the 1950s and early 1960s.

"The Choo-Chew Grill was a unique restaurant," said Hutson.

"It was located at 608 Good Hope," he recalled. "I remember going there and ordering a hamburger and chili and having it delivered by a model train. The grill had a circular or horseshoe counter, and the train was used to serve the food."

Other downtown holiday exhibits will be featured at Furniture Fair, 1 N. Main; Sample Carpet, 17 N. Main, and Broadway Medical Equipment, 734 Broadway.

Christmas windows have become a tradition at Hutson Furniture.

"This is the 32nd year for the displays," said Hutson. "Many people tell us that viewing our window has become a part of their Thanksgiving holiday."

Of the 32 Christmas windows, only two have been "repeat" scenes. "We have come up with a new theme 30 times," said Hutson. "We enjoy doing the window each year. This one should be a `memory lane' for some people. We put a lot of detail in it."

One of the signs found in the exhibit "Sausage, Eggs, Fried Spuds, Coffee, 50-Cents" was taken from a photograph.

"What we did this year was elaborate on the Choo-Chew idea," said Hutson. "In the scene viewers will see Santa Claus and his elves sitting around the counter being served by a model train. Also added in the scene will be artists' sketches of a '55 Chevy, '57 Thunderbird, and an Edsel."

Hutson said this year's theme was something he had thought about for the past three or four years.

"This year we located a relative of the owner, acquired a picture and started our project," said Hutson. "We've been working on it for two or three months, obtaining a 1950s Coca Cola machine, a 50s juke box, and other things to put the window together."

Capping the display will be 1950s music intermingled with the traditional Christmas music.

"I get enthusiastic when we start planning our holiday window," said Hutson. "And especially on this project."

Hutson explained that the Choo-Chew Grill was operated by Roy "Shorty" Northcraft and his wife, Maurelian "Skeeter" Northcraft. "This was a fun grill to visit during the 1950s."

The Choo-Chew Grill was open for 16 years, from 1949 to 1965, before Northcraft retired.

The Furniture Fair also owned by Hutson display will feature an "old-town" theme, he said.

"Santa Claus will be riding along in an old car," said Hutson. "Children will be watching, and carolers singing."

Broadway Medical Equipment has adorned its front window with a Christmas castle and winter wonderland.

"We have snow princesses and snow castles," said Meadows. "This is the second year for our Christmas window. We will try to come up with a different theme each year."

The animated figures for this year's display are the five snow princesses.

Ed Meadows, owner of the business, had been considering the Christmas window a few years before putting it in place last year.

Sample Carpet will feature an animated Christmas window for a fourth straight year.

"We utilized both sides of our store front,' said Cora Lee Sample. "On one side we have a snow scene in the park featuring carolers, a bum on a park bench, with a lamplighter and Scrooge. The second half of the front window depicts Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus and elves making toys."

The carpet store, owned by Doyle and Cora Lee Sample, featured a Christmas window its first year after being established.

"The 1992 window is our fourth," said Cora Sample. "We started with only a small display and have added to it each year. We now have about 19 animated figures in the scenes."