In memory of Marcellus: Pub crawl set for Saturday

Saturday’s pub crawl in honor of well-known bartender and bar manager Marcellus Jones will serve as a continuation of the many friendships between him and the community.

Jones died unexpectedly in June 2018 of natural causes. He was 50 years old.

The event is set for 7 p.m. at 13 locations in downtown Cape Girardeau: Minglewood Brewery, Pour House, Rude Dog Pub, Coin-Op Cantina, Shakers, Ragsdales, Port Cape Girardeau, Hotshots Sports Bar and Grill, 21 Taps, The Library, Ebb & Flow Fermentations, The Bar and Blue Diamond Sports Bar.

“There’s just something about ’Cellus that, no matter where you are or where you ran into him, you do pick up where you left off,” said Jen Carothers, a longtime friend and president of the Marcellus Jones Memorial Foundation. “He’s just got a way of making you feel good; it’s that positive attitude.”

The $21,000 raised last year — from sponsors and event T-shirt and wristband sales — was dispersed between two academic scholarships, local sports teams and the Special Olympics Polar Plunge through the foundation, she said.

Funds from this year will once again benefit the foundation.

“Several of our bars were at capacity, where we had to ‘let one in, one out,’ because they were so full,” Carothers said, adding several locations experienced “one of the busiest nights of the year.”

The number of participating locations is ironic, Carothers said, “because that is Marcellus’ lucky number.”

The T-shirts are designed also with Jones in mind.

“We came across a picture of him, and he’s holding that bottle opener with a mustache on it,” Carothers said. “We decided to go with a look similar to that picture.”

This year’s T-shirt color is neon green, she said, in honor of Jones’ “bright, vibrant personality.”

Carothers said, “We’re trying to match that.”

Last year, the goal was to stand out with the neon pink, “and it did,” she said. “When you looked into these bars, you just saw a sea of pink.”

Carothers said she sees the T-shirt design coming together as proof “that we’re moving in the right direction again for this year.”

As for the food during the pub crawl, instead of the multiple food trucks like last year, she said this weekend will feature only one — TJ’s Burgers, Wings, and Pizza — offering “specialty items” such as the iconic “Slinger” made famous by late night favorite Don’s Store 24. The joint at 341 S. Sprigg St. closed in 2012. The Slinger included hash browns, gravy, chili and cheese smothering two biscuits.

She said the “little bit older” crowd attending this weekend’s crawl will remember when Don’s Store 24 was open, because “that’s where everybody would go.”

“I can’t believe how many [social media] shares and comments people made about the food,” she said with a laugh.

At midnight Saturday, Carothers said each of the 13 locations will host a 13-second moment of silence in honor of Jones.

“A lot of people had their phones open to his picture, and were holding them up,” she said of last year. “It’s really cool to see how one man can bring so many people together.”

Wristbands are $10; T-shirts are $15. Both may be purchased in downtown Cape Girardeau during the event.

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