NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY CLOSES DOORS; RATLIFF'S A SOUTHSIDE FIXTURE FOR 47 YEARS

For 47 years, Ratliff Grocery has been an unchanging institution for the people living in South Cape Girardeau. Unfortunately, what national grocery chains and the Mississippi River couldn't beat may come to an unwilling end due to Father Time.

Juanita Ratliff, owner of Ratliff's Grocery since 1950, has decided it may be time to close the store.

The decision has not been an easy one for her. Even though Ratliff is only in her second week of recovery from colon cancer surgery, she seems hesitant to say for certain that she won't be back.

"We're shutting it down for a while, but I'm sure we're going to close it down for good," Ratliff said while resting at her home. "I just don't think there's anyway I can still go down there."

Ratliff has been a fixture in South Cape Girardeau since she and her late husband Carl first opened their business in Smelterville 47 years ago. They stayed there until their store was flooded twice in one month during the flood of 1973.

Ratliff said she decided then and there it was time to seek higher ground. So they packed up everything and moved the store to its current location at 1007 S. Sprigg.

"We were wading around in water up to our thighs. That's when I told Carl I'd had it and we had to get out of there," Ratliff said.

Although small in stature, Ratliff has made a great impact on the community she serves. So great, in fact, that you can't walk through the store without seeing proof of the community's love everywhere.

Canned goods share shelf space with family photos of customers, faded greeting cards from well-wishers from years past, and flowers and plants, both real and plastic, that were given to Ratliff in appreciation for the little things she is known for doing.

And customers have to duck under one of many banners from students at nearby May Greene Elementary School to grab a drink from an old soda cooler.

Most of the banners from the children carry some form of the phrase "May Greene Loves Mrs. Ratliff." The signs were given as a way of showing appreciation to Ratliff for everything she does. This includes providing children with "penny candy" that actually costs one penny.

"I love that school, the teachers and the students," Ratliff said. "Sometimes the students would come in and they'd only have one penny for a piece of candy. How could I raise the prices?"

May Greene's teachers said they will miss much more than the penny candy if the store closes. Several teachers said Ratliff has been very helpful to the school by donating her time to read stories or items for activities and programs. She also was known for arguing with teachers who tried to pay her for their lunch.

"Once in a while I'd forget my lunch and go down there to get something," said Kay Hathhorn, a kindergarten teacher at the school. "She will not let you pay her. She says she just appreciates everything we do. She's a very nice lady."

Ratliff's grocery was also one of the few businesses in town that allowed customers to congregate for coffee and conversation.

"I've been going there about five years and having a cup of coffee and a doughnut after I drop my kids off for school," said Bob Tenholder. "Everything is so hustle and bustle these days. But just for 20 minutes, I can sit there and drink coffee and read the paper and not have any worries. When I get up to leave it's like, 'OK, I'm ready to start my day now.'"

Ratliff said she has appreciated the visits and telephone calls from her customers since she returned home. She said that even if the store does not reopen, she will always be available to help anyone that needs assistance.

"A customer called me the other day wanting to know how they're going to get checks cashed and bills paid if I close the store," she said. "I told her if she comes up to the house, I'd help her get it done."

Of course she will, because that's what she's been doing for 47 years.

Old habits are hard to break.