'REGULARS' SAY GOODBYE TO WIMPY'S

SUMMARY: Burgers and fries for everyone during a special "so long to Wimpy's" party.

By B. Ray Owen

As "regulars" of Wimpy's mourned the passing of Cape Girardeau's longest-known hamburger heaven, they also recounted the good times spent at the poplar restaurant, and wondered "where they would go from Wimpy's."

It was burgers and fries for everyone during a special "so long to Wimpy's" party, held at the restaurant Saturday.

The group included Millie Limbaugh, who made her first trip to Wimpy's as a college student; Richard Esicar, one of Wimpy's first customers; Paul Seabaugh, Wimpy's first curb hop; and Ron Shumate, one of Wimpy's "newest" customers, who has been in town only 16 years.

The so-long party attracted a crowd, many of them bearing gifts for the Wimpy owners.

More than 50 people jammed into the 32-seat restaurant the first half-hour of the 4 to 8 p.m. party, and as many as 250 to 300 were expected during the four-hour party.

Huge platters of french fries, mounds of hamburgers -- Wimpy-style -- and saucers of desserts started disappearing early, but were replenished as one group left and another took its place.

Owner Bill Lewis knew them all.

Recollections of past times made the rounds.

"Paul Seabaugh over there was our first curb-hop," said Lewis. "He was the first person we hired."

Seabaugh said he worked at Wimpy's while he was in high school. A few years later, following military service, he visited Wimpy's again, this time as a customer.

Millie Limbaugh and her family often visited Wimpy's.

"My family had a lot of meals at Wimpy's" she said. And, they had a lot of "in-between meals" there, too.

Another Limbaugh, Millie's son and talk show host Rush Limbaugh, had hoped to attend. He couldn't make the trip, but planned to call Lewis later in the evening.

Shumate, a basketball coach at Southeast Missouri State University for 16 years, often planned his strategy over a hamburger, fries and Coke at Wimpy's.

"Hey, I don't know where we'll be going now," said Shumate.

Esicar, of Esicar's Old Hickory Smokehouse, delighted in showing Lewis his latest "Pride and Joy," a printed card advertising of the products, "Pride" and "Joy."

When the Lewis Family purchased "Wimpy's Burgers" in 1942, they left the name intact.

Popeye The Sailor Man cartoon was popular then, and Wimpy, a burger-eating cartoon character was one of the main characters.

Wimpy is still a favorite burger restaurant name.

"There are more than 140 of them in the U.S.," said Bill Lewis, who has a computerized list of Wimpy's operations. "There are Wimpy Burgers (10 of them), Wimpy's Places (eight) and Wimpy's Kwik Shops."

Wimpy's in Cape Girardeau will be open through Wednesday before the final closing of the doors.