otherOctober 3, 2004

The history of commerce in Cape Girardeau was written in the columns of the Southeast Missourian. This timeline of Cape Girardeau business was compiled from the news articles of the newspaper...

1904

* The Daily Republican was purchased by Fred and George Naeter; began publishing in Opera House.

* The Daily Republican absorbed The Daily News.

* Riverview Hotel was damaged by fire and was rebuilt.

* Farmers and Merchants Bank, 632 Good Hope St., was incorporated.

* William Gockel started motor-driven "red devil" between Jackson and Cape Girardeau, discarding horse-drawn stagecoach.

* Lorimier Hotel, owned by Louis Houck, burned.

* Meyer Hardware building on Good Hope Street was constructed.

* Fred H. Kassel established a jewelry store.

* Cape Girardeau Business College was organized by Professor J.W. Moothart.

* Lorimier Hotel reopened at Fountain and Elm streets.

1905

* Roth Tobacco Co. opened its new building on South Frederick Street.

* First National Bank moved to a new building at 117 N. Main St.

* Terminal Hotel opened.

* Diamond Restaurant opened.

* N.S. Weiler opened a jewelry store.

* Pieronnet-Wilson Mercantile Co. was formed.

* Juden-Lilly Mercantile Co. was established.

* Catern & Haas fruit store opened and closed the same year.

* Diamond Cafe opened.

* Circa 1905 E. and W. Shirt factory was established.

* Street car company was reorganized.

* The Daily Republican moved to Wilson house at corner of Broadway and Spanish Street.

* Central Labor Council was organized.

* William P. Ettlin purchased Terminal Hotel bar.

1906

* James A. Kinder Drug Store was started.

* Roberts, Johnson and Rand Shoe factory plant was built on North Main Street.

* T.B. Jones' Racket Store failed.

* Harley Shoe factory was established.

* J.M. Shy and F.R. Cross entered the grocery business.

* Southeast Missouri Fruit Co. was incorporated.

* L.M. Culler sold the Riverview Hotel for $75,000.

* Meyer Brothers Meat Market was completed.

* R.B. Andrews opened a grocery store.

* Tipton's Cleaners started at corner of Main and Independence streets.

* Brinkopf-Howell Furniture and Undertaking Co. was founded.

* Finney's Drug Store was established.

1907

* The first picture show was shown in Cape Girardeau in a storeroom on Main Street.

* C.M. Buckner and W.B. Ragsdale purchased Flentge & Co. Store at Main Street and Broadway.

* Roberts, Johnson and Rand Shoe factory began operation.

* Bob Literer opened Arcade Nickelodeum.

* Dreamland Theater opened.

* Cape Amusement Co., 23 Main Street, was organized. It presented vaudeville entertainment and movies.

* Lyric Theater opened on Main Street.

* German-American Bank failed.

* Dreamland Theater closed, and Lyric Theater changed its named to Dreamland Theater.

* Wulfers Bros. meat market opened.

* The print shop of George W. Cross, 116 Broadway, was destroyed by fire.

* Boston Store was sold by John F. Schwepker.

1908

* D.A. Glenn, J.H. Himmelberger, George McBride and E.W. Flentge purchased controlling interest in Roth Tobacco Co.

* Himmelberger-Harrison Building (H.-H. Building) was constructed.

* E. & W. Shirt factory closed.

* The smelting plant property was sold by the sheriff.

* Buckner-Ragsdale Store was damaged by fire.

* F.H. Elfrank opened a harness shop at 610 Good Hope St.

* Terminal Hotel saloon was closed by William Etling.

* Emil Teichman and C.J. Winningham opened the Boston Store at southwest corner of Main Street and Broadway.

* Kraft Home Steam Bakery was opened on Good Hope Street by Fred H. Kraft.

* The Daily Republican moved into its new building in 200 block of Broadway.

* City Drug Store was sold by Capt. F.L. Withaup to Joe N. Woolsey.

* Haman Drug Store was established.

* Southeast Missouri Trust Co. opened in H.-H. Building.

1909

* The first part of the Idan Ha Hotel southwest corner of Broadway and Fountain Street opened.

* Broadway Theater opened in a storeroom.

* Southeast Realty Company was chartered.

* Planters Flour Mill at south end of Main Street, on Independence Street, burned.

* Auto Tire & Parts opened on South Spanish Street.

1910

* The Weekly Sentinel was published for several weeks.

* The cement plant was started by John H. Himmelberger and William H. Harrison to utilize local limestone and clay.

* The Idan Ha Hotel was bought by George McBride.

* The first automobile gas filling station in Cape Girardeau was established.

* Martin G. Lorberg started Haarig Furniture & Undertaking Co. at corner of Good Hope and Frederick streets.

1911

* Fred Groves established his auto agency.

* C. Wielpuetz and his three sons, Arthur, Ernest and Max J., transferred their bakery to Cape Girardeau from Fornfelt, Mo.

* Cape Girardeau's first ambulance, horse-drawn, was put in service by Lorberg Funeral Home.

* Parisian Cleaners was established.

1912

* A five-story fireproof addition was constructed at the Idan Ha Hotel.

* Broadway Hippodrome closed.

* W.F. Suedekum bought out Schwab, and Meyer & Suedekum Hardware Store was formed.

1913

* C.P. Coley bought the Business College.

* Albert Grocer Co. was sold to Meyer-Albert Grocer Co.

1914

* Park Theater opened.

* Woolworth Store opened.

* The Daily Tribune was printed from February to October.

* First National Bank failed.

* Fred Groves got the Ford automobile franchise.

* Day Transfer Co. was opened by William A. Day.

1915

* Charles A. Himmelberger took charge of Phillips Lumber Co.

* Ford Motor Co. was incorporated.

* J.E. Rigdon bought Cape Steam Laundry.

* Bartel's Store opened.

1916

* I. Ben Miller purchased a site on South Spanish Street for his ice cream factory. The site was occupied by Brune blacksmith shop.

* Riverview Hotel, Terminal Hotel and Buckner-Ragsdale Store, on North Water Street, were destroyed by fire.

* Cape Exchange Bank was established at 517 Broadway.

* Ford Groves Co. moved to its new garage on Fountain Street.

* Miller's ice cream plant was started.

* Bergmann-Bartels Store divided.

* Buckner-Ragsdale Store opened in its new building.

* Walther's Furniture opened in new store.

* The Business College moved into Buckner-Ragsdale building.

* J.W. Gillingwater leased a picture show at Broadway and Frederick Street.

* Hugo A. Lang bought N.S. Weiler's jewelry store on Main Street.

* Harris Motor Car Co. opened.

* Lang's Jewelry started.

1917

* John Williams sold his livery stable, the last one in city.

* Hecht Store was established.

* New Orpheum Theater in Haarig opened.

* Rigdon Laundry on Sprigg Street started.

* Strain & Doyle bought Park Theater from the Naeter Brothers.

* The New Orpheum Theater was opened by Henry Sanders.

* Sturdivant Bank clock installed.

1918

* Louis Hecht sold his store to Herbert Moss and went off to war.

* The name of The Daily Republican became The Southeast Missourian.

* Walter Black resumed management of Broadway Garage.

1919

* Louis Hecht's new store, 123 N. Main Street, opened.

* Prescott Hotel on Main Street was purchased by the Johnston brothers.

* The Weekly Tribune changed its name to The Morning Sun.

* Minton-Thompson Garage opened in former Bee Store building.

* Cape Mill Mfg. Co. was incorporated.

* Broadway saloon was the first to close in Cape Girardeau under Prohibition.

* Arcade Saloon, corner of Main and Themis streets, was converted into a store for women, after being known as "wettest" place in town for 50 years.

* A.H. Mueller bought the old Riverview Hotel site on Water Street.

* Cape Girardeau-Jackson Printing Co. was incorporated.

* Phillips Lumber Co. became Southeast Missouri Lumber Co.

* Work started on an addition to the shoe factory.

* Potato Harvester Co. headquarters moved to Cape Girardeau.

* The John Settle book store burned.

* Cronon Implement Co. was organized.

* Security State Bank was organized in Haarig.

* Lutz Bakery on Independence Street opened.

* Shoe factory workers organized a union.

* Cape Smelting Co. was dissolved.

* C.P. Coley sold the Business College.

* Peter Deimund established Cape Girardeau Sand Co.

* Doughnut Bakery opened in Cahoon Building, Broadway and Spanish Street.

* George W. Heuer established Heuer & Sons Implement Co.

1920

* Commercial Club became Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

* Tenzer Hat factory was started.

* Mrs. Dewess Pratt became the first woman barber in Cape Girardeau.

* Western Union telegraph office moved to the corner of Broadway and Spanish Street, the Masonic building.

* Bierschwall Meat Market opened.

* Miller-Fischer Grocery was started.

* Missourian Printing & Stationery Co. was formed.

1921

* Henry Sanders purchased the Orpheum Theater.

* E.M. Doyle and J.H. Strain purchased the Park Theater.

* The New Broadway Theater was incorporated.

* Deimund's sand station was established.

* Liberty National Life Insurance Co. bought H.-H. Building.

* Louis Kipping purchased the Schuchert Opera House building.

* New Frisco passenger station was dedicated.

1922

* New Broadway Theater formally opened with a showing of "The Impressario."

* The first Kroger Store in Cape Girardeau opened on Broadway.

* The Morning Sun suspended operation.

* The Cape Sun and The Jackson Cashbook sold for $1,305.

* Paul Finney bought Gockel Pharmacy.

* The Sherman Store on Broadway closed.

* Henry H. Vogelsang purchased Morrison Ice and Fuel Co., 600 block of North Main Street, changing its name to Riverside Ice and Fuel Co.

* Electric Supply Co. was started.

* Mehrle Grocery Store opened.

1923

* Farmers and Merchants Bank moved to its new building at 701 Good Hope St.

* Marquette Cement Co. took over Cape Girardeau Portland Cement Co. plant.

* The last harness maker closed his shop in Cape Girardeau.

* Popp & Springer Realty Company was formed.

* Cape Girardeau radio broadcasting station opened.

1924

* The Gift Shop was purchased by Mrs. D.J. Keller and Marie Friant.

* Brinkopf-Howell mortuary opened.

* Work started on Cape Girardeau's first milk pasteurization plant.

* Cape Coal Co. established.

* A.E. Birk Plumbing was started.

* J.C. Penney store opened.

1925

* The Gift Shop moved into the new Missourian Building.

* Radio station KFVS was granted Marine Licenses 1776 issued to O.C. Hirsch.

* A.D. Milde and John R. Hoffman began Milde-Coca-Cola Co. at 27 N. Spanish St.

* Piggly Wiggly Store opened at 721 Broadway.

* Cape Girardeau Building & Loan Association moved into its new building on Main Street.

* The Southeast Missourian newspaper moved into its new building.

* The new Hecht Store opened.

* Cape Girardeau Milk Co. opened a pasteurization plant.

* Lueders Studio was started.

1926

* Pure Ice Co. opened.

* Firm of Meyer & Suedekum changed to Sudekum & Son Hardware.

* Burton Building and Loan Association opened.

* Miles Packing Co. plant opened.

* An explosion wrecked John Lando's shoe store at 623 Good Hope St.

* The new broadcasting station of Hirsch Radio and Battery Co. opened.

1927

* Blue Hole Barbecue Stand was established by William Franz.

* Southeast Missouri Trust Co. changed its name to the Bank of Southeast Missouri.

* Cape Silica Co. was incorporated.

* Aladdin skydome opened.

* People Theatre on Independence Street opened.

* Cape Girardeau School of Beauty Culture was founded by Goldie Watts.

* Lindsay W. Simmons organized First Federal Savings and Loan Association.

* Mrs. Ollie "Ma" Kopper closed the eating house she ran for 19 years.

1928

* Libson Hosiery Shop opened in the St. Charles Hotel.

* Walther Funeral Home opened.

* Unnerstall Drug Store opened on South Sprigg Street.

* Shady Grove Barbecue Stand opened in South Cape.

* I. Ben Miller Drug Store opened on Broadway after nearly 40 years on Main Street.

* An addition was built on the Idan Ha Hotel.

* The new Carps Store on Broadway opened.

* W.G. Yardley purchased W.J. Peck Auditing Co.

* I. Ben Miller ice cream plant merged with Midwest Dairy Products Co.

* Hartner's Drug Store on Broadway opened.

* Leming Motor Co. was purchased by Behrens & Alden.

* August Lang quit the shoe business after 41 years.

* Juden Music Co. opened on Broadway.

* Neal's Hardware Store opened in its new building.

* Zwick Shoe Store on Main Street was started.

* Cape Beauty School opened.

* Irvin's, men's clothing store, was started.

* Marquette Hotel opened.

* Montgomery Ward Co. opened a store on Broadway.

1929

* Talking pictures were inaugurated at Broadway Theater.

* The Alvarado filling station and restaurant opened.

* Wielpuetz Bakery introduced sliced bread to Cape Girardeau.

* Newberry Store opened.

* New Clemens Jewelry Store opened in the St. Charles Hotel.

* Sturdivant Bank took over Cape Exchange Bank.

* Bargain basement of Bartels Mercantile Co. on Broadway was established.

* John F. Vogelsanger, veteran Main Street hardware merchant, retired from business after 46 years.

* Clifton's opened.

* Gately's Store opened at 313 Broadway.

1930

* The old brewery building, at the southeast corner of Morgan Oak and Middle streets, burned.

* Sturdivant Bank, 77 years on Main Street, took over the Bank of Southeast Missouri and moved to the H.-H. Building on Broadway.

* The new Kinder's Drug Store on Good Hope Street formally opened.

* Midwest Dairy absorbed Cape Milk Co.

* Haman's Funeral Home opened on South Sprigg Street.

* The last blacksmith shop on Broadway closed.

* The Main Street building occupied by Clark Music Co. was damaged by fire.

* Fire destroyed Ruehmann Hide & Fur's six-story building on North Main Street.

* The Idan Ha Hotel sold at foreclosure sale.

* Postal Telegraph & Cable Co. opened an office in the Marquette Hotel.

* Sausage room of Mueller Meat Market on Broadway was destroyed by fire.

* Dormeyer's West Broadway pharmacy opened.

* The formal dedication of the entry of Missouri Pacific Railroad into Cape Girardeau was celebrated.

* W.B. Ferguson of Paragould, Ark., bought Hartner Drug Store on Broadway.

* Cape Coal Co. barn and four horses burned.

* Mehrle's Grocery and Meat Market opened at new location on Independence Street.

* Bryan Laundry was purchased by R.E. England, E.L. Miller and W.A. Cantrell.

* The Telephone Co. moved into its new building.

* James Wrecker Service was started by Joe D. James Jr.

* Nation Bros. Auto Electric was opened by Harold Nation.

1931

* George A. Kassel opened a photography studio on Main Street.

* Federal Materials Co. succeeded Edward Hely Stone Co.

* The gauze plant was sold.

* Kilgore Drug Store on Broadway was formally opened.

* Sugar Creek Creamery Co. moved to a new plant on Sprigg Street.

* Moseley Jewelry Co. opened in new building.

* Schindler Barber Shop moved from Main Street to Broadway.

* Kape Karmelkorn shop opened.

* Gladish-Walker Furniture Co. opened.

* Red & White Store opened.

1932

* Colonial Tavern opened.

* Sturdivant Bank, a victim of the Depression, closed. Depositors received 35 cents on the dollar.

* Meyer Trachtenberg's new women's clothing store opened on Main Street. That night it was burglarized.

* Tombstone plant on West Broadway began operations.

* Asphalt Products plant purchased by Amiesite Co.

* Eat Shop reopened.

* Miller-Wohl Store on Main Street closed.

* Carron (Copy) Systems was established.

1933

* Hotel Marquette was sold under court order.

* Farley Store on Main Street closed.

* A contract was let for construction of Montgomery Ward building on Main Street.

* Prohibition ended.

* Montgomery Ward Store was opened on Main Street.

* Co-Op Boutique was established by Elaine "Tommie" Davis and Mrs. Walter Wehking.

* Heilig's Pharmacy, formerly City Drug Store, on Independence Street, opened.

* Aleen Vogel and Theodore Hedden opened The Bike Shop at 716 Broadway.

* Cape Cut Rate opened.

1934

* Cape Brewery began operating again with Max J. Koeck as brewmaster.

* Dempsey Grocery Store went out of business.

* St. Louis Band Instrument Co. opened a music store, managed by R.F. "Peg" Meyer.

* Batten Furniture Co. opened.

1935

* W.F. Bergmann sold his grocery store.

* The front of Broadway Fruit Store was wrecked by an explosion in the banana-ripening compartment.

* Bruce Decker purchased the Idan Ha Hotel.

* I. Ben Miller sold his dairy herd.

* H.H. Haas took over Oldsmobile motor agency on Broadway.

* The mattress plant and building on South Spanish Street burned.

* Rainbow Night Club opened in Idan Ha Hotel.

* Beard, Deevers & Estes Funeral Co. opened on South Sprigg Street.

* Max Wielpuetz sold his bakery to Tom Fitzgerald & Son.

* Calvin A. and Alvin A. Werner, cousins, opened Werner's grocery.

* N.M. Mullen opened an electrical appliance business.

* Maier's Auto & Home Supply was started.

1936

* Old Sturdivant Bank building was purchased by Maurice Bohnsack.

* Cape Foundry Co. plant in north Cape Girardeau made its first castings.

* A barn owned by Wulfers Bros. Dairy on West Broadway burned.

* Ruh Market opened in its new home on Good Hope Street.

* Dean & Company opened.

1937

* Fire swept Bartels Mercantile Co. store building at Broadway and Ellis Street.

* Bartels new store opened at 430 Broadway.

* Schiff's Big Shoes, 17 N. Main St., opened.

* H.E. Drake started The Girardean newspaper.

* The new Florence Beauty Shoppe, 711 Broadway, opened.

* Central Packing Co. began operation in old Miles plant in South Cape.

* Buckner-Ragsdale Store reopened in remodeled and enlarged quarters.

* Rueseler Motor Co. opened in an enlarged home on North Fountain St.

* Fire destroyed Pollack Hide & Fur Co.'s building on Independence Street.

1938

* Superior Electric began operation.

* Scott Store on Main Street closed after nine years in operation.

* I. Ben Miller dairy farm was purchased by Dr. John Newitt of St. Louis.

* Woolworth Store expanded.

* Feinberg's Fashion Shop at 29 North Main St. opened.

* Southeast Missouri Packing Co. on Highway 61 was sold by Mrs. Anton Sebeck to the Pipkin-Boyd-Neal Packing Co. of Joplin, Mo.

* Elaine "Tommie" Davis and Jane Barnett became partners in Co-Op Boutique.

* Riverside Ice plant on North Main Street was sold to Pure Ice Co.

* Cape GMC Pontiac opened at 306 N. Main St. by Ruby and Oscar Brown and E.D. Winstead.

* Cavaner's Market opened.

* Landgraf Lumber Co. was established.

1939

* Walther Funeral Home reopened.

* J. Maple Wilson sold his drug store after being in business since 1880.

* The Old Mill Lumber Co. on North Main St. opened.

* R.B. Andrews sold his grocery, which had opened in 1906.

* Fire damaged Cape Rock Dairy Co. ice cream plant on South Middle St.

* Braun Bros. Grocery Store on Good Hope Street was swept by fire.

* General Sign Co. was founded by Lon J. Maxey.

1940

* Rialto Theater opened on Broadway.

* Park-N-Eat refreshment stand, a circular building on West Broadway, opened.

1941

* Sears opened an order office.

* A&P Store opened on Spanish Street.

* Albert and Audrey Baker established Cape Paint & Glass.

* Erlbacher radio tower, 185 feet, was finished.

* Cape Transit Corp. was formed.

1942

* Bohnsack Store closed. Buckner-Ragsdale took over its stock of goods.

* Dorsa dress factory began operating.

* Gateley's Store moved from 313 Broadway to 19 Main Street.

1943

* Cape Girardeau News suspended publication "for the duration of the war."

* Broadway, Park and Orpheum theaters were purchased by Fox Corp. from S.E. Brady.

1944

* Monroe Glass Co. was opened by John R. and Esther M. Monroe at 110 Merriwether St.

* Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Hill took charge of the Eat Shop in the old Opera House.

* Dormeyer Drug Store on West Broadway was purchased by Floyd W. Hobbs.

* Esicar Meat Market moved from 411 to 313 Broadway.

* Master Baking Co. of Mt. Vernon, Ill., took over the management of Bauer Bakery.

* Joe Carter of Poplar Bluff, Mo., bought R.T. Quinn drug store on Broadway.

* R.C. Garner Sr. started Oz Ark Gas Equipment & Supply.

1945

* Hirsch-Tinsley was opened by E.O. Hirsch and Kermit Tinsley.

* The Schonhoff family purchased the former I. Ben Miller dairy.

* Parham's Tire and Home Supply Store opened on Broadway.

* The Franklin Store opened on Main Street.

* Norval A. Randol bought the Square Deal Variety Store and building on Broadway from Charles H. Shively, who had operated it for 29 years.

* Steimle Business College purchased Cape Girardeau Business College.

* Cape Girardeau Supply Co. opened.

* Davis Electric Co. opened.

* C.M. Foeste Nursery was started.

* Hutson Furniture was started.

* Margraf Jewelry was opened by Henry A. and Virginia Lee Margraff in Idan Ha Hotel building, 405 Broadway.

1946

* Tipton's Cleaners was purchased by Thomas McGee.

* Ground was broken for a new Esquire Theater on West Broadway.

* Day Transfer moved to a new building on West Independence St.

* Thomas O. McGee of Danville, Ill., bought Rigdon Laundry. Rigdon had bought Cape Steam Laundry in 1915.

* J.C. Cole, after 27 years, sold the North Main Street grocery store.

* T.W. Ade bought the L.C. Brady grocery on North Louisiana Ave.

* William Shivelbine sold the Playdium bowling alley on Themis Street to Clarence and David Hanebrink.

* Westmount Garden -- gas station, restaurant and store -- opened.

* Schneider harvester equipment building, Highway 61 at Bloomfield Road, was opened.

* James V. Pool sold Model Hotel and barber shop on Broadway.

* Singer Sewing Machine Co. opened in a new location, Main Street and Broadway.

* Central State Foundry Co., 500 Aquamsi St., went into operation.

* Missourian Retail Store opened.

* Missouri Propane Gas Co. started on Highway 61.

* McDonald's Concrete Ready-Mix started with McCarty Bros. and Clyde McDonald as owners.

1947

* Roth Tobacco Co. suspended operation.

* R.F. "Peg" Meyer and William A. Shivelbine purchased St. Louis Band Instrument Co. music store.

* Esquire Theater was formally opened.

* R. Lowenbaum dress factory began operating, manufacturing Minx Model line.

* Geringer Radio Service moved into a new building on Cousin Street.

* Oscar Becker sold the Last Chance establishment, 930 Broadway. It had been connected with former saloon since 1900.

* Kathleen's Beauty School and Shop opened on South Sprigg Street.

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* The Wagon Wheel, beer and lunch room in the old Opera House, was renamed the Chuck Wagon.

* Flentge Appliances opened at 14 N. Sprigg Street.

* Jim Wilson Co. was established.

1948

* Joe M. Carter sold his drug store on Broadway to Felix R. Brandon.

* T.W. Ade sold his grocery to Clarence Koch.

* Whiteline Laundry, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Albert Cottle, opened.

* Charles Lawson, blind, opened a cigar stand in the post office lobby.

* Kroger supermarket opened in a new building on Broadway.

* Salvation Army purchased the old Park Theater building.

* Auto Tire & Parts was purchased by Pat Tlapek.

* Craftsman Office Supply was established.

1949

* L.J. "Freck" and William L. Shivelbine purchased the music store owned by R.F. "Peg" Meyer and the late William A. Shivelbine, renaming it Shivelbine's Music Store.

* Younghouse Wholesale Distributing was established, the founders having purchased Perkinson Candy Company.

* Clarence Klaproth established Cape Drive-In Cleaners.

* Prescription Shop opened on West Broadway. The original shop was established 15 years before.

* Medical Arts Building was put into use.

* Cape Drive-In Theater opened near the airport.

* Esquire Theater was taken over by Dubinsky Bros. Theaters Inc.

* Airline Cafe reopened after being demolished by a tornado earlier in the year.

* Cape-Kil opened at 33 N. Frederick St.

* Ford-Young Funeral Home was opened by Walter H. Ford and Ross Young.

* In the late 1940s, Riverside Ice and Fuel Co. moved from North Main Street to the old brewery site on Morgan Oak Street.

1950

* In the early 1950s Nowell's Camera Shop was opened by William and Juvernia Nowell.

* Radio station KGMO began broadcasting as an FM station, operating from the home of Richard C. Brandt, 46 N. Henderson Ave.

* Walker G. Childs supermarket opened in a new building on West Broadway.

* F.W. Woolworth's Store moved to into a new addition at Spanish and Independence streets.

* Biederman home-furnishing store on Main Street opened.

* Fire destroyed the Rust & Martin upholstery building on Broadway.

* Cape Central Airways opened.

* Art Fischer opened a market.

1951

* Cape Girardeau was assigned VHF Channel 12, and construction of television facilities began.

* Southeast Missouri Telephone Co. became part of Southwestern Bell.

* Rust & Martin Upholstery Shop opened in a new store on Broadway.

* City Drug Store, the new Walgreen agency at 46 N. Main St., opened.

* Joe Stubbs sold his Lincoln-Mercury agency to H.F. Harris Jr.

* Cape Ready Mix Co. opened at 1205 Independence St.

1952

* Southwestern Bell Telephone system was converted to dial.

* Williamson Business Machines opened.

* The warehouse at Pollack Hide & Fur Co., Kingshighway, was destroyed by fire.

* Donut Drive-In on West Independence St. opened.

1953

* Bob's Shoe Service was established at 113 Independence St.

* Erlbacher Boat Construction Co. was incorporated.

* Cape Electrical Supply was formed through the acquisition of C & W Electrical Sales by Jim Tlapek, Pat Tlapek, Elwood Rothaus, and N.H. Bruckerhoff.

* Walter Joe Ford joined Ford-Young Funeral Home.

1954

* Lester Rhodes bought Orpheum Theater Building on Good Hope Street to convert it to business use.

* Rigdon Laundry's equipment was sold to Tipton's Whiteline Laundry Inc.

* Sunset Motel on Highway 61 North was sold to St. Louis investors.

* Charles Garber founded Garber's men's store.

* Star Vue Drive-In Theater, large enough for 600 parked automobiles, opened.

* Pletcher & Haynes Sinclair Service Station opened on Highway 61West.

* Hobb's Grill No. 3 on Broadway, formerly Wilson's Cafeteria, opened.

* Cape Manufacturing Co., North Main Street, handling Maxine equipment, was incorporated.

1955

* Harold "Butch" Bollinger founded Screen Arts Inc.

* Petit N'Orleans opened in the old Opera House.

* Maier's Auto Supply Store on Main Street closed.

* Construction of the new First National Bank building began at northwest corner of Broadway and Main Street.

* Wulfers Bros. meat market, 902 Broadway, closed.

* Emmett Young bought an electrical appliance store on Broadway from N.B. Mullen.

* First National Bank building on Main Street was sold to Charles A. Hood, Cape Girardeau contractor.

* Fire damaged the Petit N'Orleans restaurant.

* Bamby Bakery Co. purchased by Bunny Bread.

* Cape Ready Mix Co. moved to 513 S. Kingshighway.

* Rhodes Oil Co. was established.

* Jim Wilson Co. was incorporated

1956

* McDowell Motor Co. building on Sprigg and Morgan Oak streets was extensively damaged by fire.

* Ueleke Hardware Co. moved from Broadway to 118 N. Main St.

* Wards Big Star opened at West Broadway and Highway 61.

* First National Bank moved into its new building at Main Street and Broadway.

* Horton Sales Co., 610 Independence St., moved into its new building.

* Cape Girardeau Federal Savings and Loan Association replaced Cape Girardeau Building and Loan Association.

* Flentge Appliances moved to 13 N. Sprigg St.

1957

* Kermit Tinsley bought out E.O. Hirsch in Hirsch-Tinsley operation, and it became Tinsley appliance.

* Niswonger Lumber Co. retail building was destroyed by fire caused by lightning.

* Guth Bros. Block Co. began construction of a building to house its concrete block manufacturing plant.

* Edgewater Motors Inc. got the franchise for the new Edsel automobiles.

* Ford-Young Funeral Home changed its name to Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

* Capaha Bottling Inc. began distributing Pepsi-Cola products.

* Hirsch Broadcasting Co. announced plans for a nine-story office building at 324 Broadway.

1958

* Excelsior Furniture Store, 533 Broadway, closed.

* Wayne Rust opened a furniture store in the old Bartels building, 430 Broadway.

* Erlbacher Materials, 1300 N. Water St., filed for incorporation.

* The Town Plaza Shopping Center was incorporated.

* National Food Store opened at Sprigg and William streets.

* Incorporation papers were filed for L.H. Landgraf Real Estate and Development Corp., 1459 Independence St.

1959

* Sunny Hill Garden Center opened on Good Hope St.

* Bob's Shoe Service moved to 633 Broadway.

* Clyde Huff, Edward Downs, Sonny Young and Charles Hood opened Cape Bowling Lanes, 111 Minnesota Ave.

* Strom's Metro News became Metro Book Store, having been acquired by Myron and Jacqueline Anderson.

* Riverside Lumber Co. opened.

* Miller & Fischer Grocery on Good Hope Street closed after 29 years of business.

* The former J.J. Newberry Store, 15 N. Main St., was renovated to house the new Sterling Store.

* Sunny Hill Dairy Co. purchased the operating equipment trucks and dairy plant equipment of Schonhoff Bros. Dairy.

* Good Will Industries opened a retail store at 115 Themis St.

* F.W. Woolworth Co. and W.T. Grant Co. signed leases in Town Plaza Shopping Center.

1960

* Charles N. Harris founded Atlas Plastics.

* B & J Refrigeration opened as partnership between Marshall Bailey and Leon Jansen; later became Jaymac Equipment Co.

* Montgomery Mobile Home Sales opened.

* Pop's A & W Drive-In opened.

* Professional Business Systems was founded by Lloyd Lorberg.

* Charles Garber moved Garber's, men's clothing store, to Town Plaza.

* The old Joseph Sciortino Grocery Store building in 600 block of Good Hope Street was razed.

* Making room for parking lot, 103-year-old brick mill building on Water Street was razed.

* Model Grocery closed, after serving Girardeans 39 years. The last location was at 521 Broadway.

* Ruh's Market, in operation 53 years, closed.

* Victor L. Klarsfeld, owner of Rialto Theater, purchased Broadway Theater building.

* New 17,000-foot tower of KFVS-TV went into operation.

* B.I. Howard purchased Wulfers's building on Broadway. It housed Howard Athletic Goods Co.

1961

* Otasco, Inc. No. 94 opened on Main Street.

* Cape State Bank opened.

* Orscheln Farm & Home opened.

* The Opera House on Broadway was sold to Richard Barnhouse.

1962

* Gerald Kaiser bought Riverside Ice and Fuel Co. and continued the business under that name.

* Al's Midtown Lounge was opened by Mr. and Mrs. Al Buchheit at 627 Good Hope St.

* Montgomery Ward store launched a half-million dollar expansion program, acquiring the Bahn Brothers Hardware building from Houck estate.

* Sinclair Oil Co. purchased Simpson Oil Co. The sale included the Colonial Restaurant and adjoining service station.

* H.G. Schmidt sold L.A. Tucker Truck Lines, Inc., to Harry Messmer, Charles Harris and Walter Schmidt.

1963

* Pete and Pee Wee Rhodes opened one of the first automatic car washes in area at 2301 William St. They later added tire service and the business became Plaza Tire Service, having phased out car wash in 1967.

* Advanced Business Systems was started at 430 Broadway.

* Town Plaza Standard Station was built by Burton Gerhardt Construction.

* Central Packing Co. was sold to George Wrape and Earl Steele of St. Louis.

* Fire did $30,000 damage to Cauble & Field wholesale grocery warehouse on South Middle Street.

1964

* Wieser Motor Company opened at 523 Broadway.

* First Federal Savings and Loan Association moved into its new office building in the 300 block of Broadway.

* Jim Stovall purchased the interest of McCarty Bros. in McDonald Concrete Ready-Mix.

1965

* Cape GMC-Pontiac was established.

* Edgewater Glass opened on South Plaza Way.

* Plaza Gifts & Office Supplies began operating at 2106 William St.

* Arkansas Best Freight built a relay terminal on a 10-acre site on Nash Road.

* Charter Finance was founded, with John E. Harper as president.

* Edward D. Jones & Co. opened.

* Kentucky Fried Chicken opened.

* Atlas Plastics broke ground for third addition to plant.

* Delta Truck line merged into Arkansas Best Freight system.

* Cape Supply Co. and Associated Building Center chain acquired 10-acre tract near the municipal airport.

* Fire destroyed the new Jim Wilson Co. warehouse at Themis and Sprigg streets.

* The shoe factory on North Main Street converted from an International Shoe operation to Florsheim Shoe.

* St. Charles Hotel was sold at public auction to Mayor C.A. Hood.

1966

* Rental Land opened at 1455 Independence St.

* Gene Huckstep assumed ownership and management of Huckstep Body & Paint Shop.

* Vi and Eddie Keys established Keys Music at 110 N. Main St.

* New Wards Big Star supermarket opened at Highway 61 and Broadway.

* The new Rust & Martin store opened on Highway 61.

* Erlbacher Foundry building, 231 N. Main St., was razed. The Missouri Employment Security office building was built on the site.

1967

* The new A & P Supermarket opened at 2121 William St.

* Al's Midtown was purchased from Mr. and Mrs. Al Buchheit by Mr. and Mrs. Ed Kohlfeld.

* Cape State Bank became Cape State & Trust Co.

* Missourian Litho and Printing moved to 500 William St.

* The St. Charles Hotel building was razed.

* Jerry Drury bought the franchise for Ramada Inn.

* Procter & Gamble Co. took options on land north of Cape Girardeau as a possible site for a paper products plant.

* Braun's market closed. It had served the Good Hope area for 65 years.

* Bumpa-Tel Inc. was moved to Cape Girardeau from Mounds, Ill., by Warren Hastings.

1968

* Shivelbine's Music Store moved to a new location at 630 Broadway.

* Bob's Shoe Service moved to 515 Broadway.

* Sunny Hill Garden & Pet Center was built at 335 Christine St..

* Children's Bazaar opened.

* Margraf Jewelry moved to 439 Broadway.

* Riverside Lumber Co. became Riverside Lumber & Supply Co.

* Construction began on the Kroger Plaza.

* Superior Electric Products Corp. was sold.

* Bennett Corrugated Paper Box Co. established a plant on Nash Road.

* Superior Electric Co. constructed an addition to its Nash Road plant.

* Grecian Steak House opened.

1969

* Associated Building Center incorporated.

* Capaha Bottling was purchased by Marion Pepsi Cola of Marion, Ill.

* Moon Distributing located on Nash Road.

* Hardware Wholesalers located on Nash Road.

* Vandeven Mercantile Co. closed.

* Thad Bullock acquired Marquette Hotel.

* New Florsheim Shoe Co. plant on Highway 74 opened.

1970

* Joe James began James Glass & Auto Body on old Highway 61 South.

* Maico Hearing Aid Center was established.

* Norman's Auto Sales & Radiator Service started.

* National Food Stores changed its name to Del Farm.

1971

* Hardware Wholesalers Inc. plant was built on Nash Road.

* Broadway Medical Equipment began as part of Broadway Prescription Shop.

* Minor's Harley Davidson/Suzuki Sales Inc. was started.

* Himmelberger-Harrison Lumber Co. sold controlling interest to Mr. and Mrs. Joel A. Montgomery.

* Admiral Plastics plant on North Kingshighway was leveled by fire. Construction of a new factory fronting on Broadview began immediately.

1972

* Webb Manufacturing Co. became a permanent corporation under the name Delta Plastics.

* A & P Super Market on Spanish Street closed and was taken over by J. Ronald Fischer.

* Burger King Restaurant was established at 2346 Broadway.

* Keys Music moved to 121 Broadway.

* Town Plaza Shopping Center was purchased by Greater Missouri Builders Inc. of St. Louis.

* The former Vandeven store on Broadway was sold to Craftsman Office Supply.

* Speed Equipment Worlds of America Inc. opened in the 2100 block of Broadway.

1973

* Children's Bazaar was purchased by Judy and Rock Wilferth.

* The Bicycle Shop opened at 30 S. Spanish St.

* Charlie's Body Shop opened at the corner of Sprigg and Themis streets. It was owned by Charles Roberts.

* Bargain Hound opened.

* Cape State Bank & Trust became Cape Mercantile Bank.

* Hansel & Gretel started at 127 N. Frederick St.

* Plans were announced for the construction of Westborough Mall.

* Howard Johnson Motor Lodge was constructed at southwest corner of Route K and Interstate 55.

* Dollar General Store opened at 20 N. Spanish St.

* Western Sizzlin' steak house opened.

* Weber TV and Appliance Center started.

1974

* Kmart discount department store opened at Kingshighway and Independence.

* Port Cape Girardeau restaurant opened.

* Schneider Industrial Equipment was formed.

* Cape Girardeau Building & Loan Association became Colonial Federal Saving and Loan Association.

* Culligan Water Conditioning opened.

* The Gingham Square opened in the old Schultz Hospital, 605 Broadway.

* Gulliver's Travel Agency opened at 119 Themis.

* Cape Food Service was established.

* Cape Suzuki was established.

* Audio Village opened.

* Kemper & Dodd opened.

* The tall smokestack at Marquette Cement Co. was demolished.

1975

* Uncle Ralph's Furniture opened.

* The Airport Galley Restaurant opened at the municipal airport.

* The Sample House started on North West End Boulevard.

* Hork's Gun Shop was established at 30 S. Park Ave.

* Kar Parts opened.

* Sleepy Hollow opened.

* Burger Rich Family Restaurant opened.

* Hardee's restaurant opened.

1976

* Eugene Holloway Floor Covering was established.

* Data Business Systems Inc. was started by Joe and Betty Wilson.

* Graham Mendenhall established Mr. Muffler.

* Walker Childs sold his grocery stores.

* Ozarks Outdoor Equipment opened.

* Schnucks-Walgreens opened at 19 S. Kingshighway.

* The Golden Dragon restaurant opened at 217 N. Kingshighway.

* Captain D Restaurant opened.

* Brokers' Bonded Warehouse started in the Greater Cape Girardeau Industrial Park.

* The Fireplace Center opened.

* Federal Materials suspended production.

* Marquette Cement Mfg. Co. was acquired by Gulf and Western.

* The Naeter Brothers sold The Southeast Missourian to Thomson Newspapers Inc.

1977

* Rental Land moved into new quarters at 1922 Independence.

* A&P Super Market on William Street closed.

* A.B. Dick Products moved to 711 Good Hope St.

* Advanced Business Systems built at 2845 Independence St.

* Hacker Plumbing, Heating & Cooling was started.

* Hirsch's Thriftway closed.

* Woolworth's downtown store closed.

* Taco Bell opened.

* Papa D Restaurant opened at the corner of Interstate 55 and Route K.

* The Remnant House was started.

* Ludlow Corp. was sold.

1978

* Schneider Industrial Equipment moved to 420 S. Kingshighway, and the name was changed to Mid-America Power Equipment.

* Curtis Mathes opened a franchise store.

* Coors of Cape Inc. began distributing beer.

* The Medicine Shoppe was started at 893 N. Kingshighway.

* Charles N. Harris bought the Riverside companies.

* Del Farm opened its new store.

* Worth's opened.

* Clothes Encounter opened.

* Good Hope Grocery opened.

* Snelling and Snelling, an employment firm, was started.

1979

* Don and Teri Beattie purchased Nowell's Camera Shop.

* Children's Bazaar moved to West Park Village.

* Robert Ford established World of Honda.

* Acorn Enterprises opened at 1623 Independence St.

* Cape Art Mart opened at 21 Plaza Way.

* Cast-A-Ways opened at 633 Broadway.

* Development of West Park Mall was announced.

* Famous Recipe Fried Chicken Restaurant opened.

* Save-A-Lot opened.

* 905 International Store opened.

* Bridgeway Restaurant opened at 302 Morgan Oak St.

* Hechts Too opened.

* Wonder Bread Thrift Store opened.

1980

* Stereo One opened in West Park Village.

* Atlas Plastics was acquired by Mississippi Cape Corp.

* Cape Color World opened at 1908 Independence St.

* BG's Old Fashion Deli opened.

* Green Line Equipment opened.

* Funland Waterslide opened.

1981

* West Park Mall opened.

* Gwen's Stout Shop opened.

* Plaza Gifts & Office Supply opened a second store at West Park Mall.

* Ben's, men's clothing store, opened in West Park Mall.

* Cafe Madder Rose opened.

* Camelot Music opened in West Park Mall.

* Taco John's was established.

* Curt Johns established Guy's Big and Tall.

* C.P. McGinty Jewelers opened.

* Pagoda Gardens Restaurant opened at 2145 Independence St.

* P.D.Q. Fasprint Center was started.

* Pearle Vision Center was started in West Park Mall.

* Pet World moved to West Park Mall.

* Montgomery Ward Store closed.

* Famous-Barr opened in West Park Mall.

* Overnite Transportation Co. was started.

* Warehouse of Leathers opened at 334 N. Broadview. St.

* Robertson's Creative Photography was established at 1001 Perry Ave.

* Hecht's Shoes opened.

* Rivertown Auto Sales was established.

* Q.C. Corp. was established.

1982

* Stoverink Carpet & Interiors was started at the junction of Highways 61 and 25.

* Auto Shack opened.

* Farmers & Merchants Bank was bought by Boatmen's Bank.

* Calico Corners was founded by Ronnie and Shirley Lohman.

* First National Bank became Centerre Bank.

* Chrisman Art Gallery opened.

* Buckner-Ragsdale Co. store closed.

* Kroger Save-On closed.

* Plaza Arcade was established.

* Hearth and Home Furnishings Store opened.

* The Glass Menagerie opened.

* The Pot of Gold opened.

* Universal Physique opened.

* This Can't Be Yogurt opened.

* Marquette Cement Mfg. Co. was sold to Lone Star Industries Inc.

1983

* Nancy's Cafe opened at 635 Broadway by Nancy Parrish.

* Centerre Bank moved to new offices.

* Missourian Litho and Printing Co. closed.

* Dollar General purchased P.N. Hirsch.

* Showbiz Pizza Place opened on Silver Springs Road.

* Riverside Gymnastics Academy was established by Bill Hopkins and Mary Crawford at 45 N. Main St.

* Tractor Supply Co. was started in 600 block of South Kingshighway, at the former Farm and Home Hardware Supply building.

* Cheatham's Furniture Store opened in the former Montgomery Ward building, Main and Independence streets.

* Shoney's Restaurant opened.

1984

* A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for Cape County Bank of Cape Girardeau.

* Walther Furniture Co. closed.

* Esquire Theater closed.

* Meyer Family Christian Books and Religious Articles store opened.

* BG's Number II opened.

* Case Power and Equipment Co. was established at 944 S. Kingshighway.

* Hecht's Woman opened.

* Jeremiah's restaurant opened on Water Street.

1985

* Sonic Drive-In, under new ownership, changed its name to Arnold's Drive-In.

* ComputerLand was opened by CUSAN Corp., a company formed by Curt and Susan Smith.

* Biokyowa was established.

* First Exchange Bank moved into its new building.

* Boatmen's Bank donated its Good Hope facility to the Salvation Army.

* The new Wal-Mart store opened.

* The Buckner-Ragsdale building was sold to Riverview Investments Ltd.

* Rust & Martin Bridal Salon & Fashion Store was sold.

* The new Nissan dealership opened.

* Cape Art Engraving Co. was established at 423 Broadview.

* West Park Travel Agency was started.

1986

* Accu-Grow Gardens & Florist opened at 1110 N. Cape Rock.

* Mr. and Mrs. Ed Kohlfeld sold Al's Midtown to Gary McIntyre.

* B & H Auto Supply moved to 2350 Rust Avenue and changed its named to B & H Fleet and Industrial Supply.

* Micro Age Computer Store was started at 211 S. Plaza Way.

* Ford Groves, the city's oldest auto dealership, was sold.

* Glik's Ltd. opened at 117 N. Main St.

* Gary Rust purchased The Southeast Missourian newspaper.

1987

* Academy of Dancearts opened at 1733 N. Kingshighway.

* Academy of Tai-Kwon-Do opened on North Kingshighway.

* Accu-Edge opened at 1131 N. Main St.

* Bootheel Area Rapid Transportation (BART) was started.

* Pagoda Gardens Restaurant moved to 329 S. Kingshighway.

* Blue Hole Bar-B-Que was sold to a Rolla group.

* The Royal N'Orleans restaurant was sold to Dennis Stockard.

* Fischer's Market closed after 50 years of business.

* Florsheim Factory Outlet Store opened.

1988

* Boatmen's Bank purchased Centerre Bank.

* Bunny Bread Inc. phased out its baking operation in Cape Girardeau.

* Monroe Glass Co. was purchased by Charles Haubold and Charles Hutson.

* Sunset Motel on Kingshighway was razed.

* Port Cape Girardeau Restaurant was sold to Doc Cain.

* C.P. McGinty Jewelers and Finney Giggles moved downtown.

* Hamburger Express opened on William Street.

* Domino's Pizza opened a second store.

* Horner Rausch's Optical Super Store opened.

* Malissa's Restaurant opened.

* Sample Carpet & Decoration opened.

* Oak Tree Furniture was established.

* Biokyowa's operation expanded.

1989

* Central Hardware Store opened.

* Ford Groves moved to a new location on Kingshighway.

* Hartford's opened in the new Cape Girardeau Centre on Broadview.

* Pollack Hide & Fur Co. and Pollack Steel Supply Inc. became Sides Steel Supply and Metal Recycling.

* Sohn's Men's Wear in West Park Mall closed.

* Ben Franklin Craft Store opened on North Kingshighway.

* Steak 'n' Shake opened near West Park Mall.

* Tri-Con Industries expanded to the former Wal-Mart building.

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