Rumors have become reality. The building that housed Cape Girardeau’s landmark business, Esicar’s, will be sold at auction Aug. 21 at noon. Missourian business reporter Melissa Miller wrote that the three-story building, its contents and the one-acre site it sits on will be sold. Included in the items up for sale is Esicar’s original brass cash register, antique furniture, meat processing equipment, coolers, and a concession trailer.
This will be the end
A business like Esicar’s can survive one owner change, but I gather from comments that I’ve read and heard that the current owner didn’t have the loyal following of the original family.
When it’s sold this time, it’s going to be like the classic story of the man who was offered an axe owned by George Washington. The prospective buyer hefted it and said, “It looks awfully new to have belonged to George Washington.”
“Well, to be honest, it’s had three new handles and two heads since Washington used it.”
I think the Esicar spirit left the building well in advance of the auction. I’m going to predict that an entirely different business will go into the building when it’s all over.
Earlier links
I admit never having been a fan of Esicar’s and was taken to task by my readers. You’d have thought I had said that McDonald’s was better than the Blue Hole.
I speculated that Esicar’s was closed because the store didn’t show any signs of life.
I can admit the new owners didnt seem to have the quality up to the original level. I have known the Esicars for as long as I can remember. Our parents and theres were close friends. I have taken, had shipped, Esicars smoked meats to South Dakota pheasant hunting every year for the past 25 and my father before that for the 20 before me. I dont know if I’ll be welcome without it. The only thing consistent in life is change, but there not being an Esicars will be a big adjustment for me. Every October I could count on talking to Blake or Scott Koch to take my order and listen to the raves from the other hunters on how good the sausages were. Thanks for the savory memories.
A couple Esicar boy’s were in Central High in the early 40’s when I went there and even though I never was a customer when they had the market down on Broadway, I wonder if any of the boys are still living and are around Cape!
Joe Whitright :45″
The current owner is keeping the receipes of the original Esicars and hope to open a new store somewhere in Southern Missouri. Hope it is close!
I remember going there with my mom and dad when I lived in Cape. We never knew there was any other kind of bacon. It will be sorely missed, we have been buying from them for years, every time we went visiting to Cape or by mail order.
from the time we first moved to cape I was 10 till my dad was transferred to st. louis, he was there picking out the bacon summer sausage etc. every week. they are sadly missed.
I used them and was very happy!
My family has buying since the establishment of the business. We really miss the bacon. I hope someone starts it up again. Best of luck…….