I was walking down Main Street shooting store fronts when I noticed the door at 126 North Main was open. That address belonged to Lang Jewelers from 1916 until last fall when the store closed. Here is an earlier story about Lang’s.
Building permit on door
I stepped in to take a look around, but nobody answered my call. There was a building permit on the door issued to C+R Renovations and listing plumbing and electrical contractors. A plaque from Old Town Cape giving the history of Lang’s mentioned the store featured its original tin ceiling and wooden wall display case.
I didn’t see the case, but it might have been removed for the renovation. Looks like the tin ceiling is going to be covered with a drop ceiling.Or, it might have had a drop ceiling installed over the tin ceiling and the renovation will expose it again. I didn’t feel comfortable taking a closer look at the blueprint on the floor.
Old Town Cape to carry calendars
Speaking of Old Town Cape, the Old Town Cape folks are going to carry my 2013-2014 Snapshots of Cape Girardeau calendar. They are located at 418 Broadway, next to what used to be the Rialto Theater. You can call 573-334-8085 to make sure they haven’t sold out.
Lang Jewelers photo gallery
Click on any photo to make it larger, then click on the sides to move through the gallery.
I was sorry to see them close, but understand Roger wanting to retire. I have a photo of one of Roger’s relatives from c1900. At that time, Lang’s was a shoe store. You would have to check with Roger to find out when they switched to jewelry. Ken, can you think of a family owned business that was/is older than the Lang family? I know Knaup Florists have been around for a long time. Shivelbine’s dates back to 1949, but before that it was M & S Music, (Meyer and Shiv. )
Zickfields has been in operation for a long time as well.
Like many I bought my senior ring at Lange’s and Becky was in the class of 1966. It is good to see them putting “something” into the space, an empty downtown is no good for anyone!
How long has the Limbaugh Law Firm been in business?
This is off the subject, but I thought you might find this interesting. I stumbled across this some time ago.
http://www.majesticdocuments.com/pdf/rswood_mufon2001.pdf Or you can do a search for the first Roswell report Cape Girardeau.
I believe an advertising and marketing business is going into Langs.
Back in January, there was an auction and nearly the entire contents of Lang’s were sold. If I remember correctly, the antique display cases went for tens of thousands of dollars per set, and I believe they were sold to a St. Louis buyer. I wish I would have been there when they moved the huge safes out…that would have been a sight to behold…
In response to Scott Shivelbine, the Buckner-Ragsdale Company was purchased by our grandfather in 1907 I believe. I think it opened a year or two before that.
I have collected Cape Girardeau memorabilia for some years. Buy the stuff from time to time at the antique stores. I have a collection of calendars. One is from 1933, Knaups. HUGE 30′ X42″. It reads, FTD–Say It With Flowers, Say It With Ours! Phone #780!
Has a really nice pastoral scene of a house with a thatched roof. Walter, do you remember the “Toasted Shop” at 635 Broadway? It was right across the street from Shivelbine’s at the time. I have another calendar, advertising the business in 1938. A pretty girl sitting by what looks like a babbling brook. Some sales guy did a heck of a job as I have 5 others from this time period on Broadway…and other Cape locations.
I chanced upon a 1898, Cape County Fair Program…it says the first year sanctioned.
(Cape Fair Board says they are older than that, but this must have been the first year they were bonified(sp), what ever that meant).
Great listings of all the different prizes for farm animals (like 12 or so for different hens and roosters), + many for flowers, vegetables, sewing, stitching, fruits– etc. And they had horse racing.
And in it is a ad for education at the “State Normal”,tuition was FREE!! Room and Board hook ups were advertised as costing about $3. bucks per week.
There was as baseball game. I have photos of these guys from my Louis Krueger photo collection. These men were all dressed up in like clown outfits. The “Merchants vs The Drummers”! (Who knows what a “drummer” was…not a percussionist). And about 15 men dressed like Capaha Indians. Make up, turkey feathers, the whole bit. I can’t imagine how many boxes of beer these men went thru during that game!!
What must be and ancestor of the John Ruesller’s, shows this photo of Herr Rueseller in uniform (Civil War Vet??), advertising custom taylor clothing. That ad is right above my Great Grandfather August Schievelbein ad for the Arcade Saloon, (Main and Themis, now the Cup n Cork). His ad reads, “Come by and say Hi to Gus…all modern–Electric Fans and telephone”
What a great time they must have had at that fair that year…1898.
By the way, the County Fairground, on the out skirts of town, are now what is known as Capaha Park….
All for now,
Scott