There are several new businesses popping up in the downtown area. One of these new businesses is a unique fashion boutique, Ophelia, which opened in early June. With its fashion forward designs and vast assortment of clothing, shoes, jewelry and gifts, Ophelia has something to offer for women of all ages. From trendy pieces to basic staples, the store only carries six of each individual item, allowing for new styles to be brought in daily. Ophelia also has a line of all natural bath and body products called KIND, which come from Webster Groves, Missouri.

Ophelia’s original location is in downtown Farmington, Missouri. In June of 2013, Patrice Parson had an opportunity to purchase Ophelia after hearing that it was going out of business. “I decided to start a new adventure into owning a business when the previous owner approached me with the chance to buy the store. I was so excited about the new adventure, but also scared to lose my shopping place so I decided that being a new business owner was a new adventure I was ready for”. Not long after purchasing the Farmington location, Patrice and her husband new that they wanted to expand. Being a Southeast Missouri State University graduate and a former resident of Cape Girardeau, Patrice was very familiar with the Cape Girardeau area. After making several trips to downtown Cape Girardeau and visiting with several downtown business owners, they began to start the search for the perfect building for their new boutique. With the help of Old Town Cape, Patrice and her husband were able to find the perfect location for their second store.

Ophelia is located at 125 North Main Street. For more information about their store, check out their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OpheliaCapeGirardeau.

This post is written by guest blogger, Tara Mills.

Let's rewind almost five years. It's spring in Cape Girardeau and you can feel it in the air. The flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, and the air is softening. But for one girl, everything is as bleak as winter. Her heart has been broken, you see. So, where to go and what to do to somewhat mend that heart? Why, Ragsdale's is just the ticket! It certainly helps that her friend is bar tending that night. After a while, after a few tears and lamentations, in strolls a vaguely familiar guy.

"Don't I know you?"

"I'm talking to my friend right now," is the sweet response.

The girl on the barstool was me and the vaguely familiar guy? He's now my husband. Now, now, don't let your mind wander - it was a night of visiting and storytelling. Josh and I first met when we were sixteen. He was friends with my cousin and I visited Cape for a couple of weeks that summer. But we had only seen each other a few times since then, the majority of those conversations sounding something like this:

"Hey, aren't you Jill's cousin?"

"Yeah, I am. Aren't you Jill's friend? The one with the blue truck?"

"Yeah! Good to see you."

"Good to see you too."

That fateful night he was living in Indiana and I was moving away from Cape in a month. Not a great start to a romance, to be sure, but it all worked out. I eventually moved back to Cape to start graduate school. When Josh visited, our nights would begin or end (and sometimes both) at a downtown establishment - whether for food, drinks, dancing, or all three! After Josh moved back to Cape, our relationship grew and we began to see all of the other great things that downtown Cape has to offer - furniture, antiques, clothes, events like Tunes at Twilight and the Cape Riverfront Market, and jewelry. Oops, I just gave you a hint as to how this story ends!

Ok, now fast forward to the night before Thanksgiving of 2012. After dinner at Broussard's, we walked to the river. As we meandered by Ragsdale's, this conversation sparked: what would our lives be like if we hadn't run into each other that one night? We continued to walk, talk, and watch the water whoosh by. As I headed back to the car, Josh called my name and I turned around to find him on one knee with a stunning ring from Jayson Jewelers.

Our story doesn't end there. I said yes, and just a little over a month ago, we were married. When looking for locations for the ceremony, the answer seemed obvious. Downtown Cape had been such a big part of our lives and relationship that it was the perfect place to begin our new journey together. We were lucky enough to be one of the first weddings allowed in the beautiful Old St. Vincent's Catholic Church since the 1970s! The church's downtown location also allowed us to use the unique views and vistas, resulting in amazing pictures and memories that we'll hang on our walls and cherish forever.

With all that downtown Cape has been to and done for us, it's exciting to think about what's next. Our relationship began and blossomed downtown, developed into a serious something, then changed into a marriage, a real man-and-wife something. Thank you, downtown Cape, for your charm and opportunities both new and old, and all of the good times that you offer. Personally, I thank you for my hubby!

Did you know that the largest silver artbar dealer in the world is in downtown Cape Girardeau? I sure didn’t, and until this week I didn’t know what a silver artbar was either. Mike Sprouse, owner of River City Coins and Jewelry and – the world’s largest artbar dealer – filled me in during a visit to his shop this week. I discovered that silver artbars are rectangular collector’s items made of silver with engraved artwork that were mostly produced in the 60’s and 70’s after the U.S. stopped using silver in coins which in turn caused an increase in silver interest and value.

During my visit to River City Coins & Jewelry, Mike was kind enough to show me around his shop, give me some coin collecting 101 and share his story.

When I walked in the shop, I carried in a trinket-box full of coins. The box, shaped like a heart with “Toni’s Things” painted on top, held coins that I had thrown in since I was 12 that I thought were interesting or that held special sentimental value. Mike said that people walked in on a daily basis with similar stories of coins they thought may or may not be worth something. We poured mine on the counter, and Mike thumbed through foreign coins, smashed souvenir pennies, a few buffalo nickels and a Kennedy half dollar. The verdict? My buffalo nickel was worth 35¢. Everything else was face value or less.

Since I wasn’t expecting any of my coins to be worth much, I wasn’t that disappointed, so we moved on to bigger and better things. I asked Mike about some of his favorite coins, and he pulled out a buffalo nickel with a 3 legged buffalo and a $20 gold coin. The buffalo nickel (sans one leg) was worth anywhere from $500-$1,000! The $20 gold coin was printed in 1924, and was now worth approximately $1,800! Mike explained that the intrinsic worth of the gold in the coin was $1,200, and the numismatic worth (collector’s value) added another $600 of worth to the coin. Many coins have a raw precious metal value (intrinsic) plus a numismatic value determined by how valuable collectors deem the coin. Mike proudly referred to himself as a numismatist - a student or collector of coins.

As I stood at the counter in River City Coins & Jewelry, I was most impressed with Mike’s knowledge of economics, investing and the precious metals market. As he told his story, I learned he had majored in Economics at SEMO and worked in the banking industry for 10 years before deciding to take a chance on his dream job: buying and selling coins and jewelry. He first opened his shop in Cape in 1985 and moved to the current location downtown in 1993. He laughed in disbelief, as I reminded him he was nearing his 30 year anniversary. Mike confessed that he had collected coins all of his life, and I could tell he had a true passion for the trade.

When I left the store, I couldn't help but peek at interesting pieces, and I made two mental notes:

1. Collecting coins is a hobby that is literally worth something. 
2. I really need to add investing in gold to my list of strategies for retirement. 

After all, cashing in a $20 gold coin for $1,800 doesn’t sound too shabby.


Author: Toni Eftink is a Project Manager at Element 74 where she leads custom web projects. She has a huge love for downtown Cape Girardeau and small businesses. You can find her on Google+ and Twitter.

As women, there is a point in your life when "girls night out" begins to mean something different. For me, it happened in my late 20s when going out with girls meant having a relaxing evening to reconnect with friends, have a glass of wine, and chill out for a little while. This became increasingly important as our lives became more complex - some friends were getting married, having kids, or moving up the corporate ladder. We had to make time for ourselves and just relax with friends just to catch up on each others lives.

While living in Fort Worth and Chicago, my gal-pals and I had endless possibilities - tapas night, an evening of facials and cocktails, cooking classes, charity shopping events, etc. And that is why I created Girls & Pearls Night! Local women can have a glamourous evening and do something to support downtown Cape. Our concept is simple - throw an event where women can have a cupcake and cocktail while shopping for pearls and jewelry with 10% of the sales that evening to benefit Old Town Cape. You needn't be a beader or designer to attend, it's open to everyone. Ladies can shop for themselves or get a head start on the holidays with the gift of a beautiful custom designed pearl bracelet or necklace or vintage earrings. Friends, shopping, cupcakes and cocktails...what more could you ask for!

If you are interested in attending this fun event, please RSVP via our Facebook event where you can also find updates on the event. I look forward to seeing everyone at Sloan + Themis.

This post is written by guest blogger, Kelsey Stratton, Intern at Old Town Cape.

Q: Who are you and when did you open the store?

A: My name is Kathy Pincksten and I opened Merci in May 2013 when the perfect building came along.

Q: What makes your store unique?

A: Merci has something to offer for everyone from babies, children and toddlers to adults with jewelry, decor, lotions, and even gifts for dads. My grandchildren were somewhat of an inspiration for the children's clothing though.

Q: Why did you choose to locate your store in downtown Cape?

A: The Julius Vasterling building on the corner of Broadway and Sprigg has been home to a variety of stores over the decades - a dry goods store, saloon, billiards hall, meat market, electric supply company, restaurant, cafe, and home appliance store - but we wanted to introduce something new to this building - a boutique! Kathy said" I love being in the downtown area and I love being able to shop around town and eat at the local cafe's for lunch. It's so quaint."

This post is written by guest blogger, Kynli Smith, Intern at Old Town Cape.

When you first open the doors to Annie-Em's at Home you immediately notice the warm atmostphere. Walking into the store feels like you are shopping at home. Annie-Em's at Home is celebrating their one year anniversary on Saturday, September 7. There will be wine, cookies and fun at the store to kick off the celebration, Having moved to a new location this past year, the downtown business continues to grow!

"The business has really grown over the past year. We are introducing new lines and have broadened our age group," said owner Emilie Stephens.

In 2012, Emilie took over the business from her mother who ran the business for 11 years. Having a dietician degee, Emilie had no idea that running a business in downtown Cape was in her future. "I never imagined I'd be operating my own business. That was not in my plan. But, I'm glad my plan didn't work out. Being a business owner in downtown Cape is an amazing opportunity, one that has brought many people into my life."

Emilie credits her family, friends and her faithful customers to keeping her business successful. It is because of them that the experience of being a business owner has been so rewarding. "New faces come into my shop and those faces are always full of news, stories and advice. The relationships that I've built with my customers are worth more than they'll ever know."

As far as Annie-Em's at Home's future, Emilie plans to keep expanding her business. She hopes to launch a store website soon and she's also busy shopping and looking for new products of her favorite things to bring into her customer's hands. There will also be a big Christmas Open House celebration in November. It's a tradition that her mother started many years ago. Emilie feels as though her mother would be so proud of the people downtown.

This post is written by guest blogger, Kelsey Stratton, Intern at Old Town Cape

Q: Who are you and when did you open the store?

A: My name is Bridgett Kielhofner and I opened the Philanthropy location on Broadway a little over a year ago in June 2012. The original Philanthropy opened in 2007 in Franklin, TN.

Q: What makes your store unique?

A: Philanthropy is not just a retail shop, it is a way to help others; it is a mission. As our mantra states, "Fashion + Compassion" it not just a shopping experience; it is a way to open up hearts and give blessing to others. 10% of our sales off the top goes to one of the 48 charities that we support, so customers know that they're purchases are actually giving back. Not only does Philanthropy give back to Old Town Cape through t-shirt sales, we support other local businesses as well. Almost every display item has been purchased from various shops in town, such as display tables, decorations, and furniture.

Q: Why did you choose to locate your store in downtown Cape?

A: "God led me downtown to be a part of the historic nature, and I don't have a single regret about the location," Bridgett said. "I could not ave asked for a better reception from the other businesses. Everyone was so nice, and we are all like a family that continues to grow and support one another. We're all here for the same reason - to better the community, not to compete with each other. I really just love to see visitors come from all over to experience the beauty of downtown Cape, and feel the love for it."

Stay tuned for the third post of this series, which will feature Merci.

This post is co-written by blog committee members Emilie Stephens, owner of Annie Em's at Home, and Claire Bruce, owner of Sloan + Themis.

These days, everyone is looking for that one little thing to make their wedding day extra special. Whether it's the rings, food, or wedding china, the businesses of downtown Cape Girardeau can help you get ready for your special day. Below are a few things that will make your wedding plannning a little bit easier.

1. Wedding rings - We have several fine jewelry stores downtown that carry the latest trends for both men and women's wedding jewelry. Check out Zickfield's Jewelers, C.P. McGinty's or Jayson Jewelers.
2. Rent the romance - If you are looking for vintage china for your special day, Annie Laurie's Antiques and Somewhere In Time Antiques will rent vintage china to you that will certainly make your reception unique.
3. Vintage fascinators - Today, many brides are choosing vintage fascinators over traditional wedding veils. Sloan + Themis carries a variety of fun, vintage fascinators that will add the finishing touch to your wedding gown.
4. Tea party - Looking for a location for a fun bridal shower? Judith's Antiques will arrange a vintage tea party for you and your guests.
5. Bourbon balls - Delight your weddings guests with a delicious southern confection. Handcrafted by Mary of the Corner Grocery Store, these treats are sure to please!
6. Food and catering - Many of downtown's restaurants offer catering for your special occasion -- Port Cape Girardeau, Bel Air Grill, Celebrations, Rose Bed Inn, Socials Cafe, and many more!
7. Quick wedding gift - If your friends are getting married on a Saturday afternoon, make sure to stop by Renaissance because they have a wide selection of gifts and home decor to suit any newlyweds.
8. Bridesmaids dresses - Looking for something bold or funky for your bridesmaids? Checkout Pastimes Antiques collection of vintage dresses and accessories for your bridal party.
9. Bridesmaids bling - Annie Em's at Home offers a wide selection of fun bridesmaid's jewelry. Whether you're looking for something bold and bright or something with a little sparkle, they can help!
10. It's a sign - Sweet Designs Boutique offers custom made signs to commemorate your wedding.

 

This post is written by guest blogger, Kelsey Stratton, Intern at Old Town Cape.

The blog committee wants to share with you the stories behind our downtown businesses, so we are launching a series portion of the blog. The series will include shopping, dining, exploring, beauty salons, worship, etc. and each series will feature multiple Q&A articles with various downtown business owners/merchants. The first series is about clothing boutiques, so we asked three different boutique owners a few questions. Here's what one of them had to say:

Q: Who are you and when did you open the store?

A: We are mother/daughter duo Jill and Emily Hoehne and we opened the doors of Stash in October 2012. Neither of us ever planned on owning a store, but we couldn't have done it without each other. With the collaboration of Emily's retail experience and Jill's funding, we both agreed it was the right time in our lives to venture out.

Q: What makes your store unique?

A: Stash is not just any boutique...Stash is a shop where customers become friends. We value the relationships the store has allowed us to build, whether long term or just getting to know visitors from all over the country. The bond with our customers is what truly makes the store unique. "One of my favorite parts of the shop is just chatting with customers while they try on clothes and getting to know them," Emily said. "It's a place you can go and hang out and just be comfortable being a girl."

Q: Why did you choose to locate your store in downtown Cape?

A: While we could have set up shop anywhere in Cape Girardeau, we chose downtown because of the atmosphere; the reception we received was nothing short of amazing. Emily said, "I would not change the location of the store for anything in the world. Downtown has this neighborhood feel; it has a personality that makes you feel like a part of something more." "You get to know all the other store owners and we support one another. Our stores are not just a job, they're our livelihoods...they're our babies."

Stay tuned for the second post of this series, which will feature Philanthropy.

This post is written by guest blogger, Kelsey Stratton, Intern at Old Town Cape.

I’m from St. Louis. When I need something to wear, I go to the mall. If I need something for the kitchen, Home Goods or The Container Store is sure to have it. You can see where this is going...I’m a generic shopper. But these purchases always feel a bit empty, like some vital component is missing – a story, perhaps:

As you walk up Broadway, the iconic and well dressed Zsa Zsa and her surrounding goodies are outside to greet customers with just a preview of what you can find inside Annie Laurie’s Antiques. Walking in, you can feel owner Laurie Everett’s inspiration from art deco of the 1920’s, the retro 1960’s, and the bohemian 1970’s reverberating through the walls. From the purses and clothing to the kitchen goods, furniture, decorations, lamps, glassware, and jewelry, you can find just about anything at Annie Laurie’s Antiques– except from this decade. According to their website “this is not your grandmother’s vintage clothing store." And that is absolutely true. Everything in the store holds a funky and eclectic vibe that makes you want to search for more. I felt like no stone could be unturned, and I had to see and experience everything the shop had to offer. My only wish is to know the story behind every item:  when/where it came from, the things it had seen, the places it had been. But the unknown is where the mystique lies. 

Leaving the shop was unlike any emotional experience I’ve had while shopping. Annie Laurie’s Antiques made me yearn for more out of life – to explore and see, do, and learn more. I was inspired to live differently and to always find the story out of life.