Haarig Commercial District

The summer of 1919 changed everything for Haarig’s most well-known industry, when prohibition went into effect. Many German-Americans were saddened by the loss of their cultural identity, but the people of Good Hope found ways to change, turning bars into popular soda shops, grocery stores, and meat markets. The saloon industry never recovered, even after prohibition was lifted in the 1930s.

John Sciortino braved the journey from Sicily to St. Louis as a young boy, and immersed himself in the city’s wholesale produce industry. As a man, he visited Cape Girardeau and instantly decided to relocate there to start his own fruit market. Soon enough, 612 Good Hope became known as the Sciortino Fruit Co; John lived above the store with his wife Josepheine and their five children.

Armed with a wagon and two horses named Nellie, John often ventured beyond Good Hope to peddle downtown and deliver produce throughout the city. This practice would attract customers to his store in Haarig, where he also sold ice cream for just five cents a cone. He was active in many community organizations, and eventually granted citizenship with the support of several Cape businessmen.

After nearly 30 years of business, John retired due to his declining health, and died just two years later at the age of 61. In his life, he had crossed the Atlantic Ocean a total of five times. His store went on to serve a number of functions before the city ordered the building to be razed in 1960 alongside 610 Good Hope.

The Orpheum was not the first theater in Haarig, but is the one best remembered today. In 1909, the Southeast Missourian began referencing a Gem Theater that hosted vaudeville troupes and silent films, along with a small community orchestra.  Local demand for moving pictures were at an all time high, but came with an increased risk of fire; new safety codes eventually condemned the Gem’s canvas roof and wooden bleachers. The Grand theater was built in the 500 block of Good Hope Street to replace the Gem, with the city’s first fire-proof projection room.

In the Grand, theatergoers enjoyed community plays, political speeches, academic lectures, religious speakers, silent films, and even boxing matches. Folks of all ages crowded Good Hope street daily to consume a variety of mass media, and surrounding businesses often adjusted their hours to serve the late-night masses. The Orpheum Amusement Co. bought the theater in 1913, and so the name changed to Orpheum Theater. People continued visiting Haarig to view the wider world, escape the everyday, and even see themselves on screen.

By the end of the decade, the Orpheum relocated yet again, this time to a new location at 615 Good Hope. Here, it introduced Cape Girardeau to movies in color and “talkies” - although it wasn’t a true talking picture, but rather a man and woman narrated backstage. The Orpheum theater thrived for nearly 40 years, until declining attendance forced it to close in 1954. Sadly, the building was destroyed in 1993, after its roof collapsed.

By the turn of the century, this immigrant-led group of businesses formed a completely separate commercial district, to the point where they formed a separate bank. Henry Nussbaum, George Meyer, Joseph Haas, and Charles Moeder were four of seven directors for the Farmer and Merchants Bank. It began at 632 Good Hope, but later expanded to a two story building at the corner of Good Hope and Sprigg. The construction of the new building was seen by many as “the most commendable feature of Haarig’s rapid growth”.

Farmer and Merchant’s local ownership and family values drew customers and workers alike from Cape’s other banks. Throughout periods of wealth, war, and depression, the bank put the community first. They financed many milestones of adulthood; memories of the institution held by the present-day community range from opening their first checking account, getting their first job post-graduation, and cashing their first paycheck. Others remember visiting doctors, photographers, and other businesses occupying the bank’s upper floors.

The Farmer and Merchants Bank held several superlatives for Cape Girardeau. At the time of completion, its second building was named the largest bank in the city. It operated as such for 62 years until the Salvation Army acquired it in 1985. They destroyed what was at that point Cape's oldest surviving bank structure a decade later, despite major community opposition. Many saw the building as a landmark of Haarig, and were deeply saddened to see it demolished in 1995.

Henry Nussbaum Jr. was among the first generation of Nussbaums born in the United States after moving from Switzerland. His father owned and operated a furniture store in the district, which later encouraged him to follow in his father’s footsteps. After receiving little enjoyment from furniture, Nussbaum opened a general mercantile with his father at 633 Good Hope. Eventually, his father's portion of the business was taken over by his brother-in-law, Charles Stehr.  Over the years, Nussbaum Jr. became connected with several different businesses; on three separate occasions, he served as owner of a grocery store, general mercantile, and advertisement agency.

His business ventures in Haarig allowed him to support further economic development of the neighborhood. Nussbaum was heavily involved in establishing Farmer and Merchants Bank, serving as a board member until his death in 1942. Outside of Nussbaum’s professional life, he participated in many community organizations, from the Rotary Club to the Chamber of Commerce, that allowed him to develop connections throughout the area. For over a decade, Mr. Nussbaum served as a member of the school board, Retail Merchants Association, and Cape Girardeau Special Road Commission.