When Chris Hutson attends various furniture shows throughout the nation, he is referred to as the "Futon guy."

What's a futon?

This is what Hutson wants people to know.

The explanation is simple -- a futon is a sleep-sofa hybrid.

So, what's the difference in the futon and a regular sleeper sofa?

"You get more support than the average sleeper sofa," Hutson said. "The regular sleeper sofas have a webbed mat with springs, and a mattress. When you open up a futon, you have wood slats for support."

The futon is unique, adds Hutson, a third-generation furniture retailer and manager of Furniture Fair in downtown Cape Girardeau. "It's not something you'll see everyday."

But, for Hutson, the futon investment is playing off. Futon sales account for 9 percent of Furniture Fair's overall volume.

Hutson's and his futon story gained national recognition recently when a story appeared in High Points magazine, a national publication designed for furniture retailers.

Furniture Fair was founded by Hutson's father, Charles Hutson, in 1977.

Hutson Furniture is a big name in Cape Girardeau. The Hutson family has retailed furniture in the downtown area more than 50 years. Charles Hutson and another son, Dave Hutson, operate Hutson's Fine Furniture a half-block away from Furniture Fair.

Chris Hutson knew about futons when he became manager of Furniture Fair in 1990.

"They were not familiar to this area," he said. "And, they are usually sold at specialty stores."

Hutson changed that in Cape Girardeau. People here now know the difference in a bit-fold and tri-fold, a wall-away and a full-frontal.

"We're constantly looking for new products, new niches" he said. "Futons of the '90s are the water beds of the '80s."

Furniture Fair was the first to introduce the futons to the area. "They're a great sleep alternative product," said Hutson. "And, if people tire of seeing the same design, they can change the cover for a nominal fee and have a new design."

Consumers have a choice in selections, from 11 different frames. "We also have futon groups -- futon, chair, ottoman and endtables," said Hutson.

The futons are ideal for sunrooms, porches, dens, cabins and lake houses, notes Hutson.

Downtown Cape Girardeau busy

Downtown Cape Girardeau is a busy place these days.

Renovation, remodeling and redecorating are under way at a number of buildings, and one new business opened last week.

Cape Girardeau's downtown encompasses a wide area of the city's older neighborhoods, from the river to West End Boulevard, and from Bellevue to Morgan Oak.

By a more specific definition, the immediate downtown area is centered around Main, Water and Spanish streets, and that's where a lot of activity is happening.

Craig Horky, a Cape Girardeau businessman, has purchased the building that previously housed Royale Ballet & School of Performing Arts at 15 N. Main.

"We're remodeling the building," said Horky. "We'll be announcing our plans for it in the near future."

Meanwhile, the dance studio is moving around the corner, to 119 Independence St. It opens there Sept. 5, said Gay Marie Tomlinson, owner of the Royale Ballet & School of Performing Arts."

The studio will have four areas in its new location. "We have a large area for the dance studio," said Tomlinson. "We also have a reception area, break room and space for a warm-up studio."

S. Gregg Gallery, 112 N. Main, is expanding into an adjacent building at 114 N. Main.

"We're redecorating the building now," said Steve Gregg. "This will double our current floor space."

The building at 114 N, Main previously housed a consignment sports equipment shop.

To the south on Main Street, Hutson's Fine Furniture is adding an additional 10,000 square feet.

"When completed, we'll move our La-Z-Boy Showcase Shoppe to the downtown area," said Charles Hutson. "We're also redecorating the interior of the entire store here, including all the galleries."

Hutson is looking for an early October completion of the new addition, constructed at the north end of the current store, 43 S. Main.

The present La-Z-Boy building at 1606 N. Kingshighway will be sold.

One new business -- Sunshine Corner Herb Shop, owned and operated by Teresa Pullum and Karma Campbell -- opened at 117 Themis St. last week.

GSA looking at downtown

Meanwhile, there is some enthusiasm about the General Service Administration's search for a site for a new U.S. Courthouse and Federal building in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The GSA has outlined the boundaries for the new federal facility over a 15-block area, bounded by Sprigg Street on the west, Spanish Street on the East, Independence Street on the South and Bellevue Street on the north.

A minimum of 175,000 square feet is needed, which will include a 72,000-square-foot building and space for parking.

The new building will be about three times as large as the current federal building, 339 Broadway.

The new courthouse would house the federal courts, U.S. attorney's office and other federal law enforcement offices. The existing Federal Building would house other federal agencies.

Thoughts of a new federal building have been around since 1991, when U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson asked for a study to determine the need and feasibility of a new building.

Congress approved the study, which was conducted by the GSA in 1992. The study recommended the new building include about 72,000 square feet of usable space. The study also recommended the building be built in the "downtown area" of Cape Girardeau, excluding the riverfront historic district.

Some general areas have been mentioned, including the old Marquette Hotel site, corner of Broadway and Fountain, and site along Independence Street between Frederick and Fountain.

But, Thomas L. Meyer, a Cape Girardeau realtor, likes another area, starting at the corner of Sprigg and Broadway, north to the corner of Bellevue and Sprigg and east to Bellevue and Frederick.

"This area is in close proximity to the post office, and is an area with good visibility," said Meyer.

"Sprigg Street is the crossroad of Cape Girardeau," Meyer added. "And, the area is big enough to provide plenty of parking.

One downtown businessman likes the Marquette site, saying the new courthouse could be built at that site, with a crosswalk extended across Broadway to the current federal building.

We'll be keeping watch on activity. GSA officials will be in Cape Girardeau in late September to conduct a public hearing.

Maybe, by that time, more possible sites will emerge.