Businesses worry Illmo becoming 'ghost town'

After nearly 10 years with its new owners, Roth Hardware again is up for sale.

Ralph Roth will have owned Roth Hardware in Scott City for 10 years in December, after taking over the business when his brother and longtime owner, Donnie Roth, died in 2005. The Roth family began its store in 1946, and through many obstacles, it's continued to stay open.

Last week, Roth suffered a heart attack. But a few days later, he was back at the store. While sounding tired, he still was willing to talk shop.

"We're definitely one of the oldest family-owned hardware stores around here," he said. "It's got its ups and its downs, but we hold our own."

Located across the tracks on Second Street East in Scott City, the main streets of old Illmo are starting to look more and more bare. Roth thought between him and the flower shop, Paradise Express, they were the only two businesses left.

Mary Kinder, right, orders flowers with Dawn Razer, a clerk at Paradise Express on Saturday in Scott City. The business is one of a few in the old Illmo section of town. (Fred Lynch)

"People just don't go across the tracks," Roth said. "With some of the older folks dying off, the younger ones would rather just jump in the car and run."

It's an observation many of the business owners on the east side of town share, often wondering why one side of town could be growing, while across the tracks, the east side seems to be shrinking.

"There used to be two or three blocks just full of businesses," Roth said. "There was nothing but businesses; we even had three grocery stores. Now there's just two, and the dog-grooming place (Teresa's Tenderheart Pet Groom.)"

Ron Mason, owner of Paradise Express, moved to Second Street East in 1997 but said he's been doing business even longer.

"We made it through the recession OK, and even then we expanded during the recession," Mason said. "Business seems to be holding up, but its not getting any better."

Three years ago, Mason bought the store next door, expanding its storefront and doubling the inventory.

He said he believes lacking foot traffic is one of the causes of slower business, and at the shop, it does 75 percent of its business by telephone.

Paul Schock, owner of Schock's Pub, has been an advocate for developing Scott City since his arrival in 2003. As an artist and business owner, Schock believes beautifying the east side of town may help bring in more traffic.

"There just hasn't been much improvements in this area in some time," he said. "A lot of the sidewalks need repairs, and according to a city ordinance, that's the responsibility of the business owner, and a lot of them can't afford that."

Schock refers to the area as a "ghost town" for the most part, but said it's a charming area and definitely has potential.

"Look at the Sprenger (Properties) building," he said. "They had a condemned building that they rehabbed. Some people are so proud of Illmo, while others are at odds with it and would rather see it deteriorate -- it's an odd mixture. But there's a lot of potential there. It's just trying to get people to come to that side of town."

Missy Buckner, general manager of Sprenger Properties, said renting office space near the post office on Second Street East has been more difficult than she originally thought.

"Everybody that looks at renting is looking for that Main Street exposure," Buckner said. "But what I don't think a lot of people realize is the exposure you get from having the post office right next door."

Buckner said since the retirement earlier this year of Everett Holder, owner of Holder's barber shop, the street has seemed even more empty.

With the expanding turn-lane project taking place on Main Street, Mayor Tim Porch said at previous city council meetings he hopes the city council will use street funds to improve the city's walkways and crosswalks when construction is complete, but it was not specified whether that money will be used on Main Street or across town, too.

The mayor was not available for comment Friday.

"This community has a lot of pride in their history, but at the same time, having some community support to support the future of it would be nice, as well," Schock said.

smaue@semissourian.com

388-3644

Roth Hardware, 604 Second Street East, Scott City

Paradise Express, 614 2nd St East, Scott City

Teresa's Tenderheart Pet Groom, 522 2nd St East, Scott City

Schock's Pub, 186 East Hickory St., Scott City