The Prevallet Building

The Prevallet Building. . J. Manning purchased the original town Lot 48 from the Commissioners of Perryville for $67.12 in 1830. On October 2, 1899, Esther and Issac Kampe Kaempfe sold part of this lot to Vincent L. Prevallet for $2,100. It is believed the building was constructed shortly thereafter. Vincent Prevallet opened a jewelry store here and lived in the upstairs. He later purchased the Shoults Blechle Building next door (current home of Chamber of Commerce), where he moved his jewelry store and remained until that store closed in 1971. Mr. Prevallet's jewelry store started in 1895, and his business was located at different times on all four sides of the town square. In 1926, Louis Hecht, the owner of the popular Hecht's Ladies Store on Main Street in Cape Girardeau, opened a branch store here in the Prevallet Building, with Mrs. Oswald Bergman as the manager. In 1927, a new tenant, the Sweet Shop, also from Cape Girardeau opened, selling homemade candies, ice cream, soft drinks, and fruit. Managed by Charles Sepinza, the store had a player plano for entertainment. Other tenants included the Famous Shoe Store, Myer Drug Store and Manning Drug Store. Ron Horr took over Manning's in 1972 and operated Perryville Prescription here until 2000, when it was purchased by the Brewer Law Firm, and the Daniel's Clock Shop moved in upstairs. When Dennis Brewer became a judge, the law practice was sold, and Edward Jones Investments moved into the building. Ritter Real Estate, LLC, is the current owner. This 120-year-old building still proudly bears the Prevallet name on the building as a reminder of the rich heritage of our downtown square.