It’s 6 pm on a Wednesday evening and I arrive to a really busy bar. Every seat at the bar is occupied as well as several of the tables. There is a lively pool game taking place in the back and a steady soundtrack of great music plays. As I sat down and talked to Will Rhymer, owner of Rhymer’s in Town Plaza, I had to admit to him I was a little surprised by how active the bar was. He just kinda nodded in a way that both acknowledged the fact and appreciated it.

Will Rhymer has been slinging drinks as a bartender since he was 21. He worked for Doc at Port Cape for a time and then traveled the country bartending. He opened 2 bars for Outback and numerous other places around the country. After moving back to Cape, he began moonlighting at Shamrock’s and when it closed, he seized the opportunity to go to the next level. 

         Will Rhymer     Laura Pfau     Ray Rhymer


Will saw a chance to bring something a little different to the midtown area of Cape, including live music. Until Rhymer's opened, there wasn’t much to choose from in the midtown area that could equal the downtown area as far as live music was concerned.  Rhymer’s opened two years ago and the business has shown steady growth. Will believes Rhymer's success is due their hard work behind the scenes. In fact, when I asked about his least favorite part of being a bar owner, he said there is a ton of work involved and the long hours sometimes take him from his family. Rhymers try to do as much as they can (cleaning, inventory, etc.) by themselves, so it’s even a heavier load. But with ownership comes a tremendous amount of pride in his establishment, which is clearly evident when talking with Will.

The best thing about owning his Rhymer's? Working with his retired dad. Will says his dad is his best friend and he thoroughly enjoys working with him every day. Will also credits Laura Pfau with contributing her talents and time to making Rhymer's a success. Will even went so far as to say Rhymer's on the Plaza would not have  been possible without Laura's help.
  
So, what make Rhymer’s different from every other bar in Cape? It’s the atmosphere and the types of people that congregate there.  Will described it as a ‘blue collar’ bar and I tend to argree with him. That’s why there were so many people when I met with him on Wednesday. They were good, working class people who had just gotten off work and wanted to stop by their watering hole before going home. Rhymer’s also has a huge law enforcement clientele. The 3rd Tuesday of every month, will closes the door to the general public and the SEMO Labor Club meets. You must have a union ticket to get in. In fact on any given night, you can see a group of cops at one table, bikers at another, and lawyers at another. The great thing about Will's place, is the wide spectrum of ages, classes, and occupations that all hang out together. 

As if the ambience and promise of great music wasn’t enough to entice you to check out Rhymer’s, the drink specials definitely will! Their happy hour is from 3-7 and they have Coors, Stag, and Miller for only $1, all domestic beer for only $2, and $3 well drinks! Wednesday also happens to be Karaoke Night, so be sure to stop in and try to belt out a tune or two.
 


On July 23rd, they celebrated their 2nd anniversary with The Intention Band, food from Bayou Bar and Grill, and prizes, giveaways, and drink specials all night long.  The Intention Band playing for Rhymer’s anniversary is becoming a tradition since they played for the 1st anniversary as well.  If you haven’t seen them yet, they are a must-see live band! Their energy and stage antics are entertaining in and of themselves, but they also make it extremely fun to listen and dance. 

So if you like a down home, blue collar bar that is as cool as it is laid back, be sure to stop by Rhymer’s in the Cape Town Plaza and help to support LOCAL business and music!  

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