They wanted to see the shoe store one last time

Before it was Riggio's Shoebox in downtown Du Quoin, it was Rude's shoe store.

The Riggios have owned and operated the store for the last 37 years.

The late Gordon Rude and wife Margaret had operated the shoe store for the 19 years before that.

In recent weeks, Margaret's brother, Louis Cook Jr., 90, told his son and daughter he would like to see his sister and brother-in-law's shoe store in Du Quoin "one last time."

This week, his children Louis III and LuAnn Souders brought their father all the way from Sahurata, Ariz. near Tucson back to Du Quoin to see that store.

Cook walked the aisles of the beautiful store and could picture in his mind the way it was when Gordon and Margaret Rude had it.

Betty Riggio and son Pete spent a lot of time talking to Cook about how the store was when they purchased it 37 years ago and about the Wyman family ownership decades ago. They talked about acquiring the Hills for the Lady store next door, which is connected to the shoe store by a large doorway.

They talked about how Du Quoin has changed--some for the better--and certainly about how some things were better back then.

After lunch, the family was headed back to Arizona most appreciative of the Riggio's showing Mr. Cook the store for what he again called "the last time."