Downtown novelty retailer closes doors

Retro Nouveau, a novelty retailer on Park Central Square, has closed its doors, and its owners were moving their inventory into a U-Haul truck this morning.

Co-owner Jason Bodey said the closure - which happened ahead of their lease ending on Sept. 30 - would allow him and co-owner Ferdinand Villegas to focus on their four Springfield rental properties.

While there are no immediate plans to reopen Retro Nouveau, Bodey said the owners might choose to bring back the novelty gift store within the next couple years.

The closure of the shop, which sold Route 66 memorabilia, comes the day before the Aug. 14-16 Birthplace of Route 66 Festival to be held downtown.

The 1,500-square-foot space won’t stay vacant for long. A rum bar is slated to open at the 137 Park Central Square building later this year.

Dubbed The Golden Girl Rum Club, the idea is the brainchild of Springfield lifestyle blog A Beautiful Mess co-owner Emma Chapman and her husband Trey George, the blog’s business development manager, along with Scotch & Soda co-owner Joshua Widner and his brother and employee, Rogan Howitt, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

Widner and team bought the building June 5 for an undisclosed amount from Sam Freeman.