Areas of Mississippi not dominated by chains/big box stores (Hattiesburg: living, restaurants)

[movinginjune2010]

What areas of Mississippi are not dominated by chains/big box stores, but instead have a variety of thriving independent businesses to choose from? Areas where people don't get excited to go out to Applebee's on a Friday night or Target on a Saturday afternoon, but instead go and support businesses that can't be found anywhere else?

[brickpatio]

Bay St. Louis

[Zembonez]

WOW. Does such a place exist anymore? While I hope so... I find it doubtful. What you describe is from the 1970s or early 1980s where I am. Big box stores and the internizzle have pretty much eliminated the Norman Rockwell lifestyle.

[jhadorn]

Yes, unfortunately big chains now set up shop in places they never would have 25 years ago. Remember when Walgreens was only in metro areas? Now there is one in just about every town of at least 7,000 people.

The place I am from, Batesville, has a Lowe's, Chili's, Cracker Barrel, Walgreens, Tractor Supply, and up until Starbucks closed hundreds of stores it had a Starbucks. The population is only about 8,000.

[jsherman9901]

Columbus has the standard Lowe's, Wal Mart, and a few chain restaurants, but it also has a thriving downtown with lots of unique stores; there are also several nice local hardware and building supply stores and numerous non-chain restaurants.

[jwkilgore]

Quite a few small Mississippi towns have revitalized downtowns like what you described. Maybe not all are "thriving", but they are at least "active". The problem is to find the little gems, that are often hidden by the big-box shopping centers located out on the highways.

Columbia, MS (Marion County, several miles west of Hattiesburg) for example. I cannot say enough good things about the Back Door Cafe ("Sunday best" to casual dress, serving a mix of southern and contemporary dishes, all of which are excellent). Then there's locally owned Hill Hardware, a landmark. Lots of locally owned stores, just park (old-style on-street diagonal parking) on Main St just north of the courthouse and stroll. My ex-wife's aunt (a dear old lady who could give Emily Post a run for her money) recently retired as the librarian after 50 years and still leads children's reading groups.

Then there's the Courthouse Square in Kosciusko. With Pickle's Drug Store, Cafe on the Square, and many other locally owned stores including florists and furniture stores.

Both of these towns (and I could name others, including already mentioned Columbus, Starkville, Oxford, etc.) have their share of big-box-blight, but the old-town vibe is still there if you bother to look.

[jhadorn]

Originally Posted by jwkilgore

Quite a few small Mississippi towns have revitalized downtowns like what you described. Maybe not all are "thriving", but they are at least "active". The problem is to find the little gems, that are often hidden by the big-box shopping centers located out on the highways.

Columbia, MS (Marion County, several miles west of Hattiesburg) for example. I cannot say enough good things about the Back Door Cafe ("Sunday best" to casual dress, serving a mix of southern and contemporary dishes, all of which are excellent). Then there's locally owned Hill Hardware, a landmark. Lots of locally owned stores, just park (old-style on-street diagonal parking) on Main St just north of the courthouse and stroll. My ex-wife's aunt (a dear old lady who could give Emily Post a run for her money) recently retired as the librarian after 50 years and still leads children's reading groups.

Then there's the Courthouse Square in Kosciusko. With Pickle's Drug Store, Cafe on the Square, and many other locally owned stores including florists and furniture stores.

Both of these towns (and I could name others, including already mentioned Columbus, Starkville, Oxford, etc.) have their share of big-box-blight, but the old-town vibe is still there if you bother to look.

Ya, I didn't mean to imply that locally owned business was gone completely due to the big chains, rather they are fewer and farther between.

Towns such as Oxford that have an active square with locally owned businesses are great.

Batesville, while nowhere near the status of Oxford has invested in it's downtown with a farmers market, murals on buildings, support of local business such as Tavern on the Square, Flints Hardware, and others.

I like to see small business flourish, not only to help locals make a living and keep money in the community, but to add character to the community.

I agree that you wouldn't know about many of these places unless you got away from the interstate/main highway.

[psulions2007]

After taking a huge blow, I feel like the central downtown area of Natchez is making a comeback a bit with such independent businesses... whether that lasts or not is debatable.

[Robert_J]

There are always small, local businesses to frequent. I rarely go to the national chain restaurants. I will go to local chains in the area like Hueys (started in Memphis), McAllisters (started in Oxford), Newk's Deli (same folks started McAllisters), Avellinos (only in Southaven) and La Hacienda (4 restaurants in this area).

I always try to get groceries locally when it is affordable. Same with any other product. But sometimes Wal-Mart and Lowes can't be beaten.

[psulions2007]

Originally Posted by Robert_J

There are always small, local businesses to frequent. I rarely go to the national chain restaurants. I will go to local chains in the area like Hueys (started in Memphis), McAllisters (started in Oxford), Newk's Deli (same folks started McAllisters), Avellinos (only in Southaven) and La Hacienda (4 restaurants in this area).

I always try to get groceries locally when it is affordable. Same with any other product. But sometimes Wal-Mart and Lowes can't be beaten.

FWIW... McAllisters is spreading like wildfire... they're all over the Louisville metro and southern Indiana.