 
Mississippi Business Journal features Vicksburg Main Street
A short commute
by Nash Nunnery
http://msbusiness.com
Mississippi Business Journal
Published: March 14th, 2010
VICKSBURG — Most weekday mornings, Laura Weeks rolls out of her Washington Street bed, takes a shower, eats breakfast and goes to work.
No commute necessary. She simply walks down the stairs.
“My husband and I moved to Vicksburg from Norfolk, Va., and the traffic in the mornings was horrible,” Weeks said. “It took us 45 minutes to drive eight miles. We don’t miss (commuting) at all.”
Weeks, owner of Lorelei Books, lives and works in the same space in downtown Vicksburg. So does acclaimed Mississippi artist H.C. Porter, a Jackson native who has an art gallery on the first floor of her building and a home above.
They and other small business owners are part of a relatively new trend, at least to Mississippi, of people who treat their office as home and vice versa. In the past, home offices often have been carved out of the guest room or an underused dining room.
The lure of the live/work environment is not all about convenience and lifestyle choice. There are also financial advantages to owning your home and business in one location: monthly payments going toward building equity rather than paying rent, tax deductions for mortgage interest payments and the potential for appreciation with the sale of the property.
Lorelei Books with Weeks' loft above.
Weeks and Porter are but two of a growing list of Mississippians who embrace the ‘office as home’ concept.
• • •
Weeks and her husband Troy found what they were looking for — a lifestyle change — in historic Vicksburg. They chose the site of one of the Civil War’s most pivotal battles to relocate from Virginia.
“We started visiting the city prior to 2005, before the real downtown revitalization began,” said Laura. “Shortly afterwards, we started noticing the changes and decided this was the place for us. We wanted a small community that was close-knit, easy to get to know people and one that would be receptive to my business.”
She and Troy began scoping out property on Washington St. and found the building that they wanted.
“The building was built in the late 1800s and it’s exactly what we wanted,” Laura said. “It took a year-and-a-half to complete renovations on the loft upstairs and my bookstore downstairs, but we opened in Dec. 2006.”
Upstairs, the Weeks’ living quarters are 1,600 feet of open floor plan, complete with a full bath and half-bath, which Laura terms a “powder room.” The kitchen is raised by two stair steps and is easily accessible from any portion of the loft.
The couple enjoys a small green space in back, complete with a landscaped garden. They have all the comforts of home and the convenience of having their workplaces a few feet away.
Troy Weeks is a consultant in facility management planning.
“He has an office in the back and this is the set-up that we always wanted,” said Laura. “If he’s not traveling, we come down to work each morning, just like a store owner might have a century ago. It’s like going back to the future.”
Laura Weeks said the City of Vicksburg, known for years as “The Red Carpet City,” certainly rolls it out for those that choose a live/work lifestyle.
“The city has done a great job in utilizing residential/mixed-use space,” she said. “We have great neighbors on Washington St. and actually feel closer to them than if we lived in a subdivision.
“I’m also glad that there’s not a Starbucks on the corner.”
• • •
H.C. Porter calls her Washington Street neighborhood “Fondren with a river,” in honor of the revived art district in North Jackson.
The artist is best known for “Backyards and Beyond: Mississippians and Their Stories,” a mixed-media project Porter created documenting how coastal residents are rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Porter transplanted to Vicksburg when the opportunity was presented to purchase a century-old clothing store on Washington Street that already had been renovated by Jack Kyle, a noted Mississippi art promoter.
She misses her Belhaven home, Millsaps Avenue art studio and Fondren but the move was a good fit for Porter.
Deck of Porter loft.
“Jack had actually purchased this space in 1999 and he did a wonderful job renovating, so I didn’t have to do much,” she said. “It was strange leaving Jackson four years ago but this place is an artist’s dream. I just fell in love with the building.”
The building itself contains a whopping 9,000 square feet with three floors and a basement. Porter’s art gallery serves as the focal point from the street and still features many of the original fixtures from the building, which was constructed in 1875.
“The gallery is 2,400 square feet and still has the same tin ceiling,” she said. “This place just has a real cosmopolitan feel to it, but I can look out back and watch the barge traffic up and down the river.”
Porter’s second floor loft features an open plan with a unique twist — four ionic columns from the fabled St. Petersburg exhibition in Jackson a few years ago.
“I sleep between two of these columns and it’s really neat,” she said. “Jack (Kyle) brought the St. Petersburg exhibit to the state and he put them up here when he bought the building.”
Added Porter, laughing: “I guess you could call my (decorating) style eclectic —Pottery Barn meets ancient Rome.”
Interior of Porter loft.
The third floor is empty but Porter has plans for what she calls her “blank space.” She envisions subdividing the area into three rooms and opening a bed and breakfast for visiting artists.
“I’ve already drawn up the plans, but it all depends on cash flow,” Porter said.
Complete URL: http://msbusiness.com/blog/2010/03/a-short-commute/
Photo: Laura and Troy Weeks
With Main Street, city of Ellisville seeing more economic growth
Ellisville seeing more economic growth
By David Owens,
March 08, 2010 10:42 am
— The Mississippi Main Street Association economic development project for the City of Ellisville is already paying dividends.
In December, a resource team for Mississippi Main Street held a three-day intensified workshop known as a “Charette” with Ellisville business, civic and religious leaders.
That process, which focused on marketing, branding, downtown revitalization and historic preservation, has already seen some development come to the area in the form of new apartment and residential complexes, a Mexican restaurant and most recently a laser tag business that opened in the old Phillips Building Supply building at 204 W. Pine Street.
Owners and Jones County businessmen Richard O’Neal and Jack West said they both individually were looking to bring an Christian-based entertainment venue for the children in the area when they one day began talking.
“Jack always wanted to do one,” said O’Neal, who is also partners with his wife Angie. “Both minds were thinking along the same lines. We wanted to supply the kids of our area with a good, safe environment, some place they could go and have fun.”
So far, that seems to be paying off. Space Tag, which had a “soft” opening on last week, has already attracted 100 fans on its Facebook page with comments ranging from “so much fun” to “the best laser tag experience I’ve had in years.”
The facility includes approximately 3,500 square feet of space to play laser tag with plenty of walls players can maneuver around as well as an upstairs. The Mooresville, Ind.-based Creative Theme Factory designed the two-level environment, which includes noise-activated lights and stunning 3-D outer space graphics on the walls.
O’Neal said Space Tag is in the process of acquiring a number of arcade games and will have another unique game called Laser Frenzy installed this summer.
“That is something the state of Mississippi has never seen,” he said. “There’s one in Branson.”
O’Neal said Laser Frenzy is similar to the laser maze jewel thieves have to maneuver around in films like “Entrapment” and countless other films and TV shows.
The laser guns themselves are also state-of-the art equipment, he said.
“We have 20 vests and use the RIFT blaster system, which is the newest thing on the market for laser tag,” he said. “They are very lightweight at about a half pound. Even small children can play.”
West, who was quick to strap on a vest and gun Wednesday, said the items have a number of scoring zones players can hit that range anywhere from 50 to 200 points.
“You can even shoot the phaser, which is something not many have,” he said. “That keeps people from hiding out.”
O’Neal said the game is for people of all ages, noting that even his parents have played.
“It’s like the old game of hide and seek, but we’re bringing it up to the 21st century,” he said.
Church groups, individuals and even the National Guard out of Camp Shelby have visited the facility or plan to visit in the near future, O’Neal said. He added that he’s even provided guided tours for people who were just interested in seeing the renovation.
“You should have seen the transformation of this building,” he said. “It’s gone from an old lumber warehouse to something pretty remarkable in two months. We invite people to come and just have a good time.”
O’Neal said games are very competitively priced at just $7 for a single game, $13 for a two-game pack and $18 for three games. Groups of 10 or more can also qualify for a special rate of $15 for three games.
“We also offer birthday party packages and our artist Alicia Davis is painting those rooms as we speak,” he said. “Another one of our phases will include a children’s playland similar to McDonald’s. Even in a recession, kids want to play.”
Ellisville Mayor Tim Waldrup said Space Tag is a “great addition” to the city.
“It will provide an entertainment opportunity for children,” he said. “A local church about a week ago had 53 go to Hattiesburg for two hours to play laser tag. That’s money that could have stayed here in Jones County.
“Hopefully, we will have people come here from a two or three county area so they don’t have to make the trip on further south,” Waldrup added.
O’Neal said he also sees the benefit his business will bring to Jones County.
“We’ve helped the local restaurants because they are within walking distance form here,” he said. “We had a church group who played laser tag and then walked to have dinner. That’s money we can keep in our economy. We’ve already been approached to partner with at least one restaurant where if a customer spends money there they can get a dollar off a game or vice versa.”
For more information on Space Tag, visit http://www.facebook.com and search for Space Tag or call 601-498-2645. A grand opening is scheduled for May 1.
Laurel Leader-Call
Copyright © 1999-2010 cnhi, inc.
Canton to receive new Film Studio
Film Studio to Locate in Canton to Support the Film Industry in Mississippi
Canton, Miss. (March 10, 2010) - The Mississippi Development Authority and the Canton Convention and Visitors Bureau announced today that a new film studio, The Mississippi Film Studios @ Canton, will be located in Canton, Miss.
The Mississippi Film Studios @ Canton will be the first purpose-built studio in the state. Dedicated to the attraction and support of film and television production, it will complement the Mississippi Motion Picture Incentive Program in developing the Mississippi film industry. The Mississippi Motion Picture Incentive Program is administered by the Mississippi Development Authority's (MDA's) Tourism Division to encourage motion picture production in the state.
The film studio will create at least 25 to 30 permanent jobs. The facility could employ up to 150 to 250 part-time and full-time workers when film production is underway.
"The Mississippi Film Studios @ Canton will do much to bolster capacity for film production in Mississippi," said Gray Swoope, executive director of MDA. "I am proud that this project will be able to support MDA's Mississippi Motion Picture Incentive Program and build infrastructure for this growing industry in the state. I give credit to Governor Haley Barbour and our legislative leaders for passing this legislation six years ago to encourage the production of films and television programs in Mississippi."
The Mississippi Film Studio @ Canton will include a 36,000-square-foot sound stage clear span with a ceiling height of 45 feet at its peak and 3,000 square feet of production office space. The stage and offices will undergo renovations in early April which are expected to be completed in mid-May. The production facility will be managed by Los Angeles-based consultant group RoadTown Enterprises Ltd. The principles of RoadTown Enterprises have over 30 years of experience in studio design, construction, management and marketing.
The Canton Convention and Visitors Bureau first began working to develop and nurture the film industry in the Madison County area in 1996. After several years of researching and obtaining funding for a production facility, the bureau saw the opportunity to develop the Mississippi Film Studios @ Canton. The stage and offices will sit on a 5.8-acre site adjacent to an additional 25 acres of proposed expansion land.
The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), the Canton Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of Canton and the Madison County Economic Development Authority worked together to bring this project to fruition. The Canton Convention and Visitors Bureau also operates an education program, The Young Filmmakers, and maintains a Film and Television Museum, a thriving tourism attraction, in Canton.
Main Street Study shows big potential in Philadelphia
Retailers urge swift action on plan
Residents spend $390 million annually on retail purchases
By DEBBIE BURT MYERS
Managing Editor, Philadelphia Neshoba Democrat
Implementing the recommendations a team of professional planners formulated specifically for Philadelphia will be vital to seizing new opportunities, business owners agree.
"I thought it was really, really good because they didn't hold back," said Steve Wilkerson, owner of Steve's on the Square downtown.
The recommendations from the planners were presented March 4 at a town meeting sponsored by the Philadelphia Main Street Association, part of an overall intensive design process known as a charrette (pronounced shuh-ret) through the Mississippi Main Street Association.
The final presentation included branding and marketing recommendations complete with the creation of logos and signage, a market analysis showing Neshoba countians spend about $390 million annually as well as a suggestion that a comprehensive plan be developed to improve traffic flow and parking downtown, among other things.
Mayor James A. Young is already using the findings as an economic development tool.
"It sets the stage for any new business wanting to locate here because we have the study to show what our retail needs are," he said.
Dawn Lea Chalmers, co-owner of Kademi downtown, said the recommendations that sprang from the charrette are valuable and hopes community leaders "won't let it fall by the wayside."
Wilkerson said priorities should be set and he urged inclusion in that process.
"I think we are on the right road. The worse thing we could do is push it aside and forget about it," he said.
Wayne Bishop, manager of a the CellularSouth store and chairman of the Main Street Board of Directors, was optimistic.
"More parking and performing arts were some of the ideas that stuck out the most," Bishop said. (See story above.)
The team of professional economic developers and planners saw a great deal of potential in Neshoba County, not just monetarily but in human terms.
The community developers were struck by the hospitality and their overall experience with the people here, the said.
A market assessment shows that Neshoba countians spend about $390 million annually on goods and services from automobiles to groceries.
Neshoba countians spend about $98 million out of the county, the assessment showed.
An additional $30 million flows into Neshoba County from elsewhere, the figures, obtained from sales tax and U.S. Census data, show.
An estimated $12.3 million in sit-down restaurant business leaves Philadelphia annually, while about $41 million in grocery shopping is apparently being done elsewhere, according to the data.
Leake, Newton and Winston counties are among the primary sources of shoppers coming in, a separate week-long survey conducted by local merchants showed.
More than half of the shoppers in that local survey were from Neshoba County, though.
A master plan is needed to address downtown traffic flow and parking issues as well as economic development and land use along the proposed southern beltway, the planners said.
A downtown center to serve as a national gathering place for other communities wanting to learn about the power of racial reconciliation was among the recommendations.
The proposed Philadelphia Redemption Center was a positive recommendation, Chalmers said.
"Fitting that in with the negative side of our history to show how far we have come would be good," she said.
In 1964 three young men registering blacks to vote were murdered in Neshoba County.
Forty years later a group of Neshoba countians caught the attention of the world again with a call for justice and an apology to the families of the dead men.
Philadelphia is now being used as a model of racial reconciliation, said Leroy Clemons, head of The Neshoba County NAACP and who along with a white newspaper editor co-chaired The Philadelphia Coalition, the multi-ethnic group of about 30 residents who stated publicly that murder is murder and asked for justice in the 1964 slayings.
There is a constant flow of visitors into Philadelphia seeking to learn from experiences here, Clemons said.
Aside from the opportunity to show the world that Philadelphia has changed, Chalmers, who was a part of the Coalition, said the findings validated that Philadelphia has a strong retail market.
"If we can add a good grocery store and restaurants it would be more vital and more bustling," she said.
James Waltman, of The Cole House Bed and Breakfast, said, "They did a fantastic job. I thought the plans were good and it would be really great if we could implement them."
He particularly liked the idea of improving gateways into the city.
The planners said visitors need to feel like they are arriving somewhere and minor improvements such as lighting and landscaping can make a lot of difference.
Many merchants had voiced concerns about how motorists would be directed to the downtown shopping district once the beltway is completed.
"We have to make those exits so nice that you can't help but want to get off," Wilkerson said. "You only have one chance to make a first impression. We've got to make it inviting and make them want to spend money with us."
The branding slogan, "Mississippi's Philadelphia-Neshoba County," caught Wilkerson's attention. He liked it so well that he is incorporating it onto his newest "Steve's on the Square" T-shirts.
"I thought that was another great thing to see that we don't capitalize on the use of the word Neshoba. We tend to run from it and connect it to our past but when you say Neshoba the first thing many people think about is the Fair. I think we've been missing some opportunities there."
Mayor Young last week voiced support for the recommendations and urged they be prioritized and implemented.
Not acting on the findings is not an option, he said.
"Now is the time to start setting some priorities based on those finding."
The Philadelphia Main Street Association won the assessment, valued at about $15,000, in a random drawing.
Jan Miller, Central District director for Mississippi Main Street, will return to Philadelphia soon to help leaders create an action plan to begin to implement findings of the charrette, said Philadelphia Main Street Executive Director Lisa Howell.
Members of the charrette design team were: Randy L. Wilson, president of Community Design Solutions of Columbia, S. C.; brothers Tripp and Ben Muldrow, of Arnett Muldrow and Associates of Greenville, S. C.; Andy Kalback, of Kalback Design and Planning of Annapolis, Md.; Michelle Jones of the state Department of Archives and History; Joy Foy of the Mississippi Development Authority; and Jan Miller, Central District Director, and Stacy Pair, Southern District director, both of Mississippi Main Street Association.
Wilson, in opening the town meeting, said Philadelphia is unique. He was deeply moved, he said, by some of the personal stories.
"I'm so glad there's no other Philadelphia, Miss., on the planet because you are truly unique, you are truly special," he said.
"You did far more than just open your arms to the physical community and show us around to a bunch of sites; rather, you really opened us up into your hearts. You really shared with us very deep and meaningful and personal stories. That means a world to the team."
David Vowell, Neshoba County's chief economic developer, has not returned calls or e-mails to the Democrat for two weeks.
Vowell is president of the Community Development Partnership, an umbrella organization that includes Philadelphia Main Street.
Chancy Branning of White Realty, the chairman of CDP board, was out with the flu for several days around the time of the March 4 town meeting and wasn't able to attend.
But Branning said Tuesday morning he plans to review the Main Street report soon.
Mayor Young said he is already making contacts with grocery companies.
"Hopefully, we can convince them to come to Philadelphia," the mayor said.
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Main Street Study shows big potential in Philadelphia
Philadelphia is underserved by sit-down restaurants and grocery stores, a market assessment by the Mississippi Main Street Association has shown.
An estimated $12.3 million in sit-down restaurant business leaves Philadelphia annually, according to the assessment presented during a town meeting Thursday night at the Depot, while about $41 million in grocery shopping is apparently being done elsewhere.
The town meeting was part of an overall intensive design process, or charrette (pronounced shuh-ret), that included a branding and marketing review, design and planning recommendations and strategy implementation by professional community developers.
A downtown center to serve as a national gathering place for other communities wanting to learn about the power of racial reconciliation was among recommendations presented.
Among the other findings, a master plan is needed to address downtown traffic flow and parking issues as well as economic development and land use along the proposed southern beltway, the experts said.
The charrette, valued at about $15,000, was conducted at no charge to the city as part of a Mississippi Main Street promotion local merchants won in a drawing at a Jackson meeting.
The market assessment showed that Meridian has become a "huge dining destination," which could mean growth opportunity here, the report said.
Meridian grocery stores are clearly drawing dollars from Philadelphia, said Tripp Muldrow of Arnett Muldrow and Associates, an urban planning firm based out of Greenville, S. C., one of the professional presenters.
"We also know that a few of you are sneaking over to Jackson to do some shopping at The Fresh Market," he said.
The data show a need to recruit sit-down restaurants as well as a grocery store or the expansion of existing grocery stores, he said.
"That is profound," Muldrow said. "That really means that you are in some ways under serviced by grocery stores when we look at the typical market that exits here."
Some of those dollars are going to such places as Wal-Mart and Williams Brothers, which fall under the general merchandise category, he said.
"We know you are spending money on bacon over at Williams Brothers," he said.
The assessment, Muldrow said, showed opportunity for growth in the Philadelphia market.
Sectors like motor vehicle and parts, furniture and home furnishings, electronics and appliances, clothing and accessories, sporting goods and books and music all showed large outflows of spending to other counties, according to the data.
Business recruiting should be focused on those sectors, the report said.
"At the end of the day, there is opportunity for you," Muldrow said. "You are growing. I can't tell you how important that is. It's not a rapid growth, it's not suburban Jackson kind of growth. The counties around you, many of them are shrinking and you are growing. That is good for retail here in Neshoba County."
The market assessment, based on Neshoba County's 2008 tax revenue data, also included trade area statistics, which compared store sales here with consumer spending in several categories.
Muldrow used the word "leakage" to illustrate what occurs when a resident purchases items in other cities or over the Internet.
He recommended that leaders look at intercepting some of the dollars from consumers traveling from north Mississippi and through Philadelphia on their way to Meridian.
"We have evidence that you are already doing that but you can do more of it," Muldrow said.
He praised the link Philadelphia and Neshoba County has to the Pearl River Resort and the Tribe and urged that should continue.
The market assessment also included a weeklong survey in February of 10 Philadelphia businesses, which showed that 52 percent of the nearly 1,000 shoppers during that period were from Philadelphia, followed by 10 percent from Union and 11 percent from Carthage and Louisville combined.
"Y'all are one of the weirdest markets I have studied," Muldrow said with a laugh. "You have a dynamic retail here, an unusual retail and that sort of throws out of kilter what I am accustomed to seeing in a market."
Tax revenue data from 2008 show that Philadelphia had primary trade area sales of $419.2 million, Muldrow said. Of that total, $390.3 million was spent by local consumers.
"As a county, that shows that $28.9 million is coming in every year," he said.
Since the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians does not have to report sales tax revenue to the state, sales from Piggly Wiggly, Wendy's and other restaurants on the reservation are probably not showing up in those figures, he said.
Other "leakage" reported included $31 million in motor vehicle and parts; $3.5 million in furniture and home furnishings; $6.5 million in electronics and appliances; $10.4 million in clothing and accessories; and $4.7 million in sporting goods, books and music.
Gains were reported in building materials and garden equipment, $45.7 million; health and personal care, $6.7 million; gasoline stations, $43.9 million; and general merchandise, $44 million.
The gains indicate that people are coming into Neshoba County to buy goods.
The large number of local shoppers wasn't a surprise, officials said.
"That's a very normal number to see," Muldrow said. "No matter what you do you've got to love your neighbor because your neighbor is the one taking care that your bills are getting paid at the end of the day."
The surveys were conducted at 10 retail establishments, including restaurants, clothing and jewelry stores and gift shops.
No discount centers or national retailers such as Lowe's were included, officials said.
Three percent of the shoppers surveyed were from Meridian; 2 percent from Alabama; 14 percent from other Mississippi cities and 1 percent from other states such as Texas, Florida and North Carolina.
Members of the charrette design team were: Randy L. Wilson, president of Community Design Solutions of Columbia, S. C.; brothers Tripp and Ben Muldrow, of Arnett Muldrow and Associates of Greenville, S. C.; Andy Kalback, of Kalback Design and Planning of Annapolis, Md.; Michelle Jones of the state Department of Archives and History; Joy Foy of the Mississippi Development Authority; and Jan Miller, Central District Director, and Stacy Pair, Southern District director, both of Mississippi Main Street Association.
The Philadelphia Main Street Association was chosen in a random drawing as the recipient of the marketing and branding package valued at $15,000.
The drawing was in conjunction with Mississippi Market, which sponsors a two-day wholesale show each summer in Jackson which attracts retailers from across Mississippi and seven surrounding states each summer.
Philadelphia Main Street Director Lisa Howell was very excited over the findings.
"We are very pleased with the job done by the charrette team," she said. "It is amazing what they were able to do in two days. We were very fortunate to have such an accomplished group working on a plan for our downtown."
The next step will be to prioritize their recommendations, she said.
Miller will return to Philadelphia soon to help leaders create an action plan to begin to implement the team's ideas, she said.
"Mayor James A. Young said he was very impressed by the findings.
"Now, I can pick up the phone and make contact with Kroger," he said.
Not acting is not an option, the mayor said.
Now is the time to start setting some priorities based on those finding, he said.
Philadelphia Main Street President Wayne Bishop said Tuesday that he was pleased with what he had learned so far about the charrette.
Bishop, manager of the Cellular South store, was unable to attend the final presentation Thursday night due to work commitments, but he has received a copy of the findings which he plans to study.
"I thought it was great that we were able to do this," he said.
Master plan envisioned
A master plan is needed for Philadelphia to address downtown traffic and parking issues as well as economic development and land use along the proposed beltway.
Members of the professional design team recommended short-term strategies to deal with such visual issues as vacant buildings as well as those in need of facade enhancements.
Among the long-term strategies, the team cited a need for gateway enhancements to better direct motorists to the downtown area, especially after the beltway is completed. Streetscape changes were also recommended.
A number of photos taken around town as part of the charrette were shown alongside computerized photo illustrations depicting recommended improvements.
To make vacant buildings more aesthetically pleasing, the design team recommended displaying pictures, art and other eye-catching items in the store front windows.
Photo illustrations showed how the addition of fresh paint, lighting, new windows and signage could change the outside appearance of some of the downtown buildings.
Among them was the old Ellis Theatre which is undergoing a renovation as the Philadelphia-Neshoba County Visual and Performing Arts Theater.
Among other recommendations were extending the sidewalks around the courthouse to make them more shopper friendly, trimming the bottom branches on the magnolia trees so as to open the view of the courthouse and adding colorful banners on the lampposts.
Gathering place seen
A downtown center to serve as a national gathering place for other communities wanting to learn about the power of reconciliation is among recommendations.
The proposed Philadelphia Redemption Center would become a focal point downtown and a living memorial about Philadelphia and Neshoba County's legacy, charrette designers said.
"In my career, this has probably been one of the most moving, amazing places I have ever worked in my life," Muldrow said.
This Neshoba County community has a unique history which brings up a lot of mixed emotions, he said.
"How do we capitalize on the positive of that and also have something to honor what you have done as a community to face your history?" he asked.
A redemption center would honor the work of the Philadelphia Coalition and the positive legacy of the people of Neshoba County, he said.
"They come here to learn from you and to talk about the power of community reconciliation. It becomes a focal point for downtown and, at the same time, a living memorial," Muldrow said.
Branding said vital
"Mississippi's Philadelphia-Neshoba County" is one example of a new brand image made by the charrette team.
The brand image could be used not only on banners around town, but in advertising campaigns for merchants and in publications promoting area attractions.
Instead of separate brochures for such things as the Choctaw and Neshoba County fairs, the historic district, Ham Jam Arts Festival, etc., the design team recommended they be compiled into an events and gathering guide that could be called a "Guide to Good Living".
This would let visitors know that all these attractions are in the same place, designers said.
"This way, all the pieces look like they are talking about the same place. So you are helping to create this wealth of information and helping to position yourself as a true destination," Muldrow, said.
Another recommendation was a community pride initiative: "There is a Place in America."
The initiative would boast of the community's two fairs, its authentic general mercantile store, its first class resort and a place where history, hope, family and redemption are a way of living.
"I think it is very, very important when we talk about projecting the message of this place that we be very honest about the history," Muldrow said. "We have to understand. In every single community's story, their history has helped to shape who and what they are today.
"We want to help you celebrate what you are today because you have created a truly dynamic experience. We were able to see it. We were able to live it. We want to help show it back to you so you can tell the world and have them come visit, help preserve and, hopefully, leave a lot of money behind."
David Vowell, president of the Community Development Partnership, could not be reached for comment. The CDP is an umbrella organization that includes Philadelphia Main Street.
By: Debbie Burt Myers
The Neshoba Democrat
Photo: Williams Brothers store
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Viking Showroom
The establishment of Greenwood as a tourist destination came with the revitalization of Howard Street in historic Downtown Greenwood including the home of The Alluvian Hotel and The Viking Cooking School. |
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