The Homes That House Downtown Businesses
Along the Mississippi Coast you will find several small towns, each with distinctive character and all of them are quaint and charming. If you do not believe it, just pick up any Southern novel or magazine, or watch any movie trailer for a story that takes place in South Mississippi and the writer will just tell you how quaint and charming our small towns are. The words quaint and charming are as familiar to a true Southerner as the words pimento and cheese. You are not sure what is in it, but you know it is going to be good.
In our case, quaint and charming mean just what Meriam Webster says they mean. Quaint is strikingly old-fashioned or unusual in character and charming means pleasing or delightful. From Bay St. Louis on the western end of the Coast to Ocean Springs and Pascagoula on the eastern end, each has an original downtown that draws you in and invites to stay a while.
What makes our small downtowns so alluring? Why do people from every corner of the country and every walk of life find South Mississippi main streets so delightful? Unlike newer planned communities popping up in so many places these days, where every façade seems to match, each of our coastal communities preserves their history, affectionally shares their culture, and embraces their uniqueness with dramatic flair.
The word “artsy” finds its way into nearly every Mississippi small town conversation. Art celebrates life and individuality, but it is a common thread that strings our coastal hamlets together. Each town supports an artistic culture that is funky, imaginative, and exhilarating all at once. Our downtown areas are a mixture of architectural styles that reflect our colorful pasts and suggest bright futures. Our live oak trees provide a green backdrop that subconsciously suggests all is calm and you are safe to carry on. Our towns are walkable, reminding us of the good old days when walking or bicycling is how you got anywhere.
Back in the day, everything you needed was downtown. Most folks lived close enough to walk to the main street where they found the Five and Dime store, the grocery store, the bakery, or the barber for a weekly haircut. There were theaters, television repair shops, clothing stores, and more. Some proprietors lived over the shop or behind the shop and, unbelievably, some business owners still do. On every downtown street there were residences, many of which are still there today. Only they are probably not residential homes anymore – they are, you guessed it, quaint shops and eateries.
The Mauffray family home on Main Street in Bay St. Louis was built in the mid-19th century and remains a notable landmark. When the family began taking in seasonal visitors, the residence became known as the Mauffray Boarding House. Today it is the home of the Sycamore House Restaurant, where owners, Stella LeGardeur and Michael Eastman live above the restaurant and welcome every diner like a friend coming over for dinner. Numerous historic downtown homes are now small boutique hotels or available as short-term rentals. Visitors can shop, explore vibrant music and art scenes, and eat delicious fresh seafood without moving their car until they are ready to say goodbye.
Perhaps we have found one of the reasons our main streets continue to thrive. Preserving the residential structures in areas of commerce has given new businesses opportunities to share a common history with the deep-rooted businesses in town. A new business appears to be better established by just inhabiting a residence that has been there for what seems like forever. There is something very alluring about exploring older homes and discovering the unique ways businesses have created new purposes for the spaces that once cradled generations. It feels like you have stepped into the past when you enter an establishment that was once someone’s home.
Former residences here are often wooden shotgun houses or craftsman’s style dwellings, that immediately display character and offer warmth and hospitality. Many have the original wood floors, beaded or stucco walls, and you can see where families added much needed space decades ago. They really are charming.
After each of the major hurricanes that damaged our Coast, each town evolved, picking up the pieces of their communities and moving forward. But each did so while respecting the past. There is an active historical society in each town that documents lives and buildings lost, as well as each new beginning. They photograph the old houses and businesses that may or may not return. But the families that lived in those downtown houses are not forgotten. Their names are still alive, you just have to pay attention to street names, building designations, and aging plaques on moss covered walls.
Storms and suburban growth have made it necessary to move roads and highways over the last century, and with those changes business have moved to be near major thoroughfares. There you will find the services and stores that you recognize no matter where you travel. But never doubt that the historical downtowns of Coastal Mississippi will continue to survive and flourish. Main Street is still the place to go when you want to browse an art gallery on Saturday afternoon or shop for a unique gift you will not find out by the highway.
Local shopping is one of the most stated reasons to visit a small town. So, shop your local favorite soon. And if that shop is in a quaint cottage, be sure you leave a little extra time to hear a story or two about the family that used to live there.
Holly Harrison has been a licensed interior designer for over 35 years. Shannon Stage has spent nearly 20 years in the giftware industry. Together they own Sassy Bird Interiors in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Sassy Bird Interiors
122 Court St., Bay St. Louis
228.344.3181
www.sassybirdinteriors.com
