Bite-sized Business Nibbles for Places New and Old

GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGION, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

COLUMBUS

Columbus Lock and Key founder Tom Cole has sold his business to another expert in the field, Bruce Johnson, of Boardtown Locksmith. Cole will now retire after a long career helping out the people of Columbus. “I appreciate Tom and what’s he’s done over the past 40 years,” Johnson said. “I just hope I can continue that strong service he’s done in the area.”

Collier Hardy, a recent high school graduate, has been in the business of selling goat milk soaps and scrubs sourced from her family’s own goats for four years, and she has now decided to expand her business by purchasing Gypsy Tan in downtown Columbus. The boutique is located at 109 Fifth St., and will continue offering customers natural tanning services, oils, lotions, notions and potions. Gypsy Tan is open Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Jolly Smiles, a teeth-whitening service, has now opened its permanent home at 400 Main St., Suite D. Mon~Fri 9 to 5, Saturdays 9 to noon, all by appointment only. Check his Facebook page for updates and appointment info.
Pennyridge One Stop, the service station at 2003 Ridge Road, is under new ownership. The items on offer have already been expanded, and owner Tristan Atkinson has big plans for the future: “I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to do what we are doing,” Atkinson said. “If there is anything we can get or do for anyone, we will do our best to get it done.” Open daily 5:30 AM to 9PM.

How about a cuppa tea? Feel Good Nutrition, 720 N. Lehmberg Road, has opened its doors and is offering loaded teas and the like. Mon~Fri 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

STARKVILLE

Ty MMI, a Vietnamese pho bowl and seafood restaurant, will soon be opening its doors in Middleton Court.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-07-15/mary-means-business-young-entrepreneur-purchases-gypsy-tan/

Downtown: Old Buildings, New Life

COLUMBUS, Miss. — Courtesy of WCBI

New Orleans’ De la Tour Holdings purchased a cluster of buildings near 5th Street and 3rd Avenue not long ago, and they are working with veteran contractor Chris Chain to fix them up and convert them into space for some new stores and a set of eighteen luxury apartments. DLT CEO Bill Legeir said, “We’re going to put a new face on it that’s going to resemble exactly what it was back in the days when it was built.”

The structures were originally built in 1905, and Chain’s team estimates it will take around five months to bring them back to their former glory. The massive project should bring as many as 300 construction jobs into the area, according to Chain: “With all your subcontractors and their crews, you got electrical crews, you got mechanical crews, you got plumbing crews.”

Legeir went on to say that “As we looked into Columbus, we found out that it’s an ideal community . . . It offers a lot of stability and it offers a lot of potential for growth.”

Requests from potential renters have already been coming in; they plan to have the first ones move-in ready sometime in January.

Please click here for the original article: https://www.wcbi.com/columbus-leaders-hope-rebuilding-historic-downtown-buildings-into-luxury-apartments-can-help-attract-new-residents-and-new-business/

High-tech Starkville R&D Firm Expanding

Columbus, Miss., – Courtesy of the GTR LINK

R&D and development company Camgian Microsystems, Inc., is growing and adding new jobs to the area! First founded in Starkville in 2006, they have done work for the US military, among other major customers. Furthermore, The Mississippi Development Authority has certified Camgian for the Advantage Jobs Rebate Program, which provides incentives to businesses that hire locals for above-average pay for the area.

“We greatly appreciate the support of the State of Mississippi and the Mississippi Development Authority as we continue to grow our business. It is our objective to recruit Mississippi’s best and brightest engineers to tackle some of the world’s most challenging problems in national security, finance, and industrial operations. – Camgian Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gary D. Butler

“When some people think of the Golden Triangle, they usually think manufacturing. Well, we also do high-tech, and Camgian is a world-class example of a leader in their field. We are lucky to have them calling the Golden Triangle home.” – GTR LINK Chief Executive Officer Joe Max Higgins, Jr.

Please click here for the original article: https://gtrlink.org/news/article/224

A Full Menu of Choices on Your Plate

GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGION, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

STARKVILLE, MS

MSU alum Artie Sutherland recently moved his solo operation into a permanent home at The Blind Tiger Butcher Shop and Seafood Express at 332 Hwy 12. He’s been offering fresh, quality meat and gulf seafood: “We are so excited to be in Starkville,” Sutherland said. “The support has been unreal quite honestly. We’re hoping to continue being a Starkville store. We want to be a store of the people and make sure we grow with what everyone wants.” The shop is open Mon~Wed and Fridays from, 4-7:30PM and Saturdays from 10-6. Sutherland goes down to the Gulf on Thursdays to renew his stock of tasty seafood. The plan for the future is to possibly offer lunch and dinner plates, and maybe even delivery. You can place custom orders at www.tbtbutchershop.com and pick it up on Fridays.

Starting in about a week or so, Starkville residents will also be able to take advantage of a new home delivery service for alcohol, the Booze Cruise. Items such as wine, liquor, beer (both craft and standard) will be available; age 21 and up only, and ID’s will be checked for all deliveries. www.boozecruise.app for more information.

COLUMBUS, MS

As we reported on a few days ago, Southern Flour Bakery will soon be moving to the old Yo’ Bar’s digs at 1902-2 Hwy 45, just North of Sonic. The new venue is three times as big, and will feature a larger menu, a party room, tables and chairs, more goodies to try (including café fare), and more. They also plan to bring in at several new hires: “We plan on expanding the menu, and we’re hoping to add another chef,” owner Nicole Huff said. “…We’re going to have a cake-decorating room with a window where people can watch us decorate cakes.”

Also in Columbus, Evolutions on Fifth, 122 Fifth St. N., took over the former Bella Derma Spa in May. they offer non-invasive body treatments for men and women, including Brazilian butt lifts, cryoskin toning, cryoskin slimming, cryoskin facials, teeth whitening, spray tanning and more. Evolutions on Fifth is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays by appointment only.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-07-01/mary-means-business-butcher-shop-and-seafood-store-open-in-starkville/

LINK WorkKeys May Be Key to Ambitious Students’ Futures

GTR Region, MS — Courtesy of the Dispatch

Macaulay Whitaker, COO for the GTR LINK, recently spoke about the WorkKeys program that has been in place in high schools since 2015: “The goal of the (grant) program was to get the high schools started and then track what was happening in the Legislature and Department of Education,” he said. The state legislature approved a $1 million grant for the program in 2019, which has helped to pay for testing and for rewards granted to students who score well on the ACT-adjacent tests.

Lenora Hogan, Director of Starkville High School’s Millsaps Career and Technology Center, remarked that “WorkKeys certification would help [students to] get better internships. I want my students to have every certification they can get. WorkKeys are as much for college-bound kids as anyone. It’s a real value.”

“I think the Work Ready certification demonstrated something we here in the Golden Triangle are particularly good at: Teamwork around an initiative,” Whitaker went on to say. “We had to have everybody involved to make it work: The LINK, EMCC, community leaders, county and city government and the high schools. Establishing WorkKeys as a tool at every level was a big part of that.”

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-06-17/off-the-training-wheels/

Come TASTE Something New

STARKVILLE, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

A new fine dining establishment has just opened its doors at the former location of Veranda, at 208 Lincoln Green Rd. They offer a variety of dishes (which will rotate from time to time) alongside a large selection of wines, cocktails, and other beverages. Manager Michael McIntosh says that they “believe in what we’re doing. . . We believe that what we’re doing in this building will set the standard. It’s our job to be the best. . . We’re coming to an area where our style of service, cuisine, and cocktails aren’t really a part of Starkville. But people want something different and unique. We want to be the spot where everyone wishes to be.” They have put great emphasis on locally-sourced ingredients.

Owner Craig Fant remarked that “It’s just a restaurant but it happens to be one of the better ones in Northeast Mississippi. We’re just trying to bring some of these flavors and some of these styles these guys have to Starkville.”
Call for more info/reservations: (662) 270-0700 or go to their website at https://tastestarkville.com/

Local veterinary service Twelve Oaks has now opened up a permanent location at 105 C Martin Luther King Drive, thanks to their success in operating a formerly mobile clinic. They hope to be able to accommodate more customers and services. They plan to open up the new office in a few weeks.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-06-17/mary-means-business-jimmy-johns-in-columbus-closed/

City to Sell Downtown’s Gilmer Inn

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

The city council recently approved a deal that will allow Financial Concepts to acquire the old Gilmer Inn property on Main Street for a sum of $270,000. FC’s CEO Scott Ferguson remarked that, “As we’ve grown, we realized that we needed a bigger space. We wanted to stay in that downtown area and we looked. We think we’ve got an exciting project to not only move our office and build a new space but also have some other elements to it as well.” He also referred to the property, which used to hold the Inn until its demolition in 2015, as “a fantastic property right in the heart of downtown.”

Ferguson says that they plan to break ground later this year, and anticipate new construction to finish up in about 12 to 15 months.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-06-16/city-sells-gilmer-inn-property-to-private-developer/

New Steps Taken to Advance Mission of Saving Lives

JACKSON, Miss. — Courtesy of WAPT Channel 6

MSU, in cooperation with the Jackson MAA, has now performed the first-ever unmanned aircraft take off from an airport. The Tigershark is a remote-controlled survey aircraft designed to perform environmental analyses, to help explore disaster areas in order to get help to those who need it more quickly, help to more quickly make decisions on evacuation needs and routes, and more. It has even performed such roles in the past.

“We have been able to fly more rural areas readily with FAA rules and regulations. Right now, one of the things that is very important with our work with the FAA is trying to prove the safety case for trying to fly these type of vehicles out of an urban area,” said Raspet Flight Research Laboratory VP of Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan.

Please click here for the original article: https://www.wapt.com/article/mississippi-state-partners-with-jmaa-makes-history-with-unmanned-aircraft/36547266

A Trifecta of Business News

GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGION, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

STARKVILLE, MS
101 W. Main St, the old Rex Theater ticket office, is now home to Dolce, a new gelato shop that has opened just in time to help patrons cool off with some nice, tasty treats. Go check them out for a variety of frozen desserts or all kinds! The basis for many of their frozen goodies is Sweet Magnolia gelato, from right here in Mississippi. Tues~Thurs 2~9pm and Fri~Sat 2~10pm.

COLUMBUS, MS
Kellogg Hardware and Appliances, 620 Commerce St., has announced that they are closing their doors after three-quarters of a century serving local customers. They are holding a going out of business sale. “As the sale goes on, I marvel at the number of customers that have come by to express their sadness of our closing,” owner Bucky Kellogg said. “I realize how truly blessed we have been to have customers that are truly like a part of our family. Thank you so much.”

WEST POINT, MS
Kellogg Hardware and Appliances, 620 Commerce St., has announced that they are closing their doors after three quarters of a century serving local customers. They are holding a going out of business sale. “As the sale goes on, I marvel at the number of customers that have come by to express their sadness of our closing,” owner Bucky Kellogg said. “I realize how truly blessed we have been to have customers that are truly like a part of our family. Thank you so much.”
Monday through Saturday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Wednesdays 8 a.m.-noon.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-05-20/mary-means-business-gelato-shop-opens-in-starkville/

New Shopping Center Coming to Starkville

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Courtesy of WCBI

Now that Garan Manufacturing has moved from Hwy 12 to its new digs in the Northstar Industrial Park, a preview has been released showing off the new shopping center that is planned for the space.

“We’ll be developing that into what’s often called a power center[;] it will be anchored by an international grocery store and then also a large well-known discount, shoes, household goods,” said the owner of Castle Properties Mark Castleberry. “As that population comes they like to buy things they’re using goods and services and that sector hasn’t really been filled in or has grown as quickly as the residential growth so we’ll be keeping a lot of dollars here in Starkville and I think also making Starkville more desirable as a place to live,” he went on to say.

The current plan is to demolish the existing building in late Summer and to have the new structure ready to use by sometime next year.

Please click here for the original article: https://www.wcbi.com/a-new-shopping-center-is-being-planned-in-starkville/