One of the coast's favorite healthy eateries branches out into meal planning and take-out.  The main take-away?  What's healthy can also be delicious! 

- story by Lisa Monti 

By “clean” they mean the proteins are grass-fed, humanly-raised and free of steroids, antibiotics and nitrates. Here’s a tiny sampling of meals: Egg, Bacon, Avocado, Cheese Stuffed Sweet Potato for breakfast; Mediterranean Soup with Sausage for lunch; and Sesame Chicken with Cauliflower Rice for dinner. The kitchen staff also specializes in low-carb breads, pastries and desserts. (KETO King Cake is available.)
 
“For the last couple of years a lot of customers really wanted us to do grab-and-go and meal-planning made from scratch and healthy,” Di said. When the Zone Meals owner decided to move on, Di said, “The door opened for us.” ​

Wholey Foods offers five plans consisting of five days of breakfast meals, lunch meals and dinners with salad. The plans start with the basics (proteins, veggies and fruits) and progress with the addition of more protein, dairy and grains. There’s a KETO plan, too, and an add-on option for snacks. 
 
Soon the kitchen will also roll out a “Wholey Seniors” plan designed for those over 60 who want smaller portions of healthy meals. “We will be taking orders starting now for delivery or pickup on Feb. 25,” Di said.
​

Don’t worry about getting bored by the same meals over and over. There’s a six-week rotation of recipes. The weekly meal plans start at $80 plus tax (for 15 meals) and top out at $145. There’s a small charge for delivery.
 
And speaking of Starfish, 10 percent of the profits from Wholey Foods goes to support the nonprofit cafe. which helps those recovering from life’s hardships through education and training.
 
And more good news from the new venue. Wholey Foods will begin using compostable containers by March 15 if not sooner.
 
Wholey Foods will host a grand opening on Wednesday, Feb. 19. ​There'll be special incentives offered all day to try out the service, plus treats and bites from 4pm - 6pm.
​

Wholey Foods
295 U.S. 90
Bay St. Louis
228-586-3635
 
wholeyfoodsbsl.com

Hours 
3-6 p.m. Tuesday
11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday 
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday.
 

Two local retailers - and longtime Shoofly Magazine sponsors - hit the "reset" button in time for holiday shopping:  California Drawstrings and Pass Books. 

- story by Lisa Monti

 
And happily for shoppers, there are more books on the shelves on both floors than before, Scott noted. It was worth the wait for fans.
 
“Our customers/guests were wonderful during the six week renovation,” he continued, “walking a few extra feet across the street to our second location in The Commons, where we normally sell only gelato and our freshly-baked goods.”
 ​

 
While the work was underway, Pass Books and its fans didn’t miss a beat. “We had several author events, and our guests were wonderful in lining up down the street and in the courtyard of our second location,” said Scott.
 ​

 
The improvements come as the popular bookstore and coffee shop marks a lucky milestone. “As we reopen in our refreshed building, we begin our seventh year in the structure as a coffeehouse and bookstore.”
 ​

 
Meanwhile, California Drawstrings has  moved back to the very building where the New Orleans boutique opened a branch in the Bay ten years ago. Last weekend the boutique moved to its new location in Lulu’s on Main at 126 Main Street. Early next year another New Orleans original, Fleurty Girl, will make its Mississippi debut at 216 Main Street, California Drawstrings’ old location.
 ​

 
Owner Linda Keenan, who’s operated her flagship shop at 812 Royal Street for 36 years, is hosting a sale at both locations while the move is under way. Shoppers can enjoy savings of 25 percent in the new location and 70 percent off everything in the store at 216 Main.
 ​

“I started there with one little room, and by the time I left I had the whole back of the building,” Linda said on the original spot in the first block of Main. The spot is now occupied by Nancy Moynan, owner and chef of LuLu’s on Main restaurant.
 
California Drawstrings customers will find the same friendly sales staff working in the new location and also their favorite labels including FLAX, Match Point, Krazy Larry pants and the Fridaze wrinkle-free linen line. The Krazy Larry’s line has a particularly strong following, Linda said. “They’re great pants, and they come up with new prints, colors and fabrics all the time. Most people who try them on love them and come back for more.”
 ​

 
Linda will be headed to market in Las Vegas and Dallas in January, so customers can expect more great finds plus comfort, style and quality at California Drawstrings’ new location.
​

One of the hottest entrepreneurs in the South has chosen Bay St. Louis as the next location for a new Fleurty Girl shop, slated to open in early 2020.

-  by Lisa Monti from Lisa Monti's Notebook
photos by Ellis Anderson

“It’s always good for a city when people fall in love with it and want to live there and open a business,” Haydel said. 
 
Bay St. Louis will be the eighth Fleurty Girl location and the first outside Louisiana. Opening is set for fall of 2020.
 
Fleurty Girl is known for New Orleans-inspired merchandise that  includes clothing for the whole family, home accessories, gifts and jewelry tied to Mardi Gras, the Saints, seafood and other local iconic connections.

Haydel joined in last Saturday’s annual Witches Walk festivities, which drew hundreds of costumed celebrants to Old Town’s shops, restaurants and bars.

“It was awesome,” she said, adding that the new Fleurty Girl will be another draw for Old Town events. “I can’t wait to be a part of that,” she said.
 
Fleurty Girl will have six employees at the Main Street store. Anyone interested in applying can send an email to hireme@fleurty.net. Put BSL in the subject line.

Veteran reporter Lisa Monti writes and edits for the Shoofly Magazine, and also maintains her own blog!  Check it out and sign up here. 

Page visits since 4pm, 10/22/2019

Several new businesses have opened in Old Town in the first six months of this year, the lion's share of them on the first block of Main.  Meet some of the business people behind this flurry of entrepreneurship.  

story and photos by Ellis Anderson

Closest to the beach is the new Field’s Steak and Oyster Bar (111 Main Street, A).  It’s the newest flagship among the eight Mississippi restaurants owned by the Nicaud family – including Bacchus on the Beach in Pass Christian and Biloxi. 
 
Chef Field Nicaud heads up the new restaurant.  He recently returned from New York after studying at the Institute of Culinary Education and gaining experience in two of Manhattan’s fine dining establishments.  

Nicholas Carter, who has worked for the Nicauds for eight years as their “all around guy” and opening manager, says that the family of restauranteurs has always had its eyes on the Bay.  
 
“It had to be the right space and the right time,” said Carter.  When C&C’s Italian Bistro closed earlier this year, the Nicauds scooped up the location and began redecorating.  Carter said that although it was a beautiful space before, the goal was to lighten and brighten the atmosphere.  

​One C&C’s fixture that stayed behind was the custom brick oven which now turns out flat breads and oysters.  
 
Field’s is open Wednesday for dinner (6pm – 9m, bar opens at 3pm), Thursday through Saturday (11am – 9pm, Friday and Saturday ‘til 10pm) and Sunday, 11am – 2pm for brunch.  
 
According to Carter the food is so special, “some people are coming here twice a day.” 
 
“I might be biased,” he said with a smile, “but I feel guilty calling it just ‘food.’”  

​
​A few doors down, Ocean Springs business Marina Cottage Soap Company, opened its Bay location in March.   Owner Vanessa Mueller was met with a warm welcome and has since become a resident of Bay St. Louis.  
 
Mueller carries natural skin care products, catering to those with sensitive skin.  One best seller is her Gneau Gnaughtly Gnat natural insect repellent, voted as most effective by Outdoor Life in both 2014 and 2015. 
 
In the back of her spacious storefront, she’s been working on “The Warehouse,” a new event space that is slated to open this summer.  The venue will be able to host receptions, parties and weddings.  Special events that are open to the public will be ticketed through online sales, with a limited number available.  

​ 
“It’s basically a community driven space, 1700 square feet of fun,” Mueller says. “We want it to be different from other establishments on the street.”  
 
“The city’s been fantastic to work with” during the build-out process and the entrepreneur says she loves living in the warm-hearted town. 

“It’s nice to have people wave and greet me as ‘the Soap Lady,” as I walk down the street, she said.  “Everybody’s looking out for everybody else.  It’s why I wanted to move here.” 

​​Fashionista and owner Chelsea Cure’s new space may be small, but it’s packed with power.
 
“Our concept is to carry clothes that are trendy, but classic – pieces that become wardrobe staples,” said Cure.  “I want designs to be current and fashion-forward, but still feel great and look good a year from now.” 
 
The lines Sage carries also appeal to a wide range of customers. Their denim line, Liverpool, is especially hot, said Cure.  One day recently she sold pairs of the pull-on pants to a 15-year-old and to a 70-year-old woman. 
 
Accessories like Buddha Girl bangles are a big hit as well, since they’re wearable in the water and at the beach and the soft, flexible material doesn’t make noise when several are worn at once. Cure carries gift items like unique candles as well, with more on the way.  
 
While many of her customers are locals, a good number are out of town visitors and boaters who have docked in the harbor. 
 
“We had people in here last week from Australia,” said Cure, who grew up on the coast.  “They love what Old Town has going on. And so do I.” 

​Also opening doors this spring is Salty Soul, specializing in nautical themed clothing, décor and gifts – but with a masculine slant.  
 
Owner Jane Alford’s first boutique, Bay-tique, has become an Old Town anchor over the past several years. Yet, she noticed men twiddling their thumbs while their wives were shopping and realized there was nothing in Old Town to interest them.  The large space at 126 Main became available in April when fellow boutique owner Melissa Hamilton purchased her own building a few doors up.  Alford jumped. 
 
She’s had the idea for Salty Soul years before and went into the new business with plenty of experience and established relationships with quality vendors.  Alford, who designs many of her own products, is also carrying yoga and sportwear.   

​Locals began celebrating when they saw construction work taking place at the historic Creole cottage at 146 Main Street.  While major structural repairs had been undertaken after Hurricane Katrina, the building had been vacant for 14 years. 

Last fall, real estate developer and Kiln resident Harry Fisher began plans to renovate the cottage as a duplex and build an addition.  His first tenants are Jay and Elise Kobs, a contractor and interior design duo.  
 
Jay Kobs hails from Hattiesburg and his wife grew up in Pittsburg.  The couple moved to the Bay from Colorado to be closer to Jay’s father who recently turned 80. 

The couple leased both sides of the duplex so Steel Magnolia Decorating and High Tide Builders, LLC are side by side. They plan to have a ribbon cutting in the near future. 
 
When pressed for a date, Jay laughed. “She’s an interior designer,” he said.  “Until it’s perfect, nobody’s coming in.” 

​The first block of Main ends where it's intersected by Second Street.  From the corner, historic Century Hall beckons, its vast interior home to more than a dozen different shops.

Restored by Vicki and Doug Niolet and Ann Tidwell post-Katrina, the lower two levels have hosted arts, antiques and gift businesses since 2008.  Yet, the building’s third floor remained uninhabitable for years until New Orleans developer/owner Jim McPhaille purchased the building and began work last year.  
​

Artist Tami Curtis Guy first opened Tami Curtis Studio in the lower floors of Century Hall last year. Now the well-known Louisiana artist has expanded and added one of the new spaces upstairs as well, where she’ll be able to offer painting classes and group “paint parties.” 
 
Transforming another one of the third floor spaces into a scene from a French living room is Holly McNaughton, owner of Holly House, which offers "imaginative home décor." 
​

​Century Hall manager, Susan Peterson, said in July, they’ll be joined on the third floor by Jane Evans Designs, an award-winning artist who works on canvas and in ceramics, focusing on religious and cultural iconography,” according to her website. 
 
On the second floor, earlier this year the Century Hall gallery reorganized.  Managed now by Susan Peterson, the sleek space features contemporary art by some of the region's top talent.  

​Across from the gallery, a new home design store has settled in, Sassy Bird Interiors.  Holly Harrison, a residential interior designer for more than 30 years in Baton Rouge, teamed up with Shannon Stage, also originally from Baton Rouge.  

​Stage and her husband owned a house on Sycamore Street pre-Katrina and built back in 2013.  Now she spends as much time in the Bay as she can and likes to call it “home.” 
 
Stage’s experience ranges from 17 years as owner of a wholesale giftware business to being executive director of a green-building non-profit.  Both Stage and Harrison have a special interest in “creating inspiring spaces that are healthy.”  
 

The two carry artwork, lighting and lamps, pieces for home entertaining, home accessories and furniture. The mix is “lots of fun new things with antiques mixed in.” 
 
“We both believe that spaces should be beautiful to look at, but also healthy places for families to be, “ Stage said.  “That means we pay attention to everything from rugs to upholsteries to make sure they’ve been made using environmentally sound practices.” 
 
For instance, the pair sought out washable cotton cocktail napkins that can be reused.  Durability is important too, as they want the things they sell "to be treasured for a long time.” 
 
As for the name?  Stage says she’s been called “Sassy” for years and Holly’s been known as “Birdy,” so Sassy Bird Interiors was born. 

MS Southern Rail Commissioner Knox Ross on why the funding was needed and how passenger rail service on the coast is critical to future economic development.  

- story and photos by Ellis Anderson

According to a statement issued today by the office of U.S. Senator Roger Wicker – a long-time advocate of passenger rail service on the coast – the Mississippi senator believes that “Reconnecting the Gulf Coast to our nation’s passenger rail network will increase access to jobs, provide an alternative to highway travel, and improve quality of life in the region.”

​Southern Rail commissioner Knox Ross agrees. 

​“Restored passenger rail service will spark economic development along the coast,” said Ross in a telephone interview this afternoon.  “The Mississippi coast towns are already set up for it.  They have stations downtown, with vital and attractive downtown areas that have been the beneficiaries of substantial investments since Katrina.”  

​Knox said that presently while there is some limited public bus transportation on the coast, there is nothing that runs between all the coast cities or between the coast and New Orleans.  This puts the coast at a distinct disadvantage, because in the field of economic development, “the ability to get around is becoming more important all the time.” 
 
“If someone on the coast needs to go to the New Orleans, they have to get a ride or drive themselves,” Ross said.  “People in the Mobile ship building business are renting vans to transport employees across the coast and the New Orleans.”
 

​
​Ross also noted that the coast is missing out on an important tourism market.  
 
“750,000 people from other countries around the world are visiting New Orleans each year,” he said.  “Many would love to take a day trip out of the city and see more of this country, but they can’t get to the coast unless they rent a car.” 
 
The Southern Rail Commission will help put together operating agreements with Amtrak and between Amtrak and CSX Railroad (which actually owns the tracks).  Amtrak estimates the improvements will be completed within 24 months.  

When it begins service, two passenger trains will run from New Orleans to Mobile each day – one in the morning and one in the evening.  A morning and evening train will also run from Mobile to New Orleans daily.  
 
“We’re grateful to Senator Wicker and his team – and all the other supporters who understand what a difference rail service will make,” Said Ross.
​

Jane Alford’s new store on the 100 block of Main Street fills a gap by offering sportswear and men’s clothing with a nautical flair. 

- story and photos by Ellis Anderson
​

Alford says she actually came up with the Salty Soul concept several years ago and began designing products, like t-shirts and hats, to offer in Bay-Tique. Two factors fueled her decision to open the new retail location.
 
 In December, the only local retailer of sportswear – Green Canyon Outfitter – closed.  A few months later, one of Old Town’s prime locations became available when bijoubel owner Melissa Hamilton purchased a historic building a few doors down from her 126 Main St. location and moved into her new digs. 
​

The 126 Main Street building is owned by chef Nancy Moynan, whose restaurant, Lulu’s on Main, is located in the back.  She’s a long-time neighbor and friend of Alford’s.  The two women began kicking around ideas, asking themselves what was missing in Old Town.   It was obvious to both that since Green Canyon closed there was no place that specialized in men’s apparel.  

“We batted it around and said, ‘Let’s do it!’” Alford says.  

Alford is going into the new venture with the experience, the network and the know-how of a seasoned retailer.
​ 
“Bay-Tique has been very successful,” she says.  “For each of the seven years we’ve been in business, we’ve met or exceeded our goals.” 
​

​Alford attributes the success of Bay-Tique to several factors.  

“Hard work, great employees – like my manager, Karen Grumbine – and the growth of Bay St. Louis in general. I’m a big believer in the Bay.” 

The guests in Alford’s Carroll House Bed & Breakfast, a few blocks away, also help by giving her feedback on what they like about Bay St. Louis and what they’d like to see in the future. 

The entrepreneur laughs when asked to name her favorite thing about the new shop. 
​
“When the ladies come to shop at Bay-Tique, we can send their husbands across the street,” she says with a smile.  
​

Offering a menu that changes daily, eat-in dining, and take-home meals, local caterer Tara Davis is sizzling with fresh ideas at the new Savage Skillet restaurant.
​
-story by Lisa Monti, photos by Ellis Anderson  

​A week’s worth of Savage Skillet breakfast and lunch menus are posted on social media at the beginning of each week. There are also Grab & Go items to eat in or take out and retail food items from Mississippi and Louisiana. 
 
Another new twist is the pricing: the breakfast and lunch menus have two daily options, one under $10 and the other around $10.
 
At last Sunday’s friends and family feeding, the food coming out of the kitchen practically shimmered with freshness: Spring mix salad with citrus dressing, perfectly cooked flank steak with homemade sauce, wraps packed with pork loin and veggies, tangy-sweet tomato and bacon jam bruschetta and pulled pork topped with house-made pineapple salsa. ​

Everything we sampled - including the roasted fruit, amazing hummus and creamy pimento cheese - showed that Chef Tara and Savage Skillet are raising the bar locally on fresh menu offerings.
 
Chef Tara is from Hattiesburg and first visited the Bay area with her family. “I always loved it and intended to come back to the area when the time was right.” She went to culinary school in Texas where she cooked professionally and earned a sommelier certification. She’s also worked on farms, in vineyards and breweries, food trucks and high-end restaurants.
 
She eventually moved to Bay St. Louis in October 2016 and for the last two years has been in the catering business under the Savage Skillet brand. She intended all along to open a restaurant, she said, “and here we are.” The catering business operates alongside the restaurant at the corner of Highway 90 and Bouslog across from the Post Office. She has four full time and one part time employees helping her.

 
Breakfast at Savage Skillet consists of various tacos (a tortilla filled with breakfast ingredients ) and house-made salsas - plus some weekly specials. Prices start at $3 and go to $5.95. The lunch menu has two items, from $5.95 to $11.95. Recent selections were flank steak with a caprese salad and tomato-bacon jam bruschetta or Quinoa-shitake soup and plum-ricotta or buttermilk chicken bruschetta. 
 
Savage Skillet stocks a cooler and freezer with prepared foods from $3 to $11. Items change weekly, but some are always available including soups, fruit salads, green salads, veggies, wraps and lasagna. The tasty variations of chicken salads also are always on hand.

The Savage Skillet name comes from Chef Tara’s philosophy that no kitchen functions properly without a big skillet. It also reflects a combination of her classical training and extensive experience with a love of off-the-cuff cooking. 
 
But don’t look for anything deep-fried. “Everything you can do to food, we do it, we just don’t fry. It’s not my cooking style and also there are lots of places to get good fried food.”

Savage Skillet 
1248 C Highway 90
Bay St Louis
228.344.3017
https://www.savageskillet.com
 
Storefront Hours:
Wednesday - Saturday
6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
 Breakfast 6:30 a.m. - 10 a.m.
 Lunch 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

This popular Ocean Springs-based business will open a new location in Old Town Bay St. Louis later this month. 
- story by Lisa Monti, Lisa Monti's Notebook 

Mueller said she’s toyed with the idea of expanding for about a year and thought Bay St. Louis would be “a perfect spot.” Now, she says, the two Marina Cottage Soap stores will be like bookends on the Coast.

The Bay St. Louis location will have a full retail store in front plus a large space in back to host events where you can learn how to make lotions and other bath products while enjoying live music. Think date night, birthdays or girls night out. “We can’t do that in Ocean Springs because of limited space,” she said.

Mueller has chosen two local nonprofits - Ruth’s Roots and Starfish Cafe - as beneficiaries as a way of paying back for Marina Cottage's good fortune. “They are two very special places and we want to do fundraising for them,” she said. 

Marina Cottage Soap on Main Street will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

Follow the new Bay St. Louis location progress on Facebook and Instagram.

Lisa Monti is a veteran journalist who writes and edits for the Shoofly Magazine.  She also publishes her own blog, Lisa Monti's Notebook, with Bay St. Louis building reports, agendas and more.  You can subscribe for free. 

Seven years ago, entrepreneur Melissa Hamilton opened her first small shop.  That business has grown exponentially and is now moving into a permanent home of its own.  
- story and photos by Ellis Anderson

​In its most recent renovation, the building was set up as a duplex.  For more than a decade, one side has served as a gift shop and gallery specializing in garden art, Twin Light Creations.  Twin Light owners Pam Collins and Joy Panks have lived in the stylish one bedroom apartment on the other side of the building. 
 
Hamilton is moving bijoubel into the shop side of 136 Main and will use the apartment side as a vacation rental.  Off the large covered porch in back, a studio space will become the new home for the Joan Vass shop.
 
Hamilton says she’s been shopping for a permanent shop location to purchase since she began her business seven years ago. 
 
“I knew if I was going to stay in business, buying would be an investment for my future,” she says.  

​Hamilton had looked at 136 Main when Collins and Panks had put the building on the market several years ago.  However, she didn’t make an offer and “put it out of my head.”
 
Over the Christmas holidays, Hamilton needed a ladder to hang Christmas decorations and went next door to 136 Main to borrow from her neighbors.  The casual conversation turned serious when she discovered the building was still for sale.  Hamilton and her husband made an offer and closed the sale in the end of February. 
 
The shop area at 136 Main is 1100 square feet – the same amount bijoubel currently occupies.  The move will begin right after the March 9th Second Saturday Artwalk and be complete by the end of March.  Hamilton doesn’t plan on any down time whatsoever. 
 
Hamilton expects the central Old Town location of the building and its history to keep the vacation rental filled.  Listed as the Angelone House on VRBO, reservations can be made starting in the middle of May.

​“The first time I walked in the building, it felt right,” Hamilton says.  “It’s got a historic great vibe and we’re definitely planning to add to it.
 
“Buying the cottage is the right move for me and my husband,” says Hamilton. “With the growth the town is having, it’s a prime time to have a business here.  We’re very excited about the Bay’s future.  I’m just grateful to be a part of it.”
 

A new pub menu in the evening and new offerings for breakfast and lunch prove this restaurant's team is always open to fresh ideas.
-story by Ellis Anderson

For instance, debuting on the breakfast menu are Avacado Toast and Prosciutto Toast, joining the already popular cast of egg breakfast plates, frittatas, Pulled Pork and Grits, and Chicken & Waffles.  ​
​

​However, the biggest “new” at the Mockingird is the evening Pub Fare menu.  It’s offered Thursday through Saturday evenings from 5pm until closing (during the Second Saturday Artwalk each month, the pub menu will start at 2pm). 
 
Alongside the classic Mockingburger (still only $10 with homemade chips) and veggie Garden Burger, three different tacos take front and center stage.  They're all served up on a special hybrid tortilla made in New Orleans from 60% corn and 40% flour.

​ The two meat versions feature pulled pork drizzled with homemade expresso barbeque sauce, and grilled chicken with the ‘Bird’s own pico sauce and cheddar, topped with sriracha sour cream.  

​The meatless variety is just as hardy, filled with Garden Burger makings.  Order one taco for $3, two for $5 and three for only $7. 

​Can’t decide?  Try a $12 taco and beer flight and you’ll get one of each taco, paired with three 5oz servings of local beers like Lazy Magnolia’s Southern Pecan, Chandeleur’s Freemason and Mighty Miss’s American Pale Ale.  
 
If you’re just in the snacking mode, dive into the “still crackling” pork rinds fried up fresh in the kitchen. In addition, loaded French fries, pretzel bites and a meat & cheese board provide savory accompaniments to the adult beverages co-starring on the menu. ​
​

 
All drinks and house wines on the evening menu are $5, with pitchers of beer available as well ($15). Warm weather favorites are the Lushy Lemonade (spiked with vodka), Mimosas and the Mockingbird’s secret-recipe Sangria. The unforgettably named (and delectably tasting) Tequila Mockingbird is a mixture of rosemary honey, rosemary tequila and blood orange juice.  

Naturally, coffee drinks rank high on the menu.  A Bird Brew Martini blends cold brew coffee, vodka and vanilla.  One of the most intriguing libations offered is an Irish coffee made with Jameson’s, Baily’s Irish Cream liquor and a nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee called Bright-Eyed Nitro.  

​According to the ‘Bird’s operation and marketing manager, Whitney LaFrance, the relatively new cold-drip product is made in Ocean Springs.  The infusion process makes the cold drip taste creamier, without the addition of any dairy. 
 
LaFrance and Mockingbird general manager Laura Hurt have both worked at the Mockingbird since it first opened 13 years ago, in August 2006.  The two may be managers now, but regular customers still use their original titles: Coffee Goddesses.
 
“We’ve been here so long, the Mockingbird is much more than just a restaurant to us,” LaFrance said. “We have a really fantastic team too.  Everyone [who works] here cares about the community and the people we serve.”

LaFrance said the café loves to change things up from time to time to stay current.  Fresh ideas are sometimes offered by customers, but most originate from staff members.  The entire team enjoys traveling and scouts out adventures in eating wherever they go.
 
“We all enjoy talking about new ideas we’ve found and brought back to the Bay,” she said.  “It’s great watching those ideas skyrocket here at home.” ​
​

Lisa Monti's got the mouth-watering story on a new restaurant that's opening on Main Street this spring. 
- from Lisa Monti's Notebook 

Restaurateur Jourdan Nicaud, Field’s brother, said this will be the first restaurant the 23-year-old Field will be opening. It doesn’t have a name yet but “the goal is to open up around the beginning of April,” Jourdan said.

He said Field has been studying and working for the past two years in New York where he attended the Institute of Culinary Education and worked at the storied 11 Madison Park and La Nacional. Just this week Field worked with Jose Garces in the Iron Chef’s Philadelphia restaurant.

Jourdan Nicaud said the new restaurant’s steaks will be aged in house and hand cut and sell for $20 and up. Field is working on the menu’s specialty oyster recipes and Jourdan said he hopes to serve locally harvested oysters.
​
Jourdan owns Charred, a steakhouse/oyster bar in Ocean Springs, Bacchus on the Beach in Pass Christian and Biloxi, and Fill-Up with Billups breakfast/brunch restaurants in Biloxi, Jackson, Oxford and one opening next month next to his Hotel Pass Christian.

You can easily subscribe to Lisa Monti's Notebook blog on its home page! 

The first episode of “Inside Out with HL Raymond Properties” is set to premiere January 13, 2019.  Get the inside scoop from producer Holly Lemoine-Raymond, find details on the Premiere Party (Jan. 12) and check-out the show's schedule. 
- story by Ellis Anderson

Watch the thirty-second trailer for Inside Out

Like many popular home shows, Inside Out invites viewers into upscale houses for video tours.  But Lemoine-Raymond has added an interactive twist:  viewers are shown three exterior views of the houses and three interiors. The viewer has to guess which ones match up, which they’ll be able to do online with Facebook. ​

​Lemoine-Raymond says that working with the HGTV crews inspired her to find creative new ways to sell property on the coast and led to the production of the series.  She assembled her own production crew who wrote, filmed and edited the first episodes over the past six months.  
 
Twelve episodes will make up the first season of Inside Out.  Six have already been produced.  Later in the year, six more episodes will be completed.   The most expensive house that’s being featured is nearly a million dollars, with the least expensive in the mid-200 dollar range.  

​Each episode ends up with a short DIY segment by Lemoine-Raymond, or a real estate tip from one of her guests. ​While the properties featured on Inside Out are all HL Raymond Property listings, the broker says the entire Mississippi coast should benefit. ​

“The series and its companion social media campaigns give us an opportunity to introduce this area to new audiences,” said Lemoine-Raymond. 
 
The broker does double-duty on Inside Out, acting as both the show’s host and director.  

​“I’m there in the cutting room for every single episode,” she said.  “It’s so exciting to see the vision come to life.” 

The Premiere Party will take place on Saturday, January 12, 5pm - 8pm at Dan B's Restaurant, 109 S. Beach Boulevard, Bay St. Louis.  Meet cast and crew while seeing a sneak peek of the first episode that will air the following night. Dr. Rock Band will perform after the party.  Donations for Friends of the Animal Shelter will also be accepted. 

One new commercial building and an addition to one of the oldest buildings on the coast have been approved by the BSL Historic Preservation Commission, with construction slated to begin soon. 
- story by Lisa Monti

Plans submitted to the Bay St. Louis Historic Preservation Commission for their Oct. 8th meeting show the proposed development at 128 Main Street with space for a restaurant and six boutique-sized spaces for lease.  The HPC approved the plans for the new building design.  

The project goes next before the Planning and Zoning Commission and then the city council for approval. 

 “We hope to start in 60 days and be ready for spring,” Fisher said.
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Fisher is also awaiting a building permit to extend the rear of the building on his property at 146 Main at Gex Street, across from the Courthouse. When the work is done, Fisher will divide the building in half and make the space available for vacation rental and/or retail.  

The historic cottage, built in the 1840s, was home to "The Light," a small local newspaper in the mid-1900s run by Jeannette Carmichael.  Carmichael owned a pet monkey that became a community celebrity.  Residents eventually dubbed the cottage "The Monkey House."  Later the building served as law offices. 
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In the mid-90s, Shoofly Magazine publisher Ellis Anderson purchased the building and renovated.  Anderson, a silver-smith who opened her first studio and gallery in the New Orleans French Quarter in 1984, opened the second location of Quarter Moon Gallery in the Main Street cottage.  The gallery was twice named one of Southern Living Magazine's Favorite Shops in the South. Anderson operated the gallery from 1996 until 2005, when she sold the building. 
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A mid-60s addition in the rear of the Creole cottage was torn down post-Katrina.  While the building was gutted, stabilized and raised off the ground, it has been vacant since the hurricane. 

​The new addition that was approved by the BSL Historic Preservation Commission in September adds another eight-feet to the rear of the building. 

Fisher said the 146 Main Street property is getting a good bit of attention from the curious public.  The developer thinks he’s gotten more calls about the building than he’s ever gotten about any of his projects.  

​“We’ll be ready to go as soon as we have the permit in hand,” he said.

Editor's Note:  Former owner of 146 Main Street, Ellis Anderson, is working on a story about the "Monkey House."  She's looking for copies of "The Light" and stories about Mrs. Carmichael.  If you can help, please contact her at publisher@bslshoofly.com

A historic Bay St. Louis barbershop has a new life ahead as home to a popular salon.
- story by Lisa Monti, photo by Michael Rosato

Nikki Moon's story of creating a successful B&B despite unimaginable obstacles is featured in a segment on PBS's popular "Start Up" series - and it's now available to stream.  
- story by Ellis Anderson 

Now that the episode has been made available on the Internet, it's gained a whole new audience.  Moon says "the phone has been ringing off the hook" with people calling to congratulate her. 

In the interview, Moon discussed her first career in sales.  When asked by host Bredow what she sold, her response:  "A very strange commodity; I sold New Orleans."  The former tourism director of sales explained that she worked for the city's tourism division from 1979 until 2013.  

Moon left the job the first time in 2003 when she purchased a historic bed-and-breakfast on the beachfront in Bay St. Louis.  Two years later, Hurricane Katrina destroyed the inn and nearly took her life.   The interview follows her through the trials and tragedy that followed, which led to her eventually rebuilding a new Bay Town Inn on the site of the former one. 

Moon has obviously not forgotten her original career.  In the interview, she touted Bay St. Louis as being a charming arts community by the water with great restaurants and boutique shopping.  She also lauded the town's walkability and safety. 

The Bay's Historic District earned high marks too - the inn is located within the district  and the city's Historic Commission had oversight of the new inn's design. "It [the Historic District] is a great thing, because it keeps everything with the right look." 

When Bredow asked Moon to name the hardest thing about working for herself, she said it's the fact there's nobody to blame when she makes a mistake.  The best? The rewarding feelings she has making travelers' experience in Bay St. Louis a positive one.

Moon's final advice to those contemplating starting their own businesses?

​"Just do it!" she said.  

A legendary blues hall changes hands in Bay St. Louis, but the new owners will carry on the previous owners' dream of creating a community hub.  
- story and photos by Ellis Anderson 

When former owners Jesse and Kerrie Loya bought 100 Men Hall (303 Union Street) in 2006, they saved the derelict building from certain post-Katrina demolition.  The couple added on a spacious living area and moved in with their family.  
 
Continuing the rehab, the Loyas reopened the hall as a music and event venue in 2010.  The building had come full circle.  In the mid-1900s, 100 Men Hall had been a rocking stop for blues performers like BB King, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry and James Brown.  Under the Loyas’ stewardship, the hall has hosted everything from weddings to Cajun dance parties in the past eight years.  ​

The building’s fascinating history was a major part of the allure for Rachel Dangermond, who is a writer, consultant and experienced community facilitator.  After visiting Bay St. Louis several times for solo writing retreats, the New Orleans native began considering relocation to the coast.  The Bay seemed an idyllic place for her nine-year-old son to grow up.  
 
And the peaceful setting would provide the perfect backdrop for the writers’ workshop side of her career that she planned to expand.  She’d been facilitating the memoir-writing workshops in her home for years, yet wanted to offer them more frequently and in a more formal setting. 

A coast friend who knew about Dangermond’s plans sent her information on 100 Men Hall when it came up for sale.  The writer filed it away until, after a trying day, she pulled up the link to the hall’s for-sale page.  She called immediately for a showing.

“We walked in and said ‘This is it!  This is where I can have workshops, facilitate, have pop-ups for artists,’” said the writer recalling her first viewing.  “The rest was just details.  From the moment I made that decision, people have come out of the woodwork to help make this possible.”  
 
The hall’s listing agent, Holly Lemoine-Ramond, noted that the sale itself was seamless.  “We had lots of interest, but this was meant to be.  When we all met for the first time, there was an instant connection.  While Kerry and Jesse knew they couldn’t choose who bought their place, it was wonderful to have a purchaser carrying on with the same basic concept.”
 
Real estate agent Matt Stieffel has been friends with Dangermond for two years and represented her in the sale. 
 
“I’m very excited for Rachel and her exciting new chapter resurrecting 100 Men Hall,” Stieffel said.  “Bay St. Louis is lucky to have her as a resident and proprietor for such an iconic piece of our history.” ​

Even though Dangermond and her son are still unpacking, she says she’ll be ready to host a workshop forMississippi Heritage Trust (MHT), August 8 – 10.  MHT’s director, Lolly Rash, had originally contacted the Loyas about hosting the event.  Dangermond decided to dive right in after discussing the transition with Rash.  
 
Ironically, the workshop focuses on financing and tax credits for historic buildings that are used for businesses.  “I’m going to participate too because I need to know these things,” said Dangermond.  
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Although her business partner, son Tin, may be watching cartoons instead of attending the historic workshop, he’s still excited about learning the ropes of running an event venue at 100 Men Hall. 
 
“We’re going to split the money,” Tin said, during the Shoofly Magazine photo session.  
 
“He’s the hundred-and-first man,” said Dangermond, laughing.  “If nothing else [comes out of this venture], he’s going to learn the skills of running a business.” 
 
Between unpacking boxes and getting Tin ready to start school, the writer is still finding a bit of time to appreciate her new community.  She mentioned several helpful neighbors and new friends helping to smooth the big transition. 
 
“I’m so thrilled to be in Bay St. Louis,” she said. “The first day I spent in the hall, I took a long walk on the beach.  It felt like trumpets were blowing.” ​

Click below for more information and to register for the free Mississippi Heritage Trust workshop at 100 Men Hall, August 8 -10, 2018.  Space is limited, so reserve now! 

Award-winning chef David Dickensauge of C&C's Italian Bistro will open the Ugly Carrot this summer - an artisan juice bar with fresh local produce and meals to go. 
- story by Lisa Monti, photos courtesy David Dickensauge

​Working with the chef in the new juice bar will be Jeff Jordan, who just stepped down as head football coach at St. Stanislaus. Jordan, who played football at LSU, has experience in strength and conditioning and can help customers with creating healthy eating plans and healthy, tasty juices.
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Dickensauge will use his connections with about 15 farmers who sell to C&C Italian Bistro, his sustainable restaurant at 111 Main St., to stock The Ugly Carrot. 

Shoppers at the Ugly Carrot will be able to buy eggs, cheese, butter and milk along with fresh produce including tomatoes, lettuce, squash from local farms in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, along with prepared foods. Customers also can preorder items for pick up.
 
“We’ll have vegan and vegetarian to-go salads and sandwiches made in the restaurant,” he said. Everything will be all plant based, with no meat in sight.
 
Among the sources will be the highly regarded Covey Rise Farms in Louisiana and renowned The Chef’s Garden. “I’m a big activist for sustainable, local products,” Dickensauge said. “I have to know where my produce is coming from.”
 
Dickensauge calls The Ugly Carrot “a cool concept” that’s a perfect fit for Old Town Bay St. Louis. “It’s not just a juice bar. It’s the missing niche here.”

Expect a comfortable atmosphere, premium wines and gourmet cheeses when Central Station Bistro opens soon.  Owner Janice Hall gives us a sneak peak. 
- by Lisa Monti, from Lisa Monti's Notebook

​Located a few blocks from Old Town, the Bistro is the Halls’ retirement project. Jim retired from the industrial demolition and development industry; Janice is a fine arts photographer and interior designer. They moved to the Bay from Palm Springs, Calif., three years ago and were looking for something to do.

“We kept seeing this derelict building for sale and looking in the windows,” Janice said.

What they saw was a wreck: no walls, no plumbing, nothing but termite-eaten studs. “We’re either a couple of visionaries or lunatics, but we said let’s buy it and figure it out.”

The bedraggled property’s redeeming quality was its setting, which captivated the couple. “It’s a beautiful lot with oak trees and next door to a pastoral looking church in a converted barn,” she said.

They were guided to the wine bar idea by local friends who complained that there wasn’t a bar for grown ups where they could get a nice glass of wine without loud music and the usual beach bar menu.

The wine bar idea got a boost from the fact that Janice is a longtime member of the Brotherhood of Knights of the Vine, an esteemed wine society, and has loads of experience creating events around wine.

So the Halls hired a contractor and architects and the three-bedroom cottage slowly began to be transformed. The former living room will be the main gathering area. The front bedroom with a fireplace and flatscreen TV is another spot for guests.

The front patio with rocking chairs and fire pit is almost done. Janice calls the interior character “slick and cool with really good vibes. It feels like in Sonoma.” Muscadine vines will be planted soon to add another winery touch.

The Halls are working on the wine list and menu, which will feature cheeses from St. James Cheese Co. in New Orleans and other vendors. Wine will be moderately priced and sold by the glass and by flights. Some beers will also be sold.

Janice said the bistro will have a club atmosphere with something for everybody. “You can come in and site in comfortable leather furniture or at pub tables for a cheese board and a nice glass wine.”

Central Station Bistro will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to closing (TBD).

Stay tuned for the opening date announcement. Follow Central Station Bistro on Facebook.
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Central Station Bistro
205 Central Ave.
Bay St. Louis
(228) 342-5832

Read more by Lisa Monti, freelance writer and Shoofly Magazine editor - on her popular blog, Lisa Monti's Notebook.   Subscriptions are free! 

In early May, Hancock County residents will be able to get a "Clean Car Fast," when a new business opens in Waveland. 
- story by Lisa Monti, from Lisa Monti's Notebook 

Schmidt and Brian Hill started Pitstop in 2005, putting their retail experience to work in the car wash business. The goal was to have “the best equipment and customer friendly technology, along with quality soaps and waxes, attentive employees, clean, wide-open, well-lit facilities, fair prices and no gimmicks.”

Getting your car washed couldn’t be easier, says Schmidt. Choose from four cleaning packages (basic, good, better and best) and pay at one of two automated stations with a credit/debit card or insert cash. Drive your car onto the conveyor and sit back. The conveyor brings the car through the tunnel as a series of all soft-cloth mitters and wraps move back and forth to clean the exterior.  “Our slogan is ‘A Clean Car Fast’. We want to get you in and out in less than five minutes,” he said.

Prices start at $6 and go up to $15. The tunnel can handle up to 100 cars an hour. “We’re based on volume so we wash a lot of cars to keep prices low,” Schmidt said.

He said the cleaning process is environmentally efficient compared to washing your car  in your driveway where the water may end up the Bay or Sound. The multimillion dollar facility’s conveyor system is specially engineered and angled to collect sediment in three underground tanks. The water is recycled and is filtered before it is discharged into the sanitary sewer system. Pitstop is even “certified green” by an international association of car washes, Schmidt said.

Pitstop will be open seven days a week except Christmas and Thanksgiving from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. It will be staffed by three full-time employees and a few part-time workers.
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Pitstop Carwash, 445 Highway 90, Waveland. No phone yet; check the website (www.acleancarfast.com) and Facebook page.

The kitchen at Bodega's at 111 Court Street opens Thursday (March 15): Popular chef Rickey Peters and visionary entrepreneur Kevin Jordan have teamed up for the new Bay St. Louis venture.  Check out the new menu! 
- story and photos by Ellis Anderson

Gumbo Ya-ya, Shrimp Remoulade, the Cochon de Lait, Meatloaf and Chicken/Boudin sandwiches are just a few of the crowd-pleasers that have made a comeback.  Banana Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce makes a reappearance as a grand finale.
 
New on the menu are dollar tacos, cheeseburger sliders, French pizza bread and shrimp salad rolls.  Soon to come, according to Jordan, are daily specials and some entrée plates.

Peters, who began his chef's career working with Paul Prudhomme, has more than two decades of experience pleasing local diners.  His first restaurant was a namesake – Rickey’s in Waveland.  The popular eatery attracted foodies from the entire region and won the hearts of locals.   After Hurricane Katrina destroyed the business, it reincarnated for several years on Highway 90 in Bay St. Louis. 
 
When entrepreneur Kevin Jordan invited Rickey to open up at a renovated barber shop across from the depot in 2015, Rickey’s Off the Tracks instantly became one of the town’s liveliest lunch spots. 
 
Jordan had plans to offer an outdoor kitchen and evening dining at the depot location, yet a hitch in logistics put an end to the restaurant.  It turned out that his initial measurements were slightly off – the restaurant was 20 feet too close to a school building to obtain a liquor license. 
 

​“It’s hard to have a dinner spot here on the coast without being able to serve adult beverages,” said Jordan, noting that Bodega’s Court Street location doesn’t have that issue. 
 
The outdoor BBQ and eating area that never materialized in the Depot district is already taking shape at Bodega.  Out back, a deep French Quarter style balcony is being added to the building and will offer a covered area for dining below.  Inside, the 1,000 square foot bar and dining area is adjacent to the kitchen where Rickey will be serving up his specials.  
 
The Court Street building, former headquarters for both the city and the Hancock Chamber, also is home to a liquor store, a rental business and a yoga studio upstairs. 
 

​Jordan notes that Bodega rents about any mode of transportation needed in Bay St. Louis, including golf carts, bicycles, kayaks and paddleboards.  Since it’s only a stone’s throw from the harbor, that’s especially convenient for visiting boaters.
 
The liquor store features a large assortment of wines (Jordan, who also owns a small vineyard in California, oversees the selection) and liquors.  They’re able to sell both retail and wholesale, so can provide alcohol for downtown bars and restaurants as well.  Jordan says that the store also keeps a wish-list.
 
“If we don’t have what they want, we’ll order it,” he said.

​The Loft Yoga studio offers classes that range from beginner level to advanced.  Classes may be purchased individually, as well as in packs of five or ten.
 
George Mills performs at Bodega each Saturday from 7pm – 10pm (on Second Saturdays, he starts at 6pm).  As the weather warms, Friday night performances will be added as well.
 
Look for the soft opening of Bodega’s kitchen in ten days to two weeks.  The chef is counting the hours.
 
“I’m ready to start today,” Rickey said.