Best of Pontotoc 2022

Best of Pontotoc

MAN OF THE YEAR WOMAN OF THE YEAR BUSINESS OF THE YEAR THE BEST FOODS

THE BEST BUSINESSES THE BEST PEOPLE

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Pontotoc Progress

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Man Of The Year DON RUSSELL

Giving back to Pontotoc is a way of life

BY | REGINA BUTLER

Pontotoc’s

newest selected Man of the Year by Progress readers is no stranger to anyone who has attended a Bodock Festival or harvest walk or a myriad of other activities that have been estab lished in Pontotoc over the past years.

Community involvement and community camaraderie and pride is here because of people like Don Russell. You will see him driving the Bodock train up and down Main Street, ringing it’s bell so folks will know the ride is ready, hauling hay bales for fall decorating, putting out flags or taking in flags along Main Street when the patriotic holi days come around, and helping drive a float and take care of what the horse leaves behind at the Christmas Parade.

He grinned a surprised smile when he heard of his honor.

His steely eyes twinkled as he thought about the many things he has done over the years.

“The men of the last generation said there are a few ba sic things a community needs: recreation, churches, enter tainment, a golf course and employment. If you have these things you will have a successful community.

“Pontotoc was established with a heritage of worship, we’ve built a golf course, and former Mayor Howard Staf ford helped us with getting recreation when he dug the lake,” Don said; “But since then a host of other activities have been established in the community.”

Russell’s pride in his community started way back at his high school years. A graduate of Pontotoc High School in 1969, his class donated the infamous totem pole that stood at the west end of the field. Years later, as an adult he helped re-work the the totem pole and put it up again. “But since then it has deteriorated more so we had to take it down,” he said. “We will have to find a place for it to be inside so it won’t be in the weather any more. But it has been a symbol of unity for the school all these years. I’ve heard guys on the football team say they touched it as they went out on the field. That warms my heart to know that it has meant that much over these years.”

Don enjoys spending time on the Tanglefoot Trail® wooden bridge.

Russell has loved and supported Pontotoc High School all these years. “In fact, when my grandson, Reeves, graduated in 2022, I had him go out to the archway and point at the ‘Class of 1922’ sign that is written on it.”

Steeped in education, Don’s mom and dad, Clyde and Clytee Russell taught at the Longview School. “My mama taught first to fourth grade and daddy was the principal and taught fifth to eighth grades. After that, students had to go to Pontotoc to finish high school.”

And it was his mama that instilled in him the golden rule of life, “Mama taught me to be good to others and they will be good to you.”

His sense of community and loving the place you live in has been passed on to the generation behind him. “I love being here and having my kids close by so I know can see them when I want to,” he said. “Pontotoc has a lot of things going here,” he said. “We make more fun in this county than anywhere else in the world.”

And speaking of his children, he is the daddy to Carrie Stringer, Valerie Caden and Ben Russell. But his favorite ti tle is granddaddy to his three grandyoungsters, Sam, Reeves and Bella.

And it gives him special joy to know that his life has touched many. “I have a thousand people call me Daddy Don. I know a lot of people out in the county because I worked at the oil company. I’ve had people in Gatlenburg, Tennessee or the Mississippi Gulf Coast call out ‘Hey, Daddy Don!’”

One of Russell’s many duties through the years was to put out and take down the flags in town.

When his wife retired from the Chamber, Don was there by her side as she said goodbye.

They say behind every good man is a woman pushing him to do everything she needs done. Even though he official ly retired from the every day grind of keeping up Russell Oil Company back in 2010, his dear wife, Ellen, has kept him busy doing something ever since. If something need ed building, fixing, finagling or otherwise put together with parts from who knows where, Don has been called upon to do it.

“Ellen and I have put together giant spiders out of hay bales and elbow pipes, scarecrows and just about anything else that she thought the community would enjoy.” He chuckled. “One day I went to the parts house and told them ‘I came here to get stuff to do stuff with.’”

But he has always been generous with his time. “I’ve driv en through the Christmas parade twice on the same night,” he said. “I’d drive a car carrying someone then get back to the start and drive the train through.” But he enjoys the fact that Pontotoc is still a place that people can enjoy a parade.

“A lot of towns don’t have parades any more because of the liability. We have something special here.”

And speaking of parades, since he is man of the year, he will be at the start of the Pontotoc Christmas Parade on Monday, December 5 as Grand Marshall with is lovely wife, Ellen, who is Woman of the Year.

His desire for those who are coming behind him is they will have the same opportunity to enjoy Pontotoc like his has. “I want to leave behind a safe place for kids and fami lies to live.”

Don with his wife Ellen and little dog Rosie are a fixture in their golf cart along the Tanglefoot.

Don helped Pontotoc City grounds superintendent Terry Donaldson string lights all across the tops of the buildings in downtown Pontotoc.

Woman Of The Year

ELLEN RUSSELL

She hopes her enthusiasm for Pontotoc is catching

BY | REGINA BUTLER

Spend a few minutes with Pontotoc’s newest Woman of the Year (chosen by Progress readers) Ellen Russell and you will find her heritage has deep roots in Pontotoc.

It is because of this that she will spit out bits of history that has long been forgotten by others unless they look it up.

She has always called Pontotoc home even though she could have lived any where she wanted. She is known as Pon totoc’s greatest cheerleader. She loves her town and has spent many hours laughing, crying, sweating and praying over its suc cess.

She has planned parades, festivals, fun days, solemn days and worked hard to see that every person was in place to start and end the parade as well as be there at the right time to entertain and set the fireworks off. And even with all this hard work, tears came into her eyes when she was told of her honor of being Woman of the Year. “I did not expect this,” she said emotionally.

“There were men who shaped my think ing that made me realize this was a place you wanted to live,” Ellen said. “Cy Sneed [Pontotoc Electric Power Association di rector] was one of them. They established the ground work at Pontotoc Electric by making sure we put up the best light poles available. They were willing to invest in the future of our community by giving us

quality so that electricity, which was and still is the lifeblood of a community, could flow to every household. They gave us the vision and passed it on to us,” she said.

The daughter of Victor and Estelle Hen ry her own family tree is a who’s who of Pontotoc. She grinned broadly. “We are the fifth generation here. My great-grand dad Newt Griffin saw Main Street paved in 1924. He also helped build the West Heights Baptist Church. My granddad,

M.K. Griffin started the Oil Company on Reynolds Street. They established down there because that was near the railroad.”

Proud of her deep roots, Ellen said her dad was from Buckhorn and her mother and her sisters [the Griffin girls] rode the Rebel to Blue Mountain College. “We have so many connections. One day at the Chamber the kids were on a scavenger hunt and they called wondering where Standard Oil was and I told them.”

Ellen and her dog Rosie enjoy time riding in the golf cart.

Taking every opportunity she can to promote Pontotoc, Ellen always manned a table during Customer Appreciation on Main Street in March.

Ellen and Don were selected as the first King and Queen Mardi Gras for the first annual parade that was held this past February.

Ellen believes these connections are im portant, “We learn from history and know ing where you come from helps you know where you are going to.”

It was her parents who instilled in her the need to give your time and effort to the community in which you live. “Mama got me involved in Girl Scouts and they en couraged me to give back and the desire has stuck with me all these years.”

And stuck it has for she spent more than 16 years as the director of the Pontotoc County Chamber of Commerce donating as much time to the organization as she was was paid to be there; before that she was a teacher.

“It has been an adventure and it has giv en me the opportunity to open up and share with others,” Ellen said and smiled pleas antly. “But then you have to realize there comes a time when you have to step aside and let others take over and move the town forward.”

She is married to her high school sweet heart, Don Russell, who as you will find out is the Man of the Year. She laughed. “We took a a picture of us and the kids in the parking lot before the Mardi Gras pa rade and said ‘this is the Royal Family.’”

Although they only have three children of their own, Carrie Stringer, Valerie Caden and Ben Russell along with three grand children, Sam, Reeves and Bella; there are a thousand kids that consider them mama and papa. She laughed: “It takes a commu nity to raise a family and we are still being raised. This is a good place for people to live.”

And speaking of that good place, one of the highlights of our community for more than 60 years has been the Pontotoc Christmas Parade. This year she will get to be the Grand Marshall of the parade along with her husband, Don.

Now that she is retired, um … well of ficially anyway, she spends time riding up and down the Tanglefoot Trail®. It is one of the places she promoted a lot when she was at the chamber and she is enjoying get ting to spend time on her golf cart riding it with her husband and their dog, Rosie.

She carried this reporter on the adven ture with her that warm afternoon. As we traveled the well paved ‘highway’ she looked at the flowers and trees that were along the way. “My favorite place is the bridge over the trail as it runs north,” she said.

Now she has a little more time to reflect over the years and look at what is ahead. “It is our responsibility to teach the kids that they need to give to the community. I want to leave that enthusiasm for those behind me to pick up and carry on.”

Even though she is retired Ellen continues to volunteer to help with events in town. She and Beth Grisham prepare the cake for an outdoor event.

Perhaps her most endearing job is that of being Mother Goose at the Easter egg hunt at Howard Stafford park each spring.

Business Of The Year PALE HORSE TATOOS

Inking living, moving art

BY | REGINA BUTLER

WhenChad Harlow and Savan nah Galabiz heard that their Pale Horse Tattoos parlor had garnered Business of the Year by the Pontotoc Progress readers, they were surprised. In operation in Pontotoc since 2018 the pair have seen their art drawn on hundreds of people.

Chad’s love of tattooing was rooted in his love to draw. “I was the kid at school that drew on my notebook,” Chad said. “When I was 18, I left work and got my first tattoo and I still love them.”

But that enjoyment of seeing the art on a person came because of an uncle of his. “I had an uncle in the Navy, he was bigger

than life. He had a tattoo but no one else in my family had one.”

And the joy of putting ink on someone hasn’t lessened any, because he got a li cense and started this journey of watching a pattern flow on another person’s arm, leg, foot, even an ear. And it has paid off to the extent that it is now his full time career.

Chad Harlow and Savanah Galebiz recently competed in a convention with 200 other ink artists from all over the world. They won four first place and two second place trophies.

Chad specializes in re-tattoing an older tattoo and giving it fresh color or covering up what you don’t want. On this arm he did free drawing over the old ink and will go back and fill it in to cover it up.

His talent is now being recognized across the nation. “We went to Huntsville, Alabama recently and competed a con vention with 200 other ink artists from all over the world,” Chad said. “We came away with four first place trophies and two second place trophies.”

Chad and Savannah received first place in medium col or; first place in Best Anime; first place in Las Vegas style tattoo, first and second place in Most Unusual Tattoo and second place in Best Booth Set Up. They had to go on site, set up and actually do a tattoo to win the awards.

“One of my greatest challenges is overcoming my own self, it is actually a daily battle. Winning these trophies helped,” said Chad.

Savannah nodded, “We feel like we have been given so much.”

Chad said they do have folks that come in and are nervous about getting a tattoo. “We crack jokes to try to set them at ease, because getting your first tattoo is a big deal. We don’t remember everybody, but they will never forget us, and they will always remember it because it was their first tat.”

And Savannah said to help put people at ease, “we have a family atmosphere here.”

She said it impresses folks so much so that they can call their shop by name. “A girl in Arkansas saw a guy’s tattoo and asked where he got it and he called us by name.”

Tattoos aren’t the ‘taboo’ they once were. And folks from all demographics of life go to get ink on their arm.

“I’ve tattooed doctors, lawyers and preachers,” said Chad. “It is not just what most folks consider ‘bikers and thugs’ that get tattoos anymore.” He chuckled. “I’ve always said the retirement home is going to be the next art gallery.”

After pressing a pattern on her clients leg, Savannah will ink it in. Patterns are used to make sure the customer wants it in that spot before actually putting the ink on.

This piece took Chad some 50 hours to complete over a number of weeks. The client came from Memphis.

Chad said while tattoos are works of art, “Each tattoo has a completely different canvas for us to work on. Everybody’s skin is different. The skin of an 18-year-old is different than the skin of a 50-year-old.”

He said sometimes tattoos take quite awhile to complete. “I had a fella that drove from Memphis multiple times for me to do this art piece all over his arm. I had to free draw most of it. It took 50 hours to finish.”

And they even have international customers.

“We have a couple from Germany that comes to visit their family. They book us each time. They can’t speak English and I can’t speak German,” said Chad. He chuckled. “I draw the picture and they nod yes or no. When I’m through their smile says it all.”

Chad said there are some things he just won’t tattoo on another person. “I won’t even attempt to draw portraits. I also don’t tattoo boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife’s name on a person, because those relationships can change. I’ll tattoo kids or grandkids names or even deceased parents if I’m asked.” Chad also said he discourages tattoos on the hand, neck and face.

Savannah said that being a woman in the tattoo industry is a challenge. “Sometimes it is difficult to get people to take you seriously.”

Ironically enough, though, today 65 to 70 percent of their clients are women. Chad chuckled. “They consider it thera py. They will come and choose another design to be tattooed on and they will lay under the needle for however many hours it takes to get it done.”

Savannah agreed, “It is an addiction, once you get that first tattoo you keep coming back.”

One of the most unusual requests the couple had was from a man who wanted them to tattoo on his back simultaneous ly. “He wanted us to do him a demon wing on one side and an angel wing on the other side,” said Savannah. “So we did it, I did the angel wing and Chad did the demon wing at the same time.”

Chad said that the inks have improved over the years, “Just in the 17 years I’ve been doing this full time ink has gotten better and the work is more precise.”

Although they both do excellent work, “I did not expect to get Business of the Year,” Chad said humbly. “Some of the businesses that were in the running have been in Pontotoc for years. This is a huge honor.”

Savannah nodded her consent, “We thank all the people who voted for us and did this. We always try to do some good out there.”

And The Winners Are...

Man of the Year

DON RUSSELL

BEST FOODS

Best Baked Potato Spud’s

Best Bakery Happy Day Café

Best BBQ Baps BBQ & Catering

Best Overall Restaurant Seafood Junction

Best Biscuit The Butcher Block

Best Breakfast The Butcher Block

Best Buffet Seafood Junction

Best Catfish

Hwy 41 Fish and Steak House

Best Chicken Sandwich Wendy’s

Best Coffee Happy Day Café

Woman of the Year ELLEN RUSSELL

Best Deli The Tin Nickel

Best Desserts Honey Pies

Best Fast Food Sonic Drive-In

Food Truck Pillar of Fire

Best Fried Chicken Spud’s

Best Hamburger Baps BBQ & Catering

Best Hushpuppies Hwy 41 Fish and Steak House

Best Ice Cream Snow Cream Corner

Best Japanese Restaurant Goku Japanese Express

Best Lunch Buffet The Grill House on Main

Best Mexican Restaurant Mi Pueblo

Business of the Year PALE HORSE TATOOS

Best Milkshakes Sonic Drive-In

Best Nutritional Drink Lifted Nutrition

Best Pizza Pillar of Fire

Best Ribs Baps BBQ & Catering

Best Salad Bar Nate’s Steakhouse

Best Sandwiches Aunt Kimmie’s Front Porch

Best Seafood Seafood Junction

Best Slaw Hwy 41 Fish and Steak House

Best Snow-Cone Snow Cream Corner

Best Steaks Nate’s Steakhouse

Best Sweet Tea The Butcher Block

BEST BUSINESSES

Best AC/Heating

Gregory Heating & Cooling

Best Animal Clinic Pontotoc Animal Clinic

Best Antique Store Antiques Downtown

Best Arts & Crafts

Pure Bliss

Best Auto Detailing Pinson Auto Detailing

Best Auto Mechanic Craig Tutor Tutor Auto Sales & Service

Best Auto Parts NAPA - Service Supply

Best Baby Gift Shop The Carousel

Best Bank First Choice Bank

Best Bedding Store Rogers Furniture

Best Birthday Gift Shop Pure Bliss

Best Body Shop Southern Garage Body & Paint

Best Boutique Pure Bliss

Best Bridal Gift Shop City Mercantile

Best Bridal Registry

The Gift Shop

Best Building Supply Peeples Building Material

Best Catering

Tammy Tackitt Ollie Rose

Best Children’s Clothing

The Carousel

Best Chiropractor

Dr. William D. Anderson, D.C. Anderson Chiropractic

Best Clothing Alterations Needleart Fabrics and More

Best Consignment/Thrift Shop CK Walls/ Trend To Pretend

Best Convenience Store Algoma Country Store

Best Cosmetics Merle Norman at Legacy

Best Customer Service Piggly Wiggly

Best Day Care The Learning Tree

Best Dental Clinic Jeffus Family Dental

Best Discount Store Family Dollar/Dollar Tree

Best Electronics Wal-Mart

Best Eye Clinic Wood Eye Clinic

Best Fabric Store Needleart Fabrics and More

Best Farm Equipment Wade - John Deere

Best Feed & Farm Supply Reeder’s Farm Supply

Best Finance/Loan Company First Choice Bank

Best Florist Flowers and Gifts of Pontotoc by Redele

Best Funeral Home Tutor Memorial Funeral Home

Best Furniture Manufacturer Southern Motion

Best Furniture Store Rogers Furniture

Best Garden Center Ecru Garden Center

Best Gas Station Pontotoc Shell Express

Best Grocery Piggly Wiggly

Best Gym/Fitness Center 300 Fitness

Best Hair Salon Lux Salon & Spa

Best Health Food Store Whole Family Nutrition

Best Home Decor City Mercantile

Best Hotel American Inn

Best Industrial Company MW Components Pontotoc

Best Insurance Agency Shelter Insurance

Best Jewelry Store H&R Jewelry

Best Landscape Company Teresa’s Yard Work

Best Lawn Mower Dealer NAPA - Service Supply

Best Meat Market Price Cutter

Best Medical Clinic Lindsay Clinic, PA

Best Men’s Clothing Moore’s

Best Mobile Home Center Mills Home Center

Most Improved Business The Butcher Block

Best Nursing Home Sunshine Health Care, Inc.

Best Oil Change Young’s Tire Store

Best Paint Store True Value Hardware Store

Best Pawn Shop Chunn’s Pawn Shop

Best Pest Control Pickens Pest Control

Best Pet Grooming Pampered Pooch of Pontotoc

Best Pharmacy Montgomery Drugs

Best Plumbing Store Peeples Plumbing and Electrical

Best Printing Company Image Screen Printing

Best Produce Market Basket

Best Real Estate Agency Patty Turk Properties, LLC

Best Rental Company Event Rentals

Best Screen Printer Image Screen Printing

Best Shoe Dealer Moore’s

Best Swimming Pool Sales/Supplies The Pool Specialist

Best Tanning Salon Coco Cabana Hair & Tanning

Best Tax Preparation Mounce & Davis Tax Service

Best Tire Dealer Young’s Tire Store

Best Transmission Repair Tutor Auto Sales & Service

Best Tree Service Cherry Creek Stump Grinding

Best Used Car Dealership Moore Brothers Auto

Best Windshield Repair Pontotoc Auto Glass & Accessories

Best Women’s Clothing The Rack

Best Wrecker Service Johnson’s Wrecker Service

BEST PEOPLE

Best Bank Teller

Tammy Anderson Renasant Bank

Best Boss

Melissa Chavers

The Learning Tree

Best Bus Driver

Jennifer Mansfield

Pontotoc City Schools

Best Coach

Rod Cook

South Pontotoc Schools

Best Fire Fighter

Jeremy Maxey Pontotoc Fire Department

Best Grocery Sacker

Hunter Jolly Piggly Wiggly

Best of Pontotoc 2022

Best Hair Stylist

Morgan Griffin

Lux Salon & Spa

Best Insurance Agent Michael Jolly Shelter Insurance

Best Investment Advisor

Justin Price Woodmen Life

Best Law Enforcement Mallori Sullivan

Pontotoc Police Department

Best Loan Officer

Grant Reynolds Bank of Pontotoc

Best Nail Technician

Morgan Griffin

Lux Salon & Spa

Best Photographer

Trent Baker

Trent’s Portrait Design

Best Plumber and Electrician Jason Stepp

Best Principal

Dustin Payne Pontotoc City High School

Best Real Estate Agent

Dennis Cox

Tommy Morgan, Inc., Realtors

Best School Teacher

Ashley Moore South Pontotoc Schools

Best Secretary Mallory Trentham North Pontotoc Schools

Congratulations

To All The Winners!