Business Journal 20160901 by Journal Inc

THE NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI

BUSINESS JOURNAL

CREATIVE ECONOMY: WHERE DO ARTISTS FIT IN?, pg. 3 SEPTEMBER 2016

BIZBUZZ.DJOURNAL.COM

FEATURE: What is the creative economy like in Mississippi? Enterprise, innovation and entrepreneurship is at its heart.

page 2 COLUMN: John Maynard writes about giving special attention to small start-ups in Oxford.

page 7 COLUMN: Ty Robinson speaks on the importance of building professional relationships and doing business with lifelong connections.

page 5 CONNECT WITH US

Jesse ssse Ne Newton, ewton ton, n, 21-year-oldd fa fashion ashio shhioon design major at Mississippi ppi State te University,, works on a red and maroonn jumpsuit.t.

mississippi

Made MSU fashion, merchandising program trains designers

STORY AND PHOTOS BY ZACK ORSBORN BUSINESS JOURNAL

n Moore Hall on Mississippi State University’s campus, Jesse Newtown, 21-yearold fashion design major, flips through his sketchbook of designs before finding one of his favorite drawings, a sketch of a dress made from barely alive flowers. “They told us to really step out of the box with this project,” he said about an assignment in one of his classes in the Fashion and Merchandising program, which recently placed in Top 50 fashion programs from fashion-schools.org. A month ago, he completed an internship with a well-known hat designer in Moscow, Russia, but in the back of his head, he kept thinking, “I have a 14-piece collection I have to make for Kansas Fashion Week by October.” Newton – inspired by Southern culture, New Orleans jazz and pop music – designs clothes for a client who isn’t afraid of bright colors. Once he got into his groove, Newton began showing at fashion weeks in New Orleans and Kansas, even winning a student design competition at NOLA Fashion Week. TURN TO MADE, 6

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016

Two years ago, Gov. Phil Bryant declared it the "Year of the Creative Economy." The idea and campaign emerged from Visit Mississippi, the tourism division of the Mississippi Development Authority, which is overseen by the governor. Its purpose was to show the Magnolia State was more than just an agricultural and manufacturing state – it also has a rich cultural history that has plenty of economic potential. Mississippi Arts Commission Executive Director Malcolm White, who was the director of Visit Mississippi at the time of the launch of the 'Year of the Creative Economy," said the idea was a partnership that developed between MAC and MDA. "It started in 2010 with the Mississippi Arts Com-

mission, with a study on the creative economy," White said. "Then we went to MDA for them to be our partner. Then-exective director Gray Swoope bought into the idea. We did this extensive study of the state and rolled it out as partners to make a case for the creative economy and its place in the overall economy and what it looked like." But what exactly is the creative economy? The definition used at the time – and still used today – is, "Mississippi's creative economy is the sum of all wealth generated by the state's cultural and creative enterprises, institutions, people and places. It also adds value to traditional economic factors like

manufacturing, agriculture, service and tourism while influencing where people choose to live, work, travel and learn." Said White with a laugh, "That sounds very educational, but we wrote it down so everybody would be explaining it the same way." White left his Visit Mississippi post last year and returned to the Arts Commission, where he also moved with creative economy and cultural bureau. "We're very happy to have it," White said "Anywhere I'm at I'm happy to have it. But I think the general consensus was – and I don't speak for anybody at MDA – it wasn't something they really wanted to focus on or manage, and they

were happy for me to take it. ... I've always said Mississippi's greatest asset is our arts culture and story. It's the one thing that is undeniably that we lead the nation in. It's not always a positive story, it's a complicated story. But the story itself is what separates us from the pack. We're not 50th or 49th when it comes to story, arts culture, cultural heritage tourism. We're a national leader and we've proven that work."

HISTORY The idea of a creative economy is nothing new. One of the early pioneers and supporters to talk about it extensively is TURN TO CREATIVE, 4

RETAIL SPACE FOR LEASE

THE SHOPS AT BARNES CROSSING

CLAY SHORT

662-842-8283 662-231-4262

cshort@trirealestate.net

SHOPS AT BARNES CROSSING

www.TRIrealEstate.net MS COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

MCAR

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016

A special breed of artists Tupelo gallery, studio speak on the creative economy BY ZACK ORSBORN BUSINESS JOURNAL

TUPELO – On the sixth anniversary of opening her art gallery downtown, Kim Caron invited two painters and a pottery maker to give live demonstrations amongst the fine art paintings hanging on the walls. Caron’s sole purpose for opening the gallery was simple, and since opening, she curates an average of 45 artists. “I wanted to represent Mississippi artists and get their works outside the boundaries outside the state to show people how talented we are,” she said. Although she got a degree in marketing, Caron loved establishing relationships with Mississippian

ZACK ORSBORN | BUY AT PHOTOS.DJOURNAL.COM

Rachel Misenar paints an abstract piece at a live demonstration at Caron Gallery in Tupelo during the 6th anniversary.

artists, a special breed of artists. She started by checking a registry of Mississippian artists in the region, calling them up and asking if they’d like to be apart of a new gallery. “With our state being the last on a lot of lists, a lot of people live a hard life, and they have a story to tell through their pain,” Caron said. Just like struggling artists, Caron worried about cash flow and making sure the artists were represented the way they wanted to be. She started a Facebook page and a website, and artists started calling her instead. “We have such opportunities to project their art on the internet, which is great,

but it’s very time consuming,” she said. “Social media gets their name out, but it keeps them from being in the studio. I want to be their voice.” Being an artist in the creative economy can be tough, Caron said. Some buyers question why art can be expensive, but they don’t realize how much materials cost and the time that goes into creating. But artists have an innate drive to keep painting, no matter what. “At the end of the day, they just want to paint,” Caron said. “I definitely think it’s calling. A lot of them have to paint everyday.”

THE POTTER Michael

Ashley,

co-

owner of Ashley Pottery learned a lot about mateStudio, joined the sixth rials, presentation and unanniversary live demon- derstanding our work and stration at Caron Gallery, our history. I didn’t go to where he showcased his business school. We had pottery-making a lot of unknown skills to a because I had group of never run a children. business.” He and He knew his wife, that it Laura, would take opened the several studio two ye a r s to years ago, make a solid and since living as an art then, they have business. He said ASHLEY been active in showa lot of times, people casing art in community only see the lifestyle of the service. artist. At first, Michael had “When you open a busidoubts about opening a ness, it takes several years business with no business to make a living," he said. experience. "I think, especially after “We both went to art doing two years and never schools,” he said. “We having a business, I feel

good about where we’re at. The lights are on.” Besides working with restaurants to create dinnerware and commissioned pieces, Michael teaches pottery classes. It’s another way he’s trying to expand the creative economy in Tupelo. “Arts can always use support because we need art,” he said. “It’s important to us. Most art is either not-for-profit or people are just trying to make a living by trying to buy materials and showing in galleries, but at the same time, there’s a lot of programs in Tupelo that are really beneficial to the community who are trying to make art a focus.” zack.orsborn@journalinc.com

We Keep Your Business Going. • Serving Tupelo & North Mississippi Since 1988 • Local Sales, Service, Parts, Supplies & Billing • In House Lease Program

Authorized dealer for

Konica Minolta and their award winning Bizhub products.

Tupelo- 662-842-9410 | Columbus 662-687-0689

Talmadge Ray, Tupelo Cindy Sappington, Tupelo Chris Carter, Columbus

jtrayco.com

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016

CREATIVE: Artistic jobs, talents see a growth in Mississippi

British author John Howkins, who wrote the book, "The Creative Economy." He believes that individual creativity as the defining source of the new economy, putting an emphasis on creativity rather than either information or culture. Howkins defines a creative product as an economic good, service or experience resulting from creativity and with the characteristics of being personal, novel and meaningful. He said its defining characteristics are twofold: it results from creativity and its economic value is based on creativity. "Creativity is not new and neither is economics but what is new is the nature of the relationship between them," he wrote. Increases in higher education, shifts in employment patterns, market liberalization, higher average wages and more leisure time are reflected in this relationship, he said. According to Atlanta-based Garner Economics, the role of the arts and the creative economy has been given little, if any, attention in relation to business targeting and economic growth strategies. "Even in many communities that do embrace the importance the creative economy, it is viewed more as a quality of place enhancement than as a core piece of economic development programs," the study read. "This view overlooks the importance of the jobs and earnings that comprise these sectors." A recent study conducted by Garner said four economic sectors are prominent in a creative economy. Using NAICS categories, they are • Motion picture and video industries • Specialized design services • Performing arts companies

• Independent artists, writers and performers These four sectors alone account for about 1.2 million jobs across the U.S. (including self-employment), with average annual earnings of $56,000, the study showed. Employment in these sectors has increased by 10.6 percent over the past five years, with particularly strong growth for specialized design services and motion picture and video industries.

sults are really good. The Coast - Biloxi, Gulfport, Pascagoula – is up slightly at just under 1 percent, Hattiesburg is up 34.1 percent and Jackson is up 24.1 percent. You can see were doing quite well. And it runs parallel to the period we've been pursuing this conversation and this body of work and these initiatives, so we're pretty happy with that." White said the most visible examples of Mississippi's creative economy SMALLER COMat work is the adMUNITIES dition of the But the creBlues Trail ative economy markers, the statistics usuFreedom ally come Riders Civil 2011-2016 from larger R i g h t s metro areas, m a r ke r s s , All creative sectors: 10.6% which have the BB King larger populaMuseum, Writers and performers: 4.2% tions and rethe Grammy Performing arts companies: 6.2% s o u r c e s Museum and available. Still, other initiaSpecialized design services: 16.5% states like Mistives across the sissippi also play a state. Video industries: 12.9% role in the creative "All of this stuff economy. is representiave of The move of the crethe good work that ative economy and cultural buwe've done to tell our story," reau from MDA back to MAC isn't he said. "We just had our Mississippi complete, but White said a new website Literary Festival, and we're working on will soon launch, and a new push again a literary trail and other trails that will raise the awareness of Mississippi's cre- continue to tell the story to help build ative economy. civic pride and tell the best of MissisCiting the Garner Economics study, sippi in a time when the economy is White said Mississippi's three metro stagnant and struggling." areas fared well. PUTTING IT IN ACTION "The synopsis is the overall creative A business incubator is a perfect execonomy has grown from 2011 to 2016 by 10.6 percent nationwide," he said. ample of the creative economy at work "Mississippi is interesting and the re- as well.

JOB GROWTH IN CREATIVE SECTORS

Judd Wilson is the director of small business development with the Community Development Foundation in Tupelo, who oversees the Renasant Center for IDEAs business incubator. "The incubator as a whole is a center of entrepreneuship, with many of them having full-time jobs," Wilson said. "They're entrepreneurs looking for a place to go. It's just an idea in their heads. One works at Toyota, another one works at a bank. Being here with environment of entrepreneurship is a plus to grow that idea and grow that business. That's the creative economy." David Rumbarger, the president and CEO of CDF, said recruiting business and industry has changed over the years, with an emphasis placed on quality of life – a key component of the creative economy. "We have a phenomenon going on now where's there a thing called the quality of place." he said. "In the past that meant airline connections, highway connections, school systems. That's still important. But now it also means downtown arts community, a ballet, a symphony, outside concerts ... creating a new lifestyle thrust we didn't have before. Basically jobs were jobs.. now there's a qualitative factor for those jobs that's different." Having a creative class of people with opportunities to grow is gaining in importance. And the creative economy is doing quite well in Oxford, said Jon Maynard, who is president and CEO of the Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation and Chamber of Commerce. TURN TO CREATIVE, 8

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016

The whale vs. fish; corporations vs. start-ups

xford is known as a charming university town with deep roots in literature. Ole Miss football is right around the corner, and the promise of another winning season is on the horizon. Pretty typical for a college town in the fall. However, Oxford is not a typical college town. The past two-and-ahalf decades have seen record setting growth in population, retail spending and construction. The last two census periods showed that Lafayette County has grown at a steady rate of 2 percent per year. While that may not sound like a significant number, the longevity of that growth is what really stands out. That sort of de-

mographic shift is a sustaina b l e growth pattern as long as the communi- JOHN MAYNARD ty’s infrastructure can keep pace. Lafayette County is seeing record retail sales increases with a boom in retail locations in Oxford. Retail sales in 2016 are expected to exceed $1 billion. Construction in 2016 has been steadily increasing as well. The first quarter of this year, $33 million in building permits were issued in Oxford, followed by $60.5 Million in the second quarter. That doesn’t include the hundreds of

millions of dollars of construction on the university campus and the $400 million hospital that is currently under construction. Starting in 1992 with the creation of a Retiree Attraction program and a very deliberate effort to attract large manufacturers, Oxford and Lafayette County began its direct efforts to develop the local economy. The emphasis on how to develop our local economy, however, was a slightly different track from the rest of the economic development world. While the larger emphasis in Mississippi has been on developing the proper infrastructure to attract the “whale” projects, Oxford and Lafayette County

have placed a larger emphasis on efforts to attract “tropical fish.” What do we mean by “whales vs. tropical fish?” It actually sounds like a spinoff from the cult classic Sharknado, but its not. It is the idea that if you develop the quality of the community, then you will attract individuals and small businesses to your area. While we still have our share of whales (Winchester and Caterpillar, for example) we have focused on growing businesses from within. Some of our tropical fish have actually grown into whales over time. FNC Inc., a local startup in the financial technology sector, was recently pur-

chased by a California technology company, CoreLogic, for nearly $500 million. They have roughly 300 employees, and are still looking to grow. Next Gear Solutions is another local startup with nearly 100 employees and continues to grow. Spin offs from FNC promise to grow into even larger whales. The list of the Oxford success stories is quite long, and I don’t have much more room to write. The future of economic development will place a larger emphasis on tropical fish. Whales are great when you can catch them. However, keep in mind that they are very expensive to hunt, they are very expensive to land, and

there is no guarantee that they will move the needle on your local economy. Tropical fish, on the other hand, require a much longer nurturing process and a lot more attention to the quality of your community. The short-term, traditional approach to economic development is to hunt whales. The longer term, and more innovative approach to economic development is to nurture tropical fish. It is working in Oxford and Lafayette County, Mississippi.

JOHN MAYNARD is president and CEO of the Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation and Chamber of Commerce.

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016

MADE: Professor, graduate see impact of MSU's fashion program on state

ZACK ORSBORN | BUY AT PHOTOS.DJOURNAL.COM

Left: A sketch by Jesse Newton; top-right: Rachel Woodward sews in her home in Starkville; bottom-right: Charles Freeman, associate professor at MSU.

Experience And Integrity With Dependable Electrical Services You Can Trust!

At first, his father was concerned about him entering into an industry that’s hard to break into. But after touring MSU’s campus and meeting with Charles Freeman, assistant professor in the fashion and merchandising program, he relaxed a little. Newton still feels doubt every day, but that doesn’t stop him from working on his new collection until 3 a.m. – sometimes. To crush his doubts, Newton thinks of the statistic that says the U.S. apparel market is worth $225 billion. “You can be artsy all you want, but if you can’t get a job at the end of the day, what’s the purpose?” he said. “We have students that have graduated and have gone onto really good jobs.”

THE START OF FASHION When Charles Freeman first moved to Mississippi to teach in the Fashion and Merchandising program, he thought it’d be all about “cut-off jeans and Confederate flags.” But as he began interacting with students, he realized there was a fashion industry. He said Mississippi took a big hit when a lot of apparel manufacturing and clothing construction for major brands moved overseas. "Where do we fit in this

and took the risk of growing her design company, a mixture of sophisticated clothing and wearable art. Now, she’s working on a 12-piece spring collection after the knowledge she learned from MSU’s Fashion Design and Merchandising program. “It’s hard starting out just because truly individual work is not where the money is,” she said. “It’s nice to see people wearing your clothes, but if you don’t have multiple things of multiple garments, then you are not making money worth your time.” One challenging aspect is the cost and lack of fabric in Northeast Mississippi. Her first collection cost $1,300 to create, but eventually, she found places online with less expensive fabrics. Working forward, she knows it’ll be hard to get to a point where she sees her clothes on multiple people, but she’s hopeful, especially with her mentor, Freeman, encouraging her to reach out to manufacturers. “He told me I couldn’t continue to grow with manufacturing just myself,” she said. “He was like, ‘What if WEARABLE ART someone wants 1,000 of After working in retail something?’ I told him, ‘I for seven years, Rachel would laugh.’ But I’d be Woodward, MSU graduate flattered.” and owner of RBW Dezack.orsborn@journalinc.com signs, quit her boutique job new global fashion world? How is Mississippi going to make its impact?" Freeman said. "I think that’s what our program was doing a really strong job of is to encourage students to explore new opportunities and think about the fashion world a little differently.” As a professor and lover of fashion, Freeman teaches an average of 150 student aspiring designers and merchandisers a semester. He goes by industry guidelines, which say that design majors should have a stronger business background. Not only do they learn about clothing construction, but they explore chemistry in fabrics, global sourcing and trade, international law and marketing. In five years, Freeman sees an exodus from New York. “You’re seeing more companies moving to places like Nashville because of the economics and finance are much friendlier to those companies,” he said. “I think Mississippi is in the right location and they are at the right time to jump on that.”

Timmons Electric was formed in 1988 by Mike Timmons, who has over 32 years experience, and is a family-owned business providing electrical services for

• Commercial • Industrial

customers in Tupelo and Northeast Mississippi For more info call

(662) 844-4053 www.timmonselectricms.com

P L U M B I N G

WE’RE THE

# 1 IN

# 2 BUSINESS

662-553-4598

www.mrrooter.com

• General Plumbing Repairs • Clogged Drains & Sewer cleaning • Trenchless Sewer Replacement • Faucets/Disposals • Toilets/Water Heaters • Emergency Plumbing • Leak locating • Video camera inspection • No Overtime Charge

SEPTEMBER 2016

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016

Do business with those who do business with you

y grandfather gave my father a great piece of advice: “Do business with those who do business with you.” So when the time came that we knew our business needed to move, we turned to a client for help. We have been working with Tommy Morgan for many years. We know Tommy, and Tommy knows us. So we knew that Tommy would put us together with an agent from Tommy Morgan Realtors that would be a good fit for both sides. We noticed a house we thought about converting to offices, and we called

To m m y ’s office to set up an appointment to see the h o u s e . And the TY ROBINSON agent who showed us the house … was Tommy. I don’t know all the in’s and out’s of real estate. I’ve only purchased one piece of property, which was a while ago. So, I had a lot of questions. Tommy had a lot of patience and a lot of answers. His advice was spot-on. He shared experiences in situations that I hadn’t even considered. It

helped having someone with understanding that I could use as a resource. It was great working with an expert who shared his knowledge. Tommy was there for the closing. All went well. Markel Whittington helped us with the office furniture. We’ve known and worked with Markel for years too. After the house was purchased, he came in and made suggestions of where furniture could be placed. We walked through his 80,000 square-foot warehouse and looked at furniture. Some of our old furniture we kept; some furniture we bought. And

when it was time to move in, the furniture we bought was in place. That was nice. His crew moved us in. That was impressive. They worked hard and fast. The best surprise is no surprise. We met with the city planning office and called the fire marshal’s office a few times to discuss what we were doing and asked a lot of questions. Everyone we spoke with was kind and patient. They were a great help, and they wanted to help. We wanted to make sure we had our i’s dotted and t’s crossed for the inspections needed. Putting together the

teams to get the house ready to move in wasn’t nearly as difficult as I imagined. The process reminded me of all the different pieces that have to come together for a marketing campaign. We had a lot of quality work done by local people. That’s what I like about North Mississippi. We have a lot of people who work very hard which gives us a great place to live and work. I’m appreciative of the time that I spent in my old office space. I grew up in that building. The time has come for a change, and I welcome it. I’ve seen many things

change for the better since I first entered the business. I’ve always heard “Change is what you make of it,” but I don’t know who first used the quote. I like to think of myself as an optimist. Opportunity has knocked, and we have a new door. It’s an exciting time, and I’m glad my friends were there to help. The beauty of marketing – it’s all about relationships. Where would we be without them?

TY ROBINSON is president and COO of Robinson and Associates, a marketing agency in Tupelo.

CREATIVE: from 4 "Anything that develops from an idea and can be turned into a marketable commodity is what I would consider a part of the creative economy," he said. "Literature, film, visual arts, music, culinary arts, software and technology development are all examples of this sort of creative activity. "The state of the creative economy in Oxford is best described as active. The economic impact of the arts in our community is what is making our economic development strategy function. Our strategy is to attract individuals into our community to grow and prosper in new, innovative and creative businesses. In order to attract these individuals, you must have an active creative culture and offer a quality place to live." Maynard agreed with Rumbarger that the future of economic development will be focused on the quality of place. "The local creative economy is a vital part of developing a quality place to live," Maynard said. "Communities which invest in themselves and their local talent will reap beneﬁts of a stronger and more sustainable local economy." And White says the creative economy is very much an authentic and important piece of any economic development plant. "You're not bringing in a manufacturer

from another country, you're not bringing industry from another state. Your harvesting your own sort of holistic product, which is your strory. It's the greenest of all industries," White said. "People come, they spend, they have a good memory. ... It's a great opportunity for Mississippi to tell the story. "We have the claim of being the birthplace of American music, and when it comes to American literature, no one can touch us. We have a signiﬁcant contribution to America's cultural story. Our food, our museums, our visual arts. It's really quite advanced how we are in this arena." White doesn't hide his passion when it comes to Mississippi and sharing its culture. To him, the creative economy is the perfect vehicle to do that. "They talk about advanced manufacturing. Well, we're an advanced cultural heritage economy in Mississippi, and it's working everywhere," he said. "It's the most holistic economic development approach I've ever seen, where everybody gets to tell their story, everybody gets involved, they build civic pride and their tax base grows. You can't beat that." dennis.seid@journalinc.com

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016

Access Family Health Services

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

AMBASSADOR OF THE MONTH

Access Family Health Services hosted a ribbon cutting in celebration of its grand re-opening at 499 S. Gloster St., Suite D1 in Tupelo. The mission of Access Family Health Services is to provide affordable comprehensive health care and education to the entire community with superior service. For more information, contact Access Family Health Services at (662) 651-4686 or online at accessfamilyhealth. com.

Chris Feathers, account executive at Monts Paper & Packaging, was awarded CDF Ambassador of the month for July. Serving his first term as Ambassador, Chris attended seven ribbon cuttings and events, volunteered nine hours in the community and contacted 19 CDF members through the member to mentor program.

0% FINANCING FOR 60 MONTHS

NEED MAJOR REPAIRS? CALL US TODAY! and see if you qualify for special financing.

NEWS• SPORTS WEATHER

A I R C O N D I T I O N I N G S YST E M I N STA L L E D F O R AS LOW AS

DJOURNAL.COM

F R E ET E S A ESTIM

PRESENTED BY

1255 Nelle Street Tupelo

8 4 4 - 0 2 70 25 OFF Scott Mattox, Owner

* All financing requires an approved credit application. $65/month is based on a complete 3 ton system, duct work not included. Financing on select models only.

Service call upon completion of repairs.

Expires: 8/30/16

Coupon must be presented at time of service.

per month

25000

OFF

Air Conditioning or Heat Pump Installation 16 Seer or Higher Expires: 8/30/16

Coupon must be presented at time of estimate.

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016

CrossFit Tupelo

Salsarita's Fresh Cantina

CrossFit Tupelo celebrated the grand opening of its new location at 1715 McCullough Blvd. with a ribbon cutting. Featuring an exceptional community of supportive athletes, coaches with the highest credentials and small class sizes, CrossFit Tupelo focuses on the classic CrossFit model of functional fitness using varied movements at a high rate of intensity. For more information, visit CrossFit Tupelo on Facebook, online at crossfittupelo.com or by calling (662) 397-5415.

In celebration of its grand opening at 3356 N. Gloster St. in Tupelo, Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina held a ribbon cutting. A dynamic and authentically inspired fast-casual Mexican brand, Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina offers delicious food prepared in-house daily. Contact Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina at (662) 236-4240 or online at salsaritas.com for more information.

WAGES

A NAME THAT STANDS FOR QUALITY

ROOFING FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED SINCE 1972

UPDATES TODAY CAN SAVE YOU MONEY ON REPAIRS TOMORROW!

662-840-5101

63 CARNATHAN DRIVE • TUPELO, MISS. OPEN MONDAY – FRIDAY: 8AM - 5PM www.wagesroofing.com

C ALL NOW CALL W

TO SCHEDULE YOUR

FREE FREE

CONSULTATION & ESTIMATE.

PROTECT YOUR HOME & BUSINESS

Room for your business meetings or company party

Book your holiday party now! Call Debbie @ 322-5838

Golf, the Sport of Business

of course!

Book a tee time or a company event. 3481 Big Oaks Blvd. Saltillo, MS 842-8002

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016

CrossFit Tupelo

Salsarita's Fresh Cantina

WAGES

A NAME THAT STANDS FOR QUALITY

ROOFING FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED SINCE 1972

UPDATES TODAY CAN SAVE YOU MONEY ON REPAIRS TOMORROW!

662-840-5101

63 CARNATHAN DRIVE • TUPELO, MISS. OPEN MONDAY – FRIDAY: 8AM - 5PM www.wagesroofing.com

C ALL NOW CALL W

TO SCHEDULE YOUR

FREE FREE

CONSULTATION & ESTIMATE.

PROTECT YOUR HOME & BUSINESS

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016

The Pitch

Walmart Neighborhood Market

Walmart Neighborhood Market celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting. Offering a variety of fresh, affordable groceries at Walmart’s everyday low prices, customers enjoy the convenience of on-site services including a full-service pharmacy and fuel station. Walmart Neighborhood Market is located at 316 S. Gloster St. in Tupelo and can be contacted at (662) 350-6918.

WHERE A GREAT PERFORMANCE... Is An Everyday Event! Built in the heart of the Mid-South, the BancorpSouth Arena Four teams were recently selected as finalists in CDF’s small business plan competition, The Pitch. The winner will receive over $5,000 in prizes including a $500 seed fund, small business development assistance and six months of free space in the Renasant Center for IDEAs. Pictured, clockwise from top left: John-Michael Marlin of Handcrafted Soda Company with mentor Geoff Carter of Hyperion Technology Group; Amber Peoples of Peoples Choice with mentor Josh Mabus of Mabus Agency; George and Sara Edwards of Magnolia Veterinary Surgery with mentor Len Blanton of NESCO Electrical Distributors; and Nancy Hooks of Hooks Diabetes and Medicine Clinic with mentor James Carden of Mississippi Small Business Development Centers. ‘The Pitch’ is presented by WTVA and gold sponsor Mabus Agency.

& Conference Center is designed to accommodate events that demand comfort, convenience, and flexibility.

375 East Main • Tupelo 841-6573 • 718-5555 fax www.bcsarena.com

SEPTEMBER 2016

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016

Business Directory A PAR TMENTS

Apartment Homes 1, 2, & 3 Bedrooms

MILITARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, & FIREFIGHTER DISCOUNT Ask about our Military & Law Enforcement Discount

A PAR TMENTS

A R T S UPPLIES

Affordable Luxury Apartment Homes 1, 2 & 3 Bedroom

111 Grand Ole Oaks Drive Belden, MS 38826 Jane Billingsley Manager

Call 662-891-5000

office: 662.823.1470 • fax: 662.823.1474 • cell:662.231.7508

3260 Hwy 145 N. • Tupelo, MS 38804

www.GrandOleOaks.com

AUTOMOTIVE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

BANK

662-841-8743 rbarnett@trustmark.com

DWAYNE BLACKMON CHEVROLET

236-9798

Bank Of Okolona Okolona

Houston Banking Center

P.O. Box 306 • Okolona, Mississippi 38860

321 W. Madison St. • Houston, Mississippi

Bank of Mantee

Calhoun Banking Center

54 1st Street • Mantee, Mississippi

200 S. Pontotoc Rd. • Bruce, Mississippi

(662) 447-5403

(662) 456-5341

for your commercial vehicle needs!

1410 SOUTH GLOSTER / TUPELO / 842-3611 1

BANK

HANDMADE GIFTS ARE THE BEST GIFTS.

Located at 2305 Jackson Ave Suite 202

BANK

Call Robin Barnett today!

Whether you’re hauling or delivering...Call

ART SUPPLIES AND PAINT-YOUR-OWN POTTERY SHOP

(662) 456-3347

(662) 983-3700

www.bankofokolona.com

BLINDS

B ATH R EMODELING Bath Remodeling Shower Remodeling Tub-To-Shower Conversion Bathroom Accessories Handicap Accessible

“The Sign of Service” Baldwyn • Booneville • Marietta Mantachie • Mooreville • Tupelo

Your Financial Cornerstone.

www.bathfitter.com Give Us One Day… We’ll Give You A Beautiful New Bathroom!

FREE IN HOME ESTIMATE Licensed And Insured

662-205-8548

www.fmbms.com

2015 McCull lough Blvd d . • Tupell o, MS 38801

BUILDING SUPPLIES

Rex & Diannah Coggins, Owners

Ph: (662) 365-7021

(662) 365-8902 N H A R Fax: Y D W L D SUPPL&Y, INC. W A R E A B

• Full Service • Hardware • Building Supplies • Plumbing • Hydraulic Hoses

• Electrical • Glass • Valspar Paints • Welding Supplies • Portable Carports

1187 North 4th St. • Baldwyn, MS 38824

CHILD CARE

Lumbe ville r Boone Company Full Line of Lumber, Hardware, Plumbing and Electrical Supplies 2300 E. Chambers Dr. • Booneville • 728-0094

Booneville Hardware & Supply 403 Church St. • Booneville • 728-0032 "For all your hardware needs"

Robbie Parker - Owner & Director 6 Weeks - 12 Years After School Program Available 2541 McCullough Blvd. • Tupelo, MS 38801

620-9062

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016

Business Directory COLLISION REPAIR

COMMERCIAL CLEANING SERVICES

C OMMERCIAL P LUMBING

RH PLUMBING, INC. 24 Hour Wrecker S ervice

u Junior Burns - Cell 662-728-0524 u David Denson - Cell 662-416-5591 100 W. Veterans Drive • Booneville, MS 38829

Phone 662-728-4459 • Fax (662) 728-4150

224 Starlyn Ave. New Albany, MS 38652

662-534-4448

Commercial Plumbing, Gas & Industrial Piping RICHARD HANLON (662) 447-3213

Thank you for choosing RH Plumbing. We appreciate your business

FURNITURE

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

C ONCRETE

589 N. Coley Rd. Tupelo, MS

P.O. BOX 417 Okolona, MS 38860

903 Varsity Dr. Tupelo, MS

Mon.-Fri. 9am - 5pm

401 Elizabeth St. • Tupelo 662-842-7305

www.careers.asurion.com Great Employment Opportunities

Fine Furniture, Fabric, & Flooring

FURNITURE

G IFTS

GLASS & OVERHEAD DOORS

formerly Okolona Drug Co.

Everything

We’ve got all your

home furnishings at affordable prices.

for

Fishing

Mostly New Sat. 7-11

662-489-1176

7540 Veterans Hwy. West • Pontotoc, MS 38863

104 St. Andrews Rd • Okolona, MS • (662)447-3711

H E AT I N G & C O O L N G

I N S U L AT I O N

1255 Nelle Street Tupelo, MS

844-0270

Service call upon completion of repairs Please present coupon at the time of service. Expires 9/30/16

“Serving Tupelo for 3 Generations”

711 ROBERT E. LEE DR. • TUPELO, MS

“Experience Is The Difference”

FAX:662-620-7754

INSURANCE

per month

00 $ OFF

662-844-4540

INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES

* All financing requires an approved credit application $65/month is based on a complete 3 ton system, duct work not included. Financing on select models only.

24 Hour Emergency Service

Store Fronts • Mirrors Shower Doors • Garage Doors Commercial Doors Hollow Metal Doors

Hancock Insurance Agency

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM INSTALLED FOR AS LOW AS

Serving Tupelo for 3 Generations

250

OFF

Air Conditioning or Heat Pump Installation 16 Seer or Higher

Please present coupon at the time of estimate. Expires 9/30/16

Member of the QCN Network. Saving You Money And Making You More Comfortable For Over 38 Years Residential & Commercial Insulation, Installation Blown-In Attic Insulation - Blown-in Wall Insulation - Batting www.nsul8or@att.net www.nsul8or.com

662-844--130 06

3166 West Jackson, Tupelo, MS

ATV • Life • Health Annuities • RV • Automobile Motorcycle • Home Mobile Home Medicare Supplements

Scott Hancock

Allen Hancock

Monthly Rates Available

662-534-2661 720 W. Bankhead St. New Albany

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016

Business Directory KENNELS

L OCKSMITH

PRINTING

MILLER’S SAFE & LOCK SERVICE, INC.

arber Printing, Inc.

NEW & USED SAFES

• Safes Serviced & Installed • Locks Installed • Locksets • Combinations Changed • Locks Rekeyed • Lost Keys Replaced • Master Key Systems • High Security Keys AUTO RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL

(662) 842-7720

1219 ⁄2 NELLE STREET • TUPELO 1

R E A L E S TAT E

PRINTING • GRAPHIC DESIGN • SIGNS BANNERS • BLACK & WHITE/COLOR COPIES 811 A Varsity Dr. • Tupelo, MS • 662.841.1584 8am - 4:30pm • goodimpressions@barberprinting.com

R E S TA U R A N T

Party Trays for all Occasions!

Thinking of Selling Your Home or Property? We Have Six Full-Time Agents Pontotoc Ridge Realty, Ltd. Who Call MOSSY OAK PROPERTIES OFFICE Pontotoc Home. ISEACH INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

Call Us Today 662-489-2848 R E S TA U R A N T

1101 W. Main • Tupelo 842-3774

R E TA I L

Alternatives to Cigarettes • Pizza Spaghetti • Salad Bar • Sandwich • Pasta Special Every Thursday

Ecigs, Mechanical Mods, Vapor Smokes, Tanks/Cartomizers, Ejuice, Blu, V2, Century 21 Ecigs

365-7059

ROOFING

INC.

ING

“A Family Business Since 1946”

• Residential • Commercial • Industrial FREE Estimates LICENSED & INSURED

709 S 4th St. • Baldwyn, MS

411 CLARK ST. ❖ TUPELO ❖ 844-4481

Mon.-Thurs. 11-10 • Fri.-Sat. 11-11 • Sun. 12-10

TECHNOLOGY

499 Gloster Creek Village, Tupelo, MS 38801 Phone: (662) 844-4888 Fax: (662) 844-3006

TREE SERVICES

T RUCKING

Achieve greater network performance with less. It's time to get more performance from your network with far less. As in less bandwidth utilization, fewer resources, and less cost.

CIRCADENCE R&D FACILITY CDF BUILDING • 398 EAST MAIN ST., 2ND FLOOR • TUPELO, MS 38804 662-821-2500 • www.circadence.com

Trimming • Removal • Stump Grinding Hazardous Tree Removal Experts Free Estimates / Insured 24-HOUR SERVICE

3637 PEPPERTOWN ROAD FULTON, MS 38834 (662) 862-6497

BUSINESS JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2016