|
 In this series of articles, we invite
you to follow some of the county’s sharpest shoppers
while they explore Chamber member stores and
restaurants. These volunteers have discovered an
amazing array of fabulous finds– and all in our own
backyard! For more information on this “Shop Local”
campaign, contact the Hancock Chamber of Commerce
office at 228.467.9048. For Shop Information and
Hours click here.
Sharp Shopping the Village!
“Community” is more than
just a word for local businesswomen Ginger Scharp
and Gwen Meyers – it’s a way of life. Both women
are known for their dedication to various local
causes. Gwen has served on the boards of the
Hancock Chamber and the Toy Library. As Exchange
Club president, she headed up efforts for the Child
Development Center and the Prevention for Child
Abuse.
 Ginger’s
outstanding organization skills have helped the
community celebrate events like Bridgefest. As an
event planner, she handles details for wedding
celebrations and memorable corporate events. This
past Thanksgiving, she even coordinated a community
feast.
Recently, the two women pooled their
considerable energy and volunteered as Chamber
“Sharp Shoppers.” Together, they created a force to
be reckoned with as they explored the familiar
territory of “The Villages” (a complex of retail
shops, offices and restaurants located on Highway 90
in front of Hancock Hospital).
They rendezvoused in the
morning at Gwen’s sleek boutique, “Suite
A.” Ginger wanted to start the day
by finding a memorable dress to wear on New Year’s
Eve. Her only problem was choosing between several
eye-catching pieces in stock. Since the store
carries shoes, accessories, purses and jewelry - as
well as casual and “after-five” clothes – Ginger
noted that it’s possible “to buy a full outfit in
one place.” Her final pick was a swingy black
sheath with large retro polka dots (by Glam, $88).
Best selling lines of
clothing include Tibi, Maggie London and Velvet.
Karlie is a big hit with the younger
set with fun t-shirts, tunics and leggings. Popular
designer jeans like AG
Pine IV and Paige also make the customer favorite
list. Jewelry by BOE is made with sterling and
pearls and even Oprah is a big fan of the designs.
Sassy shoes by “Melissa” and other famous makers
round out the collection. Another lure to fashion
mavens is that Gwen stocks a large range of clothing
sizes, from “2” to “16.”
 Seeking
out more holiday fashions – this time for her two
children - Ginger walked a few doors down to
Biz-Zee
Bee. Owner Janelle Graham’s own
three-year-old daughter gave her a love for quality
children’s clothes, so she’s filled the racks with
collections of brands like Bailey Boys, Petit Ami,
Zutano and a large Polo line for boys. Shoppers
will find outfits for newborns through age seven for
boys and age twelve for girls. Ginger immediately
zeroed in on an “angel dress” by Funtasia for her
daughter Hutton ($54.99). She also picked up two
cheerful gift-wrapped boxes packed with purchases
she’d made earlier in the week (gift-wrapping
free).
Janelle said many of her
customers are fans of the full line of children’s
casual and dress shoes that she carries. The Lamour
and Pedipeda brands draw top ratings from parents.
In addition to the shoes and clothing, the shelves
are filled with toys, children’s back-packs and
totes, nap mats, playful watches and an amazing
selection of small gifts perfect for kid-to-kid
giving. Monogramming is done on the premises, so
many items can be personalized.
 In
Behold
Custom Framing and Art Gallery, Gwen
sought out nativity scenes by the nationally known
artist Tazewell. The retired Auburn art professor
has the distinction having one of his creations
deposited on the moon by NASA. Gwen was after one
of Tazewell’s unique nativity scenes in white
($200), but was also attracted by the large
selection of ornaments and mantle pieces (prices
start at $20). This month, Behold is featuring both
paintings and sculptures by Tazewell, whose designs
were chosen to adorn both the Bay St. Louis and
Biloxi bridges.
The
gallery represents over 30 other artists, including
folk art by Teresa James and Michelle Allee.
Original paintings by Pat Walker Fields hang
alongside bold watercolors of coastal wildlife by
Elizabeth Huffmaster and evocative oaks by Kathe
Calhoun. Gwen is one of the gallery’s longtime
framing customers. “They have an awesome sense of
interior design and know how to put together unique
framing for any décor.” Gwen continued, listing
some of the projects the shop can handle. “They do
shadow boxes and presentations for retirement or
other special occasions - they’ll even frame
christening gowns! And it all looks spectacular.”
The
two shoppers then headed to
Fit First, a
health club where they’re both members. Personal
trainer Helene Johnson works with the two women on
an individual basis to customize fitness routines
that mesh with their busy lifestyles and work
schedules. Fit First offers 24-hour access to
elliptical, treadmill and a variety of cardio and
weight machines. Exercise classes accommodate early
birds, beginning with sessions at 6 AM. Pilates,
spinning and aerobic classes are all popular
activities with members.
In
the New Year, the health club will be moving a few
doors away, more than double in size. The new
facility will offer showers, a larger aerobic area
and an expanded selection of classes. Both Gwen and
Ginger love the personal attention at Fit First, as
well as the fact that the club is “clean and neat.”
They plan to purchase a three-month trial membership
for a good friend ($179 for three months, classes
included).
 Shoe
Boutique,
the only full-fledged shoe store in the county, was
next on the tour. Gwen needed to pick up a pair of
sparkling rhinestone flip-flops she’d purchased the
day before (by Volatile, $44). Both Gwen and Ginger
admitted that they have “shoe issues” and find the
store irresistible. “I’m always finding wardrobe
staples here,” Gwen said. “I bought a pair of
glamorous chocolate colored boots here that I wear
all the time. Everyone wants to know where I got
them.”
Ginger had the inside scoop on why the store is so
popular. “Carolyn (owner Carolyn Messer) goes to
the best markets and always brings back the freshest
designs. She has over 50 years in the shoe
business, so she KNOWS. And the prices are great!”
The store stocks designer names that include After
Five, Yellow Box and Volatile. Women attending
special events like weddings and Mardi Gras balls
will find outstanding selections and even teenagers
flock to the shop for trendy footwear like clear
iridescent sandals. A variety of fine handbags round
out the store selections. Shoe Boutique also
specializes in narrow sizes – hard finds for even
cosmopolitan metro areas.
Ginger’s own shop,
Uptown Interiors
carries anything that a smart shopper could want
for a chic décor and Gwen has been considering many
items for her new house. According to Gwen, Ginger
has “an eye” for great design and good value, so she
stocks the store with exceptional furniture,
lighting, mirrors, dinnerware and accessories – “all
ready to add instant ambiance to a home. You can
come in here and decorate a whole house!” For Gwen’s
dinnerware, she’s chosen a pattern from the Veitri
line of Italian crafted designs. The deep creamy
glaze on the pieces is set off by an earthy terra
cotta edging (dinner plates, $35).
Gwen
also knows that Uptown Interiors can make life easy
for brides (and their mothers). Ginger planned her
daughter’s recent wedding and Uptown Interiors
served as bridal registry to help the newlyweds
furnish their home. Those seeking pieces that will
last a lifetime will find the furniture in the store
is carefully crafted from solid wood. Most of the
pieces on display are traditionally styled with a
crisp contemporary flair. Lamps by makers like
Flambeau and a multitude of tabletop accessories
provide elegant accents. The shop is also the
exclusive representative in Hancock County of New
Orleans designer Mignon Faget. A recent trunk show
of the designer’s jewelry had people lined up
outside, waiting to get in and purchase classic
designs like the Fleur de Lis and Tulip jewelry,
along with solid sterling rings and the ever-popular
glass-ware.
Entering
A-OK, it’s obvious that the name of
the store reflects a frame of mind. Both sharp
shoppers called the place “wonderfully whimsical.”
The Village location is the “mother store” (owner
Jay MacAniff has a satellite shop at 220 Main Street
in Old Town). Customers threaded through aisles
slowly, marveling at the mix of home furnishings,
unusual gifts. Every step brings new discoveries
into view, from quirky wind-up toys to vibrant linen
and rug designs. Even the patio area out the back
door offers surprises: Pye Parson (who formerly
owned the popular Sol Garden) keeps A-OK stocked
with delightful fountains and garden pottery. Other
big draws are local products designed by Jay for Bay
St. Louis, Waveland and the Pass. T-shirts, hats
and stickers are emblazoned with bold logos that are
take-offs from European auto tags used to designate
a country of origin.
The
shop’s out of the ordinary offerings include Voluspa
candles, Lollia bath and body products and Company C
wool area rugs and lively linen designs. Latico
leather handbags, totes, clutches and wallets are
favorites, as well as card and cell phone cases
(popular gifts for men). Ginger has been longing
for a new Hobo leather bag and the 20% discount
offered on the line made the purchase a “can’t wait”
opportunity. She was torn between a casual handbag
and a snappy red clutch. A-OK even had to perfect
item to help her choose: Decision Dice ($9.95).
The sides of the large silvery cubes are etched with
answers to all the important questions in life. The
dice are available for any possible situations,
including “dating,” “change-your-life,” “romance,”
“shopping” and “mid-life crisis.”
Intensive shopping had sharpened the
appetites of both women, so Ginger and Gwen
gratefully sank into chairs at nearby
Trapani’s
Eatery. Ginger thought about pulling
out the Decision Dice – every item on the menu
seemed tempting. The women glanced at plates being
delivered to other tables by the wait staff – dishes
filled with chef’s creations like Pannèed Trout
Eatery (fresh filet of speckled trout, pan sautéed
and topped with sautéed mushrooms, garlic butter,
gulf shrimp, lump crabmeat, basil and white wine,
topped on with a drizzle of hollandaise). The
friends decided to split several dishes including
the etouffee, crab cakes and fried green tomatoes
with crabmeat.
Owners Tony and Joylnne Trapani say
that their insistence on using only the finest and
freshest ingredients is one of the keys to their
stellar regional reputation. For instance,
Trapani’s steaks are hand-selected certified Black
Angus beef. Boneless chicken breasts - used in
dishes like Panneed Chicken Italiano - have never
been frozen. Tony noted that following the same
recipes at home wouldn’t result in the same
tenderness or flavor found in the restaurant
dishes. The crab cakes delivered to the shoppers’
table were a prime example: The luscious patties
were created from pure jumbo lump crabmeat with no
breading used as filler. Bound with heavy cream and
a bit of flour, the pan-seared flavors were
complemented by a champagne Dijon reduction sauce.
The popular fried green tomatoes were thinly sliced,
lightly fried, heaped with sautéed lump crabmeat
then finished with hollandaise sauce and parmesan
cheese.
As the two women ate, they studied
the fanciful wall art by Kimberly Parker. Colorful
coastal creatures made from hand-painted metal
frolicked on recycled bead-board backgrounds.
Ginger pointed out that A-OK is the
only shop in Mississippi that carries Parker’s
work. “That’s a perfect example of how we all work
to support each other,” she said. “Business owners
in this community “hold hands” because we all want
the same thing - to see our economy flourish.
Shopping locally fuels that engine, but it also
helps you establish deeper relationships with people
in the community.”
Gwen explains that every business
owner they’d visited that day had made a tremendous
financial and personal commitment to stay in Hancock
County. “After the storm, every single one of us
could have moved someplace else,” she said. “We’ve
taken an enormous leap of faith to stay. We have
ties and we have a unsinkable community spirit.”
Gwen pauses and smiles. “And we also have
absolutely awesome places to shop!”
If Hancock county residents commit to
shopping locally this holiday season, our economy
could receive an estimated 35 million dollar boost.
With that very merry goal in mind, The Hancock
Chamber of Commerce has launched a “Holiday at
Home!” campaign to make local shopping easy and
fun. The campaign will publicize the bounty of our
county - including seasonal events, merchant
specials and a spectacular array of gift ideas.
|
