Discount Furniture Barn owner Mary Landers is silhouetted at her business as she puts together a table Monday. (Melanie Duncan Thortis The Vicksburg Post)

[8/19/03]Mary Landers, owner of Discount Furniture Barn, says she can’t understand why the city would want to close a thriving downtown business.

The Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen has voted to take eminent domain action against the Discount Furniture Barn, 600 Jackson St., and two other downtown properties; the Ice House, 1111 Mulberry St., and Brice’s Community Center, 1615 Mulberry St.

Under the urban makeover that started nearly two years ago, the city is buying empty or “inappropriately used” buildings in the area and offering them for sale to firms that pledge to operate them under use restrictions.

Landers, who took over the family business 21 years ago, said she and her family will fight to keep their business open, but know they may lose.

“I was hoping to pass it on down to my daughter and keep it in the family, but I guess we’ll just go and be door greeters at Wal-Mart,” Landers said.

Downtown revitalization plans include acquiring 48 properties and moving 20 businesses out over a period of several years. City officials say the furniture barn building will become part of plans for the area that include renovating the 95-year-old Levee Street Depot, purchased in 2001 for $215,000, and a large garden park area.

Landers’ father, Henry Heggins, started the furniture store in 1973 and said he offered to change the business to fit the city’s plans for the area, but his offer was rebuffed.

“I don’t have to be in the furniture business, so I asked the mayor what kind of business do you want?’ and the mayor turned around the walked out of the meeting,” Heggins said.

Heggins, who still owns the building along with T.D. Easterling, said the city offered $125,000 for the property, but the building is worth much more. Mike Kavanaugh, owner of Rocking Horse Motors, 20 N. Washington St., said the city’s offer for his property also isn’t enough.

“I can’t even relocate or do anything on the money they’ve offer, so we’re going to court,” Kavanaugh said.

Eminent domain cases are heard in specially convened courts. Here, the duty falls to Warren County Court Judge Johnny Price. Price will decide if there is a public use or public need for the property and, if so, a jury will be asked to set the value the city must pay.

The Mulberry Street properties are owned by Lucy Harrel and Buford Partners and plans for the properties were not available. Monday, the city received a proposal to renovate one building, the former Bell Bros. Shoe Store, which had been purchased earlier.

The property at the southeast corner of South and Washington streets will be converted into business offices if the plan is accepted by the city board. Most recently, the building had been occupied by two different bars, but is vacant today.

“It’s fine to clean up the city, but do it in a nice way. Don’t run people out of their business,” Landers said.

The furniture store building is listed in a 1931 city directory as a merchandise warehouse owned by Henry Schlottman Jr. Landers said the large windows along the river side of the building had been loading bays when rail service reached the building.