The sign outside KJ’s River Town Grille says the restaurant is now open.
Just to the north of the restaurant and across the street, a large banner across a building at the corner of Washington and Crawford streets announces that Suit City Liquidators is open.
The two businesses are among 20 new business that have opened in the downtown area since January —10 of those on Washington Street, which in the past nine months has begun to show signs of rejuvenation with not only newly open stores, luxury apartments, but the expectation of more businesses on the way.
The reasons for people locating downtown vary, but most said they came to the area because buildings were available.
“I was looking for available retail space and this building seemed like the best place,” said Thomas Jolly of Jolly’s Sometimes Store in the north end of Washington, which sells vintage items and collectables. “I had worked construction all my life and wanted to go into business for myself, and the building was available.”
“The atmosphere is so great downtown,” said River Town Grille owner David Belden, whose restaurant opened last week. “You have the brick streets, the old buildings, the apartments, it creates a place and atmosphere I believe people will come to.”
“This is a historic area,” said Tammy Folger-Sutter, an employee at The Cinnamon Tree. “The buildings are being renovated and they’re coming back great.”
Two years ago, Washington Street and the rest of the city’s downtown area bordered by Jackson, Madison, Mulberry and Cherry streets was in decline with vacant buildings and sparse shopping crowds. The only time crowds flocked downtown was for the Christmas or Mardi Gras parades, the city’s Fall Festival and River Fest.
There are still vacant buildings on Washington Street. A walk along Washington from Veto Street to Jackson Street reveals 20 empty structures and “for rent” signs. But some of those buildings, like the vacant Corner Medical Building, are targeted for development into second-floor apartments with retail on the ground floor.
The changes bringing Washington Street back came slowly, beginning in the end of 2013 and the start of 2014. Part of that, some downtown business people say, is due to a change in city administrations, with a new Board of Mayor and Aldermen that is interested in making the city more business-friendly.
“Under the old administration, I couldn’t get in to see him (former Mayor Paul Winfield),” said developer Daryl Hollingsworth, who owns the Wine House and Ware House Apartments on Washington. “I just about had to be there when he came to work and stick my foot in the door. I think the downtown suffered during that time from neglect. This new administration is much more friendly toward business. They’re willing to meet with people and improve downtown.”
“The new administration has made a tremendous difference,” said Vicksburg Main Street executive director Kim Hopkins. “They are much more cooperative and more open. They’re good to work with.
“The growth is not just limited to Washington Street, but the whole Downtown District,” she said. “We have the apartments with the Aeolian, and the First Federal Lofts and the Warehouse. And there is the retail.”
Another reason for Washington Street’s resurgence, Hopkins and Hollingsworth said, is the presence of a daily police patrol in the downtown area.
“They’re patrolling the streets. The chief (Walter Armstrong) listened to our concerns. They got rid of the panhandlers; it’s safer,” Hollingsworth said.
“I see the police walking around; I feel safe,” Jolly said.
“We’ve got the boats back and more restaurants downtown,” said Michelle Welch, whose family owns Paper Plus on Washington Street. “People are coming back. The police are patrolling downtown and they’ve run the panhandlers off. It’s safer and people feel more secure.”
“There’s more opportunity for people here than in the past,” said Nancy Bullard, the owner of Sassafrass. “With the recession going down, people are looking at this part of the city especially for retail or for a restaurant. I believe they feel being downtown was a good choice. A lot of businesses are helped by having stores and restaurants being clustered together.
“People can come downtown to do things and everything is in walking distance. It’s a very neighborhood type of atmosphere.”
“Downtown is thriving,” said Barbara Tabor, who opened her store Vicksburg Designer Consigner, on Washington Street next to Michel’s Music in October 2013. “I see a lot of potential in Vicksburg and I want to see it come back. I want to see downtown thrive. I like the different events they hold downtown and the small business appreciation day; that helps us small retailers. They need more special events to draw people downtown.”
One aspect of the downtown resurgence that apparently remains a secret is the increase in the number of apartments along Washington Street. The area is becoming a popular place to live, and the apartments’ residents include Mayor George Flaggs Jr. The Sears and Valley Apartments on Washington are getting companions.
“You look at the second floor of these buildings,” Hollingsworth said as he ran his hand across the skyline. “Each one of those is occupied by apartments. And having people living downtown will attract more business.”
At the Ware House Apartments, which Hollingsworth completed earlier this year, all but one of the building’s 17 apartments are rented. At the recently completed First Federal Lofts, 10 of the building’s 56 units are already rented. The Corner Medical Building, which Hollingsworth owns, will have six two-bedroom, two-bath apartments over a grocery and bakery.
“I think its time for a grocery in the downtown area,” he said. “I think it will be a great service for the residents.”
“It all (retail, restaurants and the apartments) fits together,” Hopkins said. “It all helps bring people back downtown, and we have more coming in the future.”