Newspaper Page Text
The ADVANCE, September 7, 2022/Page 10A
Stye Aiiuance
Retail Business Healthy In Montgomery County
WELCOMING NEW BUSINESS OWNERS - Southern Peach Marketplace, formerly known
as the True-Blue Market, held its official ribbon cutting on August 12, Local dignitaries
attended the event to congratulate the owners Delora (far left) and Dana Simmons
(center), as City of Mount Vernon Mayor Joey Fountain (far right) is doing here,
ANTIQUES AND NEW MERCHANDISE - The Southern Peach Marketplace combines the
antique booths from the former True-Blue Market with new merchandise from other
merchants. Here, owner Delora Simmons shows off a display of new home decor for
sale,
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
Montgomery County
is seeing a rise in commer
cial development as both
Mount Vernon and Ailey
gain new businesses and
restaurants and celebrate
the reopening of a local
hotspot.
Southern Peach
Marketplace Ribbon
Cutting
The downtown area of
Mount Vernon welcomed
new business owners Delo
ra and Dana Simmons who
have purchased the True-
Blue Market and reopened
the retail shop under the
name Southern Peach
Marketplace. The store,
which had a soft opening
on June 3, features many
of the same vendors who
previously had booths in
the True-Blue Market, but
now includes a larger selec
tion of boutique clothing
for women and children, as
well as shirts for men.
Delora said she and
Dana acted quickly to gain
ownership of the shop once
hearing the previous own
ers were open to selling. “I
heard that the owners were
looking at selling the busi
ness, so my husband and I
came to talk to them. We
bought it that same day,”
she explained.
Dana reflected on the
decision to open the busi
ness. “This is something
we have wanted to do for
several years. We prayed
about it, and God opened
up this door, and we have
been welcomed with open
arms into the community.
We felt like we were na
tives here, everyone would
come in and be so nice to
us and appreciative that
we opened this store,” he
remarked. “More than ful
filling our dreams, we want
to be a service to the com
munity and fill a need that
is here, and hopefully spark
some commerce by bring
ing people downtown and
helping to revive the area
so it may grow.”
The couple held their
official ribbon cutting
on Friday, August 12, in
a ceremony attended by
the Montgomery County
Development Author
ity, Montgomery County
Commissioner Ginger
Morris, City of Mount Ver
non Mayor Joey Fountain,
and Montgomery County
Manager Brandon Braddy,
who spoke of the excite
ment for this redesigned
business’s location.
“They are actually
probably in the best spot
in the county, first, because
traffic has to circle around
this square and it brings a
lot of people through. Sec
ondly, they’re across from
the prettiest courthouse in
the state of Georgia,” Mor
ris explained. “It’s very his
torical, and there are a lot
of people, like myself, who
will come visit the site of
the Courthouse, eat a meal
next door at La Cabana
d’lsabel, then come here to
shop.”
Fountain added, “I’m
proud to have them here.
We are striving to fill up the
buildings downtown and
are happy to see growth
continue.”
Montgomery County
Development Author
ity Executive Director Joe
Filippone also commented
on the addition of the new
business. “This store has a
variety of different things,
not just antiques, but new
products as well. I think it
is going to attract different
people with different likes
and dislikes which is go
ing to be good. More than
anything, I think that this
store is going to attract
prospective business own
ers because they’re going
to see this—it’s a good pre
sentation — and it is going
to increase foot traffic and
help us in the long term.”
The business is located
at 411 South Railroad Av
enue in Mount Vernon,
across the street from the
Montgomery County
Courthouse, and is open
on Wednesday through
Saturday from 10 a.m. until
9 p.m., except for Wednes
day when the business
closes at 6 p.m. For more
information, call 478-279-
3834.
The Marketplace in Ailey
Opens
As Southern Peach
Marketplace was hosting
its official ribbon cutting
on August 12, another new
enterprise, the Marketplace
in Ailey, located at 103 SW
Railroad Street, was open
ing for its first official day of
business. The pop-up shop
opens periodically on Fri
days and Saturdays for cus
tomers to enjoy a variety of
goods, from clothing to art
to decor and more.
During the opening
weekend, the store also
featured a pop-up farmer’s
market, as an employee
from the Toombs County
Farmers Market set up a
fruit and vegetable stand
outside of the building.
According to the busi
ness owners, this type of
partnership between busi
nesses through the pop-up
shop will continue since
the group believes in sup
porting small businesses.
To find out more about
when the pop-up shop will
be available, visit the Mar
ketplace in Ailey on Face-
book.
Restaurants Revitalized
College Street Kitchen
The former Great Wall
Chinese Restaurant build
ing in Mount Vernon saw
customer traffic once again,
as the College Street Kitch
en opened at the location
on Wednesday, August 3.
This restaurant is
owned by Toria Coleman,
who also owns the Bulldog
Grill in Alamo. The new
restaurant features a simi
lar menu and management
staff as its sister restaurant.
Currently, the local eatery
is open Sunday through
Friday from 11 a.m. until 2
p.m., but management re
assured customers that an
evening dining option will
soon be available.
The business serves
a variety of home cooked
daily specials, along with
burgers, sandwiches, piz
zas, and even homemade
tarts. For more informa
tion, call 912-583-2031.
The Eatery
The Eatery, a restau
rant that allows the public
to enjoy the daily cook
ing at the Brewton-Parker
College cafeteria began
the 2022 school year with
a Community Back to
School BBQ. which was
held on Sunday, August 7.
The cafeteria closes
every summer but is open
during fall and spring se
mesters. For more informa
tion, call 912-583-3134.
Reflections on Growth
Montgomery County
Development Author
ity Executive Director Joe
Filippone reflected on the
increased commercial de
velopment in the area and
his hopes for the future.
“Right now, there
is a lot of negativity go
ing around the country
about all the issues that the
country faces. To see these
kinds of positive things
happening in our county
makes me feel very good,”
he remarked. “We have a
lot of things to be thankful
for here. We have a beauti
ful community, we have
great people, and business
owners are now starting to
recognize the fact that it’s
happening here in Mont
gomery County.”
He continued, “The
Development Authority’s
goal, be it that we have limi
tations with big industries,
is to generate more tax rev
enue to help the county
do the chores that they are
elected to do, and this is go
ing to certainly help us.”
Filippone said more
viable spaces are needed
for retail development, but
the county’s existing retail
establishments are thriv
ing. “We have a great mar
ketplace, and I don’t think
anyone really realized that
before now,” he explained.
SUPPORTING OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES - The Marketplace in Ailey joined forces with
the Toombs County Farmers Market. Above Lisa Dees of the Farmers Market sets up a
retail area at the business's first pop-up shop.
VARIETY OF ITEMS -- The Marketplace in Ailey has a variety of items, from artwork to de
cor to clothing and cooking goods, Here, owner Christina Burdett shows off the shop's
selection of sauces and dips.
Amber
continued from page 7A
maturity and knowledge
— all except one. I still be
lieve that there is a strong
possibility that a Booger
lives and lurks in the woods
behind my house, quietly
watching me, stalking me,
and patiently waiting for
the day that I let my guard
down — thanks to my be
loved Aunt Gloria, who
filled my imagination with
bright, brilliant color.
Aunt Gloria passed
away last Thursday, and we
will miss her forever. We
are gathering together to
day to celebrate her life —
a beautiful life filled with
laughter, love, and service
to others.
Though the doctors in
Savannah gave some com
plicated medical explana
tion for her passing, I have
to wonder — did Aunt
Gloria accidentally let her
guard down? Did a Booger
finally make its move and
get her? I guess we’ll never
know the truth.
Rest in Peace, Aunt
Gloria.
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