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It’s easy to fall in love with Bay St. Louis. Just ask the folks who were born in this beautiful village on the Mississippi Sound, or the people who have made it their home in recent years. You could even ask the volunteers who came to help after Hurricane Katrina, and decided not to leave. There is something about “The Bay” that draws people to its quiet streets and sandy beaches, and that only reluctantly lets them go. Bay St. Louis took a hard hit with Katrina. The galleries and shops in the Old Town area were forced to close for a time. Remarkably, two businesses in this small district near the beach reopened a mere five weeks after the storm. Jenise McCardell and Mark Currier of Clay Creations Studio cleaned the mud out of their historic building on the corner of Toulme and Main Streets and resumed creating their clay sculptures of Gulf Coast and New Orleans architecture. The Artists of 220 Main, a cooperative gallery, were welcomed to the building, and the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce honored the resiliency and spirit of both shops by awarding them the 2006 “Businesses of the Year.” Across the street from 220 Main is the charming shotgun which houses Shabby Chic. Owner Dwight Issacs has successfully combined a flair for the creation of exquisite chocolates with a penchant for architectural salvage. A bit further up Main Street is Anthony’s, established in 1965. With over 42 proud years in Bay St. Louis, owner Pam Loicana Parker invites you to come in and visit her store at 501 Main Street. A stroll towards the beach will bring the visitor to Magnolia Antiques, located at 200 Main Street. A fun and unique shop with an ever-changing inventory, they carry “memory makers”-those things your grandma had, and you have been looking for ever since. At 136 Main Street, visitors are treated to the circa 1890 restored Creole cottage which houses Twin Light Creations. Filled with charming yet sophisticated garden and home decor at affordable prices, the business was honored by the Mississippi Renaissance Garden Foundation in February with the “Bringing Back the Beauty” award. A stop at 131 Main Street yields a double treat with Balstrop Gallery and Bay Books. Balstrop Gallery features fine art work by a variety of notable Southern Mississippi artists including members of the Walter Inglis Anderson family. Bay Books opened in September 2006 with a commitment to help rebuild the historic Old Town area. In addition to a wide variety of books, the store also stocks writing gifts and educational toys and games. Located just a few yards from the beach is maggie may’s “exploring the world of art”. Located at 126 Main, the gallery features the talents of over 20 local and regional artists and American craftsmen. The folks at maggie may’s join the rest of the good people in Bay St. Louis in inviting guests to come and see why no one ever wants to leave. |
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