Spring sees businesses rejuvenated, growing in City Beautiful

As the mild (and stormy) spring season draws to a close in South Mississippi and summer approaches, many business owners can say that Spring 2023 proved to be a season of rejuvenation and growth.

One such business is Holi-Daze Décor and More owned by Corbin Holifield, 21, and his mother Missy Holifield, 53. Their business, located at 3239 Old Bay Springs Road, began in February 2022.

Corbin and his parents are originally from Laurel but lived in Tennessee for many years where Missy Holifield and her husband owned and operated a body shop. They moved back home to be closer to family and Corbin began taking business classes at Jones College. “He’s a business minded person,” Missy explained.

As he learned more about running a business, Corbin decided to start his own and enlisted his mother as a business partner. The family had been reselling items online and at their own booth at The Rusty Chandelier for many years and decided to expand that effort into a store of their own. In August 2022, they opened their store in its current location and celebrated with a grand opening ribbon cutting.

In December, a series of storms caused major damage to the roof and they had to move everything out of the store and close the location while the roof could be replaced. In the months that followed, the Holifield’s spent their down time to rework their business plan and decided to put a stronger focus on supporting local artists and other local businesses. Part of that determination came from the support they themselves received from local businesses such as The Duck Blind, Grits & Some, and others who helped promote their business and provide spaces for them to operate while they waited for the repairs to their store to be completed. “They were a blessing,” Missy said of her fellow small business owners.

“That is the spirit of Jones County,” Jones County Chamber of Commerce Director Chris Tullos said during the store’s grand re-opening April 19^th. To celebrate the occasion, the Jones County Chamber of Commerce and members of the community joined the Holifield family for a new ribbon cutting ceremony followed by a tour of the store and refreshments.

The store is open on the first and third Wednesday-Saturday of the month from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and features a variety of new, antique, and vintage clothing, collectables, and home décor items.

While Holi-Daze Décor and More found rebirth in Laurel this spring; another business found growth.

Vigilant Health, a healthcare organization with offices across the south, opened its newest branch at 1104 West 1^st Street. The Jones County Chamber of Commerce, members of the South Central Regional Medical Center staff, and members of the local community were on hand to celebrate the facility’s ribbon cutting at 1:30 p.m. on May 9^th. Vigilant Health is an organization that partners with employers to provide healthcare services and resources to employees with chronic health conditions. Their first partner in Laurel is South Central Regional Medical Center but they expect to expand their services to other employers and employees in the area. They also accept patients on the Magnolia Health Plan, and the BCBS State and School Employee Health Care Plan. They anticipate that the services they offer will help patients manage chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes and will make other doctor’s office visits faster and more efficient.