Video: Local Man Invests in Baldwyn Downtown, Entertainment Attractions

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BALDWYN, MISS. (WCBI) – For years, a city’s downtown area was a vital part of the community, but many of those storefronts and shops were boarded up as the business climate changed.

Now, downtowns are making a comeback as investors focus on the unique features the old buildings offer.

When he is in town, Clark Richey usually eats lunch at “Lula Lee’s.” He bought the building , which had been a department store for decades, remodeled it, and opened the popular restaurant one year ago.

Richey, began purchasing dilapidated buildings along the four block of Baldwyn’s historic downtown district about five years ago. As owner of Quail Ridge Engineering, he has offices downtown, and had to expand those several times, but he had a vision for the quaint downtown area.

“Myself and a few other businessmen here thought it was a good investment to try and rebuild our own town,” Richey said.

For Richey, it’s not just about renovating old, historic buildings, it’s also about bringing entertainment to the area.

At Lula Lee’s, there are regular music shows, giving locals a chance to share their talents.

Across the street and less than a block west, is the 80 seat Claude Gentry Theater, named after a local historian and author. The building once was the site of the old opera house, and after sitting vacant for years, Richey purchased the building, and transformed it into a theater where The Baldwyn Main Street Players present plays and musicals.

“There’s music and there’s theater here and those things all work together with that historic element and make it something people want to visit for a variety of reasons, not just for, to see the building,” he said.

Richey is able to get tax credits for some of the renovations if they meet certain guidelines for historical structures. He says there are several keys to his success.

“One thing it takes is patience. And another thing it takes is having some successful businesses that can fuel the investment,” Richey said.

He is able to do just that by using his engineering company to do some of the work on the projects. For example, Richey and his crew are renovating what used to be “Tom’s Drug Store.”

It will be reopened this year, complete with a vintage soda fountain, and original sign. Apartments will be on the second floor.

Mark Tapp’s Dad used to own “Tom’s Drug Store.” He is excited to see it coming back to life.

“I think the people we have in the community, that have made the investment are the true heroes here they have spent a lot of money to bring the community back, it pays dividends for everyone,” Tapp said.

Right now, Richey owns 10 buildings in the entertainment district. Several of them are vacant, meaning he won’t be running out of projects anytime soon. The projects also bring jobs to the area. Six people work at Lula Lee’s and employees will be needed for “Tom’s Drug Store” when it opens this spring.