New Aberdeen Business Highlights Nostalgia And Local Artists

ABERDEEN, MISS. (WCBI) – A new business is helping spur an ongoing revitalization in downtown Aberdeen.

It is one day before Grand Opening Day, and Neil Palmer is busy making sure everything is ready and also talking with those who stop by to browse the unique merchandise.

“Everything in here has a price tag,” Palmer said.

That includes the fire truck, an old payroll machine, and all of the antiques and pieces of art. Palmer and Patricia Spicer joined forces for this business, called “Artisans Marketplace Nostalgia Shoppe.”

Spicer opened Artisans Marketplace in a different location but decided to move into this space, when it became available. There is a lot of history behind the doors and the old Tiffany glass sign made for Shell’s Drug Store and that fits in with the store’s theme.

“The Nostalgia Shoppe says it all, especially with a pandemic, how it hit people and nonsense in our world, people are looking back and saying, how great it was in the good old days,” Spicer said.

Palmer’s family opened “The Friendship House ” restaurant in 1951 and have been in business ever since in Monroe County.

“It started, my mother will shoot me, but bootlegging was part of the deal back then, you went in one side and bought your bait and one side and bought liquor, part of history,” Palmer said.

You won’t find any bootleg liquor at the Nostalgia Shoppe, but you will find old moonshiners jugs, along with unique art from local artists.

“One artist will bring in something that is totally different from the next artist, it’s a big variety.” said store manager Janice Payne Peters.

The building is owned by Dwight Stevens, of Stevens Auctions and Stevens Properties. He is known for revitalizing historic downtown properties and the Nostalgia Shoppe was a good fit.

“It will bring a lot to downtown because people love to get out and shop and look at little areas, and instead of going to a mall and all the distance, they’ve got so many little set ups in here, and it’s all cute,” said Ann Tackett of Aberdeen Main Street.

And with one-of-a-kind antiques and works of art, the inventory will change from day to day.

The grand opening for ‘Artisans Marketplace Nostalgia Shoppe” is ten Saturday morning.