Welcome to Old Town Bay St. Louis!
Mississippi Gulf Coast
September 2018 2nd Saturday
"Hot Spots"
stay "Hot" all month!
Hot Spot Activities are 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 8, 2018
Alice Moseley Folk Art & Antique Museum
“There should never be a price to look at art.” Alice Moseley
Bay St. Louis has long been known as a place that attracts and inspires artists. In 1988, Alice Moseley found Bay St. Louis while attending the Beach Front Festival. She was 79 at the time, having begun her art career at 65. According to the Alice Moseley Folk Art & Antique Museum, it was while driving over the Bay Bridge that Miss Alice said to herself, “This is it. This is where I’ll spend the rest of my life.” Indeed, she spent the rest of her years in Bay St. Louis, capturing the city in her paintings, while winning over the hearts of its residents and visitors. Many folks have fond memories of visiting the artist at her Blue House near the Depot District where Miss Alice would invite anyone who passed by to “visit a spell.” “She was a character,” said Lonnie Falgout, a personal friend of Miss Alice who has lots of fond memories of spending time with her. Falgout is now an advocate of her legacy and the Alice Moseley Folk Art & Antique Museum. Today the museum resides in the Bay’s historic train depot, near a big oak tree that hosted Miss Alice’s memorial service in July 2004. Visitors are welcome to come learn about Miss Alice, other local folk artists and see her family’s collection of antiques Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. The newly renovated museum lends itself to up close and personal self-tours of art and antiques, and also offers daily guided tours. Tour groups and school groups are encouraged to call in advance to schedule an appointment. “The original layout of the museum was more a replica of her house,” said marketing director Shannon Wooten. “The new renovation has made this a museum everyone is proud of.” In addition to Miss Alice’s 47 original works, the museum features art by Bob McGraw and Henry Stiller. Art coordinator Lilliana Gandour hopes to work with more local artists to host special exhibits. There’s still a corner of the museum dedicated to showing Miss Alice’s life as it was in her house, complete with her vest, hat and a nod to her trusty little dog, Herman. The Moseley Museum is also becoming more involved in the community. Over 1,000 art and music lovers attended the inaugural Alice Moseley Fun Festival. The festival featured five bands – including headliner Amanda Shaw and showcased work by dozens of local artists. The museum will also bring Miss Alice into the classrooms and continue to invite classes to tour the museum. Tim Moseley, Alice’s son, has been a driving force of the museum and has created a foundation to contribute to its growth, including providing the Alice Moseley Pavilion on the lawn of the train depot. It’s also Mr. Moseley’s personal antique collection that is a highlight of the museum tour. “We are curating Mr. Moseley’s collection to show art history through glass and pottery,” said Wooten. Alice Moseley found solace from a tough time in her life through the power of creating artwork. The museum hopes to inspire others to find therapy through art. “We are the only art museum in Bay St. Louis - and perhaps in Hancock County,” Wooten said. “We celebrate Miss Alice, but also other artists. Our mission is to inspire all artists, no matter your age.” 
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BAy-Tique
Photo by: Shoofly Magazine
"Bay-Tique: Slightly edgy, always fun."
Jane Stricker Kulpeksa used to overhear her guests at her Carroll House Bed & Breakfast say that while they found lots of antiques and treasures in Bay St. Louis, they had trouble finding shirts, hats and other Bay branded trinkets to bring home as souvenirs. She got to designing and Bay-Tique was born on July 4, 2013 carrying mostly her now iconic Bay St. Louis and Bay Rat apparel for men and women. “The staple of our business is the Bay St. Louis tees, hats, gifts and souvenirs,” she said. “That’s something I’ll never let go of.” Since then, Bay-Tique - and Bay St. Louis as a whole - has gained a reputation for carrying some of the best women’s apparel on the coast. “Old Town Bay St. Louis has a wonderful reputation for having wonderful women’s boutiques,” said Kulpeksa. “We work together to sell different types of clothing in each shop and not duplicate each other, which is very unique and says a lot about Bay St. Louis.” She travels the country to go to markets trying very hard to find domestically made, locally made and socially responsible products. Some of the proceeds of goods, like postcards made by local artists, go to benefit local organizations like the Friends of the Animal Shelter. “I do lots of research before I go to market,” Kulpeksa said. “It’s important to me to understand vendor’s fair trade practices.” In addition to local artists and makers, Bay-Tique carries popular brands like Sanuk footwear, Hobo Bags and wallets, Quay sunglasses and more. Other popular items include the recycled canvas bags and Dune Jewelry made with sand from Bay St. Louis. “It’s not easy,” said Kulpeksa. “Finding fair trade goods is a lot harder than I thought it would be, but I’ve set the bar really high for myself and my shop to have a large percentage of socially responsible goods.” Kulpeksa credits her right-hand, Karen Grumbine for the prosperity of the shop. “Finding Karen was part of the key to the success of Bay-Tique,” she said. “She’s so passionate, organized, enthusiastic and loves the shop like her own.” The Bay-Tique tagline is: Slightly Edgy, Always Fun. From baby boomers to millennials, the shop carries something for every taste. In fact, many times its the same taste across both age groups. “I’ll see a retired woman come in and buy and kimono and a 17 year old comes in and falls in love with the same thing,” said Kulpeksa. No matter the age or aesthetic, another thing Bay-tique clients have in common is their love of the atmosphere and comfort they feel while shopping. “My favorite thing is being in the store and seeing people come in and having fun,” said Kulpeksa. “Often times they are running around trying on hats, shoes, clothes, prancing around in our vintage-inspired swimwear and having a blast.” 
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The Second Saturday Artwalk is brought to you by the Old Town Merchants Association and sponsored by Hancock Bank, The Peoples Bank, and The First Bank with support from the Seacoast Echo.
To learn more about the Old Town Merchants Association, use the alphabetical list below. You can also search by category from the menu bar above.
 Click on the cover to open the tour now!
The Bay's Walking/Biking Historic Tour is proof in print that history doesn't have to be boring!
And now it's available in a nifty PDF version, so it can go with you on your phone! Click to open it up and get going right now! Look for an updated print version available free at various merchant locations throughout Old Town in the coming weeks! |
National Recognition
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In the June 2017 issue of Vogue Magazine, Bay St. Louis is featured in the article "A Summer Road Trip Along the Mississippi Gulf Coast". Share it with friends and business associates. To read the article in Vogue Magazine, click here!
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In March of 2017, Bay St. Louis was featured as one of Thrillist 13 Amazing American Beach Towns you can actually afford to live in. Explore Old Town and find out why!
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U.S. Solo Travel Destinations for women...
In March of 2017, Glamour Magazine named Bay St. Louis as one of eight cool, unexpected American destinations for women to consider for a solo travel destination. So start bragging!
Share it with friends and business associates. To read the article in Glamour Magazine, click here!
Share it with friends and business associates. To read the article in Glamour Magazine, click here!
BSL Makes "Best Of!"BAY ST. LOUIS WAS ONE OF ONLY TWELVE MISSISSIPPI LOCATIONS TO BE SELECTED FOR THE "OFFICIAL BEST OF MISSISSIPPI" FEATURE. NOMINEES UNDERWENT A RIGOROUS SELECTION PROCESS. SEE WHY WE WERE CHOSEN "BEST PLEASURE SEEKER'S PARADISE!"
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