Welcome to Old Town Bay St. Louis!
Mississippi Gulf Coast

 Our February 2018 Second Saturday
​"Hot Spots"
stay "Hot" all month!
Hot Spot Activities are 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. 
Saturday, February 10, 2018

Strandz 
​Salon

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Brenda (Curet) Cuevas, hair stylist and business owner
203 N. 2nd Street
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi 39520
228.216.2460
Not one to struggle with what she would do with her life, Brenda (Curet) Cuevas, sole proprietor of Strandz Salon, began her career as a hair stylist and business owner right out of high school in 1976 and never looked back. 

Cuevas says that owning a business was never that important, that it just happened. Nevertheless, she admits that it takes a lot of business acumen and loyal customers to sustain a business through a hurricane the proportions of Katrina, a diagnosis of breast cancer, and single parenting, but Cuevas has done just that. 

Strandz was originally housed on Highway 90 by the hospital. At that time, Cuevas employed seven stylists. When Katrina hit in 2005, the building flooded. Rather than admit defeat, Cuevas moved her salon into her house. She continued there and operated a full-service salon for ten years before moving to her current location on the corner of deMontluzin and Second Street in the same building as The Ugly Pirate. 

“You have to have a town in order to have a business,” Cuevas says, “and this is my town. This town helped me maintain a business as a single parent. It helped me through my battle with breast cancer, and I am happy to say that I am a 13-year survivor. My customers support my business, and I appreciate every last one of them.”

Cuevas loves working in Old Town, taking walks around town, and meeting new people.

Strandz is a full-service salon featuring Joico and Matrix professional hair care and hair styling products. Cuevas offers haircuts, color, perms, blow dry, flat iron, and relaxers.
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On February 10, Second Saturday, Strandz will host an open house between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Stop by for a snack and introduce yourself. 

 Mockingbird
​CaFe

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Laura Hurt (L) and Whitney LaFrance, two longstanding members of the Mockingbird team. (Photo courtesy of Ron Watson)
110 S. 2nd Street
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi 39520    
228.467.8383
PictureOn an icy night, a line of erstwhile Dolly Partons await their turn in the look-alike contest. (Photo & caption courtesy of Ron Watson)
​In the beginning, folks congregated at the Mockingbird Café, which had sustained flood waters only as high as its porch steps, to discuss insurance claims; who remained, who left, who needed help; and reconstruction plans and regrowth. The Mockingbird grew out of a need for a place for community healing in the aftermath of Katrina. Now, folks congregate to pick guitars at the song circle, to perform at open mic, to play board games provided by the local library, and to grab a beer and a Mockingburger after the Thursday night club-run. 
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The Mockingbird is so integrated into the fabric of the community, that it is sometimes hard to tell where it begins and where it ends, especially when collaborating with neighboring Smith & Lens to host art shows, Mr. Atticus’s Night Market, and festivals such as January's Dolly Should look-alike contest.
The Bird has evolved from a group of people gathered to rebuild the city after Katrina into a lively community hub​.

​More than just a coffee shop, the Community dubbed “the Bird” as the living room of the Bay. It is a place reminiscent of the house in which Alicein Wonderland Schwabacher grew up, a Bay St. Louis home overflowing with colorful out-of-town travelers that taught Alicein that she was a citizen of the world. 

While the Mockingbird is more than a coffee shop, it does serve a great cup of coffee. Beans are roasted locally at Coast Roast in Long Beach in a special Mockingbird blend. “We aren’t a cookie-cutter town, so we aren’t a cookie-cutter coffee shop,” notes Alicein. “If we can source anything nearby, from coffee to art to live music, we do that,” she says. “That’s important to us.”
 
Alicein credits her success to the people who have supported her and the business along the way, noting that, “Since we opened our doors, Laura Hurt and Whitney LaFrance have been key to the success of the Mockingbird.” Alicein says, “Our Mockingbird team gets it—we are all Ambassadors of Bay St. Louis.” Alicein adds that the Bird’s success is also due to her supportive partner Rebekah and her tireless work and tremendous patience.

No time is a bad time to experience the Bird’s menu, but the weekend brunch is especially popular. Signature alcoholic drinks such as a trio of mimosas made with fresh seasonal juice, Lushy Lemonade, Irish coffees, and the Tequila Mockingbird are always available but are especially popular with the brunch crowd.

The idea undergirding the Mockingbird is that we are stronger as a community if we work together—from staff to city planning. That idea still holds. “We may not all want exactly the same thing,” Alicein muses, but we can always find common ground.” With that, she invites newbies to stop by on Saturday, February 10, between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. “All are welcome," says Alicein. “We welcome any and all neighbors.” 

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. ​
PictureClick 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

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!
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!

U.S. Solo Travel Destinations for women...

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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!

BSL Makes "Best Of!"

RECENTLY, 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" BELOW!

The Second Saturday Artwalk is sponsored by Hancock Bank, People's Bank and The First Bank with support from the Seacoast Echo.