Locals revitalize historic building in downtown Bruce
BRUCE, Miss. (WCBI) – The city of Bruce continues to make improvements to its downtown area.
Well, another building on the square has a new lease on life as the newest downtown store.
Mayor Jimmy Hubbard believes this is just the beginning of many more developments.
The Town of Bruce was originally established in 1927, and the Mercantile building was built in 1935, according to Mayor Jimmy Hubbard.
It was once a hardware store and a main attraction in the town at the time.
In the 1970s, it became a Fred’s.
Hubbard said that since around 1997, the building has sat vacant. But it still has some of its historic features.
“Bruce and other small towns around, one thing they like to do is preserve their history,” Hubbard said. “If you look at it from the outside, it’s got Mercantile on the front, and that sort of personifies what it was before. But then, when you come inside, it sort of blends in with the new things that Morgan and Calla have to offer inside. So, it’s basically a great blend of the old and the new.”
A local family made some upgrades to the historic building, and now it’s the home of Square Mercantile.
Morgan Turner and her family have been working on the building since September, and after a long process, they were finally able to share it with the community this past weekend.
Morgan Turner and Calla Brassfield co-own the business based on their shared love of embroidery, bringing something unique to the area.
“I really do think it’s a good opportunity for both of us to add to the community and just better the beautification of it,” Turner said. “I had every intention of hoping it would inspire other people to invest in their buildings, also. Just, better the community.”
Brassfield said she remembers coming into this building as a child, and she is excited to see the building back in use.
Mayor Hubbard said he foresees the store bringing an economic boost to the town, helping the tax revenue, and bringing in people to shop from surrounding towns as well.
“I really do think that it’s gonna be the start of the renovation process for the entire town,” Tuner said.
Hubbard said he hopes this project inspires even more people to invest in the town of Bruce.
“This should inspire people to say, ‘Hey, if they can do it, with work, I can do it also,'” Hubbard said.
Turner and Brassfield said they are still working on renovating certain aspects of the building and will continue to make improvements.
