I took a little adventure with Alex, who grew up in Arkansas, to the Northeast region of the Delta where historic charm and forward-thinking innovation are melding before our eyes — and the communities of Blytheville, Osceola, and Wilson exude Southern hospitality in distinct yet complementary tones.
What captivated me most during our 24 hours in Mississippi County, known as the Land of Steel, was the resonating sense of pride at every greeting and in every interaction. From shop owners to servers, stakeholders to recent transplants, the people we met were clearly committed to the next chapter of this region’s storied past and narrative. New investments and developments—between historic renovations off Osceola’s Main Street and new and recently opened hotels—and fantastic food and beverage offerings highlighted the region and state naturally.
We came for a change of scenery and followed our curiosity, leading us leisurely through stores, museum exhibits, bars and beautifully restored buildings. Blytheville’s century-old New York Store had something for everyone, boasting a wall full of my favorite Spanx sweatsuits, art from around the country, and nice men’s cosmetic brands — I grabbed a Salted Gin-scented body wash for Alex. A few doors down, The Main Studio’s Southern men’s lines caught our eye. The owner, with her sweet kids helping behind the counter, told us all about the Ritz Theater’s renovations and short runs of new family-friendly films on the big screen. We made our way through the kid-centered exhibits added to the Delta Gateway Museum, which houses historical archives dating back centuries. After a photo opp at the iconic historic Greyhound Bus Depot, got our Delta barbecue fix at Yank’s, where fried okra complimented our order juicy ribs and tea.
Next, we visited historic Osceola, where the iconic Osceola Courthouse’s copper dome is a marvel and its Main Street is welcoming new concepts, including a beer garden called Copper Gardens (adjacent to a restaurant coming next fall) and comedy club. I loved learning how the beer garden is opened by transplants who made their way to the area with other major steel companies, who have built massive plants in the area. Where else can you toast and schmooze with former California-based execs, the former mayor of Osceola, and their neighbors over music and cold beer?
We then made our way 15 minutes down to Wilson’s charming and truly exceptionally designed town square, whose more recent investments are just about a decade old with much more on the way. We popped into White’s Mercantile before checking into The Louis, a 4-star boutique hotel with elevated Southern sophistication at every turn. The thoughtfully designed room—featuring an exquisite tub and walk-in shower, the most comfortable hotel bed and pillows I can recall, and beautiful design accents—leads out to a private garden-like space on the rooftop with lounge chairs. The private patio is just steps away from the rooftop bar, which also hosts fire pits for late night lounging under the stars.
After a quick refresh, we strolled over to dinner at Wilson Cafe. Considering its location only 45 minutes from Downtown Memphis, I visited the lovely spot when it first opened and again in the past five years or so. We enjoyed every bite over our debrief of the past few weeks, which felt like a beautiful blur. The management and service were kind, and the flavors were fabulous — crab hushpuppies were washed down with my dirty martini and Alex’s smoked old fashioned. I opted for the fork-tender short rib for my main. We couldn’t resist the dessert train, which features a whistle and whisk through the dining room and makes patrons literally salivate over the Southern selections. We chose a slice of buttermilk pie, which struck the perfect chord between nostalgia and new memory-making.
We wandered back the 100 feet or so to our hotel lobby, with a brief pitstop at the ping pong table under the large magnolia tree. I pride myself on carrying a good rally of ping pong, so we laughed over a match and then made our way to The Louis’ lobby. Live music attracted a full house in The Staple’s lobby bar. I ordered an espresso martini while tapping along to the acoustic tunes and laughing with fellow guests.
Equal parts retreat and renaissance, the Land of Steel had a feeling like home — community and camaraderie, comfort, and an exciting sense for what’s to come. I can’t wait to watch it unfold.
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