After four years of operating, Three Sisters Pie Company will close March 19 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pie and coffee shop at 422 Main St. announced its business decision on social media last week.
“This pandemic has hurt so many small businesses and we were not immune,” the post read. “However we are incredibly thankful for our community who kept us open for as long as we were. If you loved our little shop then you were part of what made it great! We have loved serving our regulars, semi-regulars, newbies, and people just passing through town. Thank you for letting us be a part of your lives.”
It’s difficult for a community to continually see area businesses closing, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But for downtown Columbus, there are actually more businesses open now than this time last year.
Main Street Columbus Executive Director Barbara Bigelow ran the downtown occupancy numbers and the results even surprised her. In March 2020, the occupancy rate downtown was 90.4 percent. As of now that rate sits at 91.8 percent.
“We had new businesses come in during COVID,” Bigelow said. “…Our numbers didn’t drop during COVID, I was surprised.”
Throughout this last year, Bigelow added she has been impressed and shocked with downtown tenants and their continual efforts to survive.
“They’ve had a rough year, don’t get me wrong,” Bigelow said. “They were resilient. They got busy and they started upping their web and social media presence. They started doing things they might not have done in the past to keep their sales going.”
Likewise in Starkville, we’re losing another young, local business.
Big Buns & More, 332 Hwy. 12, will close Friday.
“Being a new business, (it) can be difficult to become established,” owner Julie Sims announced on social media. “They say it usually takes three years. We had only been opened for a year and a half when COVID hit. Sales dropped and have not come back up to where (we could) stay in business.”
Hopefully, Big Buns & More will be around in the future. Sims added she will update social media with plans to continue serving cinnamon rolls “through other means in the future.”
“I really enjoyed selling at festivals and meeting new people,” she added. “I’ve truly enjoyed meeting all of the customers we’ve had over the last two and half years. I hope to see them around and serve them again one day soon.”
As of Tuesday, Billy Petty served his last barbecue plate at his eclectic carry-out restaurant. Petty opened Petty’s Barbecue in 1986 but moved and has maintained shop at 103 Hwy. 12 since 1992.
But this is not the last plate for Petty. He plans to reopen in the new 7,800 square-foot retail development that will be built on the corner of Jackson Street and Highway 12, the lot previously occupied by Petty’s.
The Dispatch previously reported a Georgia developer is building the retail space, which currently has a signed lease with Chipotle.
As you drive by now, you’ll see pieces of Petty’s being carried off, torn down and removed. Changes are tough, but we won’t be without Petty’s barbecue for long.
“I’m coming back,” Petty said.
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