Nearly 20 years ago, Cody Fowler and her dad James Michael Fowler opened Michael’s Sports Bar at 716 Alabama St. in Columbus.
Over the years, the duo weathered many storms, including alcohol price increases, staff turnover and even the tumultuous years of COVID-19 pandemic. James Michael passed away a few years ago, and for Cody, continuing the business without him just didn’t seem in the cards.
“When I lost him, my love for it kind of left,” she said. “… My dad had a life that one could only dream of. … He was my partner, my best friend. When my dad passed, my world just collapsed. It wasn’t invested (in the business), and it wasn’t fair to my staff.”
But sometimes endings are just quiet handoffs. To Fowler’s surprise, two employees decided to lease the building and reopen the space as Mike’s Sports Bar, paying homage to the late James Michael.
New owners Tracy Nath and Robert Blunt say they’re keeping things familiar while making a few improvements along the way.
“We’re not changing much of anything, but we will be making improvements,” Nath said. “(Mike’s) is a staple in this neighborhood. Everybody’s welcome, and we’re all family here.”
Nath and Blunt have started smoking boston butts and rib tips periodically, having pool tournaments Tuesday, Thursday and Sundays, bringing in a DJ. The duo will continue to update folks on social media with any more changes.
Check out the new owners of the local bar 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day and give them a shoutout for keeping an old favorite open.
The East Columbus news continues, folks. Mi Ranchero, 113 Tuscaloosa Road, opened this week and is officially open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
In addition to some classic Mexican food staples like quesadillas, burritos and nachos, folks can order steak, chicken wings, fries, burgers and more.
Moving over to downtown, Sweet Magnolia Boutique at 218 Fifth St. S. will close its storefront by the end of the year. Owner Ashley Whitten announced the update on social media this month.
“After so many wonderful years in our storefront – dressing you, laughing with you, hosting events and building friendships that meant the world to me – I’ve made the decision to close the physical storefront at the end of this year,” her social media post reads.
However, Sweet Magnolia will not completely close. She announced it will still operate online.
“Going online-only will allow me to focus more on curated drops, faster shipping, custom tees and growing our boutique community in ways I couldn’t before,” the social media post read.
The closing sale includes everything $30 or under, including $5 bracelets, $15 sweaters, $10 shoes and $5 T-shirts.
And finally, a strange one out of Starkville.
Local butcher shop The Blind Tiger reported a theft earlier this week after both of its trailers were taken sometime between Sunday and Monday. If you happen to spot them around town, the owner or the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office would love to hear from you. According to the shop’s Facebook post, a reward is being offered for information that helps recover the trailers.
If you ask me, that’s a pretty Grinch-worthy way to wrap up the year.
As we head into the holidays – whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or something else entirely – I hope it’s a safe and restful season for you. While you’re out shopping, remember that everyone’s a little stressed this time of year. Hold the door. Let someone merge. Toss a few dollars into the donation kettle.
At least in my house, the most important part of the season is thinking of others.
Merry Christmas, Dispatch readers.
Former Dispatch reporter Mary Pollitz writes weekly about interesting business news. Have a tip? Send it to [email protected].
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
