It looks like there’s a little life left for Ruben’s Fish and Steak House.
The 70-year-old restaurant property has a new owner, Frank Loftis, who posted online that the restaurant will close for a short time, but he fully intends to reopen.
“Ruben’s will be closed only long enough for cleaning, for replacement of kitchen equipment and to re-stock,” the post reads. “I have a passion to turn Ruben’s into what it was like in the past where people can enjoy a clean family-friendly atmosphere, and our goal is to serve excellent quality food.”
Loftis added to his post that he will not reopen the Muddy Waters bar, and a longtime employee of Ruben’s will serve as the restaurant manager. Loftis said he would announce a re-opening date at a later time. I reached out to him, but did not hear from him before press time on Wednesday.
Also coming soon to Columbus, there’s a new creative space opening its doors for crafters of all ages. Mary Dona’s Fibers and Fonts Needlepoint and Stationery Shop is set to debut this November, giving locals a one-stop destination for fibers, project bags, personalized stationery and more.
Owner Dona Porter first fell in love with needlepoint in the 1970s as a Girl Scout, tagging along with her mother and grandmother to a small needlepoint shop in Tunica. That’s where her passion started and continued to grow over the years.
“(This store has) been in the back of my mind for years,” Porter said. “… One day, I decided to start making phone calls, and now the ball is rolling.”
Mary Dona’s will offer an array of needlepoint supplies and intends to host classes, though Porter says the art can be self-taught.
“It’s a peaceful craft,” she said. “You can sit and quiet your mind. It’s very therapeutic.”
The new shop is an expansion of Porter’s existing business, Paper and Fonts, which began when she planned her daughter’s wedding. At the time, she realized there wasn’t anywhere local to browse invitations without traveling to Jackson or Memphis. The new store will continue to offer personalized stationery and wedding and social invitations alongside needlepoint supplies.
Stay up to date with Mary Dona’s by following along on Facebook and Instagram for store updates, including its soon-to-be announced location.
Heading down Highway 45, Rural King set up shop at the old K-Mart lot this week, letting folks enjoy some free popcorn and coffee.
Future shoppers were signing up for RK rewards and the RK Visa card before its grand opening. Judging from the tractors outside and photos I’ve seen online, they’re opening up any day now. I reached out to Rural King but haven’t heard back, so keep an eye out for any major announcements.
Over in Starkville, a downtown bookstore is turning the page after more than 50 years in business.
Book Mart and Café, 120 E. Main St., has been a cornerstone for the community – a place for Bulldog fans to get the latest maroon and white gear, local authors to sign and meet readers and folks like me, who always left with something new for my already stacked shelves.
Now, longtime owner Carolyn Abadie is ready for her next chapter: retirement. After years of helping others discover books, she’s looking forward to finding more time to read them herself.
“I don’t get to read nearly as much as people think I do,” she laughed.
Abadie said the shop will likely close by Oct. 1, marking the end of an era for Main Street. Starting Thursday, everything is 50% off.
“It’s truly been a pleasure,” Abadie said. “It’s not a job. It’s just fun.”
Books have always been in Abadie’s blood. Her father, Joe Brown, first sparked her love of reading when she was a little girl in Los Angeles, taking her to used bookshops on Saturdays and letting her pick two books to bring home.
“I looked forward to it every week,” she said.
When the Brown family moved to Starkville in 1970, Joe and his wife, Jimmie, opened the Book Mart the following year on Washington Street. Over time, his book business grew, branching into Campus Book Mart in Starkville and another store in Hattiesburg.
Abadie took over Book Mart about 15 years ago, keeping the shop a fixture of downtown. But she’s stepping away now to spend more time with her 97-year-old father, the man who started it all.
“It’s going to be weird and bittersweet because it’s like a part of me,” she said. “… I’ve met so many friends over the years, and it’s truly been a wonderful experience.”
For Starkville readers, the shelves at Book Mart may soon be empty, but Abadie teased that another store is on the horizon. Though she wouldn’t divulge much information, she said it’s something folk will definitely look forward to.
See y’all next week!
Former Dispatch reporter Mary Pollitz writes weekly about interesting business news. Have a tip? Send it to [email protected].
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