By Gabrielle Terrett

The Vicksburg Post

New businesses in Vicksburg are all the rage with several of them finding their way into downtown.

Over the last few years a number of new stores and restaurants have taken up shop in historic downtown Vicksburg.

One of the newest additions to downtown is Pretend City, 2424 Washington St., a new costume store. Pretend City opened in July with an inventory made up of costumes, accessories, toys and more.

“Hopefully, I bring in a huge crowd as the Halloween season rolls around because I have a lot to choose from,” Vivian Brinkley Jefferey, owner of Pretend City, said. “Not only do I have costumes and accessories, I also have toys for kids, appliances, baby items, soaps, conditioners and other little trinkets.”

Before opening Pretend City, Jefferey owned an eBay boutique. As her inventory grew, she saw a need and an opportunity.

“Everyone wants an escape,” Jefferey said. “Wearing a costume and putting on an image I feel like you can become that character, even for fun.”

She plans to have the business open year-round.

“We will be open all year,” Jefferey said. “After Halloween, we will put our Christmas things out, then Valentine’s outfits, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, Fourth of July and even Labor Day outfits and decorations.”

New restaurant

Among the new businesses that have located in downtown is the Mississippi Barbecue Company, located at 1717 Grove St.

This restaurant takes you to an old-fashioned southern style barbecue with a menu that consists of items as classic as their smoked barbecue ribs and as nontraditional as their Louisiana Swamp Chili, which the company describes as “a mixture of bold flavors from our neighbors across the river.”

The restaurant, which opened earlier this month, also offers red beans and rice, brisket po- boys, barbecue nachos, as well as craft beers.

“Some of our best sellers are our brisket, ribs, baked potatoes, banana pudding and peach cobbler,” Michelle Lay, manager at the Mississippi Barbecue Company, said. “We also have pork bon bons and pig candy.”

The Mississippi Barbecue Company has been busy since the renovations to the former Biedenharn house were completed.

“Business has been going very well since we’ve opened,” Lay said. “We’ve been well received by the community.”

New apartments

Along with restaurants and clothing stores, downtown Vicksburg also has a new upscale apartment complex named “The Station,” which is in the old Greyhound bus station located at 1511 Walnut St.

Renovations to the building have created four different apartments and each of these includes one bedroom, one bathroom, a full kitchen, secluded parking and a private courtyard.

“Well, the apartments are set in the old Greyhound bus station and it’s an art deco building,” Bill Fulcher, co-owner of The Station, said. “There are very few art deco buildings in Vicksburg, and from an apartment standpoint, what’s going to set it apart from the others is that we have covered parking on the same level and we have private courtyards for each apartment.”

The Station will have an open house Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and guests will have the opportunity to look throughout the apartments and view all that it has to offer. Gumbo will be served as a refreshment.

“One of the apartments will be staged in the lobby area and guests can walk through,” Fulcher said. “We’re going to be serving gumbo from the Mainstreet Market also.”