Put the rumors to bed, Solly’s Hot Tamales is not closing

Published 2:00 am Friday, March 17, 2023

Solly’s Hot Tamales on Washington Street is not closing and has not sold out.

Owner Dean McCain was diagnosed with ovarian cancer earlier this year and while she was in the hospital recovering from surgery and then making the rounds to doctor’s appointments, the popular eatery closed temporarily.

But now that she is back and with a game plan as to how to deal with her diagnosis, Solly’s will be open for business except on the days, McCain is receiving cancer treatments.

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“I’ll be doing chemo about once every three weeks so it will be just like one day we will be closed,” McCain said. “But next week we will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday because I will get the results of all my tests on Tuesday and I will start chemo on Wednesday.”

McCain said she was not going to let her cancer diagnosis affect her life.

“I’m not one of these that wants to sit around and twiddle my thumbs and cry in my beer as you say. I decided from the get-go what’s crying going to do me. It’s not going to cure anything. It’s not going to help me get over the fight I’ve got to fight if I sit around and cry,” she said. “I’ve got to keep going. I can’t let it get me down.”

And when it comes to her chemo treatments and continuing to work, McCain said, “Chemo effects everybody differently, so I’ll do what I can and I’ll sit in a chair with my feet propped up,” (when she gets tired).

When asked if there was anyone, she entrusted in running Solly’s while she was away, McCain said her granddaughter could handle the business, but she will be helping get her to and from treatments.

To know when Solly’s will be closed, McCain said, once she has her chemotherapy schedule, she would share it with her customers on Facebook as well as with a sign on the door.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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