Fondren Beverage Emporium

(I'm trying to write about something other than myself. Here you go.)

The Fondren Beverage Emporium went out of business recently due to the current economic crisis. One of Cade's Alley's more unusual locally owned landmarks, opened in 2006, closed and allowed the Orange Peel to expand a room North to sell furniture and knick knacks.

The Beverage Emporium not only sold drinks that are rarely found in Mississippi (Joya, por ejemple). One day I bought a fortune teller fish there that you could lay in your hand and by decipering it's method of curling, discover if you were in love, in lust, indifferent, or false.

The Beverage Emporium was not the only locally owned business to be brought down by the economy. However, other new businesses such as Sneaky Beans and The Auditorium have been doing better than established local businesses.

It has been unusual shops such as the Beverage Emporium that gave Fondren a sense of identity, of unusual speciality, to take pride in.

Reviewed on a worldwide traveling guide site, geckogo.com, The Beverage Emporium got one raving review. "Makes you feel like a kid again! Old fashioned candy, soda pop, even a popcorn maker and lots of fun for all ages."

DeepFriedKudzu.com also had a favorable review of the shop by 'ginger' who said, "They have drinks and candies from all over the world (and the nice part is that they're all non-alcoholic and it's a wonderful atmosphere for kids)."

Last November Mississippi Roads, a show on MPB broadcast an interview with The Emporium's owner, Matthew Bowdoin. To watch it, click here.

In December of 2007 the Fondren Beverage Emporium joined 5 other local business in sponsoring The Code, an innovative online show produced by the combined efforts Drew Davis and Daniel Guaqueta, focused on documenting music in the South.

That same year the Emporium joined Rainbow in sponsoring Mundo Melodia, a weekly radio show hosted by Daniel Guaqueta and Daniel Johnson on the local music channel 100.1FM.