BY JACK CRISS
DBJ Executive Editor

It is perhaps best known as the home of the University of Mississippi and the hometown of William Faulkner. Increasingly, however, Oxford is making its name for many other points of interest, not across Mississippi, but across the entire nation, as well.
In this year alone, Oxford was listed in “50 Best Small Southern Towns”, was among Money magazine’s July listing of “Best Places to Retire”, and was also named in Dr. Warren Bland’s popular book Retire In Style: 50 Affordable Places Across America. This is not to mention the innumerable accolades and attention the town has garnered just over the past five years.
However, though Oxford has staked its claim, and rightfully so, as a utopia for retirees nationwide, the quaint yet progressive community is also becoming known as a haven for under-40 entrepreneurs. Almost a Southern-fried Silicon Valley, if you will. One of those young guns is John Currence, owner of one of Oxford’s, and the state’s, finest restaurants, City Grocery. He talks about another young mover and shaker in the community, Oxford’s new mayor, Square Books-owner Richard Howorth.
“I think Richard’s election as mayor is very symbolic of what this community needs right now,” Currence says. “He is a very no-nonsense businessman and is almost uncompromising in his pursuit of excellence. With the direction our economy is growing, especially with Oxford’s unique needs, I believe Richard is really the right man for the job. He has a special understanding of this town and its government. He also has a open door policy with this community, which is critical to the success of any community”
As far as his own business, Currence says City Grocery is maintaining its reputation as serving up unique dishes in a classic setting. “Business is great at a time when fine dining is seeing a slip due to the economy,” Currence says. “We’re not necessarily growing, but we’re staying consistent and stable which is a good sign in this industry. You adjust your menu slightly, you advertise more, and you keep doing what you do,”
John Weathersby is another well- known young Oxford entrepreneur. “I’ve been launching a new business over the last year, while keeping my present business, Vision Creek, moving along,” he tells DBJ. “My new business is called Open Source Development Group. We develop and implement training programs for Open Source Software Solutions. This grew out of other business relations we had had with Vision Creek.” Weathersby says the new company is doing work with various government clients.
About his community, Weathersby sings high praises. “Oxford is a great place, if I may use a word that’s thrown around a lot,” he laughs. “There is a great system of schools and churches and very diverse economically. We also have a strong element of successful young business leaders who do work all over the nation,” Weathersby adds. “I live here because it is safe, secure and great place to raise my children. This is home to me and where I plan to spend the rest of my days.”
Max Hipp, director of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber and Economic Foundation no doubt believes the same things Weathersby does about the advantages of living in Oxford. It is, after all, his job to get such advantages out to other communities around the nation.
“We’ve got a new mayor here now, some new board members, and we are proud of the work they are doing,” Hipp says. “There’s a slight economic downturn, like in many parts of the country, but we’re doing very well. Local manufacturers are giving us good reports and enrollment is up at Ole Miss, so there are some very positive indicators out there.” Hipp also mentions the business incubator that just opened in Oxford, a project put forth by the North Mississippi Enterprise Imitative in alliance with the towns of Batesville and Grenada. “The incubator is already attracting some interest,” Hipp says.
“Our food and beverage tax is up this year, but our hotel and motel tax revenues are a bit flat,” Hipp says, referring to other economic indicators. “Oxford has always been a bit insulated economically because of the University, but, looking at the big picture, we are holding our own.”
The Retiree Attraction Program, which Hipp’s organization has implemented, is run by a full-time employee, Christy Knapp. “That has been a very strong program as evidenced by the national attention we’ve garnered, especially the Money magazine over the summer. Retirees bring in a good bit of income, and Oxford is attracting very affluent, well-educated seniors from across the nation,” she says.
Hipp also jumps on the youth bandwagon when he notes that, since about 1994, a tremendous number of young people have started businesses in Oxford. “We’re also seeing a good bit of youth in our older businesses,” he notes.
Long known for its outstanding health professionals and services offered, Baptist Memorial Hospital continues to act as Oxford’s medical anchor. Ron Robinson, COO of Baptist for two and a half years, reports new construction about to get underway at the facility.
“We are in the process of readying our diagnostic center and cancer center,” Robinson says, “around a $20 million facility. It will include most radiology diagnostic procedures and will also include a radiation oncology center with state-of-the-art treatments. Groundbreaking for the center is going to be next month, and it will be about a ten month project. Medical offices will also be included in the building.”
On campus, Robinson says that Baptist will be going from six large surgical suites and two small suites to twelve large suites total. “Also, we are building a new emergency room and expanding the area around the ER with new space,” Robinson says. “A cardiology Center of Excellence is also in the works which will put our cardiology areas together in one unit. This is in keeping up with our tremendous growth in the cardiology care we’ve experienced. All of this ultimately means better care for our patients,” he says. In the last year, four new physicians have also come aboard at Baptist.
Delta native Todd Warrington is another one of those up-and-coming young entrepreneurs who has found a niche in the Oxford business world. He is the owner and head chef at Five Oaks Grocery, one of the town’s most popular restaurants. Having just opened last summer, Warrington says he is extremely pleased with his success thus far.
“We’re doing well,” he says. “It’s a very competitive atmosphere in Oxford. There are a number of outstanding places to eat here.” Five Oaks can seat about 120, and Warrington says that Rebel football fills those seats with no problem. “There’s no doubt that we love our football around here!” he laughs.
Five Oaks is the only restaurant in Oxford which serves Certified Angus Beef, which requires a special certification, Warrington says. “There’s no comparison with other meat,” he says. “It’s expensive to get that certification, but well worth it. Our customers love it.”
Another Oxford business which came into being last year was Oxford University Bank. President Reggie Holley says the reception the bank has received has surpassed his greatest expectations.
“We’ve been blessed here. There is really no other way to put it,” Holley says of Oxford University Bank’s first year. “We have grown well past our initial projections. We are approaching the $30 million range as we speak. A lot of factors came into place for our successes, and we count ourselves as very fortunate.
“Oxford really wanted a locally owned and independent bank,” Holley says. “It is truly a community owned company. Because of this we have a great flexibility and response time in dealing with our customers. We stepped into a niche in the banking market that perhaps was underserved. That and the fact that our economy is fast-developing with a low unemployment rate and a very high quality of life all figures into our success.”
Holley says that, at some point, expansion for Oxford University Bank is certainly going to be appropriate and needed to meet customer needs. “That is still some time away, however,” he adds. “Right now, we just intend to stay the course we are on, and determine our future moves a little bit later.”
Richard Howorth has long been known in Oxford as the owner of Square Books, one of the most successful and popular independent bookstores in the Southeast. Now, Howorth can list “Mayor” on his resume, as he was elected to lead Oxford this summer.
“I’ve always been interested in city business,” Howorth says, “and was not too happy about certain aspects of Oxford government. So, I stepped up to the plate and ran and won. My platform was one of managed growth for our community and to have a more open and inclusive administration.” Howorth says it’s too early in his administration to note major changes in how things are done in Oxford, but that he is working to ensure that all voices will be heard and all points considered.
Is coming from a business background an advantage in the world of politics? “Oh, absolutely,” Howorth enthuses. “I have knowledge of and experience with financial and personnel management, and that was great preparation for me. Also, my being president of the American Booksellers Association, among other positions, has been very helpful to me in my role as mayor.”
Long known as one of Oxford’s most vocal and consistent cheerleaders, Howorth thinks that his administration and the business community are all on the same page when it comes to balancing the always-present issue of growth vs. preservation in the community. “You must work in concert with everyone concerned, and that’s all residents here. It doesn’t have to be a divisive issue necessarily.” Mayor Howorth says he plans to hear all sides openly and objectively and, by doing so, solutions should be found.
Howorth has given up running the bookstore since assuming his new position. “Lynn Roberts is managing Square Books for me now,” Howorth says, “and she, and my other higher level associates, have been at the store for years and do a terrific job. I feel very secure having them there, on one level, but I do often miss being in the loop!” he laughs.
“Oxford will continue growing, as will Lafayette County,” the Mayor sums up. “We’ve got to be ready for that by expanding our city limits, having public facility and transportation needs ready, and make these things priorities. And as Oxford grows, I think it will become more like Oxford is.”
Of course, Oxford IS the University of Mississippi, or “Ole Miss at Oxford.” The University provides the cultural, economic and social backdrop for the town as a whole. Chancellor Robert Khayat says the relationship of town to university is a phenomenal one. “I suspect that, if you were to look around this country, you might not find a better pairing of community and university as we have here,” Khayat says. “This is no exaggeration.
Our location to Oxford is one of convenience which entails a great deal of interaction between our campus population and the town,” Khayat continues. “While we are the largest employer in Oxford, the town itself has a very vital and viable economy on its own. Ole Miss and Oxford compliment each other in the most beneficial ways, without a doubt.
We also do a great deal of collaboration,” Chancellor Khayat says. “Our baseball stadium was built as a partnership between Oxford and the University though city earmarked funds and our budget. The airport here is owned and operated by the University, but is used by the town. Plus, all of the cultural activities on our campus attract the citizens here.The Performing Arts Center being built here is yet another example. The city is putting the utility lines underground for us for that facility, which is a huge expense. I’m not even mentioning all of the ways we benefit and work with and for each other, but you can see the strength of the relationship in these examples.”
Forrest Hinton, owner of Hinton and Hinton clothing store located on the Square, is very aware of Ole Miss’ presence. Hinton’s two sons, both in the business, are grads, and the store also offers the official and very popular Ole Miss blazer. Besides this exclusive item, Hinton and Hinton offers top-of-the-line goods to customers from “all over the state,” Hinton says.
A veteran of the clothing industry, Hinton says that business has been very brisk at Hinton and Hinton. Hinton, who has been in Oxford for 14 years, says that he has spent a good deal of time traveling throughout the country during his career and no place compares to Oxford. “I love the realness and the integrity of this town,” Hinton says, “and I especially appreciate the relationship Oxford has with the University. Our town has also become a community destination, and our business has grown because of that. Hinton and Hinton probably counts 30% of our clients as out-of-towners.”
Oxford has to be careful, though, Hinton warns. “We don’t want to become too ‘touristy’, if you will,” he says. “We want to grow, naturally, but we don’t want to change the unique make-up of our community. There’s a danger for any town with our growth potential in that taking place. However, I believe that we can find the proper balance here, as we have been doing.”
It would appear that the “proper balance” has indeed been found in Oxford. Blending the best of many worlds, this thriving Northeast Mississippi town has rightfully garnered a reputation as one of the most livable, progressive and unique communities not only in this state, but in the country as well. DBJ