Charged with a 100 year legacy.

When you think of 100-year-old buildings, you might see crumbling bricks. Or rays of soft sunlight peeking through broken glass. Maybe you think of peeling paint, or you hear the sound of old wooden floors creaking beneath your feet. There’s beauty in wiping a layer of dust off an old picture frame and the feeling of finally grasping a long forgotten name or place of the past.

When I think of 1917, nearly a century ago, I feel nostalgia towards a time I’ve never lived or seen. A time on the brink of the Roaring Twenties, along with great prosperity and even greater dreams. The era when Laurel first came alive.

Today we are on the verge of jumping off the edge; once again on the brink of coming alive. The sleeping giants that are our towering buildings drowsily stand back up to shake the dust from their roofs, and the cobwebs that hang from their ceilings. The roots that line our sidewalks wander further and stretch longer than ever before. Dew glitters in the patches of sunlight beneath the branches of the oaks.

More people mill about on the streets exchanging waves and nods on their lunch breaks or on late afternoon jogs. Our feet touch the same cracks in the pavement and rest under the same trees. We call people by name and we know their stories. We are creatives, we are doers, we are leaders and we are followers, we are entrepreneurs, and we are movers. We are Laurel.

And we always have been, but now we are starting to remember it. As we dream of the future, let’s not forget the richness of our hometown that has long sustained. As Lott Furniture, we are caretakers of a story, a 100 year-old legacy, that’s a precious chapter in the great volume that is Laurel, Mississippi. As members of the Laurel community, we all serve as caretakers of our little town, her history, and her long-awaited return to her former glory.

Join us as we move toward a brighter day for our little hometown, and help support those who are making it happen. Shop in the local shops, eat at the local eateries, and perhaps – bring your own dream alive here alongside us.

– Keri Rowell, Lott Furniture Co.

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3 replies
  1. C Mosley
    C Mosley says:

    Bravo Keri Rowell! What a beautiful statement of a beautiful town. I am thoroughly enjoying the transitions of downtown Laurel and I look forward to great things for her in the future.

    Reply
  2. Claudia Bulriss
    Claudia Bulriss says:

    Loved the article, made me think of what it was like back then. Cant wait to get there soon and meet you.

    Reply

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