We just returned from Atlanta and the 2007 International Christian Retail Show (expect more posts regarding ICRS soon), and I wanted to share about one of the cool places we visited.

When we can get there within a day or so, we prefer to drive rather than fly. We rent a Town Car, load up the office equipment, and (for me anyway) every stitch of clothing I own. We have been to Denver for the show the last two summers. This year we headed to Atlanta. Fortunately, my Garmin GPS was firmly affixed to the windshield.

Somewhere in Mississippi, we decided we needed to eat, so I hit the “Food” button on the GPS and looked at our options. One of the choices that popped up was Granny Walnut’s Sweet Shop of Holly Springs, MS. We thought we’d like to get some candy for some friends, so I whipped off the highway and headed to Granny Walnut’s.

In Holly Springs, we discovered a quaint and beautiful small southern town. As we approached the town square, I was stricken with a sadness that, for whatever reason, Oklahoma towns do not have squares (I have felt this many times visiting places in Missouri, too). The town square was centered on the courthouse that stood proudly topped by the clock tower, bunting draped from the upper balcony, and surrounded by civic monuments and memorials. The streets on each side of the square were lined with U.S. flags that were fluttering in the gentle breeze. The town was clean, neat, and obviously old (the town began in 1836).

We made our way around the square to Granny Walnut’s, and finding the establishment, made our way inside, where we found two delightful woman who were sitting down to a Coke and a cigarette (everyone smokes in the South!). We told them how we found them and they were surprised that the GPS listed them. They were even more surprised when Jeane told them what GPS was later when I ran tot he bank to get some cash from the ATM (Granny’s does not take debit or credit cards).

The shop was large and laden with craft items, home-canned vegetables and relishes, and candy they make in house. There wasn’t anything particularly fancy. Just good quality, nicely presented items. We each had a Coke. I left Jeane to browse as I headed to the bank. Upon my return, I discovered that Jeane had discovered that Granny’s was actually closed for the day. The women had sat down for their after-work Coke and smoke, both (in their words) being too lazy to lock the door. Us being out-of-towners, we just ambled on in. The locals surely knew they were closed, open door or not. And that’s a testament to the charm and hospitality of the South. These sweet women, tired from a day of work, jumped up to serve us, even when they were closed. We had our Cokes, purchased several of their offered items, left a tip for their efforts, and headed on to Atlanta. It was a sweet interlude in our trek to the ATL.