Mississippi Hippie and Mom Said No Plan Grand Reopening

ALTON - Mississippi Hippie and Mom Said No, two favorite shops in downtown Alton, will mark their grand reopening at their new consolidated location on March 30, 2024.

From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., shoppers can enjoy giveaways, raffles, live music and performances by FreakShow Deluxe at the new location at 300 E. Broadway. Fred Pollard, who owns the shops, noted that he loves the Alton community, and he can’t wait to celebrate with community members and show off his new space.

“Our community is just amazing. We're really fortunate to have that kind of community support,” he said. “It’s humbling for business owners to have people come in and they really make your day by saying they look forward to seeing you. They look forward to coming into your shop.”

Newcomers and loyal customers of Mississippi Hippie and Mom Said No are all welcome. Currently located in Mineral Springs Mall, the shops sell bohemian clothing, vintage toys and games, horror memorabilia and more. Though Pollard said they will be keeping the “basic vibe” of the current stores, they plan to expand their inventory, and the horror items will have their own room in the new space.

It’s important to Pollard to return the community’s support. He will be partnering with Refabuloused Relics and Brass Monkey Collectibles during the grand reopening. Christy Hellrung from Refabuloused Relics will have a pop-up table at the event, and Greg Brown from Brass Monkey will grill hotdogs throughout the afternoon and invite people into his own store at 302 E. Broadway.

Pollard values the partnerships with other downtown businesses. While he is excited for his move across the street from Mineral Springs Mall, he is glad he is staying in the same area.

“I’m really happy that I’m staying on the block because the businesses on that block, we all work together so well and we’re all such good friends and everybody just loves to interact,” he explained. “I say that’s the block where some of the weirdos like to come and hang out because we’ve got the counterculture vibe going on. So I’m really happy that where I moved to I’m still in the middle of that environment.”

Pollard thanked other business owners for their support, including Donna Nunnally, the original owner of Mississippi Hippie and current owner of It’s Raining Zen. He noted that Nunnally once gave him some advice that he has taken to heart as a business owner.

“She told me early on, don’t go into this to make money. Don’t go into this to just provide a service. You’re doing this to give the community something that is lacking. You’re there to give, you’re there to serve, and you’re there to help the other businesses,” Pollard said. “And that’s something I try to keep in the back of my head…I try to keep the focus away from, ‘I got to hit this sales number for the day,’ and more on, ‘What can I do for the people who come in? What can I do to make their day a little brighter?’”

Mississippi Hippie and Mom Said No will remain open at their current space in Mineral Springs Mall until March 19. They will reopen on March 30 at 300 E. Broadway, beginning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m. More information about the move can be found at the Mississippi Hippie and Mom Said No Facebook pages.

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