The next meeting of the newly-formed Midtown Merchants Association will be held Tuesday, March 27, and a slate of inaugural officers is expected to be elected.
Local restaurateur Robert St. John is leading the charge to form the new business organization in an attempt to “join together and advance the interests of the merchants, institutions and individuals of Midtown Hattiesburg."
The meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 27, at St. John’s Branch Bar adjacent to Purple Parrot Steak and Seafood.
It’s the same location where an introductory meeting was held earlier this month to begin the process of becoming an official entity.
Seed funding for the new organization is being provided by Mississippi Power, Forrest General Hospital and Hattiesburg Clinic, and an account has been established with the Greater Pinebelt Community Foundation for the association to utilize.
A recent official designation by the City of Hattiesburg now recognizes the Midtown District as the area from U.S. 49 to Interstate 59 and from West Fourth Street to Lincoln Road.
St. John said that area is home to a bustling collection of businesses.
“In fact, you won't find a more dynamic, diverse and impactful 3-square-mile area in the entire state,” he said. “Not only is this the most vital part of the city, it’s also the most vital part of the entire region.”
Some 430 businesses are located in the district and they collectively employ more than 7,500 people. The district attracts more than 100,000 visitors monthly and more than 40,000 cars drive down Hardy Street daily.
Thanks, in part, to students on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi, the district's median age is 26. The median household income is $41,660.
The new organization will focus on working with city, county, and area development agencies to promote the midtown area – and to serve as a united voice for businesses in that area.
