HATTIESBURG, MISS. – Now in its 10th year of doing business in downtown Hattiesburg, The Lucky Rabbit is more than doubling its footprint with a new expansion right next door. Adding 24,000 square feet of retail space with the purchase of the historic Hattiesburg Grocery building, visitors will now be able to shop for vintage goods and unique items from approximately 100 different vendors. The doors of the newly renovated space officially open on Saturday, May 20, at 9 a.m. to the general public.
Since opening in 2013, business owners Brandon and Abby Thaxton have welcomed shoppers from all over the U.S. and several countries while becoming a highly popular stop for locals too. On any given weekend, the original store’s two floors are filled with a variety of eclectic finds, themed nostalgia, and recreated movie sets that have generated national and international media attention.
Among its numerous accolades, The Lucky Rabbit has been featured on HGTV’s Hometown and was recently noted as a 2023 top travel destination stop by Forbes. Publications including Travel & Leisure, Yahoo! and Thrillist have also highlighted the vendor-based store for its unique vibe.
“In our wildest dreams, we never could have imagined we would be here experiencing this monumental growth and success. We’ve spent years pouring our creativity and sweat equity into building this one-of-a-kind experience for others to enjoy,” said Abby Thaxton, co-owner. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see the feedback from people all over the country who get us and our vision for creating something cool and funky in downtown Hattiesburg.”
The city of Hattiesburg has experienced continued growth in the last several years in both downtown business investments and overall visitors.
“I have known Brandon and Abby Thaxton for more than 10 years, and they have consistently raised the bar for themselves and our community with an unquenchable work ethic, constant creativity and the highest standard of excellence in all they do,” said Mayor Toby Barker. “I thank them for doubling down on their commitment to Mobile Street and all of Downtown Hattiesburg. This expansion of the Lucky Rabbit is something our entire city can celebrate.”
According to Thaxton, the project concept behind the expansion to the old Hattiesburg Grocery building is to offer one cohesive unit of various experiences, designed by the same two people. From retro 80s/90s eclectic in the original old Hattiesburg Hardware building to a vintage department store atmosphere in the grocery building, the expansion’s first floor is complete with 60s checkout counters while the second floor is a family-friendly space crafted by local artisans.
“With our expansion, visitors will now have nearly 40,000 square feet to explore and shop, including a welcoming green space that centrally connects our two buildings. We can’t help ourselves but buy the craziest things we come across, and we are thrilled for all of our guests to experience all that we, and our amazing vendors, have to offer,” said Thaxton.
For years, the Thaxtons have worked closely with the Downtown Hattiesburg Association and Visit Hattiesburg on event promotion and tourism marketing efforts.
“Our downtown is thriving with expansions and new businesses, and we are thrilled to see the success our local merchants are experiencing,” said Executive Director Andrea Saffle, Downtown Hattiesburg Association. “We are especially thankful for the vision and dedication of Abby and Brandon to invest in our community’s future vitality.”
“Today’s visitors are looking for authentic and unique experiences for weekend getaways, day trips, and vacations. The Lucky Rabbit delivers that experience to their guests ten times over, and that’s why they continue to be one of our top tourist spots in Hattiesburg,” said Marlo Dorsey, Visit Hattiesburg CEO/Executive Director. “When we look at our visitor data, we are continually impressed to see the volume of people traveling from all over the country to visit them. This new expansion gives us another opportunity to share more great news on what Hattiesburg has to offer.”
The Lucky Rabbit has been the recipient of several honors including the Mississippi Main Street Association’s Small Business Award, William Carey University’s Small Business Leadership Award, and Downtown Hattiesburg Association’s Community Impact Award.
The Lucky Rabbit is located at 217 Mobile Street in downtown Hattiesburg and is open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on the Lucky Rabbit, visit facebook.com/TheLuckyRabbit or theluckyrabbit.com.
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