Jackson Free Press

In September 2015, the owners of Deville Plaza in northeast Jackson terminated the lease of the YMCA there to make way for an incoming Planet Fitness location, which officially opens Thursday, Jan. 7. The YMCA closed Dec. 18, and its staff moved to the downtown Jackson YMCA (800 E. River Place, 601-948-3090).

Those sad to see the gym go can take solace in the promise of new things under way at the downtown location. A number of renovations are in the works this year at the downtown YMCA, including the gym's two full-service basketball courts being converted into a three-section functional fitness facility, renovation and painting of the existing workout room, and new studios for exercise classes.

"Functional fitness uses a wide range of bodily movements and equipment like rope climbs, kettle bells, medicine balls, pull-up bars and agility ladders, rather than traditional machines," RaShard Johnson, director of wellness at the downtown YMCA, said. "We're also getting new indoor turf for the facility that will simulate outdoor conditions better suited to functional fitness training."

The downtown YMCA plans to use the new facility as part of a more family-oriented fitness-training approach going forward, along with a planned child-watch area.

"We want to partner with area charter schools and other youth groups to help kids get good use out of these new facilities," Janet Reihle, development director at Metropolitan YMCAs of Mississippi, said. "This conversion will be great for parents and their kids to use together."

The renovations at the downtown YMCA will be complete by the end of January.

Mozingo Clothiers Coming to Fondren

Mozingo Clothiers, a clothing shop open since 2003 at its current location in Highland Village (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 140), will move to Fondren this March. Mozingo focuses on custom clothing made to measure, with thousands of fabrics available for suits, sport coats, trousers, shirts and other pieces. The store also sells accessories, casual clothes and denim, with many fits, colors and washes available.

Charlie Mozingo, the owner of the business, is a native Jacksonian who once worked as a salesman for clothing retailer Tom Jones before he decided to open his own business. The current location of Mozingo Clothiers was once called Latham Thomas before Mozingo became the owner and rebranded it.

John Wiggins, Mozingo's wardrobe consultant and store manager for the last four years, is originally from Louisville, Miss., and was a customer before he was an employee.

"I'm a large fellow, and shirts are hard to find (in) a good fit for me," Wiggins said. "I regularly came to get shirts made here, and Charlie got to know me and eventually approached me about working for him. That's part of what makes the work we do here unique. We do custom clothes for clients, not merely customers. We get to know the tastes and preferences of everyone that comes to us instead of just taking their measurements and making something. We tailor our clothes to our clients' profession, social life and what their clothing needs to do. We believe that the better we know you, the better we can make your clothes."

The new location of Mozingo Clothiers will open March 1 at 3100 N. State St., Suite 101, next door to CAET Wine Bar in Fondren. For more information, call the business at 601-713-7848.