Jackson Free Press

Jackson-based real estate development company StateStreet Group recently announced the completion of The Quarter Lofts on Lakeland Drive. Renovations began on what were once upstairs office spaces of buildings along Lakeland over the summer of 2018 and finished in December. The renovations included changes to the buildings' exterior facades, an expansion for Wine & Spirits in The Quarter and converting the offices into 12 residential loft spaces.

"The Quarter's history and location makes it great for development," Justin Peterson, StateStreet Group's general counsel and manager of The Quarter Lofts project, told the Jackson Free Press. "We acquired it with the goal of modernizing the area to make it thrive like it did in the 1970s."

The lofts come in one- or two-bedroom units and feature Nest thermostats, white quartz countertops, kitchen islands, stainless-steel appliances, walk-in closets, full-sized washers and dryers, and balconies. The five one-bedroom lofts range from 650 to 1,000 square feet, while the seven two-bedroom lofts range from 880 to 1,250 square feet. Business tenants in the Quarter include Cups Espresso Cafe, specialty tobacco shop The Country Squire, and Wine & Spirits in The Quarter.

For leasing or other information, call 601-487-0160, email [email protected] or visit thequarterlofts.com.

Whimsy Willows Opens at The Outlets

The Outlets of Mississippi (200 Bass Pro Drive, Pearl) recently announced Whimsy Willows Boutique as the newest addition to the shopping center.

Owner Ashley Wilkinson opened the boutique on Nov. 2, 2018, and originally intended for the storefront to be a pop-up shop over the holiday season. However, the store proved popular enough that The Outlets offered her a year's lease at the end of December and asked her to stay, Wilkinson told the Jackson Free Press.

"The response I've gotten from customers was just too positive for me not to stay," she says. "Everyone talked about how different we are from other stores because we carry a large selection of both regular and plus-sized clothing. Not many plus-size boutiques carry the volume of styles and brands that we do."

Whimsy Willows Boutique carries jeans, dresses, blouses, accessories, home decor and jewelry, including an exclusive handmade line called The Shabby Pearl that is made in Wilkinson's hometown, Florence.

She first opened Whimsy Willows as an online-only store in fall 2015 and promoted her business through traveling clothing shows around the country. The storefront at The Outlets is the first brick-and-mortar location for Whimsy Willows.

"Ever since I was 12, I never wanted to wear what everyone else did," Wilkinson says. "I think everyone is born to stand out and feel you should always strive to be unique. That's why my shop has the motto, 'Why fit in when you were born to stand out?'"

Whimsy Willows Boutique is located in suite 430 at The Outlets, between The Children's Place and The Kitchen Collection. The boutique is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit whimsywillowsboutique.com or find the business on Facebook.

XplicitJ3 Fitness Opens in Jackson

Jason Gibson, Jarius Moore and Johnathon Bounds, three Jackson natives who also attended Jackson State University together, opened Xplicit J3 Fitness (1625 E. County Line Road) in Pear Orchard Village on Saturday, Jan. 5. The 5,000-square-foot fitness center occupies the former location of Inferno Fitness, which closed in 2017.

Xplicit J3 Fitness offers courses for aerobics, calisthenics, weightlifting, metabolic training, yoga and more. The gym also has a private dressing area with showers, secure lockers and bathrooms.

Gibson and Moore are both certified personal trainers as well as public speakers. Bounds is a personal trainer and fitness model who also invented his own waist trainer and sweat vest. The three have also partnered with T'Keyah Williams, owner of Mama Nature's Juice Bar (655 Lake Harbour Drive, Suite 400, Ridgeland) in Ridgeland. Williams will teach yoga at Xplicit J3, and customers who take her classes will also receive discounts at Mama Nature's.

Xplicit J3 Fitness is open Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, visit xplicitj3fitness.com, email [email protected] or find the business on Facebook.