Any time I get to hang out with my nieces and sister in law is a treat, and recently we got together to have a Girls Day down in Desoto County. Memphis is right at the state line of Mississippi, so depending on where you live, it’s a 5-20ish minute drive to visit their shops and restaurants. I had a client shoot that morning and she (Monica) had to finish up some errands, so we decided to meet for lunch before we did a little shopping.

We met at Memphis BBQ Co., which has some of the best BBQ I’ve ever had. They also have some amazing southern sides; they have a focus on cooking from scratch, so everything is prepared daily and is fresh. We had Fried Green Tomatoes for an app, and then I had a pulled pork plate with mac + cheese and greens. Yum!  For those wondering about inside dining, they have hand sanitizer stands placed throughout the restaurant, and tables are spaced out. You also have to wear your mask unless you’re eating, which wasn’t a problem at all.

After lunch, we headed up Goodman Road to Magnolia House, a new lifestyle store that’s located in the new Silo Square Town Center off of Getwell Rd. I’m a born and raised Memphian and visit Desoto County regularly, and to see all of the development that’s happening there, particularly in this area, is fascinating. I’ve traveled to this area to visit a friend over the last 15 years and it’s like night and day now. There was hardly any development in the area when I first started driving down, but now, there are so many businesses and housing options, and I honestly cannot wait til they finish the Square because it’s going to be a quaint little shopping area (and perfect for pictures, lol).

Magnolia House originally opened in Destin, Florida almost 30 years ago, and the owner, Nancy Veldman, is a Memphis Native. Her daughters live in Desoto County, so she decided to relocate, and they officially opened at the end of the Summer. The store is beautiful! It’s filled with Home & office decor, loungewear, candles, jewelry, gifts, etc. They even have a small kids section AND a cute library area where you can sit and read. It’s designed to be a store where you’ll want to just hang out in as you shop; they even have a cozy fireplace when you first walk into the store!

(took my mask off for 5 seconds for a photo but wore it the rest of the time I was there)

We all found gifts (me and my SIL even got the same sweatshirt, lol), and then hopped over to City Hall Cheesecake, a new dessert café that makes small batch, fresh, delicious cheesecakes daily. As a blogger + photographer, I LOVE cute aesthetics, and I think this place is just adorable.

We grabbed some mini cheesecakes to go (they are bomb, priced well, and perfect for when you want to indulge but not go overboard) and walked around for a bit. They’ve also got a location in Hernando and in Oxford, so they’re on my must-visit list whenever I head to those towns as well.

I didn’t get a chance to snap a ton of photos of the area because we were on a schedule but I can’t wait to go back over, especially when more businesses are open. It’s going to be a cute destination spot.

Lastly, we headed down to Pink Coconut Boutique. I always see their posts on IG but this was my first time visiting.  It’s a women’s boutique that’s been in business since 2009 (the retail location opened in 2011) and carries cute, trendy affordable pieces.

Kyla and I found a few things to try on (I left with a sweater, black distressed denim jacket, and a color block sweater dress and she found a cardigan). It was getting late, so we didn’t stay too long, but I def plan to go back. They’ve also got a ton of cute pieces on their online site that wasn’t in the store, so check em out (debating on getting a pair of these boots since it’s finally cold enough for them here).

I loved being able to get out and explore new places with my fam, even if it was just for a few hours. With us being so close to MS, there are a ton of cute restaurants and small businesses in Desoto County that we can easily visit on a whim.

We felt Covid safe everywhere that we went, so the next time you want to get away from Memphis for a few hours, #VisitMSResponsibly!

This post was sponsored, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

#VisitMSResponsibly city hall cheesecake southaven magnolia house southaven Pink coconut boutique Silo Square Town Center