Local business leaders and elected officials celebrated Thursday as Ole Town Pharmacy cut the ribbon on its new location in Marion.

 

Located on Lindley Road across from The Little Griddle, the pharmacy is the store’s second location in the greater Meridian area.

 

Helen Sims, membership director for East Mississippi Business Development Corporation which organized the ribbon cutting, said it is always exciting to see a Meridian native return home and invest in the community.

 

At a time when business is hard for pharmacies, she said, Ole Town Pharmacy owner Drew Moffett moved back to Meridian and not only purchased an independent pharmacy but made it flourish. He then decided to expand and open a second location in Marion, investing even further in the community.

 

Having people choose to come back to Meridian, invest in their community and raise a family is a great thing to see, Sims said.

“That’s what we want to see here in Meridian, where people come back and raise a family,” she said.

 

Thursday’s ribbon cutting was also special due to the number of people who came out to support the new business, Sims said, and that is a testament to the type of business community that exists in the Lauderdale County area.

 

“That’s what makes Meridian special, that we support our community,” she said.

 

Sims said the EMBDC is also seeing more businesses choose to join the organization, with both new and existing businesses deciding to get involved. Joining the EMBDC is another way to support the business community, she said, as that growth enables the organization to provide new and improved programs and services.