A vault. A basement. Massages? Inside this newest clothing store on the MS Coast
The old post office in downtown Bay St. Louis is getting new life that’s Fairly Local and as adventurous and multi-faceted as the owner.
Shane LeBlanc pauses from his opening preparations at 137 Main St. to regale passers-by with tales of his life as a traveling outdoor photographer and his work as a consultant in landscape and aquatic design at renowned resorts in St. John and other destinations.
He and his wife, Christy LeBlanc, opened their first Fairly Local exclusive outfitters in Covington, Louisiana, less than a year ago with the idea of making it a franchise. They asked their clients for suggestions of where they should add a second location.
“The majority was Bay St, Louis,” he said.
Fairly Local opens Saturday, Dec. 9, as a men’s exclusive outfitter and “one teeny, tiny section of women’s,” LeBlanc said. More features are to come.
The shop is designed for men and, when complete, will have a barbershop on one side of the entrance and a coffee shop on the opposite side, where customers can get ice cream, a tea or hors d’oeuvres. The building is one of the few in the area with a basement, and on the first level, tucked under the shop, is where customers will be able to get a massage.
“Guys like a one-stop shop,” LeBlanc said.
The main room of the building with its high ceilings will be packed with clothing, hats and other accessories, gifts like cologne and beard trimmers and paddle boards to use right down the street at the beach.
For men as adventurous and busy as LeBlanc are wax canvas jackets for sportswear, leather jackets for business casual and to wear out on the town and dress jackets. Since Bay St. Louis is a beach town, bathing suits and other beach attire will be well stocked, along with hunting and fishing gear.
“Premium at discounted prices,” is the premise of the store and VIP service will be offered to give the buyer a custom fit, LeBlanc said.
In addition to the big-name brands like FreeFly, Fish Hippie, Duck Camp and many others, “We try to carry local brands as much as possible,” said assistant Brendan Bohac. Tasc Performance is a local brand sold at the Covington store, made of sustainable organic cotton and bamboo.
The LeBlancs have made their shop Fairly Local to fit in with Bay St. Louis, right down to golf cart parking behind the store and golf cart rentals for those who want to experience the downtown.
They’ve preserved the post office that was built in 1936.
“We’re keeping that old style,” he said, reusing the original windows and keeping the bulletin board that’s filled with Hurricane Katrina photos and the replica mural that people recall from the post office.
They also kept and enhanced one of the most iconic post office features.
“The vault is going to be the humidor,” he said, a sizable and unusual place place that’s cedar-lined to keep the cigars.
