A new look on an old friend

Published 2:23 pm Monday, September 19, 2022

Tracy K. Hall

Downtown Americus comes with charms which delight all the senses. We are getting to enjoy the fruits of faithful business owners, hard-working city employees as well as our fellow neighbors who bring their passion to serve on boards ensuring we continue to be one of the best downtowns of the state. Thursday, September 15, 2022, was a unique celebration. Minick Interiors has invested in several spaces in downtown Americus through the years. Mark Minick opened shop on Jackson Street in 2004. He later moved into the corner property of Cotton and Lamar. For a season Minick’s was in another property a block or so west on Lamar. On Thursday we welcomed an old friend back to his home on Cotton and Lamar. Mark has long been a believer in Americus, Sumter County and downtown. Minick Interiors, as well as Mark himself has been an anchor for our community. As Angela Smith states, “Mark is infamous for making beautiful spaces.” This is true for our homes and his store. But as Lee Kinnamon stated, Mark’s “civic contribution” to many of our local philanthropic missions and ministries is also worthy of our gratitude.

Neighbors take time to celebrate Minick Interiors

Freddie Updike, Stephanie Updike and D. Mark Minick

Mark has turned some of his magic onto his own retail space. To go inside Minick Interiors is to go home. Beauty abounds and it shows up in many forms. As with many of our downtown businesses, to go into the store is to enjoy unique offerings with our traditional hospitality. It is a space which is going to offer up some of our best characters complete with their tales of life. There is laughter here. There is a sigh of relief here. There is literally a soft place to land. There is a room dedicated to our celebrations as couples choose table wares which will take on the important purpose of marking rich events in their lives. There are gifts to delight someone special. There is a room dedicated to Mark’s imaginations. Mark is nothing short of genius in knowing his customers’ personalities. He designs around not only what a customer wants but who the customer is. There is something precious about the space on Cotton and Lamar. It is an awesome representation of everything that is downtown Americus, and everything that we are.

A lot of Minicks! Mama Sue, Cousin Danny and Daddy Danny

Mark opened back up this space in February of 2022. However, as Mark states, “it has been an eye opening and grateful year.” Sometimes we get in spaces where time has its say. Mark and two of the Minick’s staff are taking their time and recovering nicely and with determination after a traffic accident. It was time to celebrate on this beautiful September Thursday. Americus and Sumter County showed up to celebrate. As is often the case at Minick, friends gathered to share their glimpse of the world from their windows. Silver trays of delectables made their way through the crowd to ensure we got a taste of something delicious. Sweet tunes played over it all. At 6:00, everyone lifted a glass to celebrate a new beginning. A new version of an old favorite calls for our toasts. New beginnings deserve our joy certainly, but never to go silently are our long-standing treasures such as beautiful spaces and beautiful faces. But this new look on this old friend? It is nothing short of joy pressed down and multiplied. Welcome home, again and again, Minick Interiors. We are so glad you’re ours. Cheers!

Make your way over to see Mark and his staff at 303 West Lamar on Tuesday thru Friday 10-5, or on Saturday from 10-3. There is goodness to be found at their website, minickinteriors.com. Want to chat? Call them at 229.931.0311.