MABEN — After sitting vacant on Highway 15 in Maben one old business place has been repainted and remodeled, and even the yard mowed.
That place is the old Maben Feed Mill, which had drawn many people to Maben, to buy their feed for their cows and other livestock, and even to haul corn and hay to the mill to get it crushed.
After doing business at the feed mill, most people would stay in town long enough to buy groceries, and some even to keep doctor's appointments.
The feed mill was built in 1954 by the late Mr. and Mrs. Otho Perkins, and was run by the entire family, which consisted of a son and daughter
After a few years, they mill was bought by Jake Perkins, who along with his family remained in business for a few years, and they kept people coming to town, and then they sold it to the late Cecil and Wrenford Hamilton, who ran it with the help of their family.
The place had been opened a few times after the Hamiltons owned it, but had been closed for a few years.
Next the feed mill was bought by the late Paul Gordon, and he and his family had the Feed Mill Restaurant with good food through the week and on Sundays, too.
All the people who have bought the old Maben Feed Mill ran it with the help of their families, and hired people from the community to work for them.
It now seems that the business that has just opened at the old Maben Feed Mill will continue to be a family-owned and -run business.
The old feed mill is now owned by Jim Shipton and his son Matt, both from Pontotoc, who have been making it look good inside and out.
It is now called Bargain Boys and you would be impressed at what you will find inside, such as coffee mugs, men's and ladies' pants and tops, and many other bargains.
Matt Shipton had already been in Maben since he and Bryan Smith from Eupora had bought the old Monte Glove building across the highway from the feed mill and the buildings across from the rear of Springer's Dry Goods, which in addition to the old Monte Glove Co. building are known as Core Furniture Co., which now has many people back at work making good quality furniture.
Thanks to some new people who had enough faith in the people in Maben to come and open two new businesses, and to our mayor and board, who are always working with new businesses for the community.
