Artisans finding a home in downtown Starkville
We talk a great deal about how to retire, when to retire and whether or not to retire, but I don’t talk much about the “where” in our retirement plans. I’m so tied to my family here in Starkville that I cannot currently picture relocating and leaving my short people…the ones who call me Bebe. Granted, that might change one day, and for many people, being a day’s drive or an airplane ride away is close enough.
Each year, “those in the know” at US News & World Reports publish a list of the one hundred best places in the US to retire. The top criteria used in creating this list are happiness of local residents, housing affordability, tax rates and quality of healthcare.
Number one is Sarasota, Florida. Everyone knows that Florida is a Mecca for retirees, so this one is no big surprise. Florida has no state income tax, which means that those IRAs, 401(k)s and pensions have more value to the retirees. The median cost for a home in Sarasota is $224,613, and the area has some of the world’s best beaches. What’s not to like, other than the 751,000 other people around you every day?
Number two is Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Here, retirees have no state tax on Social Security benefits or on income from retirement accounts. The median home price is less than that of Starkville ($184,200 according to Zillow) at $179,408. Lancaster is smack in the middle of Amish country, so the lifestyle is a little slower there. Perhaps the biggest drawback would be the winters.
Number three is San Antonio, Texas. Again, no state income tax. (I’m seeing a common thread here.) The median home price in San Antonio is $200,667, and the average cost for rent is $909. Everyone talks about the unique Riverwalk in San Antonio, and it’s nice, but again, there are those 2.3 million other people enjoying it with you.
Fourth on the list of best places to retire is Grand Rapids, Michigan. There is no state tax on income from Social Security, but otherwise the breaks for retirees are not as strong as the first three cities on the list. However, the median cost for a home is low at $166,608 and monthly rent is low at $786. If you’re a craft beer fan, the city boasts more than 80 breweries. And like with Pennsylvania, you’d have the tough, long winters to face.
Number five on the list takes us back to Texas, to El Paso. With the lack of state income tax as a contributing factor, El Paso boasts a cost of
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Two artisans, Klara Haloho and and unTAMED Art, have found a home in downtown Starkville.
Klara Haloho opened its doors at 205 East Main St. on July 5.
Owner Klara Bath said the business specializes in handmade jewelry.
“My jewelry is pearls, the classic design on leather or cotton, and the other jewelry is from Bali,” Bath said.
Bath said the jewelry from Bali is also handmade.
“My specialty is pearls,” she said. “I string all the pearls, and I love handmade.”
Bath said Klara Haloho was previously located in Florida, but her husband’s service in the Air Force has brought the couple to Starkville.
“The first location was in Destin, and then we moved to Orlando,” Bath said. “The reason why we moved is because my husband is in the Air Force, and now he’s with the Air Force in Columbus.”
Bath said Klara Haloho is named after her Sumatran roots.
“The Haloho is my maiden name,” she said. “I came from a tribe in North Sumatra, and that is my father’s name. I still carry that name.”
Klara Haloho jewelry is also carried at boutiques across the South, and is available online at www.klarahaloho.com and on Instagram and Facebook.
Klara Haloho is open from 10:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Monday through Saturday.
UnTAMED Art, which will open on July 26, will provide a home not only for owner Madison Haley’s work but for other artists’ work in the area too.
UnTAMED Art will be located at 113 B South Lafayette Street.
“I’m really trying to create a storefront where local artists can gain exposure while also offering a place for them to express themselves,” Haley said.
Haley said starting out, UnTAMED Art will feature four vendor artists with pottery, jewelry, paintings and prints. She said she will later start taking applications for more vendors.
“A lot of people will try to sell their things online or go to markets once a month, but I’m trying to create a place where artists can keep their things and people can come in and find what they’re looking for and they can buy it,” Haley said.
UnTAMED Art will be open all day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. during its grand opening on July 26 with snacks, drinks and a surprise painting. Regular store hours will be 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Wednesday through Friday and 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Haley, an art student in the graphic design program at Mississippi State University, will be selling her own custom prints at UnTAMED Art, along with graphic design and photography services to businesses or for personal use.
“I realized that a lot of people like to support local artists, but a lot of artists don’t know how to get their works out there,” Haley said. “I want to help market them and get them some exposure, as well as myself, and that way any kind of person, no matter what you’re into, you can come in and find something that speaks to you.”
Haley said she has a lot of new ideas she wants to bring to Starkville, and updates can be found on UnTAMED Art’s social media, at UnTAMED Art on Instagram and Facebook.