Give me an out-of-the-way place with history, good food and good people and I’m a happy man. Throw in delicious food and beautiful photo opportunities and I could be there for awhile. Such was the case on my recent visit to historic Taylor Grocery in tiny Taylor, Mississippi. Taylor may only be about 20 minutes from The Square in downtown Oxford, but it feels a world away.
During my time in Oxford, it seemed like everyone I talked to had nothing but good things to say about Taylor Grocery. Besides the legendary Square Books downtown, Taylor Grocery was the other “must-see” place everyone kept talking about in Oxford, even though it’s not actually in Oxford. When I spoke with one of my friends, legendary singer-songwriter Luke Fisher, and he told me he was playing a gig at Taylor Grocery that Saturday night, I knew that certain paths of fate had crossed. And so it was that I set out down the Old Taylor Road to catch up with an old friend and see what all the fuss was about.
When I pulled into Taylor I was glad I didn’t blink, or I might have driven right past. It really is that small a town. Luke was unloading and getting set up, so he introduced me to Lynn Hewlett, the owner of Taylor Grocery. Lynn is a tall and boisterous fellow who seemed full of energy, and perhaps a touch of bourbon in his tall metal cup. We hung around the counter chewing the fat for a while, and Lynn told me that they didn’t advertise at all, but went purely by word-of-mouth. Then he showed me his guestbook which in just the last few days showed entries from all over the country, and from quite a few international visitors as well. Lynn told me they have music most nights, and try and bring out a diverse group of local musicians to play and keep it interesting. They don’t take reservations, and apparently the wait for a table can be several hours during Ole Miss football weekends, Parents’ Weekends and Graduation. That’s okay though, because in truly Mississippi fashion, tailgating is encouraged. Yes, tailgating while waiting for a table. Besides running the restaurant, Lynn and his wife Debbie do get out of Taylor when they can, and love to travel west in their RV, especially to Utah, Montana and Wyoming. Between music, history, food and travel, we found quite a lot to talk about, and I really felt welcome there.
Taylor Grocery was built was back in 1889 as a dry goods store, and the exterior probably hasn’t changed a lot since then. When Lynn was growing up, the building was more of a general store, and he has fond memories of it from his childhood. When Lynn and Debbie bought the place back in 1997, it was still a functioning grocery store, but also served catfish dinners on the weekend. They wanted to get rid of the groceries so they could fit more tables in and turn it into a full-time restaurant. The Hewletts have done quite a job of turning this tiny old store in a tinier town into a true Mississippi institution.
When I finally grabbed a seat, I had to order their famous catfish. In my travels around the South, I’ve heard a lot of people claim they have good catfish, and at the end of the day most of it is pretty ordinary. Not-so at Taylor Grocery, where my order was seasoned just right and fried to the perfect balance of tender and crispy. The potato salad was to die for, and the pecan pie I had for dessert was a little slice of heaven.
While I ate, I enjoyed listening to Luke play some old favorites with a few of his originals mixed in. I was thrilled when Lynn joined in for a few songs as well, and they made a heck of a team. Both clearly enjoyed being there, and so, it seemed, did everyone else. And isn’t that what it’s all about? I arrived at Taylor Grocery with a smile on my face, and left with both my body and soul feeling nourished and satisfied.
Taylor Grocery is a great example of everything I love: music, food, family and fun - all encapsulated in an historic building on a rural road in a tiny town. I couldn’t have been happier with my visit. It was my first time there, but it won’t be my last.