By Meredith Biesinger, Magnolia Tribune
(Photo from The Dixon)
Before Jennifer Boone owned a historic building on Main Street, she was a little girl from Hattiesburg spending weekends in Natchez with her mother.
They did what generations of visitors have done in Mississippi’s oldest city. They wandered downtown, toured historic homes, peeked into storefronts, and took their time. Long before a GPS told us where to go, they were discovering Natchez one block at a time.
What Jennifer didn’t know then was that those trips were quietly planting a dream.
Years later, they would lead her back to Main Street.
Today, Boone is one of the owners of Dixon Books & Loft, a beautifully restored historic property at 514 Main Street that combines two things many travelers love: an independent bookstore and a luxurious place to stay.
The building itself has quite a story.
Construction began in 1868 under Robert Smith Dixon, making it the second-oldest commercial building in Natchez. By the 1870s, it was home to Dixon and Houghton, a business specializing in paint, wallpaper, decorative finishes, and interior design. The Natchez Weekly Democrat once described it as “an elegant establishment,” and over the years, its craftsmen helped shape the interiors of some of Natchez’s most treasured homes.
The firm’s records became so detailed that historians still use them today to study nineteenth-century interior decoration throughout the city.
As the decades passed, the business evolved. During the mid-twentieth century, Dixon’s became known for gifts, china, crystal, and silver. Like many historic buildings, however, it eventually fell quiet.
For years, the building sat empty.
Then came a second chance.
In 2018, Brad and Dorie LeMay undertook an extensive restoration that preserved the building’s historic character while breathing new life into the space. A few years later, Boone walked through the doors and immediately saw its possibilities.
“I’ve always loved Natchez,” she told me. “When the opportunity came along, I knew this was something special.”
Together with her husband, Walter Boone, and business partners John and Ginger Weaver, she began creating something that honors the building’s history while giving it a new purpose.
Today, visitors will find Dixon Books on the first floor and The Dixon Loft on the second.
When Jennifer described the concept to me—a bookstore downstairs and a luxurious loft upstairs—I immediately thought, now that’s a fabulous Mississippi weekend.
Inside Dixon Books, sunlight spills through tall windows onto shelves lined with Mississippi authors, regional history, children’s books, and carefully selected new releases. The scent of fresh coffee drifts through the store as visitors browse, chat with friends, or settle into a chair with a book they’ve just discovered.
“Indie bookstores have made a comeback, and Natchez is the perfect place for something like this,” Boone said. “Books have always been a comfort for me, and I feel like our bookstore will also provide a safe place for people, a sense of home.”
It’s easy to see what she means.
Boone hopes people linger here. Maybe they stop in for a book and stay for coffee. Or, they meet a friend. Maybe they discover a Mississippi author they’ve never read before. Whatever brings them through the door, she wants them to feel welcome.
The response has been immediate.
Dixon Books has already hosted multiple author events, launched both teen and adult book clubs, and welcomes families for Children’s Story Time on the last Saturday of every month. This summer, the bookstore is also offering two day camps for young readers.
Beyond the bookstore itself, Boone has helped establish Vicki’s Books for Kids Fund through the Community Foundation for Mississippi. Through the nonprofit, Dixon Books has launched a summer reading program to help early readers strengthen their literacy skills and discover the joy of books.
“We’ve been busy and have hit the ground running,” Boone said. “The community has been very welcoming.”
Spend a few minutes inside Dixon Books, and you’ll understand what Boone hoped to create. Conversations happen naturally. Someone asks for a book recommendation. A child heads straight for the storybook section. A visitor who came in for coffee ends up leaving with an armful of books. It feels less like a store and more like a place people genuinely enjoy spending time.
Upstairs, The Dixon Loft offers a completely different experience.
The 3,000-square-foot short-term rental blends historic architecture with modern comfort, creating a space that feels elegant without losing the building’s character. Guests can begin their mornings on the balcony overlooking Main Street, coffee in hand, as downtown slowly wakes up below. Shopkeepers unlock their doors. The aroma of breakfast drifts from nearby restaurants. The city eases into another day.
From there, Natchez is right outside.
Spend the afternoon exploring historic homes, browsing downtown shops, or walking along the bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Then return to the loft, where high ceilings, original architectural details, and the quiet charm of a nineteenth-century building make it easy to slow down and stay awhile.
For Boone, a longtime nurse, hospitality has always come naturally.
“Our goal has always been to create an experience for our guests and to provide a place for the Natchez community to gather, talk, and continue to build a sense of community,” she said.
What I appreciate most about Dixon Books & Loft is that it feels true to both the building and the surrounding city.
For more than 150 years, people have walked through these doors. At one time, they came looking for paint, wallpaper, and decorative finishes. Later, they stopped in for China and gifts. Today they’re browsing books, sipping coffee, attending author events, gathering for book clubs, or checking into the loft upstairs.
The merchandise looks different from what it did in 1870, but the building is still doing what it’s always done—welcoming people through its doors.
As I learned more about Jennifer’s story, I kept thinking about those childhood trips she took with her mother. Back then, she was simply a little girl wandering Main Street, peeking into shops and exploring a town she loved.
She couldn’t have known that one day she’d own one of the buildings she admired.
But that’s part of what makes Natchez special.
You never know what memory you’re making while you’re there.
So if you’re planning a trip, stop by Dixon Books & Loft. Browse the shelves, grab a cup of coffee, spend a little time downtown, and take in the stunning view from the bluff. You might leave with a good book, but you’ll almost certainly leave with a new appreciation for a city that has been capturing people’s imaginations for generations.