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Photo essay: The Bread and Butter Shoppe

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2 years ago

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A sign perched on a shelf at Valour Cobbins’ Bread and Butter Shoppe reads, “If you cook, they will come.” 

How else to explain a booming business in the center of downtown Greenwood, a business that was supposed to be the resurrection of a winery that had closed?

“God had other plans … a different route for me,” said Cobbins, as she prepared a chicken salad sandwich for a customer. “This used to be The Winery at Williams Landing. I saw this wonderful space and that a kitchen had been added. However, seeing as how the whole wine making process takes quite a bit of time, I thought, you know I really love cooking. Why not make good, nutritional food and make money too while I get this winery going?”

Plot twist.

Her love for cooking – gourmet cooking at that – and unexpected financial support started Cobbins on a path that would spotlight her culinary talents. 

“If you cook, they will come.”

And come they do.

On a whim, Cobbins says she applied for a grant she spotted while surfing Facebook.

“I thought, why not? The process was simple enough.”

Her whim turned into reality when Cobbins learned she had been chosen to receive a $5,000 Coalition to Back Black Businesses (CBBB) grant, along with a business coach. Optimum, along with parent company Altice USA, broadband communications and video services providers, in partnership with CBBB, also awarded Cobbins a $25,000 enhancement grant that “provides the Black business community with resources, funds, and mentorship opportunities.”

“I’m telling you; it was a blessing. The grants were amazing, something we desperately needed. The pandemic almost put us under.”

“I officially opened in April of 2021. By September, the business was so busy, the winery was put on the back burner. It’s still on the back burner, but not out of the picture,” she said, heading outside to the rear of her shop with a few customers in tow to show off her garden.

“I love gardening too. And a lot of what I cook with, I grow right here in my little garden,” she says, while tending to her tomato plants. 

Located at intersection of Howard Street and Wright Place, the Bread and Butter Shoppe offers a variety of gourmet sandwiches, salads, wraps, specialty teas and smoothies, and fresh juices.

“I’m doing this. Me. And I love it … this … cooking for people,” Cobbins said, adding, “I call myself a ‘solopreneur.’” 

  • Owner/operator Valour Cobbins, at her Bread and Butter Shoppe, located in downtown Greenwood, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Valour Cobbins, owner/operator of the Bread and Butter Shoppe, chats with customers, Tuesday, July 11, 2023, in downtown Greenwood. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • “I love tomatoes,” said Bread and Butter Shoppe owner/operator Valour Cobbins, while tending to a variety of tomatoes, vegetables and herbs in the garden behind her business, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Humorous sign at the Bread and Butter Shopped in Greenwood, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Valour Cobbins, owner/operator of the Bread and Butter Shoppe in downtown Greenwood, checks on the kombucha tea fermenting at her business, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Kombucha is a black tea, sweetened and fermented. It is a probiotic touted for its health benefits. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Chicken salad sandwich preparedfor a customer at the Bread and Butter Shoppe, located in downtown Greenwood, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Bread and Butter Shoppe owner/operator Valour Cobbins (left), chats with customers, Tuesday, July 11, 2023 in Greenwood. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Valour Cobbins, owner/operator of the Bread and Butter Shoppe in downtown Greenwood, prepares a chicken salad sandwich for a customer, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.biloxinewsevents.com/?p=275870

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Mississippi Today

UMMC holds free cancer screenings

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2 days ago

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April 30, 2025

By

mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

  • Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org


Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

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Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

Published

2 days ago

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April 30, 2025

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mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

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Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

Published

2 days ago

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April 30, 2025

By

mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org


Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.

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