The popular Bay St. Louis coffee shop and restaurant had been scheduled to close Friday. Owners Martin and Alicein Chambers had cited surging insurance rates coupled with long hours as the reason for closing their Old Town business that also served as a gathering place for residents.
But Thursday night, at a last-hurrah gathering, the couple announced The Peoples Bank local branch had provided another option.
"The bank pulled an 11th-hour restructuring of their loan," said Scott MacDonald, a member of local band Full Cyrcle.
"We were playing last night as a benefit and gift to them and the community," he said Friday. "They made the announcement, and the mood of the crowd changed immeasurably."
The Mockingbird has been serving breakfast, lunch and dinner along with coffee and pastries, but that menu will change, at least for a while, MacDonald said.
"They're scaling a little back, not running full schedule, back to a neighborhood coffee shop," he said.
Jeannie Deen, vice president of The Peoples Bank in Hancock County and an Old Town resident, was also at the gathering Thursday night.
"From the city's standpoint, it's important to support each other," she said. "Small businesses are our lifeline.
"It was delightful. People were crying for joy. It was almost like the community would not let them go."
Martin and Alicein Chambers were not available for comment.
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