Midmorning With Aundrea Special 6/3/20 - Viewer's Choice Awards #3

(Part 1 of 2) In a special Midmorning With Aundrea, we present this year's Viewer's Choice Awards for the best businesses in North Mississippi!

Take it pkg aundrea self: pkg aundrea self: we continue to honor our viewers choice winners, the best of the best in all the categories, and joing us now from flex chiropractic is dr. shaina thomas, from goose hollow furniture and the best furniture store category is chuck strickland, and best coffee, beans and cream, joining us is cj andrews, and neil ferguson.

Congratulations to all of you.

Chuck strickland: thank you.

Aundrea self: let's start... we're going to start with some wellness.

Flex chiropractic, dr. shaina thomas, tell us about the services of flex chiropractic.

Dr. shaina thomas: the services that we offer are, like you said, wellness is what we focus on, but obviously people come in with pain.

That's normally what we're known for, and so we do focus on the spine overall health mobility, and being able to get people back to the life that they want to live.

Aundrea self: we are in some unique times, we've heard this time and time again.

So, how is your business, particularly one that requires a lot of close contact, handling how you deal with your patients.

Dr. shaina thomas: we've taken all of the precautions necessary.

We had cleaned and sanitized beforehand, and we just heightened that, obviously, in the general areas.

We've also made it more efficient for patients to actually call our office, to give their symptoms over the phone, and then we call them directly back to the doctor, so that way we limit any contact with other patients at this time.

Dr. shaina thomas: so, we've been very efficient with that and just making sure that we keep their health and wellness at top of mind, really.

Aundrea self: you also have the top of mind community, as well.

Tell us about this give back movement you have going on.

Dr. shaina thomas: yes, we have... this is something that's a nationwide movement that we've joined with a lot of chiropractors across the nation.

Our big thing is we want to give back to our community.

We love our communities.

They're the reason why we're here, and what we do is with our new patient services, we ask, when they come in, for everything for first day services is a $40 fee that we turn back and donate to local charities.

During this time, we've been able to raise, through the last two months, over 300 or $3,000, sorry, for local charities that are going back to help replenish resources for those that have been used up during this time, and we'll continue to do that and give back to our community in order to help.

Aundrea self: well, certainly we're living in a time where charities, supplies are being depleted.

So, what you're doing there at flex chiropractic is important work.

Thank you so much, dr. shaina thomas from flex chiropractic.

Again, congratulations.

Dr. shaina thomas: thank you.

Aundrea self: all right.

Best furniture store.

Chuck strickland, joing us from goose hollow.

So, let's talk about furniture.

Is this a time when people are buying furniture?

Chuck strickland: luckily, yes.

I guess we had a lot of pinup demands, so it's been great with the stimulus itself is almost like a different tax season.

So, it's been super good for us.

We've been very, very lucky.

Aundrea self: you have two locations, right?

That people can come and actually get to the showroom?

Chuck strickland: we do, we have one right by jim's clothing, that's like our outlet.

Then, we have one right next door to dirt cheap.

In the future, we're fixing to get expanded.

We're going to make it a little bit larger, so we're grateful that the community supports us and we're glad that they voted us number one.

We sure do appreciate it.

Aundrea self: most industries go through seasons of when they know what type of merchandise people are buying.

We're moving into the summer months, so in terms of furnishings and things for the home, what are customers looking for?

Chuck strickland: well, after they'd been pinned up like they have, everybody's got a lot of ideas of what they need, simply because they've been in their homes.

So, it's been a plus for us, but during the summer months you sell a lot of bedding, and then when you get back towards august, you start gearing up for kids.

You sell more bunk beds, desks, things like that.

But as it goes, like i said, we've been very, very lucky and just hope it keeps up, and i hope everybody stays safe and follows the guidelines.

We've done everything we can, but we've been super lucky and i hope the business keeps to be good.

Aundrea self: you have very loyal customers in the golden triangle in north mississippi, but you've got some folks over in west alabama who come over quite often.

Chuck strickland: oh gosh, yes, , millport.

We have a ton of them, we have people down in macon.

Without them, it would be no us.

So, we've been here a little over 40 years, so we we're very, very grateful for everybody.

We plan on giving him the best deals we can and if they'll support us, we'll keep supporting them.

Aundrea self: where are you doing something right, because they say you're the best.

So, congratulations.

Chuck strickland: thank you, thank you very much.

Aundrea self: all right.

How about a nice cup of coffee from beans and cream?

Cj andrews and neil ferguson.

Congratulations to you.

Cj andrews: thank you.

Neil ferguson: thank you.

Cj andrews: we really appreciate it.

Aundrea self: tell us what makes it so special at beans and cream.

Neil ferguson: yeah, so we actually roast all of our coffee in house.

We have a roaster in the back called southbound coffee cow.

So, the taste you get from our coffees because it's roasted usually within that week.

So, it's the freshest coffee that you can obviously get around, but we roast it really well, too.

Aundrea self: i hear you're the head roaster.

Is that right?

Neil ferguson: i'm one of the head roasters.

Yes, me and are both the head roasters here at southbound.

Cj andrews: yeah.

Aundrea self: one thing- cj andrews: .

Aundrea self: go ahead.

Cj andrews: oh, i was just going to say, i think what makes beans and cream so special is the community.

Really, beans and cream has been here for 16 years.

We've been the owners for two years, but ut it's the people that just stay faithful in the midst of craziness and just continue to come and visit us and support us.

We're so grateful for that, really.

Aundrea self: well, and i was going to say, is that when you find a good shop that you really love, it becomes maybe a second home for you, because you go there and you find what you love to drink and you read and you meet friends and all of that.

Aundrea self: you also have just launched a website.

Tell us about the website.

Neil ferguson: yeah.

So our website is www.southboundc offee.com., and that's our, obviously our groceries website, but that's where you can learn more about us, learn more about our coffee and you can also order from online and we'll ship it to wherever you're at.

Neil ferguson: when you're in the community, you can come here and pick it up too, but we just use that as an extension of us to really give everyone a chance to have great coffee at home.

Cj andrews: yeah.

We're working on launching an app, too, where you can order coffees for beans and cream, like you have the mobile order app.

We're working on that, too.

So, that's coming soon.

Aundrea self: well, we're all very technologically advanced.

Some of us like to do everything on the go, so i think the app is going to be a real success for you.

Cj andrews: we agree.

Aundrea self: congratulations again, to all of you.

Flex chiropractic, goose hollow furniture and beans and cream for being voted the best by our viewers.

Thank you for joing us.

Chuck strickland: thank you so much.

Neil ferguson: thank you.

Cj andrews: thank you.

Aundrea self: all right, we're introducing you all to the best of the best, and we will be aundrea self: we are back for a special edition of mid-morning where we are recognizing our viewers choice winners.

And we're happy to have joing us now from columbus main street, barbara bigelow.

Also joining us from in our best manufactured housing category, it is sean gates.

And from cpr cell phone repair geeks, ben mitchell.

Congratulations and welcome to all of you.

Sean gates: thank you.

Barbara bigelow: thank you.

Good morning.

Aundrea self: let's get started.

Barbara bigelow, from main street columbus, who won best downtown, best festival, best local produce.

Just the best.

Barbara bigelow: we are the best in columbus, aren't we?

We are very happy and want to thank all those that voted for us in all three categories.

It's very special to us that we do appreciate it.

First, best festival was the market street festival.

We rescheduled that until september.

So be sure to mark your calendars for september 11th and 12th.

Barbara bigelow: and best fresh produce was the hitching up farmer's market.

Of course, the farmer's market is in operation now with just a few restrictions, but it's going great, and it hopes to have a lot of produce for you in the month of june, so be sure to come out and call on us for those.

Barbara bigelow: and then the best downtown, of course, is columbus downtown.

We're very proud of our downtown.

Finally reopening after covid, and we are really happy with our businesses.

So far, everyone that's been allowed to reopen has reopened, so we're very excited about that, and we just want to ask everyone to come down and it's the best time right now to support your local businesses.

So we're doing all we can downtown and we'd like you to come down.

You'll find it very safe, and we're following the cdc recommendations and making sure we do it in the best possible way.

Aundrea self: you all have a special fundraiser that's going on.

Tell us about that, barbara.

Barbara bigelow: we do, thank you.

It's called support local business.

You can go to a website.

It's supportlocal, c-o- l, like as in columbus, supportlocalcol.c om.

We have t- shirts, they're support local business t-shirts, and the funding from that goes to a business relief fund for downtown businesses.

You can also purchase, i have one right here, support local business car decals, and that's $5, and that also goes to this business relief fund.

So we invite anyone to go before monday at noon.

Sure to be in our office the following friday.

And they go on a couple more weeks.

Aundrea self: all right.

Well, we love that.

One of the things we've seen people do is really come together for local businesses during this time.

So again, congratulations to columbus main street for the great work you're doing.

Barbara bigelow: thank you.

Thanks again to cbi.

Aundrea self: all right.

We move now to best manufactured housing.

That is mills home center.

Sean gates, congratulations.

Sean gates: yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

We really appreciate it.

And we want to thank all the viewers for voting for us here.

I mean, it's a tough business and we sell a lot of homes.

I mean, we're basically getting your dream home to you.

Aundrea self: so tell us what people will find when they come to visit you.

What do you need to know from them when they come to talk to you about that dream home?

Sean gates: well first, we take them out.

We find their dream home.

We ask them what they're looking for, if they're looking for a two- bedroom, three- bedroom, four- bedroom, five- bedroom, or six- bedroom, and we've even got the option of a seven- bedroom.

We carry champion, we carry platinum, sunshine, fleetwood, scott built, clayton, savannah.

We have a very large variety of selection homes.

Aundrea self: and right now, how's business going for you right now?

A lot you've been having ... sean gates: it's going great, it's going great.

We wish the weather would kind of let up on us.

We've gotten over, i'd say, 15 homes ready to go out, and with the weather, it's been kind of a hassle and it's given us some trouble, but hopefully it'll clear up and we can get these homes delivered and these customers happy.

Aundrea self: well, one thing about your business is that you get to meet families and you get to deliver a lot of happiness, don't you?

Sean gates: yes.

Ma'am, yes.

Ma'am.

I build a lot of relationships with my customers.

Once we sell a home with mills home center, it don't stop there.

We continue our relationship.

They bring us food.

We go to family dinners.

I mean, they love my day, greg gates.

I mean, they bring him all kinds of good stuff.

Aundrea self: well, you help them find a home and then they invite you over for dinner.

That's a pretty cool deal there.

Sean gates: yes.

Ma'am, yes, ma'am.

Aundrea self: all right, sean gates from mills home center.

Again, congratulations to you.

Sean gates: thank you.

Aundrea self: our audience has spoken.

They say you're the best.

All right, now here's a guy i need to have on speed dial.

This is, joing us now, ben mitchell, is from cpr cell phone repair geeks, and best cell phone repair service.

Congratulations to you.

Ben mitchell: thank you very much.

We appreciate it.

Aundrea self: so tell us exactly what you do.

Ben mitchell: we kind of do it all.

Through this whole thing everybody's been working from home now.

With the teleworking and kids being out of school, they need to do their homework at home.

I guess that's kind of done now, but now their faces are in their screens with their ipads, their phones, their video games.

We fix, we repair, any cell phone, laptop, tablet, video game console.

I mean, you name it.

Ben mitchell: we also sell a lot of cell phone accessories.

We have pretty much anything you can think of when it comes to cell phone accessories, tablet accessories, chargers, cases, otterbox.

We got the nimbus nine.

We are actually a zag installation warranty center for the zag screen protectors as well.

Aundrea self: so you basically are really the er for your cell phones, our phones and all of our devices.

It's like an appendage, and if something goes wrong, we need some help.

Ben mitchell: yes, yes, yes.

We do, we try to be the one-stop shop for anything that keeps you connected, your mobile life.

We save your mobile life.

Aundrea self: and before i let you go, i want you to tell folks what you told us.

You gave us a little bit of hint about if you drop your phone in water, what do you say?

Ben mitchell: so if it's ever been dropped in water, never plug it in.

Get it to somebody within 24 hours.

The rice thing is kind of okay, but bring it into somebody that can take it apart, clean it out really good, and just never, ever, ever plug it in.

Aundrea self: see?

We got you some free advice.

Thank you so much.

Ben is with us from cpr cell phone repair.

Again, barbara bigelow from columbus main street.

And from mills home center, sean gates.

Congratulations again to all of you for being voted the best.

Barbara bigelow: thank you.

Sean gates: thank you.

Ben mitchell: thank you.

Aundrea self: we will be right back, everybody.