Lauderdale County community leaders congratulated a local business on opening its new location in downtown Meridian on Friday as United States Rare Coin & Currency cut the ribbon on its 22nd Avenue storefront.
Owner Thomas Stoute said the ease of the move can only be attributed to God.
“Truly blessed. It is divine intervention,” he said. “I truly believe that God has put his hands on us to be where we are today. So very humbled, very proud, very excited.”
Stoute said the business sees customers from all over the United States who pass through Meridian and stop to visit the store. Having the opportunity to share Meridian’s story and tell visitors about the Queen City is one of the best parts of the job.
“We’re proud, we’re happy, we love the community. We want to raise our family here,” he said. “So, this is very humbling and very exciting and looking for a lot more things to come.”
Helen Sims, membership director for the East Mississippi business Development Corporation, thanked Stoute and his family for investing in Meridian and Lauderdale County. Not only are they supporting their community, but their business also meets the needs of a unique clientele that otherwise may not come to the area.
“What people don’t realize is how many people he’s bringing to our community that are stopping and coming in off the highway and are able to discover our little community,” she said.
Meridian City Councilman Tracy Tims also extended thanks to the Stoute family both for investing in their community and inviting the public to Friday’s ribbon cutting. The business is in a great location, he said, and he looks forward to seeing it succeed.
United States Rare Coin & Currency is located at 1305 22nd Avenue in Meridian. For more information, visit them online at unitedstatesrarecoin.com.