Jackson's Banner Hall becomes city's newest Leisure and Recreation District
Patrons can now legally carry open containers of alcohol from shops into the central atrium, a change following a year of planning by property management.
By Ibrahim Howard ·
Jackson's Banner Hall officially became the city's newest Leisure and Recreation District on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. The designation allows visitors to purchase wine and other liquor at participating shops and legally consume those beverages in the building's central atrium. Previously, patrons buying drinks at Broad Street Baking Company were technically prohibited from carrying them outside the shop into the open space.
The change follows a year of planning by the property's management team. Doug Price, the property manager for the three-story building, stated the goal is to make the historic site a more prominent gathering place for its ten retail tenants. Under the new rules, visitors can sip drinks while reading at Leumuria Books or receiving services at the Leumuria Bottle Store. The atrium is lined with sofas and tables to accommodate this new usage.
Price noted that the district status removes the barrier that kept customers inside single storefronts. "So this allows people to buy a beverage, mix and mingle, come outside in the atrium and just kind of hang out, have a little bit more fun and not be stuck in one place," Price said. This shift allows for a more fluid experience where consumers can move between different vendors without losing their place in the space.
Jeff Good, owner of Broad Street Baking Company, has been part of the transition for the past year. His shop began offering wine and beer a year ago and has since added cocktails to its menu. Good described the designation as a culmination of efforts to create a seamless environment. "This is all part of the culmination of making Banner Hall a full featured seamless environment to be able to walk in and out, different locations and enjoy the space and enjoy a beverage while your at it," Good said.
Good believes the change will help the location serve its original intent as a community hub. "People can really use Banner Hall for what I think it really was always intended to be," he said. The designation supports a model where the building functions as a continuous social space rather than a collection of isolated retail units.
Regular hours of operation for the shops will remain unchanged. The only exception involves special events, which may operate on different schedules. An open house was held on Tuesday evening to mark the official launch of the Leisure and Recreation District.
The property consists of a three-story building located on a hill in Jackson. It houses ten shops, including the anchor bookstore and the bakery. The new rules specifically permit open containers in the atrium, a space that was previously a dry zone for purchased beverages.
