Community Through the Cut-Off

A dilapidated former car wash is now a business incubator and vibrant gathering space for the residents of Ripley.

Written by Sonia Thompson  | Photos by Lauren Lindsey of Lolly Lins Photography

Cleaning up spaces that need improving must be ingrained in Elizabeth Behm’s DNA. As a child growing up in Ripley, her father owned the local car wash.

“He would let me keep anything I found in the vacuum if I cleaned it out,” Behm said, laughing.

So, it’s perhaps not a stretch that in Behm’s chosen profession as Ripley Main Street executive director part of her job is to beautify her hometown. And when it was her father’s former car wash that was in dire need of improvement, Behm took action.

The car wash building, which had sat vacant in recent years, is located just off of Ripley’s Main Street. Behm saw potential in the dilapidated area to create something unique in Ripley.

As her ideas percolated, she envisioned a place that would attract people from all aspects of her community. With the help of the Main Street Board of Directors, Behm and her team began cleaning up the real estate, painting, picking up trash, pulling weeds and watering new plants.

With grant funding from the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area, Mississippi Main Street American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and a Fred Carl Jr. Small Town Center Revitalization Grant, Behm and the Ripley Main Street Association came together to help turn the once run-down area into a business incubator.

“Without grants from these organizations, we wouldn’t be able to do things like this,” Behm said. “We are always looking for ways to strengthen and grow our Main Street and our town. A place where small, local businesses can begin and grow is one way to help achieve that goal.”

They transformed the former car wash bays into two small retail spaces designed for entrepreneurs looking to bring their visions to life.

From there, The Cut-Off was officially born. Ripley is located in Tippah County, and Tippah is a Chickasaw word that translates to “cut off.” Using a Chickasaw term in the name set the tone for the rest of the project’s aesthetic, which boasts a distinct Native American tribal flair in color and design. Paying homage to the native tribe are five large portraits of Chickasaw men and women in traditional dress, painted by Ripley native artist Annie Simpson Rivers.

The Cut-Off officially opened in September, and it quickly became clear that it would offer the citizens of Ripley much more than new places to shop. There’s a small stage and seating for live performances, as well as an expansive green lawn dotted with picnic tables. In addition to the five Chickasaw portraits, a large mural of the word Ripley beautifies the area and beckons highway traffic.

“There’s never a time I drive by when I don’t see three or four families just enjoying the space together,” said Chris Lewellen, Tippah County Development Foundation’s executive director.

“We have lost the art of fellowship, and it’s nice to see people there talking to each other, talking with their neighbors.”

Now, The Cut-Off is a vibrant community gathering space, one that gives Behm a good feeling about her hometown.

“I love this project,” she said. “Not just because we turned something ugly into something pretty, but because of the impact it has on our community. It’s so great to drive by here on a Friday night — you see the tables full, kids running around, people playing cornhole. It just adds so much. It’s a real full-circle moment for me.”