Page 53 - South Mississippi Living - January, 2025

The Face of Revitalization
RAMSAY STEWART TAYLOR
If you’ve been to Pascagoula in the past few years, you’ve almost certainly seen and enjoyed some of Ramsay Taylor’s visions come to life.
Taylor is the son of Dr. Austin and Ariel Taylor and brother to David Taylor of Atlanta, Hanna Mayfield of Ocean Springs, and Cricket Taylor of Austin, Texas. In 2014, Ramsay married McCall Morgan Taylor of Meridian, Mississippi. Together, they have two daughters: Saxton, 6, and Annalise, 3.
A 1995 graduate of Pascagoula High School and a 2000 graduate of the University of Mississippi, Taylor briefly lived in Nashville before moving to Moss Point, where he resided for 17 years. In 2019, he and his family returned to Pascagoula.
In 2002, Taylor and his brother-in-law, Matthew Mayfield, revived
Tay’s Barbeque, a beloved restaurant originally founded by Taylor’s grandparents, Millard and Loyce Taylor, in Columbia, Mississippi, in 1948. The restaurant continues to use the original Taylor family recipes. Taylor is also the owner of Thunders Wine & Liquor and co-owner of several downtown Pascagoula establishments, including Jacks by the Tracks,
The Jury Room, The Dorsey, and coming soon The Hancock Rooftop Bar located on top of the old Hancock Bank building in downtown.
Taylor has been deeply involved in his community. He serves on the Main Street Pascagoula Board, where he is currently in his second term, and was recently appointed to the Jackson County Port Authority Board of Commissioners by Governor Tate Reeves. A member of the YMBC since 2002, Taylor has also held the role of president within the club.
In 2023, he was honored with the statewide Main Street Hero Award by the Mississippi Main Street Association for his significant contributions to revitalizing downtown Pascagoula. His projects include restoring
the Odd Fellas Building, the Old Robertson’s Hardware (most recently known as “the old Monica’s building”), and the Original First Federal Bank building, now home to The W Salon.
In 2024 he was named King of Joy LXXXIV by the Young Men’s Business Club of Moss Point. Over its long history, the formal black tie coronation ceremony has recognized residents of Jackson County who have made meaningful contributions to the community through professional, civic, and personal impacts.
Since 2017, Taylor and his business partners have purchased 13 buildings in Pascagoula, 10 of which are in the downtown area. Six of these
were long vacant but have since been transformed into vibrant mixed- use developments, featuring upscale residential units, retail spaces, restaurants, and bars.
In his free time, Taylor enjoys fishing on the Pascagoula River and around the Chandeleur Islands with his long-time fishing partner, Terry Bounds. Taylor often jokingly refers to Terry as his no-catching fishing partner. He also loves cooking, playing golf, traveling, and boating with family and friends.
Tay’s Barbeque
228.205.2166| 228.474.7050 www.taysbbq.com
Thunders Wine & Liquor
228.471.5170
Jacks by the Tracks
228.334.2337
The Jury Room
228.471.5800
The Dorsey
228.806.1600 www.thedorseypascagoula.com
The Hancock Rooftop Bar
Coming Soon
Follow all Taylors’ business on
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net January 2025 | 53