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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
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Christina Cannon

Michele Escude’s dream is coming true this month in Fondren. circa., the new retail venue that she and her husband, Craig, created, opened for its soft launch in early November and will enjoy its grand opening during Fondren Unwrapped on Nov. 18.

Michele Escude’s dream is coming true this month in Fondren. circa., the new retail venue that she and her husband, Craig, created, opened for its soft launch in early November and will enjoy its grand opening during Fondren Unwrapped on Nov. 18. Starting with its lime-green awning, it really is a different kind of home and fashion boutique for Jackson. The couple says it showcases “American ingenuity, returning to a simpler way of life, but with a refined flair and a splash of urban coolness.”

Indeed, the shop features unique home and garden wares, crafted by artisans and curated and impeccably arranged by the creative Escudes. You can also purchase unique fashions and accessories and captivating scents and body products.

Get a preview of the Escudes’ unique eye at the BOOM Fashion Show at Duling Hall on Friday, Nov. 12, where they will provide the table décor and other touches. Join Fondren’s newest entrepreneurs for their ribbon-cutting at 4 p.m. on Nov. 17 and, of course, join the world in Fondren the night of Thursday, Nov. 18, for the city’s best holiday-shopping night.

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Previous Comments

The Escudes are extraordinary folks and will do well with circa. Everyone make sure you stop by and wish them well (and spend some money with them!)

Founding Editor Donna Ladd is a writer, journalist and editor from Philadelphia, Miss., a graduate of Mississippi State University and later the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, where she was an alumni award recipient in 2021. She writes about racism/whiteness, poverty, gender, violence, journalism and the criminal justice system. She contributes long-form features and essays to The Guardian when she has time, and was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Jackson Free Press. She co-founded the statewide nonprofit Mississippi Free Press with Kimberly Griffin in March 2020, and the Mississippi Business Journal named her one of the state's top CEOs in 2024. Read more at donnaladd.com, follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @donnerkay and email her at donna@mississippifreepress.org.