A peek inside The Downtowner shows big changes at new South MS restaurant
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Renovation transforms former Triplett-Day into 4,500‑sq‑ft Downtowner diner.
- Owners removed interior walls, added HVAC, electrical, commercial kitchen.
- Menu emphasizes Southern breakfast-lunch classics, weekend seafood dinners.
The line that formed Wednesday in downtown Gulfport to buy Loblolly Bakery king cakes soon will become a line to be the first inside The Downtowner when the new restaurant opens later this year.
The former Triplett-Day pharmacy and lunch counter is being transformed into The Downtowner, a cross between a diner and a family restaurant, at 2429 14th St. and U.S. 49 in the middle of downtown Gulfport.
“We’re shooting for late spring. Be on the lookout,” owner Robert St. John said in his latest video update.
The interior has changed dramatically from a year ago, when St. John gave the first tour through the empty building.
Ryan Goldin, the owner of the building, gave another peek at the progress on Wednesday. Walls came down to combine the original Triplett-Day, plus two shops, into a 4,500 square foot space, with seating for 150 to 160 people and a private dining room.
Originally, the opening date was planned for fall 2025, but work was delayed for several months until Gulfport contractor Dan Hensarling was hired to give the building modern convenience with old-fashioned flair.
New restaurant in a landmark location
They found nothing hidden in the rafters and no unexpected issues as the building was taken down to the bare bones. “No hiccups,” Goldin said.
Now it’s all being updated — new HVAC and electrical systems, sheetrock that’s about to be painted and a large new commercial kitchen with new appliances.
Don’t expect it to be a cool, modern look, Goldin said. The Downtowner’s decoration will be reminiscent of Triplett-Day, with a lunch counter and a heaping helping of Gulfport historic pictures and nostalgia.
Customers will sit at booths, tables and a very large common table sized to accommodate breakfast clubs and community groups.
Hearty breakfasts and plate lunches
St. John owns and operates several restaurants in the Hattiesburg area and is a columnist, an author of 13 books and an “enthusiastic traveler,” who hosts several tours of Europe every year.
He always wanted a restaurant on the Coast, he said, where he spent a lot of time while growing up.
The Downtowner is walkable to the Mississippi Aquarium, Jones Park and the Amtrak station, and the menu will be a taste of the South and similar to what’s served at The Midtowner in Hattiesburg.
Eggs, pancakes and breakfast sandwiches are the favorites and a fresh supply of baked goods from his Loblolly Bakery in Hattiesburg will be sent to Gulfport throughout the week.
Lunch will be meat and three sides, featuring fried Mississippi catfish, chicken and dumplings, and other main dishes, plus sides such as fried okra, turnip greens and cheese grits.
The Downtowner is designed to be a breakfast-lunch restaurant, with plans to also open for dinner on weekends for a taste of stuffed flounder, trout almandine and other dishes that few restaurants offer anymore.
