A South MS superstore is coming to downtown Biloxi. Here are the details
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Developers plan Sharkheads Downtown at US 90 and Lameuse, filling prime beach lot.
- Pierotich family hires Hanco and Stolarski, schedules construction spring 2026.
- Store will include elevated single story retail, parking below, shark photo op.
The most iconic stretch of Beach Boulevard in South Mississippi is about to take another memorable bite of the Coast tourism economy.
This one-mile stretch — from downtown to the Biloxi Lighthouse — already has two casinos, golden lions guarding the Biloxi Shuckers’ baseball stadium, a 112-foot tall neon Hard Rock guitar, Biloxi’s town green, the working harbor and a statue of Biloxi’s own Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise.
What’s missing on that stretch 20 years after Hurricane Katrina nearly wiped it clean is retail, more specifically in a tourist town the size of Biloxi, a souvenir superstore.
On Wednesday, the Biloxi Development Review Committee got a look at plans for the new Sharkheads Downtown, This new Sharkheads at the corner of U.S. 90 and Lameuse Street will be directly west of the Biloxi Town Green, where the Biloxi Seafood Festival, Cruisin’ The Coast and many events are held throughout the year. It’s easy walking distance to the thousands of hotel rooms at Hard Rock, Beau Rivage Resort and Casino and Hotel Legends.
The prime site has been used for parking since the gas station and barbecue joint there 20 years ago were destroyed by Katrina. Now the Pierotich family, which already owns the two largest souvenir shops in South Mississippi, is ready to start construction on their third.
Work is expected to begin in spring 2026 and take about a year to complete. Like the other two stores, this new downtown location will make an impression beyond the huge selection of T-shirts and souvenirs.
What’s on the way
Sharkheads Downtown has been talked about for years, and now JJ Pierotich and his family are ready to start construction. They hired Hanco General Contractors out of Hattiesburg and architect John Stolarski.
Anyone who’s visited the original Sharkheads and Souvenir City on the Biloxi strip over the past 50 years probably remembers getting their picture taken in the jaws of a giant shark with jagged teeth or a gator with glowing red eyes.
For this new store, “We really feel like we need to incorporate a shark in the design,” Brent Pierotich said while describing how they plan to get visitors to stop and take a photo as they walk through jaws into the new store.
Both of the other souvenir stores are trademark pink — and Sharkheads is so large and bold it’s a landmark boaters aim for as they return to Biloxi from the barrier islands several miles off the coast.
The downtown store instead will be teal with pink accents. The single story building will be about the size of the original, sprawling store, Pierotich said. It will be elevated above the flood level, providing more parking underneath.
Fits in downtown
“It’s not only a retail center, but in a way, Sharkheads is a tourist attraction, too,” said Jerry Creel, Biloxi’s community development director. “People want to go over there to see what’s going on.”
There’s not a lot of retail in the downtown, Pierotich said, yet Hard Rock families staying at the nearby casino hotels want something to do.
Stolarski said a secure outdoor play area is being considered for the kids as part of the plans for the downtown store.
Like their other souvenir stores, this new one will be filled with Biloxi and South Mississippi apparel, toys, gifts, home decor, fun stuff to bring home to family and friends and their own brand of fudge, Pierotich said.
