Neighborhood Business Highlight: Neilson’s
Co-Owner, Amanda Hyneman
The South’s oldest store and the nation’s 16th oldest, Neilson’s Department Store has been serving Oxford residents since 1839. From specialty apparel for women, men and kids to wedding registries to gifts to cosmetics, Neilson’s is THE place to shop on the Oxford Square.
William Smith Neilson, born in 1812, worked as a merchant for his uncle’s store in East Tennessee before buying the store. His first store was a small log cabin on the North side of the Courthouse Square in Oxford that opened in 1839. He stocked groceries, hardware, drugs, even coffins- everything in a store a pioneer family might need. In 1964, the Neilson family sold their interest to the Lewis family. The current family’s patriarch, Mr. William Lewis, Jr., is co-owner of the store with his three children, Goodloe Tankersley Lewis, Lydia Lewis Myers, and Amanda Lewis Hyneman, but William and Amanda now run the day to day at the store.
After graduating from Ole Miss, Amanda worked in Memphis at Oak Hall, a premier clothing store. She was excited to take on the day to day affairs at her family’s store when her Aunt decided to retire. We asked her what she loves most about her job. She shared, “I love the people I work with and I love to see new and familiar faces each day. It is so fun to meet new parents and students each year and follow them throughout their college career, but my favorite is all the loyal customers we have that come in every day. Every day is a new day and that is what makes working here so fun and special.”
Neilson’s has a prime location on the Oxford Square!Amanda shared, “Well, the Square is a special place. If you come to Oxford, your first stop is usually the Square. We are so lucky to be surrounded by great restaurants, offices, and other retail establishments. Even if your destination isn’t Neilson’s, it’s hard to walk by and not come in. I like to say we anchor the Square, but it’s also the businesses around us that keep the square vibrant. The city has provided a fabulous garage that people can park and spend the day enjoying what the Square has to offer.”
Neilson’s is known as one of the best places to get your gameday apparel! With the start of school fast approaching in August, you can expect the store to soon be stocked with fabulous new fall arrivals and gameday clothing. However, you can shop the rest of this month during their summer sale!
We ask our Neighborhood businesses how the Oxford and Lafayette county real estate market affects them. Amanda shared, “The market has certainly played a role in driving business. New people moving to town and weekend homeowners love to come to the Square and shop.”
We are so grateful to Neilson’s Department Store and its legacy of great service, high-end products and dedication to anchoring the Oxford Square business district. Neilson’s is located at 119 Courthouse Square and is open Monday-Saturday 9:00 am – 5:30 pm and some Sundays on busy weekends.
Neighborhoods close by: Jackson Place, Camelia Parc, Belle Maison, The Van Buren, Pecan Grove, Shaw Place, Kennedy Cove, Abby Lane, Tanglewood
