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Over the next five years the dream grew to a priority and was
made to fit into the Raggio schedules. In August of 2022, Raggio
Mercantile at 112 West Main Street in Raymond, Mississippi, opened
for business.
Arrive at Raggio Mercantile where rhythm and blues music is
playing from Turtlebox speakers (items available in the store).
The tone is set for a man’s shopping mecca.
An electric bike is parked near the entrance,
another one of the uncommon items
available in the store.
Step into Josh’s man cave of the extraordinary
and unique. The aroma of Josh’s own
line of candles immediately introduce you
to what your eyes and touch are about to
experience. There’s an entire section of
Raggio soaps, lotions, and Raggio Manfume, plus a selection of
exclusive coffee, popcorn, jams, and caramels.
The displays are marked by the skill of Raggio’s artistry – an
ability to offer such a wide variety of items without looking crowded
or unorganized. There are handmade leather items, canvas bags,
handmade knives and a humidor holding a selection of specialty
cigars. Blue Delta designer jean samples give the customer the chance
to feel and select his color of choice. Raggio’s is
the only place in central Mississippi to offer the
twelve measurements
that make this jean
the most customfitted
available.
A variety of devotional books geared for men are on another
display table. One of Josh’s good friends is making news with his line
of Lite Boots – the cardboard-light kind. Josh proudly offers this line
in his store.
Stately prints of Josh’s duck calls hang along one wall – an added
feature Josh offers to the purchaser of his duck calls who want the
one-of-a-kind art piece to be pictured in another
art form. Ann has added an attractive line of
jewelry for those ladies who shop with their
husbands.
Uniqueness, quality, and collectability
distinguish the items in Raggio’s Mercantile.
This treasure-trove building, which stood as a
drugstore for fifty years, has taken on new life.
From the merchandise section, you can look
through windows at the back of the store into Josh’s workshop –the
actual place where the “duck call guy” constructs his now famous
duck calls. According to the materials, inlays, and carvings, the
price can range from $550 to $5,000. His two-year backlog on
orders confirms his artistry and demand for his gift of replicating
duck language.
Small-town Raymond, Mississippi? Miles off the beaten path?
Prices reflecting one-of-a-kind quality craftsmanship? None of the
above have clouded Josh’s expectations for Raggio Mercantile. “I do
see a shift in consumer shopping at Amazon and Walmart to shop
local and shop small,” Josh says of the future.
A visit to this destination will give you a new perspective on
small-town treasures and artisans that turn dreams into reality.
MISSISSIPPI Woods&Water 57