Natchez is going to the ducks.
We’ve always been known for our specialty stores, whether it be boutiques like Darby’s or Mother’s downtown, or larger outlets like Sports Center.
But Randolf Pelligrin of Gatlinburg, TN, who recently bought a second home in Natchez, is looking to take that ethos to the extreme.
“It’s going to be entirely rubber ducks, nothing else.” said Randolf.
Many residents were taken aback by the announcement of “Rubber Duck Depot” last week, made on Pelligrin’s personal Facebook and shared in various Natchez-oriented Facebook groups. The planned 22,000 square foot retail development is set to take shape near Wal-Mart on Sgt. Prentiss Drive.
I asked Pelligrin what lead him to the decision to open such a large specialty store in Natchez. The smile that he had worn throughout the interview up to this point, immediately faded, with his look becoming much more stern and serious “I love rubber ducks” he said.
That singular strange moment aside, the rest of the interview was pretty pleasant. I asked Pelligrin, now smiling again, to share a little more about the store, and he happily obliged, saying “I want Rubber Duck Depot to be not just a place, but a destination, you know Buc-ee’s? We’re Duckey’s”
Groundbreaking on Rubber Duck Depot is set to commence next March.
