by Jeff Clark, Staff Writer
PASS CHRISTIAN (GG) — It started as a vision Dorothy Roberts had for a place to sell her handmade jewelry. But 10 years later, it is one of the busiest shops in Pass Christian.
On Saturday, the Roberts family gathered to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Robin’s Nest, Dorothy Roberts’ storefront, which opened 10 years ago.
“I was selling my jewelry at festivals and different venues like the Gulfport Gallery of Fine Art,” Roberts said. ” I had the opportunity to retire from the state in 2015. I decided I wanted to retire and thought it would be really cool to run a small gift shop.”
Roberts said she decided to name the shop after her sister and “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts. Robin, a 1979 graduate of Pass High, fought a very public battle with breast cancer beginning in 2012.
“I wanted to name it in honor of Robin,” Roberts said. “At that point, she had been quite ill for two or three years. She had a tremendous fan base, and she still does; people are praying for her. I thought it might be a way for people to visit our town and come into this little shop, which was named after her. That’s how the name came about.”
Roberts opened the store and brought in some of her artist friends to sell the items on consignment.
“It was the natural progression from me making my own jewelry and selling it to have a venue to sell it,” she said.
In January 2022, Roberts opened Roberts Place Café, located right next to Robin’s Nest on Davis Avenue. She said she wanted to open the café in honor and memory of her parents, whom she noted loved living in Pass Christian.
“I purchased the property when I purchased the ‘Nest,” she said. “It was a house that had such a homey feel to it. I wanted to open a café as a tribute to my parents’ lives. I didn’t have a food service background when we opened it, but I had some people helping me along the way. I still do. The first year was quite a challenge. The restaurant industry is one of the most challenging businesses I could ever imagine. I’m not even a cook.”
In the 10 years since Robin’s Nest opened its doors, there has been a low level of growth in Pass Christian, particularly in the downtown area. Roberts said she has embraced the change and sees it as an opportunity.
“I see all of this as a good thing for our community,” she said. “All of the businesses are going to have to recalibrate. It’s up to us as the business owners to figure out how to market our niche and our stores accordingly to make sure that we are capturing the businesses that are coming into town. I’m very hopeful that all of this will feed into each other. That’s important in a small town.”
Front Photo by Jeff Clark/The Gazebo Gazette. Inside Photo submitted by Robin’s Nest of Pass Christian.
