A publication by VIP Jackson for the Greater Jackson Chamber
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BUSINESS
Start Ups, Conglomerates, & Everything In-Between
Jackson has long been a place where ideas take root and grow, where entrepreneurship is encouraged then actively nurtured. Our community offers small business owners a genuine leg-up, thanks to supportive spaces like The CO and The Local Downtown Jackson, which provide more than just shared work environments. They offer connection, mentorship, collaboration, and the kind of creative energy that turns side dreams into storefronts and passion projects into sustainable livelihoods. This community has a belief that when one entrepreneur succeeds, the entire community rises with them.
What makes this spirit even more remarkable is the sheer range of talent and craftsmanship found here. Jackson is a city of makers and builders, where custom cabinetry, artisan goods, original artwork, thoughtfully designed interiors, thriving logistics companies, law firms, a vast variety of small businesses, specialty foods, clothing, photography, and innovative services are not only imagined but produced with pride. Behind so many local brands are people who chose to stay, to invest, and to create right here at home, building businesses that reflect both their individuality and their love for this place. Their work competes on a national level while remaining rooted in local identity. In an era when small towns sometimes struggle to retain talent, Jackson stands apart as a community where entrepreneurship is celebrated, creativity is cultivated, and business owners are given both the tools and the encouragement to thrive.
On June 19, 2025 the Dixie® Tableware plant in Jackson, TN, celebrated its one year anniversary of product distribution. The monumental moment acknowledges the first new Dixie® greenfield plant build since the Bowling Green, Kentucky, facility opened in 1991. This new location serves as a promising economic driver within the community. Jackson’s strong manufacturing footprint, skilled workforce and vibrant community, made it the perfect location for the new plant.
The company also noted that Jackson’s wonderful, vibrant community was also an important deciding factor, and leaders at the facility wanted to emulate the local spirit in both the products that they make and for the employees that come into work each day. This Dixie® location has cultivated a community spirit by inviting local artist and Jackson native, Samantha Wood, to share her artwork with the facility. Her bold, colorful artwork now lines the breakroom walls, celebrating everyday moments while giving employees and visitors a sense of place and pride. Dixie® wants to remind its employees that their service means more than just stamping plates, it is providing for local families and bettering the entire area.
Jackson has embraced Dixie® from the very beginning, allowing us all to grow together. Wehave a dynamic team at Dixie Jackson utilizing their talents daily to support the numberone brand in tableware. I am excited to help each of them reach their full potential.
Mike Cook, Plant Director
The LOCAL in downtown Jackson is a launchpad for small business dreams. Designed to give business startups a tangible place to begin, The LOCAL offers emerging entrepreneurs the opportunity to lease a physical space for a year, a micro-retail unit with low overhead, providing the stability and visibility needed to grow a brand, build a customer base, and test a business model in real time.
It’s a place where ideas move beyond concept and into community, where passion meets opportunity, and where local support makes a meaningful difference. Each shop that opens its doors at The LOCAL represents courage, creativity, and commitment to this city. Recently, all four businesses operating within The LOCAL were female-owned, a powerful reflection of the talent and leadership rising within Jackson’s entrepreneurial community. Together, they illustrate what The LOCAL does best – create space for possibility, nurture independent voices, and help turn small beginnings into lasting impact. A place to start – right here at home. The LOCAL has been a catalyst for Downtown growth.
I am a fourth-generation Jacksonian, andI love this city. It fills my heart with suchpride to be able to grow a thriving businesshere and contribute to the community
Jackson is built on tradition and community and on the remarkable things made here every day. Along familiar highways, Jackson’s workforce reaches far beyond the city limits. MARS produces beloved snacks like Pringles and Cheez-It Snap’d flavors found in pantries around the world. Amcor produces millions of prescription bottles, playing an essential role in healthcare systems nationwide. Toyota’s facility crafts precision engine blocks, components that power vehicles and carry Jackson’s craftsmanship onto roads around the world.
Dixie paper products, another new hometown staple, manufactures the everyday essentials that quietly support businesses, schools, and households. And at Delta Faucet Company’s Jackson facility, beautifully designed fixtures are found in high-end homes, boutique hotels, and designer kitchens across the globe.
Not just factories, but livelihoods, legacies, and living proof that Jackson contributes meaningfully to the world. Each product represents skilled labor, innovation, and the dignity of work. To live in Jackson is to be surrounded by makers, builders, and problem-solvers, shaping not only goods, but the economic heartbeat and identity of the city itself.
