Stores look to boost sales during Sales Tax Holiday weekend
Photo: Rivers + Roads Boutique store owner Jade Davis and sales staffer Presley Ikerd are shown inside the store on Highway 51 South in Hernando. Jasmine Dunn (not shown) is the other co-owner of the new women’s clothing and accessories shop. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
July 11, 2025 – Today starts the first Mississippi sales-tax free weekend for co-owner Jade Davis’ Rivers + Roads Boutique as a “brick and mortar store” and Davis said she’s looking forward to it.
The women’s store in the Shops at Wolfe Crossing, 2662 Highway 51 South in Hernando, has been involved in sales tax-free weekends before, but as an online sales location.
Beginning today, Rivers + Roads shoppers will have a double dose of savings. Hernando stores, like Davis’ shop, are now involved in a Hernando Main Street Chamber of Commerce Sidewalk Sale promotion through Saturday.
At the same time, qualifying sales will not be charged the mandatory Mississippi state sales tax of seven percent during a Sales Tax Free Holiday through Sunday.
The exemption applies to qualifying clothing, footwear and school supplies priced under $100 each. This does not apply to rentals, items over $100, or non‑eligible merchandise. The exemption also applies to in-store or online purchases during the weekend.
Stores like Rivers + Roads are confident their shoppers will get real savings on new clothes just in time for the start of school in a couple of weeks.
“Thankfully, the Hernando Main Street Chamber of Commerce Summer Sidewalk Sale is going on and they’ve been promoting it and we’ve been piggybacking off that,” Davis said. “I think it’s a great time for anybody, whether you’re in back-to-school season or just want to save some money. You can take advantage of our sale and also not pay any taxes.”
Other stores are providing extra savings during the weekend as the State of Mississippi offers its Sales Tax Holiday. The first Sales Tax Holiday was held in late July and Aug. 1, 2009 with clothing and shoes exempt. School supplies were added to qualifying purchases in 2019. Last year was the first time the holiday was held during the second weekend of July instead of later in the month, with more schools starting classes closer to the start of August.
For instance, stores at Tanger Outlets in Southaven will feature special promotions, such as 50 percent off everything in the store at Under Armour, dress shirts starting at $39.99 at Johnston & Murphy, shorts at $16.99 and $19.99 at Lee Wrangler, 50 percent off plus an additional 20 percent on all full price. Gap is offering school uniforms at 30-50 percent off, plus a kids’ clearance of an additional 50 percent off.
Davis said Rivers + Roads began in November 2018 as an online business only and she and her co-owners became the “Queens of Jeans” as business increased each year, thanks to the wide selection of jeans, such as Judy Blue and Just Black Denim. They were also doing in-person events, the number of which were cut back when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived.
Davis and co-owner Jasmine Dunn turned the store into a “brick and mortar” storefront when space at the Shops at Wolfe Crossing became available and the store opened in late June.
Rivers + Roads offers more than jeans, however, with dresses and shoes from brands like Corkys.
“We have dresses that would be appropriate for church on Sunday or slightly dressier for other occasions,” Davis said. “For shoes, we really like the brand Corkys. Their shoes have a cushion that’s like a memory foam. Once you try them on, I guarantee you’re going to buy them and it will become an obsession.”
Rivers + Roads also features accessories, purses, jewelry, hats, and new items, like perfumes.
Davis expects the Sales Tax Holiday will boost sales and visibility for the store, leveraging off the Hernando chamber’s summer sidewalk sale.
You can learn about Rivers+Roads Boutique by visiting their website.
The Mississippi Department of Revenue has information regarding Sales Tax Holiday 2025 in the following document:
