PAST THE BLACK iron gate, the driveway extends for miles. Out in the warm southern sun, I spot a man in one of the fields with a fox-red Labrador, fit as a fiddle, off lead on his left heel.
I am greeted at the main shop by Wildrose founder, Mike Stewart; President/Owner of Wildrose Mississippi, Tom Smith; and Pappy—a young black British Labrador who is Stewart’s personal dog.
Stewart, doning a cotton white shirt and a wide-brimmed hat, shakes my hand firmly as I look up at the tall, tan man. His strong, confident handshake confirms that he was a law enforcement officer for 25 years before retiring as Chief of Police for the University of Mississippi.
The Wildrose trading shop is filled with a range of elegant Wildrose-exclusive clothing,…