Doris Lee Buildings
103 E Prairie Street
The Rise
Built in 1885, 103 E. Prairie Street is one of the early brick structures in downtown Vicksburg. In its early years, it housed a drug store and, upstairs, the Vicksburg Commercial newspaper—a hub of daily commerce and community information on Prairie Street.
In 1917, Herman Faust opened Faust’s Place of Sweets—a combination newsstand, candy, and cigar store that operated for 26 years and became woven into the fabric of the Village. In 1944, Doris and Leland Weick purchased the business and opened the Doris Lee Sweet Shop, carrying on the confectionery tradition. With their own ice cream recipe and a thoughtful selection of sweets and gifts, the shop became more than a store—it was an experience. Their names have remained closely tied to the building ever since.
Doris Lee closed in 1993, after nearly 50 years serving the Village.
The Fall
For the better part of three decades after its closing, the building sat vacant. The Mill’s closure in 2001 only deepened the quiet along Prairie Street. By the time The Mill Group turned its attention to downtown Vicksburg, 103 E. Prairie Street had been waiting a long time for its next chapter.
The Rejuvenation
103 E. Prairie Street was among the first downtown properties restored by The Mill Group, with work completed in 2022—an early step in what has since become a block-by-block return to life for downtown Vicksburg.
Today it is home to Mackenzies Bakery, which opened in April 2022. Revived from a 40-year-old Kalamazoo family bakery, Mackenzies has become a cornerstone of daily life in Vicksburg — a place where neighbors meet, families celebrate and the community reconnects over fresh-baked bread and locally roasted coffee. More than a business, Mackenzies participates in community events and holiday celebrations throughout the year, serving as the kind of daily gathering place small towns had been missing for decades.
