BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — A trip through Brooksville and you're going to notice a whole lot of history.
The Hawkins House is just that. It was built in 1896 by Lena Hawkins and her husband. Hawkins was the first female mayor of Brooksville.
So, it's fitting that the house now belongs to three women-owned businesses.
The Pearl Porch sells omen's clothing and accessories, Westover Flowers has flowers for every occasion, and Mallie Kyla's Cafe offers homemade lunch and dessert.
"Just this sense of community and spirit that we have here. And there's a lot of loyalty, there's a lot of integrity here," Larie Hensley, Owner of Mallie Kyla's Cafe told us. "There's a lot of old values and things that matter, things that aren't in place in a lot of places anymore. It's sad to see. But you know, people come here and they feel that, and hopefully, they take a little bit of it away with them."
When it comes to Brooksville, the local businesses are the heart and soul.
"Oh, I think it's essential to keep the town alive. I really do. I think people feel that when they come in, they say to us, I feel like I'm going to grandma's house. This is so cute. And you know, how long have you been here, and we love that. And then they come back and they tell other people and that's what's gonna keep people coming to our town, and the downtown area. And what's going on here now is just wonderful. We are all so happy about it," explains Hensley.
