The Estate of Loveta Byrne

Southern Hospitality

From her family’s old wood bureau to an historic home filled with a lifetime collection, Loveta Byrne spent her 92 years on earth surrounded by antiques. As a tiny newborn, she slept tucked within a dresser drawer her parents had outfitted as a crib – an experience, her children speculate, that may have sparked her ardent love of antiques. Loveta was born in Mississippi’s rural Franklin County to a hardworking, poor family; her mother picked cotton and became a hairdresser, and her father served in the Army Corps of Engineers. It’s this upbringing that fed her drive and determination. From a young age, Loveta demonstrated a relentless entrepreneurial spirit, a keen eye for beautiful things and a defining passion for hospitality. These would become key chapters of her remarkable life.

Welcome to Natchez

In the early 1950s, Loveta moved to Natchez, Mississippi for a professional opportunity, but this relocation would change the course of her life forever. Not only would Natchez’s colorful, close-knit and culture-drenched community inspire her, but so, too, would Natchez embrace her as one of its most beloved champions. Over eight decades, Loveta built an impressive career as a Natchez businesswoman, with multiple shops, restaurants and bed and breakfasts to her name.

Loveta was steadfast in promoting Natchez as a place to live and visit, serving as an unofficial ambassador both in town and across the country. She traveled to Hollywood to promote Natchez’s picture-perfect offerings and lovingly welcomed new residents as a member of the newcomers’ committee. She believed Natchez’s history, culture, food, year-round entertainment and antiques scene were second to none.

In the 1970s, Loveta opened the El Farol Spanish Shop in downtown Natchez and would go on to also establish the Serendipity Gift Shop, the Pompous Palate and the Sidetrack. In the 1990s, she received recognition from the Mississippi Restaurant Association for her accomplishments in the restaurant industry. In addition to business ownership, Loveta dedicated herself to numerous civic, church and social affiliations.

In Natchez, Loveta also built a strong network of dear friends, colleagues and neighbors, who admired her tenacity, generosity and meaningful contributions to their community. Upon her passing, The Natchez Democrat remembered Loveta as “a force in Natchez society and business during the modern heyday of the city.”

Dedicated to Service

That Loveta found her footing as a revered figure in Natchez’s food and hospitality industry would surprise no one who knew her. For Loveta, hospitality was both a gift and a love language. Both personally and professionally, it was a means of connection.

From a young age, Loveta possessed a deep love for cooking; she would go on to read hundreds of cooking books in her lifetime. From the kitchen to the front door, Loveta was a constant presence at her restaurants, setting and delivering her vision for the guest experience: service always at the forefront. To her employees, she was a mentor, a force to be reckoned with – always learning, improving and deeply caring about what she did and for whom.

Hospitality was Loveta’s way of expressing how much she cared for and generously took care of people, particularly those who others may see as underdogs. Her children recall open houses held on Christmas Day, when Loveta would welcome dozens of guests to the family’s home for a celebratory day-long feast. Among her cherished traditions and festivities were Mardi Gras and Natchez Pilgrimage Tours.

Loveta thrived when sharing a homemade meal or creating a gathering for those she loved. Her family estimates that she owned thousands of cookbooks during her lifetime. Excited to share a new favorite recipe, she’d write her notes on an envelope and call up her children to share proper instructions.

"When she passed away, our family joked that we should make her tombstone in the shape of an envelope because envelopes were where she would most often jot down her recipes. She loved cooking and entertaining. It’s why we’ve found what seems like a gazillion sets of China, silver…”

–Kristie Chandler,
Loveta’s Daughter

Open Doors

Loveta’s gracious hospitality was especially evident across the several bed and breakfasts she owned and operated during her illustrious business career as well as in the homes she decorated.

In the mid 1970s, over the course of three years, Loveta lovingly restored the historic Glenburnie mansion (est. 1833), fittingly filling it with beautiful pieces from the period. When she later acquired The Burn, she poured her heart into designing and outfitting each of the rooms at the bed and breakfast and catered more than 300 events per year. During her short time in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Loveta also operated the Anchuca Historic Mansion & Inn after living in and decorating several homes in the Garden District of New Orleans.

Always searching for a home that would fit her collection of furnishings, Loveta took on several renovation projects that further cemented her commitment to collecting.

"Mama would tell me that you could always buy new stuff, but when these old windows, doors, furniture, etc. were gone, they were gone forever. It was important to her to not let that happen.”

– Pat Jonaitis,
Loveta’s Daughter

An Eclectic Personal Collection

In Natchez, Loveta’s love of antiques grew exponentially. Inspired by the city’s rich history, distinctive architecture and local antique dealers, she sharpened her knowledge and expanded her taste for beautiful, unique items steeped in stories.

Her knowledge and understanding of antiques came primarily from books, hundreds of them in fact, all still beautifully organized in her treasured bookcases. Inquisitive and genuine in her search for the next interesting item, Loveta amassed an eclectic collection – a reflection of her .

"She truly enjoyed what she collected. She bought what she found interesting or beautiful, and she never stopped collecting, even into her 90s.”

–Kristie Chandler

Loveta was particularly drawn to the stories behind the antiques she collected. She would impress family members, friends and bed-and-breakfast guests alike with her knowledge of the items’ provenance or about who had restored them and when. She displayed and used all of her antiques with great care and, most importantly, joy.

"She loved antiques, but it was the stories she heard or even imagined about those antiques that drew her in. She used antiques to create different worlds. Knowing people’s stories was especially important to her, and she extended the life of those stories by sharing her pieces with a variety of people, both at home and at her B&Bs.”

– Kevin Byrne,
Loveta’s Son

Loveta passed away in Natchez last year at the age of 92. Until her last days, she remained an avid Bridge and Mahjong player, meeting up often with her cherished friends. She most enjoyed the company of her three children, six grandchildren and three great-grand children.

New Orleans Auction is honored to present The Estate of Loveta Byrne, which includes a large collection of American and Continental furniture from Georgian to Victorian periods, Old Paris and other fine porcelains, as well as an even larger selection of silver.

The Estate of Loveta Byrne