“Marry me and I will build you a castle”: The love story behind Margaret’s Grocery

VICKSBURG, Miss. by Evan Winschel (VDN) — Today’s spotlight features two Vicksburg icons, Margaret and Rev. Dennis of Margaret’s Grocery.

From Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee to Shah Jahan’s Taj Mahal, love has inspired countless people to immortalize their affections in stone, art, and the written word. This show of devotion is exemplified best within our city limits at Margaret’s Grocery.

It was 1984. Five years had passed since Margaret’s first husband, Abie Lee, had been tragically killed during a robbery at their grocery store. For 35 years, Margaret and Abie had operated their modest grocery just north of downtown in the Kings community, selling everyday essentials to an appreciative clientele—many of whom did not have the ability to travel into town regularly. After three decades happily married and running a business together, Margaret was forced to carry on alone. That is, until two of her friends decided to play matchmaker.

“Margaret, we know a man that’s here in Vicksburg. He’s a preacher. He needs a wife, and you need a husband.” Pretty sound reasoning, right? With the insistence of her friends, and probably with low expectations, Margaret made the acquaintance of Rev. Herman Dennis. And wouldn’t you know it, they hit it off! Their shared devotion to God and love of people proved to be an incredibly strong foundation for their relationship.

After a few months of courtship, Rev. Dennis proposed: “Marry me and I will build you a castle.” Who could deny such a proposal? True to his word, Rev. Dennis immediately started work on his promise after they tied the knot in June.

With an exceptionally creative mind and a background in bricklaying during WWII, Rev. Dennis used everything from cinder blocks and bottle caps to Styrofoam balls and Mardi Gras beads to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. The vibrant hues of pink, red, blue, and white were chosen to reflect his and Margaret’s view that they didn’t “see black and white. We only see God’s children.” Because, after all, “You can’t have a bouquet of flowers without different colors.”

As the years changed, so did the grocery. Towers grew taller and taller. Handmade signs with messages of inclusivity adorned the façade. Beads were painstakingly glued to the ceiling of a decommissioned bus turned Preacher’s chapel. Truly a sight to behold, the ever-evolving structure inevitably drew notice from people far and wide. But perhaps the biggest draw was Margaret and Rev. Dennis themselves. Always eager to welcome anyone to their grocery and share their message of love, people from all walks of life would pilgrimage to Margaret’s Grocery for the opportunity to hear Rev. Dennis share his gospel.

By the early 2000s, Margaret’s Grocery was solidified as a true icon of folk art, but it had also begun to show the weathers of time. Both Margaret and Dennis continued to maintain the building as best they could, until age prohibited them from doing so. Eventually, living independently became too much, and they relocated to Vicksburg Convalescent, where Margaret passed away in 2009. Rev. Dennis followed three years later, with his obituary appearing in papers across the country.

In their absence, Margaret’s Grocery fell victim to vandalism and the unforgiving elements. For years, people within the community proposed relocating some of the art installations downtown, but those plans never came to fruition. Thankfully, restoration efforts kicked off in 2017 when the Mississippi Folk Art Foundation, spearheaded by Suzi Altman, stepped in to preserve this one-of-a-kind treasure for future generations.

Special thanks to Suzi Altman for allowing us to use her beautiful photograph of Margaret and Preacher.

Cedar Hill Cemetery Association was formed in 2024 with the goal of assisting the City of Vicksburg in restoration and beautification of our historic Cedar Hill Cemetery. The Association will be presenting its inaugural tour event “Voices from the Hills” on October 16, 17, and 18, 2025 as part of Vicksburg’s Bicentennial Celebrations. For more information or to get involved, contact chcassociation@yahoo.com or visit their Facebook page.