Best Web Design in Southaven, MS (2026)

Web Design for Southaven, Mississippi

Southaven is the largest Memphis suburb and the third-most populous city in Mississippi, spread across DeSoto County just over the Tennessee line. What began as postwar starter-home subdivisions has grown into a retail, sports, and concert destination for the Mid-South. Its position at the state's northern edge earned it the nickname 'The Top of Mississippi.'

AppWT works with Southaven, MS businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About Southaven

Also known as. The Top of Mississippi. The Tip of the 'Sip.

History. The community grew from residential subdivisions developed just south of the Whitehaven neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee; the name literally means 'south of Whitehaven.' Holiday Inn founder and Memphis homebuilder Kemmons Wilson was behind the early starter-home developments that seeded the town. Construction of Interstate 55 through the area in the 1970s accelerated growth, and Southaven incorporated as a city in 1980. An EF-2 tornado struck the city on February 5, 2008, during the Super Tuesday tornado outbreak.

Local economy. Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto is one of the city's largest employers and a regional healthcare anchor. Retail is a defining industry, with Southaven Towne Center (an open-air mall) and Tanger Outlets Southaven (opened November 2015, roughly 70 stores). Its location in the Memphis metro, minutes from Memphis International Airport, ties it to regional logistics and distribution. In January 2026, xAI announced a major data-center investment in the Southaven area.

Culture and community. Southaven Springfest, held each spring at Snowden Grove Park, features a carnival midway, fair food, and the State of Mississippi Barbecue Championship sanctioned by the Memphis Barbecue Network and Kansas City Barbeque Society. The BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove (about 4,500 capacity) draws touring country and rock acts. Notable people with ties to the city include author John Grisham, singer-songwriter Cory Branan, and MLB players Austin Riley (Atlanta Braves) and Blaze Jordan. Snowden Grove Park's baseball complex hosts youth tournaments including Dizzy Dean World Series events.

What makes Southaven distinct. The city's name is a geographic pun, coined simply because it sits south of Memphis's Whitehaven. It was effectively spun out of the vision of Holiday Inn's founder, Kemmons Wilson. Southaven was home to the Mississippi RiverKings minor-league hockey team from 2000 to 2018. Flight paths into nearby Memphis International Airport make aircraft noise a familiar feature of local life.

Southaven Landmarks and Local Life

• Landers Center - an arena and expo hall that has hosted the Memphis Hustle (NBA G League) and large events including presidential rallies in 2018 and 2022
• Snowden Grove Park - a large baseball and events complex with a pedestrian bridge
• BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove - the outdoor concert venue
• Tanger Outlets Southaven and Southaven Towne Center - the city's major shopping destinations