NATCHEZ — When The Dart found Jennie Allen on North Meadow Road, she was relaxing as part of the long weekend break from school.

But when the 20-year-old marketing major heads back to Mississippi State University Tuesday, it’ll be time to hit the books and study hard so she can one day make her dream of owning her own business come true.

“I want to go into retail because I like shopping a lot,” she said. “When I finish school, I want to work for somewhere big like Saks or Neiman Marcus, and then eventually leave and have my own store.”

Flipping through a closet filled with items she’s bought, Allen said, “These are the kind of things I would like to put in my store.”

Items Allen said she wants to sell include purses, shoes, tops, and possibly jewelry.

“I think it would be fun to be the person who picks out the things that are sold in the store,” she said.

And while she hasn’t chosen a specific space for when she opens the business, Allen said she has a general location in mind — downtown Natchez.

“I think it would be neat to move off and work for a bigger place, and then come back here and open it,” she said.

Main Street or Franklin Street would be the chosen location for her local retail venture, and Allen said her family has had a history of owning businesses in that area.

“That’s the historic area, and that’s the main strip, where all the tourists go, and that’s where all of the activity would be going on,” she said.