About Us

The Holy Moly, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Mission:

"The Holy Moly" aims to help initiate, support, and develop creative pursuits that further enrich the culture and economy of the historic downtown Clarksdale, Mississippi, area, as well as create employment opportunities for local people.

Carla & Adrian
(September 2012, photo by
Susan Gordon-Brown)

An Australian-American couple, Carla Maxwell and Adrian Kosky, purchased The Holy Moly in 2012, empty, and unused, but now it is alive and revitalized, and they call it their American home. Adrian and Carla converted the building in to an apartment building, diner, and an occasional event venue. The Holy Moly building -- a recently-revitalised old Masonic Temple building in the centre of the Historic Downtown Blues precinct of Clarksdale, Mississippi -- is listed on the National Register of historic buildings. Adrian and Carla have created four living/working spaces for teachers, artists, and musicians on the ground floor, together with a diner on the corner. Adrian and Carla completed the second floor revitalisation work in 2015. The second floor now lends itself to more creative endeavours and allows them to continue being hosts to family and friends from all over the world. It incorporates their apartment, a large home theatre for music, film and story telling, a green room with living facilities, and a large dining room with a commercial kitchen. This unusual home, “The Holy Moly,” has had its original floor plan retained and recycled to suit and accommodate their desire to host groups of people for workshops, leisure education, and cultural activities. The second floor of The Holy Moly has been used during Juke Joint Festivals 2015-2018, as an official night time venue.

Adrian Kosky at Tasma House and Gardens

About the owners:

Adrian Kosky completed high school in Melbourne Australia, together with two years of university, before setting off on a journey of self-education.

Adrian has created, owned, and operated a number of businesses, spanning 35 years, including food, craft manufacturing, and owner building his own projects.

Although he is not currently active in the music business, Adrian is a singer-songwriter and has four independently-produced CDs.

Adrian once had a "real job" at a large Melbourne community centre, motivating the unemployed and helping them transform themselves and redirect their lives. That experience helped him define his view on what "success" means and the many different ways of measuring it.

Ten years ago, Adrian revitalised an historic wood-fired bakery. Although he's not a baker, the RedBeard Bakery business employs 20 locals in a small rural town of around 600 residents. In 2013 the bakery was declared on the TV show "Master Chef" and by the National Baking Industry Association as "The Best Bakery in Australia."

Adrian owns and operates the Tasma House Daylesford guest house that he revitalised around 15 years ago and, with Carla's help, has made it a mecca for three- and four-generation family gatherings and weddings.

Quirky by nature and driven by a passion for the arts, this early adopter, innovator, and chronic revitaliser has demonstrated more than a passing interest in long-haul international travel, having made his second home in Mississippi. In September 2014, Adrian became a permanent resident of the U.S.A.

Adrian was originally drawn to the blues when he was 13 by the great Muddy Waters. After more than a dozen trips to the U.S. -- Clarksdale, in particular -- Adrian faced his cross roads and has put down roots at the birth place of the blues. He hopes to contribute to the ongoing change for all that is good in Clarksdale.

Adrian can be contacted by email.

Carla Maxwell with Miss Jelly Bean
 Daylesford, Victoria, AU

Although Carla Maxwell's life now spans two continents, she was brought up in Millington, Tennessee. Fresh out of high school, Carla began a 15 year career as a legal secretary. During those years she was active in local, state, and national associations, in which she held offices such as parliamentarian, governor, and president of the Memphis Legal Secretaries Association.

At the age of 40, Carla earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Memphis and went on to teach in the Shelby County public school system.

While teaching and raising a child, Carla co-founded and coordinated the curriculum for Advanced Driving Schools, Inc., now known as the Maxwell Driving School in Memphis. The Maxwell Driving School continues to teach basic driver training and court-ordered defensive driving classes.

Up until joining Adrian Kosky in Australia in 2009, Carla's community work included co-founding the Memphis Dulcimer Gathering & Folk Festival as well as the Memphis Dulcimer Gathering, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) corporation. Also, for over 30 years, Carla was a volunteer Bible school teacher.

Currently, Carla works with Adrian as "administration assistant and blogger" in all of their combined revitalisation projects in Australia and in the U.S.

Carla is both a resident of Clarksdale, Mississippi, and Daylesford, Victoria, Australia.

Carla has a life-long love of learning and sharing. She is passionate about community activities and involvement -- especially where music, art, food, family, friends, and travel are involved.

All of these interests collide at her chosen Mississippi home known as The Holy Moly at the corner of Third & Issaquena in Clarksdale. You can contact Carla by email.

Carla Maxwell and Adrian Kosky
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
October 2018