Shopping Franklin 2012
Franklin is noted for its eclectic selection of home furnishings and decor shops, and it’s really just a matter of where to start your exploration.
Take I-65 South to Exit 65 and head west on Highway 96. First stop is at the Watson Glen Shopping Center which you can reach by turning left on Royal Oaks Blvd.
Here you’ll find Trees ‘n’ Trends, which offers furniture, florals, wall art, rugs, and a wide range of outdoor furniture, fountains, and outdoor fire features. Whether you’re looking for small home accessories or a completely new look for your indoor or outdoor space, you’ll find something here.
Return to Murfreesboro Road and continue west to turn right on South Margin Street just before you reach Main Street.
In a block you’ll find J.J. Ashleys on your right, which offers a great selection of antique furnishings for your living space and dining room, as well as upholstered pieces and accessories.
Across the street, Scarlett Scales Antiques manages to shelter an amazing array of vintage and antique items in a small space—don’t be deceived by the size of this small house. Their articles range from from vintage Lucite lamps to stone top iron console tables made from old balustrade pieces, or an empire game table clad with zinc.
Just around the corner on Second Ave., the Franklin Antique Mall, formerly the Franklin Ice House, offers a wide range of finds from a number of vendors. The aged, brick building features a number of dealers’ stalls with their mixture of old treasures, memorabilia and collectibles, and folk art. This is the new home for Cherie’s Unique Collectibles if you missed her on your last trip to The Factory.
Practically across the street lies the Bagbey House. If you haven’t yet discovered Kris Bagbey’s design talent and the finds his shop includes, you won’t want to miss this store which includes seasonal items, furnishings, art, and more.
Further down the block, Gallery 202, a highlight of the Franklin Art Scene tour of the arts on first Fridays, offers original art in many mediums, from oil paintings to pottery, from sculpture to hand-crafted jewelry, and more.
Back on Margin Street and just across the railroad tracks, P.D.’s is a one-of-a-kind find. Only open Wednesday through Saturday, P.D.’s features furniture, accessories, seasonal items, linens, and things you don’t even know you need.
From P.D.’s, proceed up First Ave. to Main Street, where you’ll find Tetelesti, a store dedicated to wall decor and pillows that carry Christian messages all related to the mission of Tetelesti, which is to remind visitors that Christ is the center of a well-lived life.
Proceed on First Ave. to Bridge Street and park at Riverside Antiques, where you’ll find some beautiful furniture, artwork, and more. Riverside is also noted for its selection of ironwork pieces designed for indoor or outdoor use.Across the street, Winchester Antiques offers a fascinating collection of outdoor statuary and vintage pieces sure to inspire you to find a corner in your home for something unusual. And there are plenty of antiques inside too.
Nearby, City Farmhouse is a new haunt for those interested in antiques, painted pieces, vintage lighting, and other finds. There’s a definite Swedish and Country French feel here, as there is in many of Franklin’s home-related stores. There’s also a large outdoor collection of statuary and ironwork.
Take Bridge Street to Third Ave. and turn left to find the Shop Around the Corner. Here you’ll find find architectural lighting pieces hanging over a down-filled sofa with bright pillows, and an old-world European table. Multiple rooms divide the 3,200 square feet and there’s a great deal of local artwork as well.
You can leave your car at the Shop Around the Corner, or plan to park on or near Main Street near the primary two-block downtown area. You can start your tour at the public square with ReDo, a shop dedicated to home furnishings, art, and accessories—or as the store says, a little of this and a little of that. If you’re seeking inspiration for your own space, don’t miss the opportunity to explore the options you’ll see here.
Down Main Street, The Iron Gate features a range of treasures—furnishings and accents designed to brighten the home and lift the spirits—culled from around the world. The store also serves as home base for an award-winning interior design business.
Next door, HeyDay features pottery, home decor, and some amazing wall clocks made of vintage board games and created by an award-winning songwriter. You won’t want to miss those one-of-a-kind finds!
The Faye Snodgrass Gallery is a long-standing tradition in Franklin, sheltering home decor items from wood chimes and linens to seasonal decor and gifts. Stop in for Faye’s Southern hospitality.
Carrying the theme “fresh finds for happy homes” is Kaleidoscope, which is on Main just beyond Fifth Avenue. It’s a vintage-inspired shop celebrating its location in historic downtown Franklin.
Next door, William Powell Co. Home & Garden features one-of-a-kind antiques ranging from antique and vintage advertising and display signs, restored light fixtures, and architectural decor.
Return on the opposite side of Main Street, stopping at the Shoppes on Main where 15 merchants feature furniture, jewelry, seasonal decorations, home decor, linens, and more.Lulu is a charming shop filled with furnishings, softgoods, and decorative items. It is a casually elegant lifestyle store named for the store owner’s grandmother, playfully nick-named, Lulu, in hopes of preserving her lovely feminine nature through her store. The shop offers everything from bed linens to vintage inspired jewelry.
Rebecca’s Furniture & Design is a resource for one-of-a-kind pieces made by her father’s manufacturing plant as well as upholstery, lighting, bedding, gifts, accessories, floor coverings and fabric. For inspiration and a glimpse of what a well designed home can be, stop and visit with Rebecca.Noted for china, silver, glassware, and table decor, The Registry offers distinctive items carefully chosen to suit both the special occasion and the everyday. The store caters not just to the selective bride-to-be, but also to the woman married for years, to the second-time bride, and to the choosy single—to all who love entertaining.Johnnie Q offers gifts and apparel, as well as furnishings and accessories, all in keeping with the shop’s black and white theme. The owner is a recent O’More School of Design graduate.
Take Main Street north from downtown to Maggie Mae’s Too, a little store featuring repurposed home furnishings and accessories in a space tucked into the street across from The Factory. You never know what you’ll find here, so stop and explore.
Across the street, The Factory at Franklin is a 12-building dining, retail, and entertainment complex listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Factory houses the Amish Excellence, Antiques at the Factory, Essy’s Rug Gallery, Mark Casserly Architectural Woodworking, Tuscan Iron Entries, and a number of art galleries featuring everything from traditional paintings to eclectic pieces in a variety of mediums.
One last stop worth making before leaving Franklin is the Country Charm Antique Mall. Take Main Street south and turn left on 5th Avenue at the Downtown Presbyterian Church. Fifth Avenue becomes Lewisburg Ave. Go about .7 miles and find this antique mall on the left just before you cross the railroad tracks. This shop features antiques of all kinds and descriptions, and it’s collection of outdoor ironwork isn’t to be missed.
There are a number of home decor related shops in Franklin including:
Bagbey House
246 Second Ave. S.
615/ 595-8645
City Farmhouse
111 Bridge St.
615/ 790-8101
Country Charm Mall
301 A Lewisburg Ave.
615/ 790-8908
The Factory
230 Franklin Rd.
615/ 791-1777
Faye Snodgrass
344 Main Street
615/ 591-7211
Franklin Antique Mall
251 2nd Ave. S.
615/ 790-8593
Gallery 202
202 2nd Ave.
615/ 472-1134
HeyDay
334 Main St.
615/ 472-1816
The Iron Gate
338 Main St.
615/ 791-7511
J.J. Ashley’s
125 South Margin
615/ 791-0011
Johnnie Q
317 Main St.
615/ 791-2763
Kaleidoscope
504 W. Main
615/ 791-8086
Lulu
345 Main St.
615/ 794-3345
Maggie Mae’s Too
227 Franklin Road
615/ 599-8422
P.D.’s
119 S. Margin St.
615/ 591-3209
Rebecca’s Furniture & Design
341 Main St.
615/ 505-2553
ReDo Home Design
300 Public Square
615/ 790-3989
The Registry
355 Main Street
615/ 595-2323
Riverside Antiques
144 Bridge St.
615/ 591-4089
Scarlett Scales Antiques
212 S. Margin St.
615/ 791-4097
The Shop Around the Corner
117 3rd. Ave.
6151/ 599-1652
The Shoppes on Main
413 Main St.
615/ 591-8433
Tetelesti
99A East Main
615/ 567-6495
Trees ‘n Trends
209 S. Royal Oaks Blvd.
615/ 591-4601
William Powell Co. LLC
506 W. Main St.
615/ 791-5495
Winchester Antique Mall
113 Bridge St.
615/ 791-5846