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Downtown Franklin Is 15 Blocks of History and Fun

Downtown Franklin

Downtown Franklin is an interesting mix of historic buildings that house both shops and restaurants.

Ask someone strolling down Franklin’s Main Street what she likes about this singular small town‚ and you’ll likely hear about its history‚ wonderful old buildings or friendly charm.

These days‚ chances are you’ll also hear about trendy shopping‚ great places to eat and the promise of more to come.

Williamson County’s largest city for more than 200 years‚ Franklin under­went a renaissance in the 1980s. That renaissance included a $2.3 million infrastructure overhaul known as Street­scape that brought dramatic changes to the 15-block historic downtown area. In addition‚ new businesses found homes in old buildings‚ and the city’s vintage housing gained new respect – and market value.

Franklin’s new incarnation and preser­vation-minded spirit has netted it many awards over the ensuing years and helped make the historic downtown area a popular destination for locals and tourists alike – never more so than right now.

“It’s what you think of when you think of Small Town‚ USA‚ but it’s a real place‚” says Nancy Williams‚ executive director of the Downtown Franklin Association. “It’s kind of a hip Mayberry‚ a multigenerational place that’s very diverse in terms of what you can do and see here.”

Indeed. Among the things you can do in a 15-block area: get a pedicure; buy designer clothes; munch on a gour­met salad‚ chicken and dumplings or a tasty pizza; cash a check‚ dine in an old jail‚ get a massage‚ decorate your home with handmade quilts or elegant fur­niture; buy a toy train or a set of crystal wine glasses; get your photo taken; see your attorney; buy a bouquet; say a prayer; mail a package; design your wedding invitation; or have a martini in a bar that’s straight out of New York’s SoHo.

Andy Marshall‚ owner of Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant on Fourth Avenue South‚ likes that diversity of businesses and clientele‚ and cites a growing excite­ment about downtown as the reason he expanded his popular Leiper’s Fork eatery – and its legendary hamburgers – into Franklin.

“The whole feeling was just coming alive‚ and I wanted to be part of it‚” says Marshall‚ who packs his countrified place with locals and visitors for lunch‚ as well as dinner and live music in the evenings. “It’s been awesome – a really good move for us. We feel like we’ve been here for 20 years.”

That kind of enthusiasm is common among merchants who do business downtown.

“Being part of downtown is like identifying who you are in a sense‚” says Ed Cagle‚ president of the Downtown Franklin Association and co-owner of The Cocoa Tree‚ a unique chocolate shop whose addictive truffles have received national attention.

“The Cool Springs mall is great‚ and it serves its purpose well‚” he continues. “But what we have downtown is some­thing you can’t find anywhere else – the look‚ the nostalgia‚ the history‚ the whole feeling that comes with downtown. And that’s important.”

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