Letter From the Editor: Vacation in Shelbyville
SUMMER IS coming. And surely your home will sit empty for a week in this heat. The playful cheers of the kids on summer break go missing for a week that was planned for a year. The dishes sit in the...
Ernie Cook & Son Motors Keeps Shelbyville and the World on the Road for Almost 50 Years
AS TRAFFIC came and went along Madison Street, a two-lane main street through the heart of Shelbyville in 1975, late model, pre-owned cars lined the lot of Ernie Cook & Son Motors. Once you’d...
Rise up Cafe: Where Coffee Meets Community and Inclusion
THERE WAS always a place for them. In Jessica O’Neal’s childhood home, their names were all different, but the loving spirit they brought with them was the same. They were children and teenagers...
Nearest Green Distillery & Humble Baron: Where History Meets Hospitality
SUMMER VACATIONS are the stage for some of our favorite memories and stories. Shelbyville’s Nearest Green Distillery and Humble Baron value the power of story and provide the backdrop for the fun...
Weston Johnson: Color, Compassion, and Creativity
PERCHED ATOP a stool in the colorful Bad Rabbit Art Studio, 8-year-old Weston Johnson glances thoughtfully from a photo to the artboard beside it, brush in hand. The iconic Stonehenge emerges stroke...
Saddle Up: Equestrian Excitement at the Celebration Grounds
WHILE MANY may be considering mountain or beach destinations for their summer getaway, there is a full schedule of diverse events taking place throughout the summer in our own backyard at the...
Crossing Creeks Farm Delivers Unforgettable Experiences.
AS YOU look from your desk to the nearby window, nature’s blossoming limbs wave to you. The birdsong and blue sky seem to defy the concrete and office buildings surrounding you, but the stress...
Nash Family Creamery’s Piggy Mac Sandwich Meets Cow Pie Milkshake
HERE’S THE scoop — Nash Family Creamery has perfected form, function, design, and deliciousness with each masterfully crafted sandwich or scoop of flavorful ice cream. As I pulled into Nash Family...
The Pomegranate Shoppe Is Grounded in Faith, Family, and the Fruits of Prosperity.
AMID THE inviting storefronts on the historic Shelbyville square, The Pomegranate Shoppe is a vibrant surprise for anyone yet to open its door. Forget chain stores and predictable aisles. Unlike...
Amanda Seibers: A Legacy of Resilience
WHEN YOU step into Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio on the Shelbyville square, you enter more than a cosmetics and gift shop. You step into the legacy of Merle Norman, a visionary cosmetician who,...
Linda Brown’s Dedication Shines Through Every Gem.
INSIDE HERITAGE Jewelers on the Shelbyville square, each gleaming gem seated in engagement rings and wedding sets, earrings, fashion rings, and estate jewelry is poised to hold a memory, a...
Traders Bank: The Power of Personalized Service
AS THE door closes behind you, a personal welcome replaces the drone of traffic. Layers of conversation from every corner of the room meet in the middle, sliding over you like your favorite old...
Holy Smokes BBQ: A Smokin’ Good Time
LOCATED IN the Piggly Wiggly parking lot, the aroma of smoky barbecue wafts from the Holy Smokes BBQ food truck, luring patrons in with every sniff of the air. As a connoisseur of all cuisine, and...
Jones Heating & Cooling Looks for Solutions.
THE HUM of the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit had become the summer’s soundtrack, a constant drone against the chirping crickets and the distant rumble of lawnmowers. But...
Letter From the Editor: The Impact of ‘Shop Local’
THE ECONOMIC Policy Institute reports that for every dollar spent at a locally owned business, 68 cents of it stays in the local economy. Compare this to 32 cents staying in a local community when...
Kincaid Service Company Is a Fourth-Generation Company Committed to Customer Service.
IN 1934, the air in Earl C. Kincaid’s radio repair shop at his New Herman home vibrated with the warm hum of radios, each a portal to distant voices and captivating stories. Years later, Earl moved...
Letter From the Editor: The Learning Curve
THE METAL beams tick, tick, tick with every inch the cart climbs to the top of the hill. The experienced thrill-seekers in the front cart raise their hands as the coaster inches toward the climax of...
Tonya Beckman and Her Team Share a Heartfelt Commitment to Community Area Students.
ATIDAL WAVE of chatter washes over the cafeteria as students surge through the doors, their minds more on who they’ll sit by than what’s on their plate. They pass through quickly, barely looking up...
Julie Haynes and Layne Draper-Talbott Are Winning Awards and Changing Lives.
FEW NAMES appear in resolutions adopted by the Tennessee House of Representatives, but it’s a recognition claimed by Julie Haynes and Layne Draper-Talbott. Haynes, Bedford County Schools’ Supervisor...
Debbie Lawson Works Behind the Scenes to Ensure Bedford County’s School Facilities Have Everything They Need.
THINK SCHOOLS, and you immediately picture students in class, heads bent over computers and notebooks, and teachers at the front of the room leading lessons. You see the principal walking the halls...
Dr. Colt Boyce revisits his roots at Community Elementary School.
AS DR. COLT Boyce walks the halls of Community Elementary School, the unmistakable sense of belonging he feels within the school’s walls doesn’t just come from doing the work he loves but from where...
Leaving a Legacy of Learning and Love
GATHER AROUND the Gordon family dinner table and ask how things are going at school, but be prepared to stay awhile. Former and present teachers fill the seats. Spanning from the use of chalkboards...
Margaret Dalton’s Motivation Is Unwavering.
FROM HER desk in the office of Liberty School, Margaret Dalton watches as the landscape of education changes. She sees, too, generations of learners passing through on their way to high school and...
Fleece on the Duck Fiber Guild Weaves Tradition Into the Fibers of Today
IN THE delicate threads that weave through the fabric of our history, the roots of fiber arts run deep, connecting generations and cultures in a rich tapestry of creativity. Fiber arts are an...
Kerriann Brewer Makes a Bold Decision to Save a Local Deli
IN A world where most teens her age are busy navigating college decisions and figuring out life in general, KerriAnn Brewer seized an opportunity when it presented itself, proving that age is just a...
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