The Trailer Store

A fixture at the same location on Highway 50 for almost 30 years

It’s been almost three decades since Mark Curry teamed up with his mother to open The Trailer Store on New Lewisburg Highway in Columbia. Since 1996, it has become the area’s leading trailer sales & repair shop, with a customer base that extends throughout Tennessee and Alabama—and beyond.

"I grew up around trailers and semis,” begins Curry. “I drove them, I worked on them, and I worked on a farm where we had cattle and horses,” he continues, speaking about his youth.

These days, The Trailer Store could best be described as the quintessential family business, as it still employs Curry’s mom, as well as his wife and his son, Justin, who has been working alongside his dad for most of his life, now full-time after graduating from Columbia Academy and attending Columbia State.

However, he’d like to add additional employees to help sustain the growth the business has been experiencing.

"Our numbers are getting bigger every year," he says, attributing much of The Trailer Store’s success to that fact that it’s a local, family-owned business. 

"We try to be nice, to do what we say, and we always try to make things right,” he advises. 

In terms of the sales side of the business: “We sell a lot of trailers to farmers, landscaping companies, contractors, and boat owners,” says Curry, talking about his core clientele, with horse and cattle trailers consistently the best-sellers.

"We carry five or six brands of trailers, including Grimes-Parker Industries,” he continues, referring to the Fulton, Mississippi-based trailer manufacturer commonly known as GPI Trailers.

"We have been selling GPI Trailers and Circle W Trailers since we started,” says Curry, the latter a Shreve, Alabama-based manufacturer that produces livestock, equipment and dump trailers. “We also do all kinds of repairs, with bearings, brakes, and lights on trailers being the most common repair jobs. And we sell a lot of RV parts; people will break down in their RVs, and those are constantly being brought here to get repaired.”

Meanwhile, The Trailer Store also helps maintain its connection to the Maury County community by donating trailers for use in popular local events.   

“We donate trailers for Mule Day,” notes Curry, citing an example of such an event, one that will take place between April 3-6 in 2025. We also donate trailers for children’s groups to use in local parades,” he adds, including the annual Christmas parade.

Another thing Curry doesn't see changing is their connection to the community. 

"Before Columbia grew so large, I knew just about everyone who came in here. Almost all the business was word-of-mouth,” he says, though he appreciates the newcomers, many of whom have become regular customers, too. 

“We appreciate all the new and returning business,” concludes Curry, “and we get a lot of returning business.”

CONTACT

The Trailer Store

1021 New Lewisburg Hwy, Columbia, TN 38401 

(931) 381-2795

"On our first day, we started taking donations, and it was as if we had been here 15 years. That was three-and-half years ago," begins Gina Russell, founder of thriftLOVE, on how the local community has embraced her non-profit thrift store, which serves the special needs community via sustainable mentored employment.

"We hire people with disabilities or limited skill sets and give them a job, so they can tap into their talents and be contributors," elaborates Russell. "We have 17 individuals on our staff that are classified as having some sort of special need. Two are full-timers, and the rest are part-time." 

Notably, thriftLOVE does more than simply offer a competitive wage, proper training, and a good working environment.

"When we bring (new workers) in, we pair them with a mentor and try them in different areas. We try to tap into where their strengths are," adds Russell, a mother of two whose oldest son was born with Down syndrome. 

She says most of their staff members are "pretty independent" and work with a supervisor nearby. Others need more hands-on coaching and directing, and those individuals have a volunteer who works alongside them during their shifts. 

"We have a dozen volunteers on our staff, and we could not operate without them. They help us keep our payroll costs down," says Russell, before indicating that the store is looking to add volunteers, who can apply online at thriftlove.org, or come by the store and fill out an application.

But it's the special needs employees—most of whom are in their 20s or 30s—who do most of the work. That includes taking in items donated by customers, cleaning them, and getting them "freshened up" for the sales floor. Other staffers sort and hang clothes. Still others—those who love to organize—keep the sales floor organized by size and color.

"They are all great; they are all so individual," says Russell. "I always say the 'LOVE' in our logo is large because that's the largest part of the job. It's about loving on them and making them realize they are important and part of the success of the store. We make sure they are treated well and cared for and not set up for failure."

To that end, Russell and the store's volunteers try to maintain personal relationships with the employees that go beyond work. That includes having individual conversations with them while also encouraging them to pursue outside interests, side gigs, and creative endeavors. For example, one employee makes scarves, and another makes jewelry—the store being a place where their creations can be sold.

"Another thing we do is we have regular after-hours social time with them," explains Russell. "We recently had our quarterly staff appreciation dinner. The store provided dinner, and we had a private room at Puckett's, and we just enjoyed each other without having work in front of us."

That said, it's perhaps no surprise that thiftLOVE has extraordinarily low staff turnover—and 28 individuals with pending job applications. 

"The only way to get anyone new on is through a physical expansion," says Russell.

So it's fortuitous that thiftLOVE is planning a "pretty big expansion" later this year, growing the sales floor from 3,500 square feet to 5,500 square feet, which will provide the added room to enable a better shopping experience. It will also allow the store to have more products on the sales floor. That means more household décor, not to mention more clothing, kitchen gadgets, baby toys, baby equipment, shoes, purses, accessories, jewelry, etc. 

"We try to create a nice re-sale shopping environment because many thrift stores can be junky and unorganized. We try hard to give people a great place to come and shop and find great treasures at a great value," says Russell, who describes her work as an obedience to a calling. 

"The Lord put it on my heart that I am meant to do this," she says, which is why she can hardly imagine living or working anywhere else, having relocated to Columbia from Memphis 15 years ago.

"I love the small-town feel," she concludes. "My family lives right off the square, and I love being able to walk downtown for events and to stores and restaurants. I love how Columbia is growing—booming, actually—and being a part of that."

CONTACT:

thriftLOVE

1116 Nashville Highway 

Ste. 101

Columbia, TN 38401

931-374-6754

Columbia Motor Company

“I have been in the car business a long time and wanted to open my own retail lot,” begins Columbia native Cory Muehlbauer, explaining his decision to start Columbia Motor Company in 2022.  

"Cory saw a need for a small independent store here in Columbia that treats people right and does good business and keeps things simple," adds Justin George, who became co-owner in 2024 after leaving his upper management job at a Chevrolet/GMC dealership.

"Too many times at the big stores, people get treated like numbers. They make you sit for hours and the sales guy needs to talk to the manager, and he has to talk to his manager, and they (both) have to talk to the used car manager. All the back and forth takes hours. We cut out the middleman and all the nonsense and present our best deal and if it makes sense, great. If it doesn’t make sense that’s okay, too,” says George.

But it certainly streamlines the buying process for Columbia Motor Company customers.

“We find something they like, we agree on numbers, they sign, and then they say, 'Is that it?' And we say, 'That's it.' And they say, 'Last time I bought a car at a dealership, I was there all day, and I had to take a day off work. But you guys made it so easy,'" relates George.  

Another differentiator is the quality of the cars on Columbia Motor Company's lot. 

"Cory and I hand select everything, so we can pick and choose good quality (vehicles)," says George, before noting that they have a broad enough selection to fit just about every budget and need. Some of their vehicles are acquired at local auctions. Others are purchased from individuals who want to avoid the hassle of selling a car themselves. 

“We have four-thousand-dollar cars and ninety-thousand-dollar cars and everything in between. Every customer's needs and wants are different, and we enjoy helping them through that process. That's why we love this business," he adds. 

For his part, George particularly enjoys helping first-time buyers, as well as parents who come in with their kids, when the latter are looking for their first car. 

"It's always a dance—Corvette versus minivan, maybe—and we have to find the happy medium between them. And while we're not going to have the perfect car for everybody, if you spend 15-20 minutes here, you might be able to save yourself several days at another store," notes George.

"We understand that we can't help everybody, and that's okay," elaborates Muehlbauer. “But we are simple, easy to deal with, and we are always going to leave you with a smile and a handshake. We recognize the industry has a reputation for not treating people fairly and not standing behind their product, but that is the opposite of what we are. We want to sell a good product, make a little bit of profit, and be your first ‘think of’ when you need a vehicle.” 

And if a potential customer wants a specific car that Columbia Motor Company doesn’t have in stock, there’s a good chance they can find it.

"We have customers who come in and say, 'My wife is looking for this car in this color. Help me find it,'" says George, before relating how Columbia Motor Company has access to auctions nationwide and “aren’t limited to what we have here on the lot.” 

All of the above helps explain why George and Muehlbauer anticipate expanding the business over the next couple of years. 

"We want to grow and add several more locations in Middle Tennessee,” relates George, as he and his business partner maintain close ties to the local community.

"We are one of the premier sponsors for the big car show that Columbia Cares does every year, and we also sponsor events with The Well (Outreach),” says George, indicating that he and Muehlbauer plan to hire more salespeople in 2025 to help serve the company’s customers.

"With all the people moving to Middle Tennessee, everybody needs a vehicle," he concludes. 

CONTACT

Columbia Motor Company

1200 S. Main St., Columbia, TN 38401

(931) 982-6115

https://www.columbiamotorcompany.com

Columbia Eye Physicians

If you're in Columbia, you need not look far to find someone who has had cataract surgery performed by Dr. Timothy Gordon, who has been providing eye care to patients in Maury County since the late 1980s. These days, the longtime Columbia resident is working alongside fellow ophthalmologist Dr. Jacob Fleenor, a Rogersville, Tennessee native who relocated to Columbia with his wife and three children to fill the shoes of the recently retired Dr. Ralph Hamilton, a founding member of Columbia Eye Physicians.

"Dr. Hamilton finished up about a year and a half ago, and that's when Dr. Fleenor and I talked, and he moved to Middle Tennessee. He felt like Columbia was where he wanted to live," offers Gordon.

"I was in training in Temple, Texas, learning to do cataract surgery, and I was sporting my favorite University of Tennessee polo at work when a patient asked me about my connection to Tennessee. I told her I had graduated from college in Knoxville, and as it turns out, she had formerly gone to church with Dr. Gordon," relates Dr. Fleenor, explaining how the pair initially got connected. 

Fast forward to today, and Dr. Fleenor has already performed over 800 cataract surgeries in Columbia while offering advanced glaucoma treatment at the time of surgery. 

"We've got a surgery center here—we're in the TOA Building on James Campbell Boulevard—and we do almost all our cataract (procedures) here," notes Dr. Gordon.

Of course, the pair—with the help of their 14-person staff—also provide general eye exams and address all manner of eye problems, including macular degeneration and dry eye. 

"We want to be known as a place where people get good quality eye care and eye exams—all the way up to cataract surgery," says Dr. Gordon, who believes "everyone needs to have at least one good baseline eye exam after age 45 and then every year or two after age 60, even if you're not having any trouble. In most people, cataracts start occurring between the ages of 65 and 70."

Meanwhile, Columbia Eye Physicians patients who need glasses find it convenient to have a Christopher Optical location in the same building.

In addition, doctors from Nashville-based Tennessee Retina see patients at the offices of Columbia Eye Physicians for a half-day each week. 

"It's an added benefit that Tennessee Retina comes down and sees patients on Thursday mornings, as opposed to patients having to travel all the way to Nashville to seek help," notes Dr. Gordon, who says he derives a lot of satisfaction from being able to help people and improve the quality of their lives. 

"I recall one lady who had cataract surgery, and (during a follow-up appointment) she was tearing up and crying. I said, 'What's wrong? everything has gone well.' She said, 'This is the first time I've seen that my grandchild had freckles.' She could see well enough to see her grandchild had freckles. That gives you a warm feeling, knowing you are helping people do things that most people take for granted," he says.

"With cataract surgery we can do a lot to help people stay independent—whether that is recognizing people, reading, driving, generally staying active, or simply keeping people from falling. Many times, people fall because they don't see well," notes Dr. Gordon, before steering the conversation toward his love of Columbia, where he and his wife Maribeth raised their children and where he has served on the local school board and has volunteered at his church.

"The good thing about Columbia is that it's a great place to raise a family. My son is a neurosurgeon, and my daughter is a dental hygienist—they are both married and live in Nashville—but I still love the quaintness of the small city of Columbia…. If you can still say it's small," he says with a laugh, before emphasizing the practice's strong local roots. 

"We're the only ophthalmology practice where (the doctors) live here and are here full-time," concludes Dr. Gordon. "We live here locally and are here every day."

CONTACT:

Columbia Eye Physicians

1050 N. James Campbell Blvd., Ste. 100

Columbia, TN 38401

https://columbiaeye.net

M-Th 7:30-4

Fri. 7:30-11

(931) 375-1050

It has been more than four decades since Muletown has known a downtown without Columbia Health Foods. 

"My mom started the business in 1982," recalls Jackie Davis, who has owned the store since 2013. "(After our family) moved to the area, we were going to a local health food store. Then, one day, we went there, and it was closed. So, my dad said, 'Why don't we just open one ourselves?'" 

The family did just that, and operated the store for more than 30 years before Davis bought the business from her mother and moved the store across the street to its current address. 

"We keep expanding at this location," says Davis, before noting that they have moved beyond selling supplements, essential oils, health and beauty aids, incense, gluten-free foods, bulk foods, and bulk herbs, which have long been core offerings. 

"We have a spa in the back where we do Biofeedback, light therapy, body wraps, and foot detoxes. And we have an all-organic juice and smoothie bar that features a variety of specialty juices and smoothies," adds Davis. That includes the best-selling "Super Green," which is made with kale, spinach, apple, celery, ginger, cucumber, and lemon," as well as the "Detox," which is a combination of kale, beet, carrot, and apple.  

Customers who prefer to go with a specialty juice can choose from offerings that include the Berrylicious (blueberry, strawberry, banana, and almond milk) and Island Pina Colada (pineapple, banana, and coconut milk). They also sell soups and a fresh organic mixed green salad, with daily soup specials advertised on the store's Facebook page. 

Columbia Health Foods also sells products produced by various local brands, including jams, jellies, pickles, and pickled vegetables from Brush Creek Farm; meat and eggs from Liberty Trace Farm; and honey from the Duck River Honey Company of Centerville, Tennessee.  

"Columbia is very locally-oriented. Our customers would rather buy local than go somewhere else or order online," says Davis. "And being downtown is a really great location for us. It's been a blessing to be here."

Davis also credits her salespeople for the store's long-running success. 

"Our customers are mostly people who are trying to get healthier, and we have a lot of knowledgeable and experienced people on the floor, so customers are confident that we can help them," she says.

In fact, the store is so popular that "we've been asked to open locations in other towns," Davis adds. "That's not really in our plan, but we haven't ruled it out, either."

Instead, the store plans to expand into clothing. 

"We want to go into cotton clothing that doesn't contain bad dyes and chemicals," she says. "Another thing we want to start doing is having classes and hosting guest speakers, so people can come and learn about different subjects. We have a lot of good educators that want to come and educate the community on different topics."

Meanwhile, Columbia Health Foods has been working on renovating the store itself. 

"We closed at Christmastime last year and re-did the ceiling, and in July we were closed for a couple weeks while we re-did the hardwood floors," says Davis.  

The store is also a place where people can come to find out what's happening in the community.

"We have a big window out front, and we allow local non-profits—including Center of Hope, Room in the Inn, and Light from the Darkness—to use our window to communicate what it is they do," says Davis, who notes that she sits on the board at Columbia Main Street and is always advocating for the city, which she calls "a great town." 

The store will even custom-order products so locals don't have to leave Columbia.  

"They call us the 'little Whole Foods,'" says Davis with a laugh. "We'll order anything we can get for our customers, so they don't have to drive 30 minutes to get what they are looking for."

CONTACT: 

Columbia Health Foods

106 W. 7th St.

Columbia, TN 38401

Monday – Friday 9-5

Saturday 9-3

931-388-1148

https://columbiahealthfoods.com/ 

“I knew at eight years old that I wanted to be a dentist. It’s all I ever wanted to do,” begins Dr. Emalie Hutton, half of the husband-and-wife dentist team at Hutton Family Dentistry on Wedgewood Drive in Columbia. “I know the exact date and time because my hygienist put it in my chart.”

Meanwhile, her husband, Dr. Sam Hutton, a Columbia native, didn’t become sure about dentistry till late in his college career at the University of Tennessee (Chattanooga), even though he was the son of a pediatric dentist. Certainly, he never imagined he would go on practice in his hometown—in the same space his father once did.

"Things have come full circle for him. Growing up, he helped maintain the interior and exterior of this building," adds Dr. Emalie, before noting that the space was fully renovated in 2022 and that the interior bears little resemblance to its former self.

"It was down to the studs when we looked at it, so we had a beautiful blank slate to re-work it how we wanted. But the fact that it was previously a dental office meant that everything was kind of where we needed it already,” she continues.

That said, the "new" office (which opened in December 2022) is large enough to handle additional growth, both in terms of patients and staff. It also has state-of-the-art technology, including “a cone beam machine that allows us to take 3D x-rays, so diagnostically we are able to have all the information when we are making decisions,” notes Dr. Emalie. “We also added a surgical suite that is large enough to hold a general anesthesiologist. We see a lot of extraordinarily anxious patients, and we can put them fully under," she says, noting that a group from Nashville Office Based Anesthesia (NOBA) comes in when patients need or want to be fully sedated.

Better yet, Dr. Sam and Dr. Emalie complement each other well in terms of specialization. 

"Dr. Emalie has a very distinct skill set that is extremely beneficial for a cosmetic practice,” offers her husband. “And I really enjoy the surgical aspect of immediately getting someone out of pain and replacing a tooth, whether it’s with an implant or something else.” 

That means between the two of them, the Hutton’s can take care of everything a patient might need in-house. 

"It's also wonderful to be able to have someone else chairside with you and to collaborate in real-time,” chimes in Dr. Sam. “We have both practiced solo in the past, and it's a lonely profession at times, but if you have someone else in your corner it makes all the difference.”

Another thing that figures to make a difference in the young couple’s lives going forward is a shorter commute. The Hutton’s and their two young children have been living in Franklin, but they recently purchased a home in Columbia and will be making the move in June. 

"I have been living in Middle Tennessee for most of my life,” says Dr. Emalie, an Oklahoma native, “but I really love the community here in Columbia. I love First Fridays and the town square, and it's great to see people investing in the local community. Columbia is also a great place to raise young kids, and the fact that we get to have distinct seasons is wonderful," she adds.

"I was born and raised here, and I never thought I would come back,” adds Dr. Sam. “As you’re growing up, you think the grass is greener and there’s something better out there. Well, I have lived in a couple cool cities and they were fun, but not better. Plus, this isn't the Columbia where I grew up, as we have new bars and restaurants, and there are fun things to do with kids downtown.” 

That said, the Hutton's are looking forward to the day when their relatively young practice is mature enough to give back to the community by providing free dental services for a day at least once or twice a year.

"When people hear I am a Columbia native, they are more inclined to trust me. It just seems like you are one of their people. I’d like to leverage that into a way to give back. We get just as much good out of giving back as they get from receiving the services,” notes Dr. Sam.

Dr. Emalie concurs about the good feelings being mutual. “We’ve really enjoyed Columbia and practicing here, and Columbia has loved us back.”

CONTACT

Hutton Family Dentistry

1706 Wedgewood Dr.

Columbia, TN 38401

931-240-2009

huttonfamilydentistry.com  

By Pam Windsor

Things have been especially busy for Rick Robenstine in recent months. Since starting his company in Tennessee a little over a year and a half ago, Robenstine Construction has steadily increased as people began seeing the results of his work. 

“We do kitchens, bathrooms, fences, decks, and basically all interior remodeling,” he explains, then notes some of their more recent projects. “We built a huge deck and pergola this past year, a very sizeable kitchen, a number of bathrooms, and much more.”

Tackling a new project is always exciting because every home (and homeowner) is different. Trends, too, are constantly changing which keeps things interesting.

“A lot of people are redoing kitchens and Shaker cabinets, all white cabinets with granite tops and quartz tops. That’s still a very popular thing right now. Another huge thing is subway tiles (three-by-five white tiles), and people are putting them in kitchens, bathrooms, backsplashes, and just about anywhere you can think of.”

Robenstine has a broad and extensive background that’s prepared him well for starting his own business. He worked for a construction company in Ohio for over a decade, did home inspections, and then worked for an investor who flipped houses. During COVID, he decided to start his own company, first in Ohio, then in Tennessee, after he and his wife, Megan, moved to Spring Hill. He’s found a strong and supportive team that supports his three guiding principles: character, communication, and integrity. 

“That’s our vision statement, always doing the right thing, never cutting corners, and communicating with clients whether it’s a good thing or bad thing,” he says. “Throughout the project, whether you find something when you’re doing a complete renovation to where hey, this is going to add to your cost because we found mold behind the wall that wasn’t apparent or something like that, we want to communicate that. That’s extremely important to me.”

He's also dedicated to continuing his education and updating his certifications. 

“The industry changes almost every few months, so there are different things coming out that make projects less expensive for clients while keeping the quality of work. So, learning about all that stuff consistently while you’re still carrying a workload.”

Robenstine says it’s important for people seeking a home improvement contractor to make sure the person or company is insured. And you should always ask to see photos of previous projects.

“Pictures of work definitely speak volumes,” he says. “Look for attention to detail. You want to make sure that when you’re looking at photos, they’re not missing small pieces of anything in the background. Make sure it looks like a complete project. We’ve gone in after people who’ve just built homes and ended up having to finish work.”

He takes tremendous satisfaction in going into someone's home, adding new life and energy, and making their dreams come true. 

“We’re transforming people’s homes into something they never imagined. It’s very rewarding to me, and I’ve distilled that in my team, we really take pride in our work.”

To see more of Robenstine Construction's past projects, visit their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/2020remodel. 

Bringing the Fun Outdoors

Two new outdoor attractions headline Tenn Pin Alley’s latest expansion

by Jason Zasky

Since 2017, Tenn Pin Alley has been Columbia’s preeminent destination for family fun & entertainment, with core attractions like bowling, laser tag, and spin zone bumper cars, not to mention an arcade that includes everything from the classics to today’s cutting-edge favorites. Now, thanks to a recent expansion, Tenn Pin Alley’s arcade is bigger and better than ever before, with eight new games, including an interactive virtual reality King Kong game.

"We have also added a Hungry, Hungry Hippo game where two to four people can sit on a hippo and use a lever to grab the marbles in the middle,” notes Derek Ransom, who co-owns Tenn Pin Alley with his wife Brandee.  

There are also a pair of brand-new outdoor attractions, including a Go-Kart track that is big enough to race 20-plus cars. The track is adjacent to a new 18-hole miniature golf course, one that reinforces the steampunk theme that characterizes much of Tenn Pin Alley’s interior.

“We are also looking to build an outdoor patio where people will be able to sit and socialize,” adds Ransom, one that will go along with an increase in the size of the parking lot and a "facelift" of the exterior of the building, which will be the last stage of the current expansion project.  

That said, it’s hardly a surprise that Tenn Pin Alley is in the market for new staffers.

“We are looking for team members to operate the new outdoor attractions and help with the indoor arcade, and we are also looking for kitchen staff,” explains Ransom, the latter a need thanks to the popularity of Max’s Café, which offers everything from salads, pizzas, wings, and burgers, and also features a full bar that serves beer, wine, and cocktails. For the past three years, Tenn Pin Alley has even had its own food truck, which can often be found serving specialty sandwiches at concerts & festivals and can be booked for special events.  

Meanwhile, Tenn Pin Alley continues its commitment to serving the bowling community, hosting adult and youth leagues while also donating the use of its lanes to Special Olympics, which holds regional matches, and its state tourney at the 67,000-square-foot facility, which has 32 lanes. 

And while birthday parties remain the leader in terms of the most common events hosted at Tenn Pin Alley, more and more area companies are using the space for team building and corporate retreats.  

“We are now doing full facility rentals where a company can rent out the whole property,” notes Ransom, before going on to note that Tenn Pin Alley is committed to growing along with Columbia while trying to provide the best possible entertainment value for local families and businesses.  

That helps explain why Derek and Brandee—who have five kids of their own—are already beginning to conceptualize Tenn Pin Alley’s next expansion project.

"We still have about 8,000 square feet of warehouse space to grow into, so we are always looking for the next activity,” says Ransom, before hinting that escape rooms might well be a part of a future round of additions. 

“There is also a private room that we want to upgrade and pair with an activity and use for private room rentals,” he concludes. “We are really trying to keep the funnel full.” 

Contact: 

Tenn Pin Alley 

931-381-BOWL

730 Mooresville Pike, Columbia, TN 38401-6342

https://tennpin.com 

By Pam Windsor  

Making The Community A Better Place 

Jimmy Dugger has spent nearly three decades helping people find the perfect home. He considers his work as a longtime Columbia realtor not just a job, but a way to change lives. 

“I want to give people a place to go home to. And if you’ve got the right place, Mama’s happy, Daddy’s happy, and the kids are happy. And that’s all that matters to me.”

He’s a Maury County native who grew up in Culleoka. He began working full-time for Crye Leike Realtors in 1996 and has a reputation for doing whatever it takes to serve his clients. His track record speaks for itself; he's closed on more than 2100 homes. And while he’s an expert on Middle Tennessee, he’s familiar with the entire state with closings in 41 of Tennessee’s 95 counties. 

He says the key to finding someone the right home is to listen to what they tell you.

“I ask a lot of questions. The first thing is minimum requirements. What are you looking for with bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, and garage capacity? What’s your budget? I don’t want to show someone a house they can’t afford. And then, I ask about the geographic area. If you get down to those three basic questions, that gets you where you need to be in terms of inventory.”

It’s important, he says, for people to know ahead of time how much “house” they can afford. 

“You need to go ahead and get a pre-approval letter, or if you're a cash buyer, be able to prove you have the cash available. This way, when we find the right property, we'll have the money in position, the inventory in position, and we can do the realtor stuff that makes us who we are. And that's the pixie dust of writing contracts."

Dugger has seen a lot of ebbs and flows through the years. He survived the housing market crash of 2008 and has watched, more recently, as the influx of people moving to Tennessee caused the market to explode. 

Nashville’s rapid growth has trickled down to surrounding counties creating what he calls a “doughnut” effect. With Nashville in the middle, outlying counties have become the next “tier “or place to move.  

“If you look at Nashville and the way it used to be, everybody went to Nashville to do their thing. Now the counties that surround it are the contiguous counties, the counties that touch, and the doughnut has become stronger than the hole. I’ve watched as the Williamson County's come down to us, and now, we’re “tier 2” on that because of people spreading out.”

He says Maury County is also feeling a push from the South. 

“We’ve not only become tier 1 or tier 2 to Nashville, we’re tier 2 to Huntsville. If you look at the two ‘doughnuts’ as they come together, and the I-65 corridor that makes up the Nashville to Huntsville corridor, we're smack in the middle of that. We're growing like crazy because of it."

With housing in such high demand, finding a realtor you can trust is essential. 

"I have a marketing degree from UT and an MBA from Belmont, but I also have 19 designations in regard to my profession. I’m a Certified Divorce Realtor, a Certified Residential Specialist, and I’m also a Senior Real Estate Specialist,” Duggar says. “So, with regard to what the Dugger team brings to the table, we’re not going to do anything wrong, anything unethical, or anything that hurts the client.”

He remains dedicated to serving both his clients and community. He’s been involved with many state and local organizations (many in a leadership position) and supports a number of charitable organizations. 

“I want to make this town a better place to live. Maury County, Columbia, Middle Tennessee, America, this is my home. I'm going to make this community as good a place as I can make it – every day of my life."

By Pam Windsor

It’s been serving Maury County for years, although it changed its name a couple of years ago when it merged with other co-ops in Middle Tennessee. United Farm and Home Cooperative is a farm supply store and so much more.

“When you go in a lot of co-ops, they tend to be smaller buildings, and technically, they’re just small farm stores,” says Ryan Pilkinton, Location Manager. “But with this one, while we’re a farm supply first, we also have clothes, boots, footwear, a home décor section, a huge pet section with a self-serve dog wash, and an automotive section, as well.”

Co-ops are created to serve their members, but anyone can shop there. What this store does offer, especially for farmers, is not only an array of items but expertise, insight, and advice.

“I have very good employees who are very knowledgeable,” Pilkinton says, “and we pride ourselves on customer service. Some of them have been working 30 plus years, so they’ve been around, done a little bit, and seen a little bit of everything. And a lot of them have animals themselves. So, if you have questions about a product, they can tell you how to use it, when you need to use it, how much you need to use, and they’ll even tell you if you probably shouldn’t use it right now.”

Pilkinton grew up in Maury County and had a farming background. When it came time to pursue a career, he knew he wanted it to be farm related.

“I always wanted to do something in agriculture, so when I got out of high school, I started working for what was then Maury Farmers Co-op. I worked on the dock as a warehouse employee, loading feed and stuff like that, then I moved inside and did sales. And I continued working part-time when I started college.” 

He stayed with the co-op, and in 2020, when they opened the new store, he was given the job as location manager. He’s seen some changes through the years, including a merger that brought different co-ops together. The list included Maury, Humphreys, Dickson, Marshall, and Williamson Farmers Co-ops.

“As I mentioned earlier, we were Maury Farmer’s Co-op, but in 2021 a group of us came together to make one co-op which is called United Farm and Home Co-op. And we now have 11 retail locations across Middle Tennessee.”

The move was designed to better serve co-op members.

“The bigger you are, the stronger you are,” Pilkinton says. “We’re able to take advantage of buying power, obviously. If you’re buying for one location, now you’re buying for 11 locations, so you tend to get a little bit of a better deal, and we can pass that on to farmers. It’s also made us stronger in terms of assets and equipment. We can share with each other.” 

United Farm and Home Co-op sponsors many local events and organizations, such as Mule Day, the county fair, and sports teams. It’s a way to make sure some of the money spent locally stays local.

Pilkinton says he’s proud of his store, the community it serves, and all it offers.

“If you’ve never been in our store, I would highly recommend it. I promise you, it’s not what you’re thinking when you hear co-op. This is not like any other co-op.” 

The team at Mid TN Fence can tell you business is booming in the fencing industry. It’s a trend seen nationwide. Some of it stems from increased housing construction and a growing desire by people for more privacy and security. 

Since opening a little less than three years ago, the Columbia-based company has installed fencing all over Middle Tennessee.

“We started in 2020, right in the middle of COVID,” says Ashley Robinson. “And we’ve consistently grown. We had a vision for starting a company where we offer great customer service and tackle jobs in a timely manner.”

The company is owned by Kenneth Poag. Robinson handles administration and runs the office, Ryan Springer (who has extensive experience in the industry) handles sales, and a dedicated crew installs the fencing. 

“A customer will call,” Robinson says, “and let me know what they’re thinking. I’ll send Ryan out to meet with them, and he’ll walk through and measure off the linear footage they need. Sometimes they know what they want right off the bat, whether it’s wood privacy fencing or vinyl, aluminum, three-board, or four-board. And if they don’t know, Ryan offers suggestions on what works best.”

Although they handle both commercial and residential fencing, Robinson says most of their work is residential. 

“Many of the calls we get involve people wanting to keep their kids or pets in or other creatures out. They may want a privacy fence or a chain link fence, something their dogs can’t poke their heads through.”

The goal is to help customers determine the best fencing to meet their needs and make them aware of some of the factors involved.

“For example, maintenance is a factor,” Robinson explains. “When it comes to a wood privacy fence, it’s going to require more upkeep. In six months, you’re going to want to stain, treat, or paint it, and then you have to keep up with it. A lower maintenance fence would be aluminum or vinyl.”

For those considering adding fencing, Robinson suggests knowing your property lines beforehand. It’s the homeowner’s responsibility to know where fencing can and cannot go. Another thing to think about is how many gates you think you’ll need. 

“How many gates do you want, and what are the needs for the gates? Is a vehicle going to be driving through it, or is it just a walk-through gate?

With the cost of fencing materials going up in recent years, once customers get an estimate, they’ll need to make a decision rather quickly. 

“Pre-COVID, Ryan could give an estimate and say we’re going to honor this for 30 days,” Robinson explains. “You would have 30 days to think about it. But in today’s world, we can only allow five days because our prices fluctuate so much.”

Once a customer decides, Robinson locks in the price by ordering the materials immediately.