By CAROLE ROBINSON, Staff Writer
crobinson@williamsonherald.com

Tucked into northeastern Williamson County, Nolensville is a town that is rapidly developing into more of a city, complete with a new bank, a variety of subdivisions and the potential for an ever-increasing variety of retail shops and businesses.
The town will celebrate its Buttercup Festival April 29-30. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the town’s historic district, so plan to visit and find out more about Nolensville.

The Curly Willow
Ellen and Dan Forester
7305 Nolensville Road
776-5372
M-S 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. • Sun. noon – 5 p.m.

Six years ago, after trimming her curly willow tree, Ellen Forester, an employee at Tant’s Plants, set out a bucket of branches free for anyone to take when a friend saw it and had an idea.
Former convenience store owners, the Foresters were retired from the retail business, but a few weeks after Ellen had set the bucket out, the couple found themselves store owners again.
“We changed jobs – the hardest thing we’ve ever done, but we have much better hours,” said Ellen.
The Curly Willow, named for the bucket of branches that changed their lives, specializes in “gardeny, primitive, cottagey-type stuff,” but offers items such as candles and handmade floral wreaths.
“We get old furniture and transfer it into something usable,” Ellen said. “We call them rescued memories.”

What’s so great about Nolensville?
“I was born and raised here,” said Ellen. “Everybody knows everybody, still. No matter how much it grows – there is something that slows you down here.”
What’s new in your business?
It’s always new – things change everyday. The Foresters find most of their items at estate sales and garage sales.

What’s your most popular type of item?
Right now it’s the wrought iron items, fence sections and arbors — gardeny kinds of things.

What was the strangest find and request?
“We found a potty seat on wheels, I think from the 1920s and an antique wardrobe along the side of the road.” The strangest request was someone looking for a surfboard. They wanted to use it as a shelf in their son’s bedroom.

Two-Way Stop
Trevan Townsend and Joey Len
7207 Nolensville Road
776-5736
M-Sat. 5 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Twenty years ago this month, while on his way to visit his son, Trevan, at Middle Tennessee State University, Giles County resident, Joe Townsend got lost and landed up in Nolensville. When he stopped for directions, he got more than he anticipated — he got a store. The Two-Way Stop has become landmark in Nolensville where breakfast and lunch are served along with gas, a large variety of packaged snacks, fountain and bottled drinks.
It’s one of those places where a quick stop is a good 20 minutes and “everyone knows your name.”
Even though he has a degree in physics and chemistry, 10 years later Trevan took over the business his father bought and took on partner, Joey Len, the “numbers guy,” seven years ago.
“I can make more money doing this,” he said. And have more fun.

What’s so great about Nolensville?
“The people — they are who they are — genuine, with no airs.”
What’s new in your business?
What’s new is that it’s the same thing you’ve always gotten, good quality food and friendly service. “Stores like this give you more bang for your buck.”

What’s your most popular food item?
Sausage and biscuits are the most popular item, “because they are good and they are consistent – that’s the key. I make between 200 and 300 (sausage biscuits) every morning, plus other stuff.”

What was the strangest thing that happened?
“A young man stopped by one day and asked how much gas could he could get for $7. Another time, a man stopped for directions. He asked, ‘Which direction do I go on Nolensville Road?’ but wouldn’t say where he was going on Nolensville Road.”


Blue Bell Ice Cream
Andy Lambert
Branch Manager
7215 Haley Industrial Dr.
776-7993

For industry, it’s all about location. Proximity to two major interstates and easy accessibility to major urban areas were a big consideration when the Brenham, Texas-based Blue Bell Ice Cream located a distribution center in Nolensville as part of its expansion plan.
“We’ve been steadily growing over the years and we like to enter new markets,” said Andy Lambert, branch manager.
Producing and delivering quality homemade ice cream means the company uses the direct store delivery system. That insures the ice cream and ice cream-related products get to the communities in the Nashville area as fresh and full flavored as it was when it was first delivered in wooden tubs to neighbors and friends around Brenham back in 1911.

What’s so great about Nolensville?
“This is a fast growing community. An area with exceptional schools and the city is aggressive in getting new businesses to move here,” Lambert said. “The typical deep Southern personalities and relationships are a good fit for us.”

What’s new in your business?
“We have some new flavors — Delta Blues has blueberries, blueberry sauce and pie crust pieces in it, and there is Lemon Ice Box Pie and Hot Chocolate.” There will be other new flavors later in the season. “Something big in 2007 — we will be celebrating our 100th anniversary.”

What’s your most popular flavor?
Homemade vanilla is by far the most popular.
What was the strangest flavor idea?
Every year employees contribute ideas for flavors. “You name it, we’ve had it,” Lambert said. Out of the hundreds of suggestions, a few are chosen to be developed. One that didn’t make it was jalepeno ice cream.
Flavors that are way out there, but were developed are Creole Cream Cheese and Cake Batter. 

Posted on: 4/19/2006