There was a time, when Cookeville Tool & Die was in its heyday, the building at the corner of Belmont Drive and Cadillac Lane was a bustling manufacturing facility.

Then Cookeville Tool & Die closed its doors in McMinnville and the building slipped into dormancy. A rainbow seemingly emerged through the dark clouds more than a decade ago when Flight Deck Specialists announced it would be expanding its operation to Warren County and moving into the old Cookeville Tool & Die facility.

On the surface, Flight Deck Specialists seemed like a business that would hit the runway and really take off as a company that refurbishes airplane seats, among other interior aircraft components.

But the business never seemed to reach cruising altitudes. It never made much noise, or generated much of an employee headcount, as far as I can tell.

Now there’s word Flight Deck Specialists is looking to sell the building and a local company is eyeing it for expansion. The local company shall remain unnamed.

“This company wants to make the building on the corner of Belmont Drive and Cadillac Lane their new home,” said Industrial Development Board director Don Alexander at the board’s monthly meeting Thursday. “We want to work with them to hammer out a financial package.”

Said IDB member Tommy Foster, “I see no reason not to pursue this.”

Added IDB member Jeff Golden, “I say we approve it and move forward.”

IDB members voted unanimously to work with this company on a low-interest loan to make purchasing the 21,000-square-foot building a reality. I think it’s great news and it’s exactly the kind of work our Industrial Board should be doing.

Getting big companies to locate here is always gratifying, but it’s helping existing businesses to expand that really gives a jolt to the workforce. I’m keeping my fingers crossed this deal goes through and proves beneficial for everyone involved. Most of all, I hope it creates high-paying jobs.

Let there

Be sewer

Let’s stay on the theme of more jobs for one more segment because more jobs is a positive thought, unless those jobs pay minimum wage and create poverty. 

In other action at its Thursday meeting, IDB members are beginning the process of running wastewater lines to the new spec building under construction and an adjacent building site that’s available.

I fully understand that talking about wastewater lines is a boring subject. It induces sleep. But we’re not going to land a new company at Mt. View Industrial Park unless this company has a way to take off its sewage.

Don said he wants to get the proverbial ball rolling because this is such a lengthy process that begins with an engineering study. Don said he was recently in touch with a fast-moving automotive company that is interested in being up and running at a new site by October. That is indeed a fast-moving company. Unfortunately, it appears highly unlikely the IDB could get wastewater lines to either of those two sites by October.

The total cost of the project is $215,000 for one sewer line or $360,000 for both. IDB members realize the need to get the wastewater lines in the ground as soon as possible and agreed to work quickly toward that end.

Charm & Beauty

Makes rare move

It’s been easy for Barbara Corun to remember where she works. For 50 years, Charm & Beauty Unlimited has been located at the same spot at Plaza Shopping Center.

But after this weekend, Barbara’s hair salon will be finding a new home. She’s leaving her longtime location in favor of a much smaller facility at Salon Suites over the bowling alley.

“It’s going to be a lot different because this is like my home,” said Barbara. “I can’t tell you how many times I stayed here until late in the night. At one point I had as many as 12 girls working here at one time and we all got along. Sooner or later, everybody goes out and gets their own shop.”

Barbara says the hairstyles and requests have sure changed since she started cutting hair and she’s not necessarily going to change with the times.

“I had a girl come in the other day who wanted me to put green on her hair,” said Barbara. “Well I don’t have green and I told her I wouldn’t put it on her hair even if I did.”

Barbara says doing hair has been largely rewarding. It’s a job where she can interact with others – and she said she’s had some customers all 50 years.

“It’s been a lifesaver for me getting to see the same people every week,” said Barbara. “There are a lot of little, old ladies who really like me. My favorite part is seeing the finished product, seeing how it styles after it gets out of the rollers.”

It’s a job where customers generally leave happy, but Barbara says there can be lively reactions if the person believes they’ve gotten a bad haircut.

“There was one lady who told me she really wanted it short,” said Barbara. “I even asked her about it to make sure I heard her right. Well I had gotten one side completely done before she realized what was happening and she started screaming. By that time it was too late. She cried and I cried but there was nothing I could do. It was not funny then, but it’s funny now.”

When she’s not cutting hair, Barbara enjoys playing the organ at Locust Street Church of God. She said one of her favorite songs is “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder.”

She has four children – Darrell Austin, Carole Clark, Harold Austin and Lori Judkins, who lives in Florida.

Barbara says she’s going to maintain her current schedule of working Thursday thru Saturday at her new location. Charm & Beauty can be reached at 473-8271.

Corley new

IDB attorney

IDB members have reached a verdict and decided on a new attorney. It’s Mike Corley.

Mike has been practicing law for 40 years and is known for being an outdoorsman. He enjoys riding his bicycle and gained fame in a front-page Southern Standard article for paddling a canoe to church.

Mike is also attorney for Middle Tennessee Natural Gas so he knows what’s required for development.

“Utilities are complementary to growth because you’re not going to grow without water, electricity and natural gas,” said Mike. “I enjoy being a part of a community that’s doing its best to grow and develop.”

Along those lines, the IDB is working hard to recruit residential builders to construct new homes in our community. It was reported two or three companies have shown interest in our area.

That’s all folks

The month for love and Presidents Day is quickly fading. Email your business tips to editor@southernstandard.com.