A new business
generally speaking
For those who miss the days of perusing the aisles of a general store, looking at shelf after shelf of favorite candies as well as some you've never heard of and washing it all down with a glass-bottled drink, there's a new place on Main Street just for you.
The Hitch Outfitters has enjoyed such success since its opening in February of 2022, it has crossed the street to open another store at 112 E. Main St. - The Hitch - General Store.
The General Store has moved into the building which previously housed Handsome Jack's Mercantile next to Juicy's. It expands on a section of the store which already existed in The Hitch Outfitters, but has expanded its offerings to fill an entire shop, while leaving more room for YETI products at the store next to Collins River BBQ.
Kelley Hitchcock Snyder of The Hitch explained the impetus for the new venture. "When this spot became available, we decided to not just let it sit there. We had a general store section in our other store and we wanted to bring an old-fashioned general store downtown," Kelley said.
Walking into the store truly does provide a blast of nostalgia as the walls are filled with popular candy brands from both today and yesteryear. The rustic decor perfectly sets the mood and selections such as Stuckey's and Creme Savers really drive the sentimental sensations home.
"You can come in and see lots of candy and things you had when you were young like Goo Goo Clusters and Moon Pies. We also have jams and jellies, old-fashioned bottled drinks, fudge and pre-made sandwiches. We decided to bring back the charm of the old candy stores where you can pick out candy from a jar," Kelley said.
In addition to those items, The Hitch - General Store has a selection of locally-produced beer. "We have what we call a Tennessee Pick Six where you can mix and match beers from Tennessee breweries," Kelley said.
That's not all. The General Store offers a selection of Lodge cast-iron skillets, Blue Bunny ice cream, beef jerky, old-fashioned toys and even a checkerboard where customers can sit a spell and challenge each other to a game.
"I think this will be a great addition to downtown during Christmas," Kelley said. "Our first weekend there were dance recitals downtown and a lot of people got candy instead of bouquets of flowers."
The Hitch places a premium on stocking locally-produced items as much as possible. "Most everything we have here is Tennessee-based products. We try to do that as much as we can. We also have local honey and spices and seasonings."
Kelley and her husband Chris Snyder will be assisted in keeping both stores running by their daughter Olivia Snyder, who was previously working at the family store in Sparta.
The store had its grand opening on Friday, May 10 and enjoyed a busy Mother's Day weekend. The Hitch - General Store is open Monday - Saturday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. The store can be reached at (931) 507-6246.
Tanner expands
his skillset
After making a name for himself in the world of real estate, Justin Tanner wanted more hand-on experience, leading him to enter the construction world as well. Now, instead of only selling someone else's houses, he builds and sells his own as well.
"Real Estate and building have been a lifelong interest of mine. As a kid I would build things out of scrap wood and was good at drawing so my teachers and family encouraged me to apply for UT School of Architecture when I graduated high school," Justin said.
As happens to so many of our college plans, things didn't go exactly as planned and Justin ended up going to the School of Business graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Logistics.
That degree led him into a stint rising in the managerial ranks at FedEx. When the company asked him to move his family out of state for a promotion, his love of Tennessee won out. He chose to stay and pursue his life-long love of real estate.
"In that pursuit, I gained six years of experience as listing and buyers’ agent, two years as a managing broker, and six more years as a mortgage loan originator, construction loan officer and regional manager of mortgage. Those roles allowed me to gain a lot of knowledge around home building and development but I still wanted to get some hands-on experience in construction. So, in 2020, I took a leap of faith into the construction world as a sales person and project manager for a roofing company," Justin said.
After getting involved in construction, things started coming together for Justin and he helped renovate rental properties, flipped some houses and worked as an assistance commercial construction superintendent for apartment buildings at Isha.
"It was at that point I felt I was ready to take things to the next level so I studied for and passed the Residential Contractor’s Exam and became a licensed general contractor. In the spring of 2023, with the help of a long-time mentor and fellow contractor, I built a spec home and it sold after only a few days on the market. But then, I started getting recruiting calls to go back into the mortgage world. The opportunity was good but my love of real estate and construction was too strong," Justin said.
Armed with a contractor's license and an extensive history in real estate, Justin is now a double-threat, able to create the homes he sells.
"As of May 17, I’m back pursuing those passions again as a Realtor and director of construction and listing for JCT Contracting. We have homes under construction in Sparta, Manchester and Christiana, currently, and I’m managing a residential construction project in downtown McMinnville on my own. I have some real estate listings coming soon in McMinnville and Manchester, so keep an eye out for those. I'd like to thank everyone who has given me opportunities and support along the way. While I have been focusing on gaining construction experience, real estate is still my main focus. There’s a shortage of existing homes for sale so building them is the next best option," Justin said.
If you need help selling, buying or building a home, Justin can be reached at (931) 743-2632.
Until next week,
same biz day,
same biz page
Thanks once again for reading and thanks to Ben Lomand Connect for sponsoring the page. If you own a business you'd like to have featured or if you have any tips or questions, please email me at editor@southernstandard.com.
