Senior Center Thrift Store now open
The fruits of the seeds the county sowed with the purchase of Three Star Mall are starting to emerge. The first new addition after much work is the McMinnville Warren County Senior Center Thrift Store which opened Monday.
I went by on opening day and was impressed with the size and the selection offered on the store's first day. The exterior belies what awaits those who enter. Much like Doctor Who's TARDIS, it's bigger on the inside.
The Thrift Store occupies a portion of what was formerly Goody's in the mall. Another chunk of the former Goody's space will soon welcome the McMinnville Warren County Senior Center.
I spoke with Chaz Allen, the board chair of the Senior Center, and he was pleased with the new space and the public's response to it on the first day. "It's been good. We've had a small crowd come in and after today it should really pop off," Chaz said.
The store relies on donations, with all of the proceeds going back into the good work done by the Senior Center to help senior adults in the community by providing meals, assistance, a sense of community, recreation, health screenings and more. So, it's not only a great place to find bargains, but it is also a great place to donate your unwanted stuff with the knowledge you're assisting a good cause.
"People donate pretty much whatever. As long as it's not super tattered or soiled, we'll take pretty much anything," Chaz said.
The Thrift Store will be open Monday - Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Oh, oh, oh, O'Reilly ...
Morrison
There's good news for folks in the Morrison area. As is evident to anyone who has driven by and seen the sign which has recently gone up, O'Reilly Auto Parts is opening a second Warren County location in Morrison.
McMinnville currently has an O'Reilly at 717 N. Chancery St. and it will joined by one in Morrison coming soon between Prater's BBQ and the Family Dollar/Dollar Tree. Work is currently underway on the location.
Last week, I reached out to O'Reilly corporate for details on the decision to locate in Morrison and for an estimated opening date. They acknowledged the request but I have yet to get answers. When I learn more details, I'll put them here.
Unemployment Rate hits all-time low
At the risk of sounding redundant, I'm back again writing about Tennessee hitting a new record-low in the statewide unemployment rate. That's news I'm happy to repeat.
The previous record was set in April at 3.1%. The May unemployment rate broke that record, coming in 0.1 of a percentage point lower at 3%, according to data released on Thursday by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). That represents the best jobless number in the state since the Federal Government began reporting the statistic in 1976.
"Tennessee's booming economy and strategic investments in workforce development and job creation have set the standard for success nationwide,” said Gov. Bill Lee in a statement. “Now, we're making history with record-low unemployment, ensuring Tennessee remains a beacon of opportunity, security, and freedom for all."
In April, Warren County's unemployment rate was already at 3%. Warren County's workforce is listed at 16,672, of which 16,173 are employed with only 499 not employed in April. While the state's record-low rate was released on Thursday, April data for individual counties will be released by the state next Thursday. It will be interesting to see if Warren County dips below the 3% mark.
In addition to the good news on the unemployment front, the TDLWD revealed Tennessee employers created 3,300 new non-farm jobs between April and May.
“Our state’s robust economy has created so many great job opportunities for Tennesseans looking for work or for those who want to improve their employment situation,” said TDLWD Commissioner Deniece Thomas. “Tennessee has nearly 80 American Job Centers where career specialists can work with individuals to find their best path to new employment.”
That's all good news, and hopefully I'll be back here next month telling you about another record-breaking rate.
Upton's leaving
Not all the business news this week is happy. Sadly, long-time business owner Dena Upton has announced she has decided to close Upton's Bridal and Formal Boutique.
Sept. 1, 2023 marked the eighth anniversary of the launch of Upton's Bridal and Formal Boutique. It originally began on Sparta Street before moving around five years ago to its current location at 1100 Smithville Hwy. Suite 111 in the Plaza Shopping Center.
Dena was brought into the formal wear field by her daughters who did pageants when they were in high school.
"That kind of piqued my interest. So it started as that but we've gotten bigger into weddings than we were before. That's fun because it's always a happy occasion and I like helping people find the perfect dress. It's very rewarding," Dena said.
Dena's departure leaves a giant void in Warren County when it comes to bridal and formal wear. The outpouring of support and disappointment from the community upon hearing the announcement demonstrates just what a blow it is to so many customers, but Dena is open to hearing offers if anyone is interested in buying the shop and keeping the market for formal wear alive in Warren County.
In the meantime, Dena is offering big sales coming up. Currently the entire store is 25% off, which means it's the perfect time for aspiring beauty queens to get ready for the upcoming fair pageants, for brides to prepare for the big day or for the class of 2025 to get a jump start on prom season.
Dena plans to close Upton's at the end of July, but until then, is open Tuesday - Friday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Until Next week,
same biz day,
same biz page
Thanks for reading and thanks to everyone who came to the Southern Standard's Customer Appreciation Day on Friday to say hi. Lots of banana splits were given away and lots of subscriptions were sold. We truly appreciate the community's support.
If you have any business tips or if you have a business you'd like to have featured, please let me know at editor@southernstandard.com.
