With Amanda Pitts

Franklin Antique Mall began about forty-four years ago with my parents, Joan and Archie Glenn. While out for a Sunday drive, they saw that the Ice House (the Franklin Antique Mall building), was for lease, so they inquired about it and ended up signing a lease for it that day. They envisioned the 13,000 square foot building to be the perfect place for an antique mall because of its turn-of-the-century architecture, with all the windows down the side and a beautiful front porch. The interior also lent itself to antiques, with its eighteenth-century French door, towering ceilings, brick walls, tile floors and raw wooden beams.  

 

Franklin Antique Mall was established on July 5, 1979, with crowds of people coming in to see the exciting new business that had opened in Franklin. The mall started the first year with thirty-two booths and quickly grew to 100 booths, as well as adding a Tea Room called The Lunch Pail. With a business across the street of local artisans, called The Emporium Franklin Antique Mall, it was quite the destination…as it still is today. Franklin Antique Mall is a favorite among locals as well as people from all over the country - and even all over the world - as we have a registration book located in our front hall for visitors to come in and sign. We have numerous booths that we lease out to talented vendors who sell all the wonderful treasures that they find in their excursions. With all the eclectic inventory from antique furniture to vintage jewelry, boutique clothing and home decor, we have something for everyone! 

 

I inherited Franklin Antique Mall in 1996 from my parents and life hasn’t been boring since. I feel that being a female business owner has been a good fit because of all the multitasking that has to be done, especially between the customers and the vendors who come in to restock their booths weekly. I am proud to be a female business owner as I’ve been an example to my daughter, Morgan, that you can achieve anything you want to achieve with a little hard work and a good business ethic. My staff, Carolyn Golden, Kristi Markovich, Karrie Poole, Gina Golden and Patty Hinton, who are all amazing women, help with all the day-to-day running of the business. I have been so blessed to have them all put their talents and people skills into this business. It’s what brings the treasure hunters, who love coming to Franklin Antique Mall.

 

We have accomplished serving the community for forty-four years and we have had so many people from all walks of life from decorators to celebrities, businesspeople and families, as customers. They want to escape the day-to-day life and wander back in time to a place that was less complicated and reminiscent of days gone by. We have won fourteen Sizzle Awards for Best Antiques, a Downtown Franklin Association Award for Antiques of the Year, as well as the Best of Tennessee Reader’s Choice Award for Best Antiques Store. Franklin Antique Mall has been like a family to me, and I have loved seeing all the people who have come through those doors for over four decades. My parents would be so thrilled to know that their vision has been such a huge success and I’m so blessed to have been a part of it! Learn more at franklinantiquemall.com.