The Factory is a shopping and dining experience like no other in the Nashville area

Franklin is a small town about fifteen minutes southwest of Nashville, and it’s one of my favorite places to meet friends for lunch and go antique shopping. The Factory in Franklin is a place we can do it all. The Factory is a shopping and dining experience like no other in the Nashville area. It’s a collection of old and new things in a 12-building complex and it’s just six blocks away from downtown Franklin.

I like to start my day at The Factory by meeting my friends at Antiques at the Factory to wander through the different booths and see if there’s anything new since our last visit. I’m a big fan of antiquing, and this is one of my favorite places to find lost treasures for my home. Once we’ve been through every nook and cranny of Antiques at the Factory, then it’s time for lunch at Stoveworks. The Stoveworks Restaurant has some of the best down-home southern cooking anywhere, in my humble opinion. It’s a great place to relax over favorites like chicken and dumplings or meatloaf, and we always have to finish things off with coffee and warm fruit cobbler served with ice cream. It has a comfortable, casual atmosphere that my friends and I enjoy.

Once we’ve finished our great lunch I like to walk around to the different art galleries and see all the local talent Nashville and the surrounding area is famous for. I also enjoy the many home décor and furnishing stores with everything from woodworking pieces to iron. We’ve even taken an afternoon to paint our own pottery at Third Coast Clay. It was lots of fun, and I’m thinking of taking the kids back there for a special “mommy and me” pottery class just for little ones.

On Saturdays, my husband and I take the kids over to the Factory for the farmer’s market they host. It’s located just behind the buildings, and we can get everything from fresh eggs and cheese to local produce in season. Our kids love the freshly made donuts that are a great treat for a Saturday breakfast. Each season has something special, and I love getting freshest produce for my family and supporting our local farmers. The farmer’s market represents over 70 farms, and they’re always in need of volunteers. My husband and I like to take turns volunteering at the market whenever we get the chance.

The Factory at Franklin is such a great place to meet friends, have a nice dinner, catch some great entertainment or just hang out with the family. It’s a real gem that has something for everyone.