Neighborhood activists in Whites Creek are aggressively seeking businesses that blend into the rural character of the historical area. They want more working farms, stores that feature arts and crafts and local wares, restaurants, entertainment venues and entrepreneurial ventures that honor agriculture, history and culture, and arts and crafts.

Laura Bigbee-Fott, resident and owner of Whites Creek Flower Farm, points to Fontanel Mansion, a large entertainment and event venue, as a model business for the area. “Fontanel has been a very good neighbor,” she says. “I would like for businesses to follow that model.”

Here are a few examples of rural-friendly businesses in Whites Creek, including Fontanel Mansion.

Fontanel Mansion

4225 Whites Creek Pike

615-876-4618

www.fontanelmansion.com

Fontanel is a large event and entertainment venue located on the grounds of the former Barbara Mandrell estate. It includes an amphitheater, trails and greenways, an inn, a restaurant, retail stores and the Mandrell mansion.

Whites Creek Flower Farm

6921 Old Hickory Blvd.

615-426-6727

www.facebook.com/whitescreekflowerfarm

Laura Bigbee-Fott operates this small-scale farm business, which grows and sells flowers to varied venues, including two area farmer’s markets. Bigbee-Fott will be renting two acres in Scotsboro next year because her business is growing so fast. She also has plans to start do-it-yourself wedding parties where customers can come to pick flowers for their own weddings and events.

Southern Hues and Stony Creek Colors

3456 Knight Drive

http://southernhues.com

http://stonycreekcolors.com

The mission of Stony Creek Colors is to increase the sustainability and resilience of agricultural systems in the Southeastern region of the US by helping women and developing farmers diversify into natural dye crops. All the fabrics are sourced domestically and hand-dyed onsite at the farm. Southern Hues produces scarves and accessories dyed with natural plants such as indigo, madder, marigold, goldenrod, sumac and black walnut. Stony Creek Colors, a branch of Southern Hues, focuses on research and development of natural dyes and on improving the extraction technology used to make natural dyes.

Cabinberry Farm

5044 Grady Lane

615-915-3580

www.cabinberryfarm.com

The event venue is on land that was one of the first berry farms in Middle Tennessee. Colonial Americans used covered wagons on what was then logging roads that lead to the farm. Remains of Country Music Hall of Famer Uncle Dave Macon’s Tennessee Mountain home are also on the land. Materials of the bluegrass music pioneer’s farm, such as original barns, berry sheds, and even branches of ornate trees were used in fashioning the unique craftsmanship and woodwork of the interior. Some original wagon wheels were used as ornamental fixtures in the cabin loft.

Cedarwood Weddings

3831 Whites Creek Pike

615-876-9999

http://cedarwoodweddings.com

This wedding planning business and venue offers planning and style tips for brides looking for southern chic or “rustic-luxe”-style weddings. The 50-acre historic property is home to the Yarbrough House (circa-1835), and it features a rustic barn and a lake.

Ri’chard’s Louisiana Cafe

4420 Whites Creek Pike

615-299-9590

http://richardscafe.com

Owned by New Orleans native Richard Trest, this funky neighborhood restaurant features Bayou-inspired food such as gumbo, crawfish pie, red beans and rice and alligator bites. It’s also a popular spot for live music. But Trest requires the music to be original, whether it’s jazz, bluegrass, alt-rock, folk or country.

– Linda Bryant