On Saturday, July 28, Early’s Honey Stand in downtown Franklin served its last customer. The honey stand was housed in the historic McPhail building, built in 1817. The building was once a doctor’s office and even served as Union headquarters during the Battle of Franklin.
Although Early’s is leaving the McPhail building, the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County confirms the historic building will not be torn down.
Early’s Honey Stand posted the following message on Facebook.
As the sun rises on the first day of August, the small Honey Stand in the Historic 1815 Dr. McPhail’s office will be no more.
But rest assured as Williamson County’s oldest retail business, Early’s Honey Stand still remains, and will continue to operate in Spring Hill.
As the development takes hold in Downtown Franklin, we will focus back onto our flagship location at 5075 Main St. Spring Hill, an area that has housed Early’s operations since 1925.
It is within the heart of this back drop that the historic homestead of Erskine Early and the original warehouse of Early’s Mail order business sits. Poised and virtually untouched and nestled up against the natural spring and rolling greenery of the 5 acre property, it is an oasis, in a time and place of rapid growth, a place to slow down and enjoy the finer things in life.
This enjoyment, in the end, is the Early’s brand. It’s the slow Saturday mornings, getting the coolers ready for the college football game and grilling up our famous country sausage till the sweet and smokey smell wafts up the stairs. Getting the young children to come running downstairs, sleep still in their eyes and anticipation on their faces.
A slow mixing in of our pure Tennessee Sorghum molasses into the hot butter on a steaming biscuit, a product of light kneading of our famous spiced Biscuit mix. The family coming together.
We’d like to invite you to come on down and see us at Early’s in Spring Hill. Sample our honeys, have some ice cold cider, pick up your needed country meats and grab a cup of freshly roasted coffee at our new onsite coffee shop. And, please, please stay a while if you’d like. We don’t mind the company.
-Curt & Curtis Gibbs
At Early’s retail and online store, you’ll find country favorites, authentic native foods and gifts, such as country ham, smoked sausage, lodge cast iron and, of course, local honey. Shop Early’s in Spring Hill at 5075 Main St or online at earlysgifts.com.
