6/28/2019
I’m in an interesting place. I’m in Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park in Western Tennessee, on the Kentucky Lake, in a cabin with some friends. We can look out the window and see the span of the beautiful lake and, after dark, the lights of homes and industries running down the Eastern shoreline. A little ways North of here is what is known as the “land between the lakes” Look that up on a map or read the history of how the building of Kentucky Lake caused this to occur. This is the Tennessee River turned North, coming from Western Alabama and now going all the way to the Ohio River, joining to go West to the Mississippi.
What a spot. Quiet, peaceful, restful.
We’re here for a 4 day Bible Camp (I’m only staying two) hosted by Soul’s Harbor Bible Church of Medina, TN. These are very hardworking, but very gracious people. They are all a joy to be around. I think this is the 5th year for this camp. Barb and I were here for the first 2, then missed 2, and I’m just visiting this year. I realized this evening how sorry I am we didn’t come the last two years. Oh, well. Just glad to be here.
I had an extremely interesting day from the events on my drive over here. I left home early enough to stop in Murfreesboro and look at a unique 3-building composite of a large group of tiny businesses. The complex looked like perhaps it had originally been doctors offices of some kind, as the individual businesses were all in 8×10, 10×10, or 10×12 rooms, all facing a central hall. There was no receptionist’s desk in any building, the owner telling me each business owner had to generate their own clientele, etc. Several of the businesses were hair salons, some simply barbers, there were some herbal shops, aroma therapy, a lady who sold water, nail salons, and specialized jewelry shops. Remarkable.
The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Murfreesboro! The owner was in one of the buildings and she told me they seldom have more than one opening at a time. I didn’t ask what they charge, but they were beautifully kept buildings and grounds and parking lot. One building had 10 such businesses, one had 15 and I didn’t get to the 3rd building. This causes the mind to whirl, I mean think of the city of 100,000 or so having that many singular business people who want to be on there own who can simply run their business out of a tiny room (each one had a unique “shingle” hanging at their door to identify who and what they were.) “Hat’s off” to the folks who generated this for themselves. Quite impressive.
After that, I visited with some folks in Franklin, TN who are in the commercial real estate business. I wanted to get a “feel” for what it will be like when one of our prospects wants to put a store here, or in neighboring Spring Hill, Columbia , or another of the joining Nashville suburbs. Turns out, these two are interested!
Then, I went to Dickson, TN where I met with the Economic and Business director for their county Chamber of Commerce, a government paid position. He was a young man, feeling his way along to get some good things done, if possible for this Western Nashville suburb. I was here 4 years ago and have to say, this town has really improved itself in that time. Much people on the streets and a very active old revitalized downtown.
I still find that most people I come in contact with know nothing about alkaline water, nor why they should be worried about drinking the chemicalized tap water virtually every water system is supplying. Most everyone is a “start-up” conversation. Only the Franklin folks had any prior interest in getting really good water. I sure hope this all develops into some good locations for Blue Jug stores.
Thanks for reading, the Elder
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