If you’ve visited (or driven by) The Factory at Franklin over the past few months, you’ve likely witnessed a bustling scene. Yes, construction is nearly finished on the new and improved Factory! A longstanding fixture of Franklin’s history, the former stove manufacturing plant-turned-retail-and-restaurant complex is deeply rooted in the area’s narrative. The property’s water tower and smokestack are iconic landmarks of Williamson County’s shopping and dining scene.
Come April, The Factory will be offering an entirely new experience. From an upgraded roster of shops and restaurants (wait until you see this list!) to a brand new bar concept, we’ve got the exclusive first peek at what you can expect.
In today’s article:
- Introducing The Skylight, The Factory’s New Bar Concept
- Where to eat and drink at The Factory
- Where to shop at The Factory
- A historian on staff and more
- Tickets to the upcoming Sip & Sample at The Skylight for $55 each
Take a peek at the new and improved interior of The Factory at Franklin. Rendering: Holladay Properties
Introducing The Skylight, The Factory’s New Bar Concept
One of the most highly anticipated elements of the new Factory at Franklin project, The Skylight bar has a front-row seat – actually, 35 of them – to all of the action. A formerly hidden second level of the building has been exposed to reveal its original iconic clerestory windows, which is where The Skylight gets its name. On a sunny day, the light will flood from all sides, illuminating the greenery hanging overhead. In fact, the entire area will be dripping with foliage, framing furniture sourced from nearby Ashland City.
The bar is in the middle of it all, surrounded by local favorite eateries like Edley’s, Otaku Ramen, Jeni’s Ice Cream, Mojo Tacos, and more. It’s a gathering place for food and fun — with The Skylight as its centerpiece.
Thanks to bar manager Kristian Albarran, previously of Gray’s on Main, the beverage menu will boast cocktails that pay tribute to the Factory’s history along with whimsical options like the Wake Up Call, featuring cacao rum and espresso liqueur, and The Potbelly, featuring scotch and rye whiskey.
The Factory team is eager to welcome visitors, inviting them to come all day, grab a cocktail or mocktail, and even walk around as they sip. A bit atypical from the norm, it’s ideal for those who are browsing the boutiques or awaiting a dinner reservation.
On Saturday, April 15, The Skylight will host the first-ever Factory Sip & Sample, a ticketed grand opening to celebrate what’s on the horizon — the perfect way to celebrate the incoming vendors and The Factory’s makeover. While not all of the restaurants will officially open in time for the event, guests will be able to drink from the bar concept and sample from most, if not all, of the restaurants opening over the next year.
The Skylight bar manager, Kristian Albarran, has developed a beautiful cocktail menu featuring menu items like Love and War, a rye whiskey cocktail starring fresh strawberries. Image: The Skylight
In the throes of construction, The Skylight starts to take shape. Image: Jenna Bratcher
The new bar design incorporates the familiar brown and beige glass panels from the surrounding overhead windows. Rendering: Holladay Properties
Where to Eat + Drink at The Factory
While The Skylight will be the first part of the project to officially open to the public in April, plenty of food concepts will soon follow, with staggered openings. “At a really high level, we’ve got about 270,000 square feet here,” says Allen Arender, partner and senior vice president of development at Holladay Properties. “Of that, about 80,000 will be food and beverage. There’s a good story here about things that have incubated at The Factory. They’ve started here and grown — Honest Coffee, Five Daughters, Mojos.”
Perhaps one of the most exciting facets of the development, the restaurant lineup includes everything from hot chicken and traditional Southern barbecue to sweet treats and fine dining — including some longstanding Factory favorites who will be remaining but swapping locations. Here’s a list (in alphabetical order) of eateries to come:
Edley’s Bar-B-Que
The newest Edley’s outpost is getting ready to serve its delicious slow-smoked meats and traditional Southern sides. From fried pickles and coleslaw to fried catfish and brisket sandwiches, you’re in for a treat. (Don’t skip the banana pudding!)
etch
This upscale dining concept from award-winning Chef Deb Paquette brings accessible-yet-elevated cuisine to The Factory’s main dining area. Joining her roster of other Nashville restaurants, such as etc., Jasper’s, and the original etch location downtown, the newest restaurant promises to be a hit! “We’ve been looking for a spot in the Franklin area for some time now but hadn’t found the right location until now,” says Chef and Owner Deb. “Williamson County is seeing incredible growth, and it is the perfect time to involve ourselves in this community. The next phase of The Factory is a perfect fit for us, complete with new shops and restaurants (and an abundance of parking!).”
“Guests can expect to see a chef’s counter … plus a great outdoor space for enjoying a cocktail on the patio,” says Chef Deb Paquette. “I have my A-team ready, and we are already in the planning stages of menu development. Jess, my Chef de Cuisine, and I will be designing the menu around our globally-inspired food. Megan, our Executive Pastry Chef, will be throwing down some fabulous sweets. And let’s not forget the tasty cocktails and wines! We look forward to bringing all of this to Williamson County in the very near future.”
Five Daughters Bakery
Five Daughters got its start at The Factory, and the bakery’s flagship location continues to this day. Making treats primarily using locally sourced, organic ingredients, the husband-and-wife baking duo (along with their five daughters) deliver goodies made from scratch daily — including gluten-free, vegan, and paleo selections.
Franklin Juice Co.
Cold-pressed juices and açaí bowls abound at Franklin Juice Co., which opened at The Factory in 2014. It is currently in the process of expanding to a larger Factory space.
GREY’S Fine Cheese
Founded in Memphis, this exceptional cheese shop opened its doors in Nashville at Sylvan Supply not long ago. Now, it’s expanded to The Factory, too. You can anticipate fine cheese, charcuterie, wine, and all things gourmet to please your palate.
Hattie B’s Hot Chicken
If you’re familiar with The Factory grounds, you’ve likely spotted “Rusty,” the giant machine man sculpture. Soon, when you find your way to Rusty, you’ll also be following your nose to some Nashville hot chicken. “We chose The Factory for two reasons: We love the character and soul of the building, a determining factor for most Hattie B’s locations, and Franklin is a special place for us,” says Nick Bishop, Jr., co-founder of Hattie B’s Hot Chicken. “We opened our first restaurant, Bishop’s Meat & Three, in Cool Springs 15 years ago, so we know and love the Franklin community, and we’re honored to be a part of this exciting revitalization project.”
Honest Coffee Roasters
With its distinctive smell wafting through The Factory halls and drawing in many a visitor in need of refueling, Honest Coffee Roasters is Williamson County’s first specialty coffee company (the story of its origins goes back to the 1800s!). The shop offers high-quality, ethically sourced, fresh-roasted coffee, with fantastic menu items like The Bootlegger (a latte with caramel bourbon syrup) and Matcha Tea Latte with house-made almond-coconut milk.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream
If you have a sweet tooth, you’re undoubtedly familiar with one of Nashville’s most prominent sweets shops. The premier purveyor of artisan ice cream continues to bring its popular flavors (as well as seasonal ones) to The Factory, only in its new, prominent location near The Skylight. Favorite flavors include Brown Butter Almond Brittle, Gooey Butter Cake, and Brambleberry Crisp.
Mafiaoza’s
Open at The Factory since 2003, the New York-style pizza joint and neighborhood pub is still going strong. Specializing in delicious stone oven pizzas, it’s the perfect spot to assemble with family. Oh, and the ravioli cheese sticks are not to be missed!
Mojo’s Tacos
Already a fixture at The Factory, Mojo’s Tacos will continue serving up the handmade tortillas, craft tequilas, and fast-casual fare it’s known for. From classic guac and queso to hot chicken or Korean cauliflower tacos, there’s no shortage of delicious Mexican-inspired menu items to choose from.
Otaku Ramen
Whether or not you’re proficient in the art of using chopsticks, Otaku Ramen offers tasty ramen goodness you can slurp up to your heart’s (and stomach’s) content. With sidekicks like gyoza, hot chicken bao buns, and boba tea, the Asian eatery delivers a dose of happiness in every bowl.
Two Hands
If you’re as obsessed with Nashville’s inaugural Two Hands location (on 8th Avenue) as we are, you’re in luck! A second outpost of the fabulous Australian cafe-inspired eatery from Henry and Tara Roberts is moving into the old Viking test kitchen location. It will serve breakfast through dinner in its new Factory digs.
White Alligator
New Orleans native Rob Lippincott, who landed on the culinary map with his restaurant Parish Cafe in Sonoma County, CA, is opening a Louisiana-inspired Po’ Boy eatery. Rob and his wife moved to Franklin not long ago, so the labor of love is his first Nashville restaurant!
The Retail Roster
Allen tells us that much of the current retail is sticking around, though some shops are relocating within the complex. A few, such as Fork of the South, are not only relocating but expanding. “Most everybody wants to be here, so we’re shuffling around to try to make it work,” he says. “Some, like Third Coast Clay, are moving to a different building. The food and office [leases] (like tech company Diakonia) are done, but the soft goods retail is still ongoing.” You can look for longstanding favorites like Made in TN and Judith Bright to remain. Newer retail will also be moving in, including Lemon Gift Shop — a California-born shop specializing in children’s clothing and home decor.
Even some shops that aren’t swapping locations are getting a facelift. “The alley is getting cleaned up with new landscaping,” explains Allen of the pathway that runs along the exterior of many of the stores. “Storefronts will open up from the inside onto the alley for access.”
The Factory remains open for business, even as construction is well underway. Image: Jenna Bratcher
But wait. There’s more …
If you’re a history buff, The Factory has plenty of nuggets to offer. The latest evolution merges the building’s past with its present, and there are stories galore. For example, did you know that Calvin Lehew (the first owner of The Factory complex after it was no longer an active stove manufacturing plant) saved it from being destroyed by Hollywood in the ’90s? Turns out, the building was intended to be set on fire for the movie Backdraft!
And that’s not the only exciting tale in The Factory’s narrative. “We have a historian on staff,” Allen tells us. “She grew up in Brentwood, went to school here, went off to college, and studied redevelopment of historic buildings. She was in Rome and wrote a thesis on the redevelopment of The Factory in 2019, and then we bought it in 2021. She showed up, and we were like, ‘How can you not be part of this?!'”
You may also be surprised to discover that some structures currently in development have been on the property all along — even if you never noticed them. “People didn’t recognize that some of these things were here,” says Allen. One building, in particular, served as a church with second-floor apartments, only it was entirely covered over in vegetation. Now, it is being given a new life. “This was one of those little hidden objects we found. When we came and started looking at it, we knew [what we’d stumbled upon] because we’ve done other projects like this. Nobody has seen what this can be,” says Allen of restoring and repurposing the beautiful, old building.
Another of The Factory’s notable features comes in the form of a hand-carved, hand-painted carousel. Though it isn’t built yet, it’s a long-awaited dream come true for master carver Ken Means. The artist has maintained a studio in The Factory since 2019, when his daughter convinced him to take on the space as his official workshop. Now, the vibrant, whimsical, stunning carousel animals he has been carving for nearly 30 years are only one year away from sporting their first riders. “That’s been his life’s work,” says Allen, “and we are building a building to put his carousel in. An active carousel. The mechanism he owns for it was PT Barnum’s, and it’s like 100 years old.”
One of Ken Mean’s gorgeous carvings awaits its place in the carousel. Image: Jenna Bratcher
As if that’s not enough to draw you in, there are plenty more introductions to come as 2023 continues — from the theatre featuring live StudioTENN performances to a public-facing fundraising incubator with interactive activations from a worldwide nonprofit organization. “The big picture is that this isn’t just going to be another mixed-use shopping and dining thing,” says Allen. “This has a more experiential leg to draw people here. Ultimately, we’re trying to offer a 24/7 destination.”
We can’t wait to see what else is in store!
Tickets to the party!
The first annual Factory Sip & Sample at The Skylight will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2023, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. It’s your chance to experience the reimagined space, enjoy cocktails from The Skylight, and sample food from the restaurants — both open and coming soon — that call The Factory home. Tickets are $55, and a limited number are available through Eventbrite.
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