Shining a light on makers that are bringing their handmade goods and, many times, their cultures to Music City is something we’re committed to. Here are some favorites that are still going strong.
RVPottery
March, April 2018
In 2016, a potter and recent Belmont grad reached out to me. “How can I get involved?” she asked. “Well, you can make the plates for our Farm Dinners,” I jested. Done. That young maker was Rachel Vandivort of RVPottery, who indeed threw the pottery for our early Farm Dinners and now creates tableware for restaurants all over the country. SEE STORY HERE
Noble Springs Dairy
May, June 2015
Justyne and Dustin Noble were kids and newlyweds when they launched their dairy in Franklin in 2009. They started with 150 goats and a couple of products, including chèvre cheese. Today, their farm offers agri-tours for kids, Goats & Guitars music nights and a range of products available in stores from Nashville to Knoxville. SEE STORY HERE
Bae’s Butters
July, August 2020
The idea for a nut butter line came to Bobby Hansen when he focused on his health and reconsidered all the peanut butter he was eating. As a chef, he decided he could make his own almond butter in a stone grinder. Today, he crafts various nut butters in small batches, roasting and grinding to flavorful, smooth perfection. You can find him at farmers markets and his store in The Nations. SEE STORY HERE
Flour Your Dreams Bakery
November, December 2020
After layoffs at work during the pandemic, Danny Greenberg and Tania Salas Platt sought solace in baking. They sold their sourdough loaves on their front lawn to neighbors desperate for human interaction. Four years and many loaves, muffins and cakes later, they operate Flour Your Dreams Bakery in Donelson. SEE STORY HERE
Alfresco Pasta
March, April 2019
Longtime chef-restaurateur Chris Grissom opened restaurants in his native Mississippi and the West Coast before launching Alfresco Pasta in 2000. (He has since opened Little Hats Market in Germantown.) Made in Wedgewood-Houston, Alfresco became an early artisanal staple at farmers markets and fine restaurants all around town. Today, you can find his pasta across town and across the country. SEE STORY HERE
Little Big Dog Treats
July, August 2018
Cailyn Wheaton was born with Down syndrome. And while she may have a hard time expressing herself, she conveys an inspirational creativity in baking treats for her dog. Little Big Dog Treats launched in January 2016, providing Cailyn with a meaningful career and allowing her to work with her mom, Sandi, as she always wanted. Today, you can find Cailyn’s treats at local markets and online at littlebigdogtreats.com. SEE STORY HERE
Erin’s Body Care
March, April 2022
Erin Hewgley has been crafting natural body care products in her Hillsboro Village home since 2018. Invoking ancient insights with the medicinal benefits of herbs, oils, balms and blooms, she informs her formulas with her knowledge of modern “science-y” stuff, such as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, humectants and non-comedogenic substances. The results of her loving labors are handcrafted batches of body, hair and skin care products—all of it pure, all of it natural, all of it food-grade, but intended to be savored from the outside in. SEE STORY HERE
Padrino’s Pops
July, August 2015
Hosting Spanish classes from Lipscomb Academy across the street, Lorena Cantu explains that as a little girl, she helped her grandfather make paletas in Saltillo, Mexico. In a flurry of Spanish and English, she explains how the paletas (or popsicles) are handmade with fresh, in-season fruit and water. While the shop on Granny White is no longer there, you can experience Padrino’s Pops through their cart that appears at farmers markets and events throughout the city. SEE STORY HERE