We made it! 2025 is peaking around the corner. Each year around this time folks begin planning their new year with gusto. Lose 25 pounds? Check! Get our affairs in order? Check! Eat only meat and vegetables? Check, check! Unfortunately, it’s easy for that New Year excitement to wear off not long after that first bowl of boiled Brussels Sprouts. I can’t say that I blame you! What if this year, instead of just focusing on ourselves, we set our sights on making the community around us successful? What kind of difference could we make?

When someone says, “Chamber of Commerce”, what comes to mind? For me it used to be just a business directory so that I could find a church, library and hair stylist in whatever town we moved to. This last year I learned it is so much more.

Your local Chamber of Commerce has a big job. It recruits businesses to join together to strengthen not only our boutiques and dining establishments on the town square, but also the large businesses beyond the city limits. When corporations look for new locations, they look to the Chamber of Commerce to know what is in the area. They need to know if it’s a good spot for further development of their company or even a development of new houses. Small businesses often join for the support and the visibility.  The Chamber connects each business to other people and businesses which gives them the support to succeed. It also gives a hand up to craft makers and other home-based businesses. Cotton Fest puts these folks on display front and center. This is no small feat. Planning for Cotton Fest for the next year begins as soon as the current one ends.

Each month the Chamber hosts a luncheon with a guest speaker. A delicious lunch is provided while attendees learn about a business or opportunity in the area. Sometimes it’s a business owner like Patti Yancey, owner of Kindred Spirit Style boutique, who spoke at a luncheon this year about how to find success as a small business owner in a small town. Sometimes it’s a luncheon where the guest speaker talks about financing those businesses. No matter what the topic, it’s a great way to connect with people in our community and ask, “How can we help?” If you’re interested in attending a luncheon, just call the Chamber at 901-465-8690 to register. Lunch is always catered by a local business and guaranteed to be delicious!

In the Spring the Chamber hosts its annual Gala. It’s a great way to kick off the year with a night of good food, an auction, even better conversation and music. Last year it was hosted at Carahills Estate which gave those attending a great excuse to get dressed up to support the businesses that are the backbone of our community. Seeing the joy of the “Small Business of the Year” winners last year will stick with me for a long time. It might seem insignificant, but to them it was the pinnacle of success. Make sure to follow Fayette Co. Chamber of Commerce on Facebook to stay in the loop of what the Chamber and your favorite local small business are up to!

So how can you help? Glad you asked! Go join your Chamber. Visit www.fayettecountychamber.com/member You don’t have to own a business to take part and make a difference. It’s just $95 a year for an average Joe like you or I to take part. You’ll start receiving emails so you’ll be the first to know what’s happening in your community and how you can take part. Tell your friends and family to join, especially if they own a business. When someone new moves to town, one of their first stops is often the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber can only promote businesses that are part of the organization. By joining or encouraging your favorite business to join, you are helping bring more customers to their door. Speaking from personal experience, the Chamber of Commerce was a wealth of information when we moved to Fayette County.

Another great way to help is to tell your friends and family any time you find a coffee shop, boutique, restaurant, organization or even a large corporation that just goes above and beyond expectations. Put a post up on social media. It takes 1 minute, costs nothing and could change the life of a business owner.

Finally, if you don’t know it by now, I’ll say it again; SHOP LOCAL. $5 spent in the city stays in the city, but $5 spent locally grows locally. It funds the business that donates to our kids’ fundraisers, sports and community outreach such as Carl Perkins and Fayette Cares. Get involved with your local Chamber, spread the word and shop local; those three things will change our community for the better and make 2025 a year for the books. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

~Written by Karri Buck~

If you’ve enjoyed the last two articles on eating your way through Fayette County, pay attention, it gets even better! We’ve worked our way through the south half of the county, back up to the northwest side of the county and now we’ll make our grand finale on the northeast side. Since Oakland was our last stop, it only makes sense that our first stop on the way east would be White House & Coffee Co.

White House has everything from steamers to boba teas to lattes and frappes. Their seasonal drink menu keeps thing lively with lavender lattes, Cinnamon Bun lattes or even a Grinch Frappe. They have breakfast and lunch offerings including coffee cake, bagels, turkey sandwiches with soup or hot ham and cheese on a croissant each day as well. Need something to go? They have drive-thru available. If you’re in store grabbing your coffee, make sure to wander next door while you wait. You’ll find the perfect gift for you or someone you love. It’s easy to rush in today’s world, but White House coffee has made a comfy place to catch up with friends and enjoy the important things in life.

I suppose it seems odd to follow one coffee shop with another, but A New Life Herbs is an entirely different type of coffee shop; though Emily and Katie both would agree, community and loving your neighbor are the most important aspects of what they do. Emily not only serves coffee, she also makes an incredible dandelion, chicory root and turmeric latte! Maybe that sounds odd, but if you’re looking for relief from inflammation, this is a tasty way to find it. There are wide variety of other herbal teas and lattes available as well. Emily’s goal of being farm to table is growing constantly. They now offer their own home raised pork for breakfast and lunch dishes. You can get a tasty glass of home brewed kombucha in a variety of flavors as well as a latte; but you won’t find fake flavors. Emily’s goal is to provide both the body and the soul with the most natural products available. You will find delicious dishes for breakfast like a bagel, parfait or quiche. For lunch you can get a grilled cheese grilled on Backermann’s locally made bread, a Cuban sandwich or a broccoli salad. With cold and flu season upon us, make sure to check out her many herbal tinctures, teas and syrups while you’re in the store as well.

Does the thought of a burger with a side of steak fries make your mouth water? Then take a quick jog down to Hot Off Joe’s grill at the La Grange Road and Highway 76 junction. Joe is barbequing some of the best grilled food in town. Smoked bologna sandwich? They’ve got it. Cheeseburger? Fried Okra? Wings? Absolutely. Maybe chicken or seafood is more your style. Well, they’ve got that too. Make sure to grab some chicken nuggets and some hush puppies while you’re there. Joe has everything grilled you could want plus service with a smile!

Back to the town square. If you’re looking for the perfect pick-me-up, stop by the Somerville Nutrition Shack. They have loaded teas that are loaded with nutrition. Using a well-known and respected supplement company, they can give your tea the caffeinated boost you’re looking for, the protein you need for a good work out or just something sweet start your day off right. No matter what’s in the cup, the customer has a smile on their face when they walk out that door!

Are you looking for breakfast with a “just like home atmosphere”? Or lunch where everyone knows your name? Then head on over to Main St. Eatery. You will find mouth-watering biscuits and gravy or specialty pancakes to start your day. For lunch the daily hot plate is as close to how mama fixed it as you can find. Looking for something lighter? Grab their special egg, chicken or pimento and cheese salad. What if you’re gluten free? They have you covered. They have dozens of options of gluten free food that taste amazing, including their homemade biscuits and gravy. Call ahead to grab your meal to go. If you need a little boost to your day, order a cup of the specialty coffee, Chestnut Hill. You’ll thank me later.

Finally, we make our way out to Dancyville. This little dot on the map happens to have one of the best pizza places you’ll find in Fayette County. If you can dream it, they have made a pizza of it. Ham, 5 cheese, bacon, pineapple and siracha hot sauce? Done. Cajun Pizza? You bet. TN Heat Pizza with cajun sausage, cowboy candy and habanero hot sauce? Hurry, supper is waiting! What if you just want a plain, old, pepperoni with cheese? Don’t worry, they can do that too. They also have gluten free crust available if that’s the only thing keeping you from enjoying a mouth-watering pizza pie. If pizza isn’t quite what you had in mind, they also have nachos, wings and whole hog BBQ. As with some of the other businesses mentioned, they have more available than just food for dining. You can grab pork and beef products from Winchester farms to make homecooked supper another night. Dancyville might be off the beaten path, but people are beating a path to the Gin Lot’s door for great pizza and smoked deliciousness!

I hope you have enjoyed our tour across Fayette County. It can seem like there isn’t much to offer in a rural area; but as we’ve shown in these three articles; there are some real gems right here at home. If we didn’t cover a restaurant that is on your list, make sure they’re a Chamber member. We’d love to cover them in future articles. Merry Christmas from the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce. Remember to shop local and shop Fayette first!

~written by Karri Buck~

Welcome to the Christmas season! If you’re like me, turkey and ham are the last things you want to see for at least three more weeks. This week in the Chamber Corner, we have some options to fill that craving for anything but what you ate last week!

This week we are touring Macon and Oakland. Macon is a bend in the road with a Dollar General and a delicious find, whose motto is “A little country café in the heart of Macon”. Gideon and Brittany are filling the locals with great food in a homey atmosphere. You can start your day with a breakfast pizza or a breakfast plate with several options including bacon, sausage, a biscuit, gravy, hashbrowns and eggs. If you’re late getting your day started, swing on in for lunch. The line of trucks outside is great indicator of the popularity of their lunch offerings. You can find fried chicken, ribs, BBQ sandwiches, cheeseburgers and more. Check out their Facebook page to see their daily specials. There is always something delicious being cooked up at Johnny’s Café!

If you’re in the Oakland area, there are some tasty things waiting there for you too. Whether you start or end your day in Oakland, you’ll find whatever you have a hankering for, like donuts. Who doesn’t love a good donut. Oakland Donuts is on Highway 64. They make fresh every day long johns, filled donuts, donut holes (iced or frosted!), twists, cinnamon rolls, apple fritters, and breakfast sandwiches. The donuts come in all the delicious flavors, including chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and maple. You’ll be everyone’s favorite if you show up to your next gathering with a box from Oakland Donuts!

When you’ve filled your donut craving, walk down the mall a few doors to grab a drink from Daily Life Nutrition. Here you can find iced or hot coffees, loaded teas and hydration drinks. They can blend one up in any flavor you like! Not into caffeine? Not to worry! Their hydration drinks will keep your body in peak form whether you’re chasing kids, grading papers or paving roads. Their coffees and loaded teas will give you the boost you need when the day gets long. They also carry a variety of products from local vendors along with supplements, nutritious food, snacks and more.

Just down the road, if you follow your nose, it’ll lead you to Loven Fresh BBQ. Loven Fresh has “The ultimate smoked pulled pork and baby back ribs”. The scent from their smoker has been known to lead many a customer straight to their front door. Inside you’ll find pulled pork, ribs, chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, loaded chili dogs, tamales and nachos along with all the sides including slaw and potato salad. Loven Fresh is a to-go only restaurant, but while you wait you will discover you’re in a special place. Loven Fresh is also the only Bible bookstore in Fayette County. Inside their doors you’ll find a variety of translations and styles of Bibles from One Year Bible to Journal Bibles. It’s their contribution to filling both body and soul.

Finally, after you’ve had your fill of savory meals, you’ll need something extra sweet to take home to the family. Where better to go than The Sweet Sugar Vault? Kimberly is known for her incredibly designed, custom cakes for everything from birthdays to weddings, but her offerings go far beyond cakes. You can find pretzel rods, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, shaved ice and even candy/caramel apples! If you need something for a special event, make sure to talk to Kimberly. Show stopper creations are her gift.

I would be remiss not to acknowledge two other businesses in town that aren’t exactly restaurants, but they do have options. Kindred Spirit Style carries “Oh Grate!” meals to go. It’s handy. You can stop in to grab a new shirt for you, a Christmas gift for a friend and supper all in one spot! Just a couple doors down at “Twigs-n-things Marketplace” you can find meals to go from Southern Girls Catering, The Grecian Gourmet and Crave Sweets Bake Shop. All three also offer fresh food to go, so it’s perfect to grab and eat on the decorated patio that Ferrane and her team have created.

Did I miss your favorite place? Tell me where YOU like to eat. We’d love to know of more places that can be part of the Chamber so we can support them even better! Take time to enjoy this holiday season with the ones you love. While you do, make sure to shop local and shop Fayette first!

~Written By Karri Buck~