This past Saturday my wife and I made our fifth trip to Granville, Tennessee, and the T. B. Sutton Store. The 1880s general store is now operated by the non-profit Granville Museum. Located on the Cumberland River, Granville was once a riverboat town with prosperous stores serving the surrounding farms and the river traffic. While there are still farms around, today's economy appears to be based on tourism and retirees, both enhanced by the creation of Cordell Hull Lake.
The store is a living museum with a mix of items for sale and old stuff just intended to maintain an authentic atmosphere. One of our companions bought a Stetson hat; another a book. But what we go for is dinner and bluegrass. Every Saturday evening Sutton's serves a family-style dinner, reservations required, followed by live bluegrass music.
Our first visit was to hear our friends in the Lonesome County Line band. Performing on "the world-famous corner stage," Butch and the guys treated us to nearly two hours of bluegrass. Each week Sutton's records the second hour of the show for rebroadcast on a network of radio stations in Tennessee, Kentucky and, just recently, the internet. Host/announcer Sam Stout treats the audience to a recreation of a live radio show complete with commercials and applause prompts. The "on air" sign is a nice touch, too. The shows are free; seating is guaranteed for everyone with dinner reservations.
Granville is located between Cookeville and Lebanon, Tennessee. See the Granville Museum web page for directions. You can find a link to their web site here.
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