New home supply center under construction in Pickett County

BYRDSTOWN – Construction is underway in Byrdstown on a new home, garden and building center that’s aiming to be a one-stop shop for both locals and tourists alike.

Pickett Farm Supply owners Ken and John Scott will be looking to move into that new structure once complete. They say they’re at capacity at their current location – 8829 Highway 111, just across from the building site – and coupled with their recent acquisition of another Byrdstown building supply business, the timing was right.

The estimated 36,000-square-foot store, once complete, will feature lumber, hardware, farm supply, pet care, paint, plumbing, electric, lawn and garden sales. New offerings include appliances, cabinets and more. The expansion will ultimately allow the Scott’s to be a one-stop shop for builders in town – “from the time they dig their footer to the time they mow their first blade of grass,” John Scott said.

“Instead of having to drive 40 miles to the nearest Lowe’s or to Cookeville or to a bigger city that’s got box stores, we want to be able to provide everything here in town,” Scott told the UCBJ. “From the footers and block and the walls, to the roof, plumbing, electric and drywall. And once their house is built, we sell landscaping, trees and scrubs, mulch, lawnmowers and trimmers.

“It’s going to be a full line, for anything you need,” he added.

The land being used for the building site was recently purchased by Tommy Fitzgerald, co-owner of Fitzgerald Glider Kits, another rapidly growing Pickett County business, and the Scotts will be leasing the structure.

Construction is expected to be complete around the end of the year – and once the move is made, it will formally consolidate both Pickett Farm Supply and Pickett Builders Supply, which the Scotts bought in January. The new business will be called Scott’s Home & Gardening Building Center. After the move, both former storefronts will likely be used for storage.

“We’re also going to try to boost our inventory,” Scott said. “Customer patience (is dwindling); they want it right then and there and don’t want to wait a couple days (for orders).”

Scott is hoping to entice lake traffic, too, with a possible camping section, RV accessories, and fish and tackle to appeal to tourists.

“Once we get in over there, we want to expand and add new lines that fit us, where we didn’t have room for growth before because of the building we’re in now, as well as what we want to offer our customer base,” Scott said. “That’s what we’re hoping to do – offer more in Byrdstown, so people can shop local and not have to drive 40 miles to Cookeville or Somerset or wherever. We can keep our tax dollars in Byrdstown. That’s our goal.”

Liz Engel is the editor of the Upper Cumberland Business Journal. She can be reached at liz@ucbjournal.com

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Liz Engel is the editor of the Upper Cumberland Business Journal. She can be reached at liz@ucbjournal.com

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