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Give a Little Whistle
Written By: Donna Rhodes | Issue: 2016/10 - October | Photograph By: Marjorie Christiansen Photography
One of Macon County’s favorite whistle stops is, well, the Whistle Stop. For years it has enticed tourists and residents alike to experience its magical offerings.
The Whistle Stop features everything from original art and craft, to antiques and collectibles, to one-of-a-kind shops to barrels of penny candy, to almost anything your heart could desire.
Last year Ingles Markets bought the land on which the original Whistle Stop stood to build a new grocery. That precipitated the move.
Spokesperson Emma Williams says, “The move was a good thing. Older town buildings, scattered throughout the area were rejuvenated or repurposed to house some of the displaced vendors and retail stores. It’s been a great revitalization for Franklin real estate and commerce.”
The Buffalo General Store, vendor’s booths, Hodge Podge, and more are part of the relocation at River Road. They still have all the items you love – handmade candles, hand-stitched quilts, vintage furnishings, pictures, tools, hard-to-find collectibles, and the full line of Whistle Stop label foods. And, don’t worry. You can still grab a handful of penny candy for the long ride home.
And for you vehicle aficionados – still dotting the Whistle Stop’s site are a caboose, original and reproduction cars and trucks from Mayberry R.F.D., an old fire engine, and vintage farm equipment.
Williams says visitors to the new site praise its cozier, homey feel. Maybe that’s because it is now in an historic old mountain school built in 1948. Renovators left the old gym floor, stage, and cafeteria intact. Don’t go looking for your old gum wads. They’re long gone. But former students were contacted and brought back annuals, autograph books, report cards, and memorabilia for a mini mountain school museum.
Stop by the old school and reminisce at 145 River Road in Franklin, just off of Highlands Road. Check out their RV site with beautiful mountain vistas. Visit their new website at whistlestopantiquesnc.com or go to Yelp to see the Whistle Stop in its new digs. Call (828) 349-1600 for more info.
