The Factory at Franklin, TN: Restaurants, Shops, Parking and History (2026)

Quick answer (as of November 2026) The Factory at Franklin is a former stove plant at 230 Franklin Road in Franklin, Tennessee, now home to shops, restaurants, theaters and event halls. It's open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, and parking is free for most visitors. The directory lists 16 places to eat, including Hattie B's Hot Chicken, Saffire and Otaku Ramen. The plant went up in 1929 and 1930 and is on the National Register of Historic Places as Dortch Stove Works.

Somebody in Franklin is going to tell you to meet them at The Factory, and you'll want to know where to park, where to eat and what's on before you show up. Here's all of it as of November 2026, plus the stove plant history behind the place.

The photos on this page are mine, taken at The Factory in November 2026.

What is The Factory at Franklin?

The Factory at Franklin is a group of restored industrial buildings at 230 Franklin Road in Franklin, Williamson County, Tennessee, that hold shops, restaurants, studios, two theaters and rental event halls. It started life as a stove works and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Dortch Stove Works.

Holladay Properties owns it. Holladay bought The Factory in October 2021 for $56 million and describes it as 10 industrial buildings covering 310,000 square feet. The water tower out front, with "The Factory at Franklin" across the tank, is the original one the plant used.

Is The Factory at Franklin open today?

The Factory at Franklin is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., as of November 2026. It's closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, and it closes at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Shops and restaurants keep their own hours inside those, so check the place you're headed to.

Parking is free for most visitors, and policies can change during special events. Valet runs Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., for $15 per vehicle, on Grand Hall Circle outside Edley's Bar-B-Que.

Casual photos are fine. Professional photo and video shoots, tripods, lighting and drones need written approval from The Factory's front desk first.

What food is at The Factory in Franklin?

The Factory's directory lists 16 places to eat and drink as of November 2026, from Hattie B's Hot Chicken to Otaku Ramen, Saffire and Edley's Bar-B-Que. Hattie B's sits in one of the old brick buildings, with a patio out front under red umbrellas.

For a drink, The Skylight is the bar in The Factory's Grand Hall. It's open Monday to Thursday from noon to 9 p.m., Friday from noon to 10 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., as of November 2026.

What stores are in The Factory in Franklin, TN?

The Factory's shop directory lists 21 stores as of November 2026, including Made in TN, Luna Record Shop, Tala Jeweler, Bound Booksellers, Anthropologie and Johnnie-O. There's also a Franklin visitor center inside, The Factory x Franklin Visitor Center, in Suite 11GG.

You'll also find studios you can book time in: Third Coast Clay, a ceramic studio; The Portrait Lab by Jeremy Cowart; and Ground Floor Yoga & Wellbeing. Tenants change, so check The Factory's directory before you make the drive for one store.

Can you ride the carousel at The Factory?

Yes. The Carousel of Dreams by Ken Means runs in Building 7 at The Factory at Franklin, and a ride is $5 plus tax as of November 2026. A 12-ride pass is $45 plus tax and doesn't expire, and a 3-ride day pass is $12 plus tax. Card purchases carry a 3% fee.

Fall hours are Tuesday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. It's closed Mondays. Ken Means carved the animals over about 30 years, starting with a rocking horse he made as a Christmas present. A nonprofit, The Circle of Giving, runs the carousel, and The Factory says proceeds go to Williamson County charities.

What was made at The Factory in Franklin, TN?

Stoves. The plant at 230 Franklin Road was built from October 1929 to spring 1930 for the Allen Manufacturing Company of Nashville, a stove maker, and Atlanta's Robert and Company designed it. Allen ran it only on and off from June 1930 until May 1932, when the company went into receivership.

The Dortch Stove Works building at The Factory, 230 Franklin Road.

O.L. Dortch bought the plant and its machinery in December 1932 and ran it as Dortch Stove Works from March 1933 until he sold it to Magic Chef in October 1955. The plant turned out wood, coal and gas heaters, ranges, cook stoves and parlor furnaces, between 75,000 and 100,000 stoves a year, shipped across the country. Jamison Bedding bought it in 1962 and ran it until 1991, making cotton felt and frames for upholstered furniture.

Dortch Stove Works was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 13, 1997, for its role in Franklin's industry and commerce. That listing counted about 310,000 square feet on 30 acres and included the original water tower. You can still read "Dortch Stove Works" on the brick building facing the parking lot, with "230" on it.

Who lived near the stove works?

Mostly Franklin. Dortch insisted that virtually all of his 300 employees either be from Franklin or move to the city, and the National Register nomination credits that with the purchase and rental of many homes in town. In 1933 the local paper ran it on the front page: Dortch wanted all 300 workers living in Franklin, on a $5,500 weekly payroll.

What is happening to The Factory in Franklin, TN?

The Factory at Franklin has been under renovation since Holladay Properties bought it in October 2021. The first phase started in June 2022 and restored the Grand Hall, keeping the exposed brick, wood beams and original factory windows. The Factory says the work adds restaurants and green space and upgrades its event venues.

Turner Theater came out of it, built in and around the old Jamison Theater, and Holladay announced it in 2023 as Studio Tenn's permanent home, with nearly 330 seats. A museum on the property's working years opened to the public on April 22, 2026, and the Carousel of Dreams now runs in Building 7. In 2025 the project won an Urban Land Institute Nashville Excellence in Development Award and the People's Choice Award.

The Factory got here through a few owners. Calvin LeHew bought the empty plant and turned it into a place for shops, dining, classes and events, which is how The Factory at Franklin began. Kentucky businessman Brad Kelley bought it from LeHew, and Holladay bought it from there.

What events are at The Factory at Franklin?

The Factory's calendar for the rest of 2026 includes the Saturday farmers market, a Studio Tenn cabaret on November 14, the Made South Holiday Market on November 20 and Studio Tenn's It's A Wonderful Life from December 3 to 20.

For live music, The Mockingbird Theater in Building 6 books bands of all genres. The same night as the Made South market, November 20, the City of Franklin shows Movie in the Park across the road at Harlinsdale Farm. For anything later, check The Factory's events page.

When is the Factory Farmers Market?

The Factory Farmers Market runs every Saturday, year-round, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., outside The Factory under the water tower at 230 Franklin Road. It's free to walk in.

Can you tour The Factory's history?

Yes. The Factory runs the Sips & Stories Happy Hour Tour, a one-hour walk with a staff historian on almost every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., April through October. It meets at The Skylight bar in the Grand Hall, includes one drink from The Skylight, and goes indoors and out, rain or shine. Book it from The Factory's historic tours page.

Outside tour season, the museum on the property covers the decades the campus worked as a factory.

Can you rent space at The Factory for an event?

Yes. The Factory rents Liberty Hall, The Heritage Room and Turner Theater for events. Liberty Hall is the largest at 14,400 square feet and hosts weddings and concerts. The Heritage Room is 2,250 square feet and fits events of 120 people or fewer.

To check dates, email [email protected] or call 615-791-1777. Outside food and drink aren't allowed at events.

How far is The Factory from downtown Franklin?

The Factory at Franklin is about 0.8 mile from Franklin's Public Square by OpenStreetMap routing, and The Park at Harlinsdale Farm's South Entrance is about a 5-minute walk across Franklin Road. In 2023 the City of Franklin finished a 0.6-mile Franklin Road streetscape that connected sidewalks between downtown and The Factory for the first time.

From downtown, the Lotz House and the Carter House are the next stops if you're spending the day on Franklin's history.

What's it like having The Factory close to home?

Living near The Factory puts a farmers market, a carousel, 16 places to eat and two theaters about 0.8 mile from Franklin's Public Square. Franklin has exactly what you'd want out of a small city, with the community events and a small-town feel that's still there. The Factory hosts a lot of them, from the Saturday market to Studio Tenn's December run.

I live in Thompson's Station, right next to Franklin, and I've been selling real estate since 2013, with more than 500 transactions behind me. If you want to be close to The Factory, downtown and the historic streets around it are right there. My downtown Franklin and historic homes guide walks through those streets, and things to do in Franklin covers the parks, battlefields and the rest of the city.

Frequently asked questions

What is The Factory at Franklin?

The Factory at Franklin is a group of restored industrial buildings at 230 Franklin Road in Franklin, Williamson County, Tennessee, that hold shops, restaurants, studios, two theaters and rental event halls. It started life as a stove works and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Dortch Stove Works.

What are the hours at The Factory at Franklin?

The Factory at Franklin is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., as of November 2026. It's closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, and it closes at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Is parking free at The Factory at Franklin?

Parking is free for most visitors, and policies can change during special events. Valet runs Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., for $15 per vehicle, on Grand Hall Circle outside Edley's Bar-B-Que.

What food is at The Factory in Franklin?

The Factory's directory lists 16 places to eat and drink as of November 2026, from Hattie B's Hot Chicken to Otaku Ramen, Saffire and Edley's Bar-B-Que.

What stores are in The Factory in Franklin, TN?

The Factory's shop directory lists 21 stores as of November 2026, including Made in TN, Luna Record Shop, Tala Jeweler, Bound Booksellers, Anthropologie and Johnnie-O.

What was made at The Factory in Franklin, TN?

Stoves. The plant at 230 Franklin Road was built from October 1929 to spring 1930 for the Allen Manufacturing Company of Nashville, a stove maker, and Atlanta's Robert and Company designed it. O.L. Dortch bought the plant and its machinery in December 1932 and ran it as Dortch Stove Works from March 1933 until he sold it to Magic Chef in October 1955.

What is happening to The Factory in Franklin, TN?

The Factory at Franklin has been under renovation since Holladay Properties bought it in October 2021. The first phase started in June 2022 and restored the Grand Hall, keeping the exposed brick, wood beams and original factory windows.

Thinking about Franklin? Let's talk

Tell me what you want close to the house, whether that's a Saturday market you can walk to, a quick drive downtown or a little more room, and I'll help you narrow down the parts of Franklin that fit. Start with my Franklin guide, then DM me, text or call 615-392-1186.