Road Trip: Fayetteville, Tennessee

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Last week, my friend c.a. and I headed off to spend the day in Fayetteville, Tennessee.

Fayetteville Tennessee

We parked on the square near the courthouse, and the first thing we noticed was the beautiful historic theater that was still in use. The next thing we noticed was that we were utterly surrounded by antique shops and boutiques. Our excitement was unquenchable and we immediately headed into the first shop of the day where I discovered and purchased a vintage camera for my office.

The charm of Fayetteville is clearly on display, wherever you look.

Fayetteville Tennessee

Fayetteville Tennessee

Fayetteville Tennessee

It is a rare occasion to find a barber pole that is still in use and working – we saw not one, but two working barber poles on our trip this day.

Fayetteville Tennessee

c.a. trying on a beautiful vintage cape. So her!

Fayetteville Tennessee

The last shop we visited on our trip was this one, where we met the sweetest couple and learned about some of the upcoming events that Fayetteville will be having – like the Slawburger festival on April 18th.  You see, there are two “pool halls” right next door to each other. The “slawburger” originated in Fayetteville, Tennessee and both of those pool halls claim to be the originator of the concept. It is a rivalry that has gone on for countless years and has led to the creation of a festival by the town in its honor.

The cow paintings you see in the windows of all the shops were created by high school students and will be auctioned off for a fundraiser in conjunction with the festival.

Fayetteville Tennessee

During the afternoon, we stopped at Sugar Shack Farms for ice cream. The weather had turned unexpectedly warm and humid and this “homemade” ice cream was the perfect refresher. I chose a scoop of strawberry and a scoop of vanilla bean. The vanilla bean was creamy and delicious, but the strawberry! Oh my word, was that good!

Fayetteville Tennessee

The most memorable part of our trip however, was our lunch. As soon as we heard about Cahoots we knew that this was exactly where we needed to go. Cahoots is a restaurant located in the old jailhouse in Fayetteville, just off the square. With tables in the old cells – bars still in tact inside the foreboding stone walls, how could we not eat here?

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We requested a table in a cell, and this was the view from our table.

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We couldn’t resist having fun with the atmosphere and even pulled out our pens to sign the walls like thousands of others have in the past.

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But the unique setting of this restaurant wasn’t the only thing that was memorable about this restaurant. I had heard that their steaks could give Ruth’s Chris a run for their money. I do love a good steak so I ordered an 8 ounce rib eye cooked medium, with a baked potato and salad. The salad was your typical house salad – but the steak! I know this isn’t the greatest photo (but what do you expect when taking a picture with a cell phone in a dungeon?) – This steak though. I have to say this was the best steak I have had in a very long time, if not ever. Forget the steak sauce, there was so much flavor in this juicy, tender hunk of beef that I savored it just as it came. I’ll be bringing my husband back here, that’s for certain.

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At the end of the day, we hit maybe half of the shops on the square. After spending a full day there and squealing over beautiful finds and trips down memory lane – we know that we will have to make another trip to Fayetteville, Tennessee in the future.

Watch the vlog about our trip here:

 

23 thoughts on “Road Trip: Fayetteville, Tennessee”

  1. I absolutely love going to Fayetteville to explore. I have so many memories of taking the trip up with my mother and grandmother when they would shop for fabric at Sir’s. Now that I’m older my mother and I go to the antique shops when we get the chance. Such a great finds and such a fun little town.

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  2. Sometime when you are interested, I cAn tell you stories of the restaurant called Cahoots when it was the city jail and firehouse. My great grandfather was the fire chief and my grandparents lives upstairs. My mom can really tell you some stories.

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  3. Your coverage of Fayetteville was great for the town! Glad you saw at least half of all there is to see. I always say Fayetteville is “small town America at its best”. Coming out of Carter’s Drug Store and taking in the vista around the court house, it’s hard to think it’s real – and not just a set from Universal Studios… Come again.

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  4. Next time you should check out Historic Mulberry Avenue! Most of the largest and oldest homes are on Mulberry, and most were built before the Civil War! We would be glad to give you a tour of our home that was built in 1848 :)

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  5. Thank you for visiting our small but fair city! We do have many interesting shops and you can find most all of the items you are looking for in these charming shops. I enjoy talking to the shop keepers and learn much ever time I stay long enought to visit and listen to their stories. Please come back as there are so many other stores you will find interesting too. So happy you stopped in Sugar Shack their foods are sooooooo yummy, my granddaughter loves them and so do I.

    Thanks,

    Carolyn Ray

    Reply
  6. Such a lovely post! Was born and raised in Fayetteville. I live in Botswana Africa now, but your post took me back home (minus the cost of a plane ticket!) – thank you so much!

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  7. Such a lovely compliment to Fayetteville…It is home for me ( the past 12 years) so I certainly know and agree with everything you are saying!

    Love the Blog!

    Thank you~

    Bea Rigsby-Kunz

    Reply
  8. Did you happen to stick around long enough to see the Lincoln County High School students taking photos before the prom? Around 4:00 pm or so you could have seen some fine young people gathered at the courthouse…a favorite place for group photos!

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  9. Love that town. Have you been to Bell Buckle? It’s even better than Fayetteville – definitely needs to be y’alls next road trip.

    Reply

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