Among the history, pastoral landscapes and deep culture that is woven into the fabric of our new Leiper’s Fork home, the common thread connecting it all -- is music. The village and the people who live and visit here have been a curator of sorts to all kinds of music, from impromptu front porch picking sessions to A-list performers who frequent Fox & Locke, our local music venue. All of it being a catalyst that brings people together.
So when we learned about the building that now houses our Patina Home & Garden, one element of the space that has transcended several owners is its Pickers’ Corner. From when it was Leiper’s Fork Antiques some 25 years ago, then owner Marty Hunt created a nook in her store that would invite shoppers to grab a guitar off the wall and, well, pick. Then Alex Cirimelli, who evolved the space into Serenite Maison continued what had become a staple in the village: the Pickers’ Corner.
Steve playing in the old Pickers' Corner before we moved our shop in.
The front corner of this amazing old building has always welcomed anyone with a desire to play to grab a guitar off the wall and noodle around. Steve and I felt a strong invitation to keep this tradition going as we became the newest purveyors of this storied space.
Image by Meghan Aileen
Our version of the Pickers’ Corner features two leather couches and is flanked by a beautiful old shiplap wall that holds several guitars from a 1944 Martin D28 and an Everly Brothers Gibson from the 1950s to a 1931 American Tricone. Behind the guitars is a map of the Americana Triangle which connects the musical roots from Nashville to Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
Little did we expect the Pickers’ Corner would have such an effect on Steve and I personally. Steve used to play guitar during an earlier phase of life, has been reinspired to play again as he has watched people come into the store and connect over music. He’s rediscovering a connection to music and to the people who share his love for it.
Aubrey Preston and Gina Pittman singing in the Pickers Corner before we opened.
Although the Pickers’ Corner wasn’t something Steve and I planned as we moved our life and our business to Tennessee, it is something we are honored to be tasked with nurturing such a wonderful part of this community.
We love hearing the sounds of the guitars drifting through the store. Sometimes it is one simple melody and other times it’s a chorus of guitars and voices working together. People will stop and listen and share an intangible moment in time.
Alyssa Flaherty singing during our soft opening.
Music not only reminds us to slow down and listen, it gives us a reason to. Whether we just stop to listen to others play, or we can sit down and make some music on a beautiful vintage instrument, it’s an invitation to stop and listen to the sounds that permeate this community we live in.
The Deltaz and friends playing during our grand opening.
What are some ways you love to let music into your life? How do you welcome music into your quiet spaces? Steve and I are loving learning more about the music that has come out of the Americana Music Triangle in the South and we always take time to appreciate anyone who plays one of our guitars in the store. Often, we find out they are legendary players having toured with Elvis or Willie Nelson. Other times it’s simply someone who appreciates the instrument and just loves to play.
Enzo Patrick Cela and his dad pickin'.
Either way, we feel like in our tiny little corner, we are helping keep music history and those who wrote it alive and well in Leiper’s Fork.
xo
Brooke
