White Pine, TN, is a quaint and historical town where we tend to know our neighbors and support local businesses. One prime illustration of this small-town feel is the local White Pine business This Old House. This Old House describes their business as being the definitive chaperone of vintage treasures and custom crafts in White Pine. The small business is an antique and craft reseller market with over thirty vendors who sell a fantastic variety of crafts, antiques, sports memorabilia, furniture, glassware, knives, pottery, and other gems too numerous to mention. Some of you may already be familiar with this amazing local treasure, but for those of you who are not, here are all the terrific reasons to visit them today.
This Old House History
Like many buildings in White Pine, the location of This Old House has a rich and interesting history. The house was thought to have been built in 1844 by John Coile, the Postmaster for the area at the time. The side of the house contains a US Geological Survey marker from 1898 stating that the home sits at 1141.468 feet above sea level.
Mr. Coile is also responsible for the first depot being built in White Pine. While living there, the main floor of the house served as a blacksmith shop with living quarters upstairs. Because of the blacksmith shop, Railroad Street was initially named Shop Street.
The next resident of the property was Tom Frye, who owned a General Store in the same location where Sanitary Drug Company resides today on Main Street.
During World War II, Edward Caswell Shell and his wife Grace lived in the property, whose oldest son E.C. Shell, Jr., married into the George Wheeler family, a prominent White Pine, TN, family. E.C. Shell, Jr., attended the University of Tennessee and went on to have a successful career in the Central Intelligence Agency.
Since 1947, several families have lived in the home. For a short duration, the house was empty and used by the local Boy Scouts of America troop for meetings.
In 1982 E.M. and Linda Rogers bought the property and operated a pottery shop and gift shop there for at least 20 years. For a good deal of time, the property sat vacant until the current business purveyors brought the property back to life by opening a consignment shop at the location.
This Old House Today
This Old House resides at 1414 Railroad Street, White Pine, TN 37890, and, standing in the community since 1884, it occupies the oldest standing brick house in White Pine. Since 1982, the house has had added to it several additions, including a massive warehouse and extra space in the main building. The new business residents of the house really revived this historic spot, by doing major cleanup work and installing plumbing inside the building.
The current business owner, Cindy Wright, has been in the antique, reseller, thrift assignment, and consignment business for over a decade. While the previous business model followed the thrift/consignment model, Cindy rebranded the company and reopened as This Old House in February of 2020. This Old House is set up as your typical consignment shop with individuals setting up their own booths. The new and improved vendor offerings are much higher-end merchandise, and a bakery has even been added that runs out of the front of the building. Now customers can visit and get freshly baked goodies while they shop for the perfect new home accent.
Not only will you find unique, one-of-a-kind home goods, but coming into This Old House is like stepping back in time. Many locals step through the doors and recall having attended Boy Scout or Girl Scout meetings there as children. “People seem to appreciate our business and the amazing finds within. We’re excited to open this historical monument back up to the community once again and encourage everyone to stop in to check out the interesting items for sale,” mentioned Cindy when asked about her motivations for opening the business.
When asked what she thinks is the best part about operating a business in White Pine, she mentioned the fantastic people in the community. “It’s like everyone who lives in White Pine is one big family. Being from a small town, you see the same familiar faces every day, and so it’s a very comfortable environment.” Speaking of family, This Old House is very much a family affair. Cindy runs the business with a lot of help from her husband, two sons, and “the co-worker,” Cindy’s 4-year-old grandson, who can often be found greeting customers from the front counter.
Become a Vendor at This Old House
Due to limited space, all the vendor booths at This Old House are currently full. But do not let that discourage you if you are interested in selling your wares there! To become a new vendor, simply call and let them know what type of offerings you have, and if they fall in line with the standards of goods sold, they will add you to the future vendor list. Once a booth opens, management will reach out to you with the next steps.
Visit This Old House in White Pine
If it has been a while since visiting the historic property, you will not recognize it today. You owe it to yourself to come again! This Old House is currently open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. If you have questions about products or becoming a vendor, you can reach This Old House by calling (865) 761-0321 during regular business hours, or by visiting their Facebook page.
This Old House Address: 1414 Railroad Street, White Pine, TN 37890
