Tucked in on Frazier Avenue near the Veteran’s Bridge is The Plum Nelly Shop & Gallery, an eclectic arts and gift shop featuring a variety of local and regionally made items at a variety of price points, including jewelry, pottery, glassware, wall art, stationery, and more.
But there’s far more to Plum Nelly than meets the eye. It began in 1947 at an outdoor art show held at Fannie Mennen’s house on the back of Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Ms. Mennen’s property had years earlier been named Plum Nelly when her brother-in-law, Louis Marks, after driving, what to him seemed a long way from Chattanooga, remarked, “Fannie, your place is plum out of Tennessee and nearly out of Georgia.” (Louis’s Virginia Tidewater accent was responsible for the change from nearly to nelly.)
Only three hundred people attended that first show in the Plum Nelly Woods, but within a few years, the Plum Nelly show had grown to be a bona fide event, attracting as many as 20,000 Southeastern art lovers in a single October weekend.
The Plum Nelly Shop was established in 1972, the last year that the Plum Nelly Clothesline Art Show was held on the back of Lookout Mountain. For several years, the shop was owned by Fannie Mennen, her sister Celia Marks, Cornelia Burdeshaw and Liz Phillips.
The shop’s day to day operations was primarily the responsibility of Celia Marks, and soon Mrs. Marks became the driving force behind the shop. Her name and Plum Nelly became synonymous, just as her sister Fannie’s name had for years been associated with the Plum Nelly shows.
With help from her husband Louis, the Marks’ developed the shop into one of the region’s best craft shops. For them, there was no substitute for the best and it was this dedication to quality that developed the shop’s reputation.
Current owner Catharine Daniels has continued on the tradition. A Chattanooga native and active member of the community, Catharine has made it a point to represent and support local artists in the community, providing them a way to reach an ever-growing audience of locals and visitors with their works. She also has expanded Plum Nelly’s bridal and gift registry, which has made the shop a favorite for newlyweds around the city and region
“I so love Plum Nelly and everything it offers and want more people to know about us,” Catharine says. “I think people in today’s world like supporting local businesses and we add another layer by carrying local artists and handmade items. We can tell you about the people that made your item and I think that adds a layer of personalization.”
Needless to say, 2020 has presented its own unique challenges. And Catharine and her staff have risen to those challenges. “We continue to offer the same great customer service,” she explains. “We have had more people reach out to us on social media for items we carry and order from there. The pandemic has also pushed us as businesses to think outside the box—ways to reach our customers where they are with their various needs, such as curbside pickup, virtual shopping, and so forth.”
Find out for yourself and discover a great unique collection of local and regional arts, crafts, gifts and more. They are located at 330 Frazier Avenue on the North Shore near the Tremont Street intersection. Open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Saturday from 10 a.m, to 5 p.m.
You can also visit them online at plumnellyshop.com or follow them on social media on Facebook at facebook.com/plumnellyshop, Twitter at @plumnellychatt, and on Instagram at @plumnellyshop
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