Anyone who shops in downtown Murfreesboro knows Judy Goldie and Melanie “Mel” Davenport. Since the 1980s, these two women have put their mark on the area. Davenport, once known as “The Cellphone Lady,” was the first person to open a cell phone business in the city. Goldie was the owner of the very popular Phase II, a resale shop that was located on NW Broad Street in the old K-Mart shopping center, before opening her first store on the Public Square. Since moving their businesses downtown, the pair has done a lot to help with the redevelopment of the area and continue to do so.
Currently, they own four stores on the square: Trendy Pieces, Bella’s Boutique, The Marketplace Home and Gift and The Backroom. After Davenport sold her Cellular Concepts business in 2015, she joined Goldie’s team and together they opened The Marketplace, and later The Backroom. Goldie and her team run the lady’s boutiques. Davenport and her team run the home stores.
One of the things that make their stores special is that the spaces feel like home. Many of their customers are friends, and many of their staff are long-standing.
“We have an amazing team with our stores,” said Goldie. “Erin Christian has been with us 27 years, Lindsay Garlit 23 years and Meredith McDowell on and off since she was 14, which puts her with us way over 20 years! With the help of all of our amazing staff, running four stores in historic downtown Murfreesboro is possible.”
Goldie wanted a vintage atmosphere for her stores, so she chose two of the oldest buildings on the square. Both were built in 1810. They used a lot of repurposed materials to give the space the right look. After experimenting with several ideas for the second space, she opened Bella’s Boutique.
“It was meant to be,” said Goldie. “As I started looking for a new space, I began looking in historic downtown Murfreesboro. Ironically, when driving downtown, Marion and Doris Bean had a ‘for rent’ sign at 111 South Church Street, where Trendy Pieces is located today. I fell in love with the Beans and with the space. Mel and Jeff Neely did a big renovation and we opened the store on August 1, 2008!”
Always having an interest in architecture and design, Davenport, with Goldie’s help, spent several years flipping houses in downtown Murfreesboro. Having a contractor’s license, she also built the home they designed together on a corner lot that had been vacant for 45 years.
“We have had several custom houses through the years,” added Goldie, “and have just loved the process of creating…Mel could have been an architect, as she has such a good eye for creating and recreating spaces. We were able to flip several houses downtown before opening The Marketplace Home and Gift. Once we had four stores to run we let go of the flipping, but it sure was fun! And it sure took a toll on the body because we liked doing some of the labor if we could.”
Real estate agent Bill Jakes told The Daily News Journal a number of years ago that Davenport and Goldie have made significant investments in downtown...”
Davenport has twice provided a voice for small business by serving on the board of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, once when it was located in the old log cabin in Cannonsburgh, and once again after they moved into the current building. Goldie is a member of the Downtown Merchants Association, and has been involved with other downtown organizations over the years.
Community involvement has also been important to them. They have worked over the years with organizations such as Fisher House, the Wounded Warrior Project, Beesley Animal Clinic and Murfreesboro City Schools. Recently, they had a fundraiser for Endure Athletics.
“We are proud to give back,” noted Goldie. “We do the most we can with non-profits in Rutherford County. We have supported so many causes in our careers…We give silent auction items, sometimes weekly.”
While Davenport was born and raised in Murfreesboro, attending Riverdale High School, and graduating from Middle Tennessee State University, Goldie was raised by her great-grandmother in Bowling Green, Kentucky. She went to Warren Central High School and Western Kentucky University.
Before opening Phase II, Goldie worked in some of the trendiest restaurants in Nashville. In 1988, with the mentorship of her business owner/friend Gary Patterson, she decided to open Phase II. Patterson and his partner still own a very successful consignment shop in Kentucky called Beverly Hills Bargain Boutique.
“It’s amazing how one conversation can change the whole course of your life,” said Goldie.
In 1985, dear friend Celeste Middleton told Davenport that she should check out the cell phone business. During college she worked at Kroger, then she worked for Cellular One corporate in customer service before deciding to open her first retail store in 1989. When she left the cell phone business, she had employed thousands of employees and had several locations.
“We both feel honored to have run businesses in Rutherford County for 36 years,” added Davenport. “To be a business owner, you have to have passion about what you are doing…Things are constantly changing and you have to have the willingness to be constantly adaptable. We have loved being involved with so many employees and amazing customers in this great community.”