Being a military spouse, I thought I'd be waiting until our retirement from active duty to pursue my dream of opening my own shop. However, in 2002, we found ourselves assigned to Ft Campbell, KY and new plans started to take shape.

First, we were blessed with the opportunity to purchase an old home in the historic Dog Hill neighborhood of Clarksville. We soon came to love downtown area and began pursuing/planning for a permanent residence in Clarksville (difficult to do while on active duty, but not unheard of).

Second, while my husband, Darren, was deployed to Iraq, I started taking courses offered by the TN Small Business Development Center.  When Darren returned in January 2004 he encouraged me to look for a rental location for my shop and by November 2004 Hodgepodge was open for business.

I feel fortunate on so many levels. By opening Hodgepodge, we've (1) continued our family legacy of entrepreneurship, and (2) begun developing a deeper relationship with our Clarksville community.   Most satisfying, has been the reception my establishment has received from our patrons.  I've enjoyed meeting and getting to know the customers at Hodgepodge. It's the personal contact I enjoy the most. I am truly excited to arrive at work!

Finally, as mentioned earlier, I've always dreamed of opening my own shop.  While I was rather vague on how the dream would take shape—heck, I’m still trying to figure it out—I knew whatever it was, it would be downtown.  So, here we are, 3 ½ years later in a shop that has taken form as boutique where you can gather your home.  We started in a small location—learned a lot about dealing with landlords—then purchased our own building in 2005.  The move more than doubled our square footage—which I happily filled with more inventory!  This year, we purchased the frame shop which had been located in our building for 18 years.  Now, Hodgepodge offers framing! 
That about sums it up.  Hodgepodge is ever evolving, as am I, but one thing will always be consistent—you are always welcome here.  If you’re shopping for your home, a gift for your friend or something for yourself, I hope you’ll think of Hodgepodge.  When I’m choosing merchandise for the boutique, I do so asking myself—would I buy this item for my own home or for myself; is this a value; and, is this a relatively unique item?  Nearly 20 years experience as a military spouse has helped me hone my thrifty decorating and shopping skills. I hope these so called "talents" transcend into a unique shopping experience for you.
As always, thanks for your indulgence!