Upstairs Basement offers 16 vendor areas in one unique Franklin storefront

New Franklin business Upstairs Basement turned a historical house into a multi-level boutique with unique wares.

The store, which sells a variety of boutique clothing, Christmas decorations, vintage items and home goods is located at 425 E. Jefferson St., Franklin.

Owner Laney Cornett purchased the residence and flipped it into a shop within five weeks with the help of her family. She officially opened the business’ doors on October 7th for Fall Vintage Fest.

“It’s something I have always wanted to do,” Cornett said. “My brother has a business in Johnson County. I was telling him about starting this, and then this house became available. He wanted to support downtown Franklin because he is a big fan of the city.”

Sixteen vendors line the various nooks and crannies of Upstairs Basement. Cornett said her goal is for her shop to be something fun and memorable.

She strives to offer different products to customers that they normally would not find at a typical boutique or antique shop.

Rosie Chambers, executive director of the Franklin Chamber of Commerce, said that Upstairs Basement is a great place to do some one-of-a-kind Christmas shopping.

“They are a great addition to our downtown,” Chambers said. “We have a lot of shoppers that come to Franklin and are interested in vintage items and antiques. Having unique shops within a shop is a wonderful collaboration. You can essentially shop a handful of stores within a store. I think that is really a great way to provide different merchandise and keep everything fresh.

“When you repurpose a home and have each nook filled with special items, I think it really adds to the flavor and atmosphere of her store.”

Cornett chose the name Upstairs Basement because it sounds like something that is “impossible to exist.” The oxymoron matches the boutique’s effort to stand out as a unique hub for retro shopping.

She enjoys searching for unique and fun items that customers would be surprised to find in a store. Cornett describes her search for merchandise as a treasure hunt.

“We have a different feel,” Cornett said. “We have a little bit of everything. We don’t just sell boutique clothes. We don’t just sell antiques. We don’t just sell housewares. The idea was to have a store that anybody could come in and like.”

Cornett said that the surrounding shops and the Franklin Community have been extremely welcoming to her new business. Farm Girl Mercantile, the chamber of commerce and Discover Downtown Franklin have been particularly supportive, she said.

Prior to opening her business, Cornett visited the chamber to immediately become involved in the downtown community.

“I think that says a lot about your place in the community and your sense of wanting to be a part of the community,” Chambers said. “We were really glad she stopped in to see us before her doors opened. She asked lots of questions and we were able to get her to connect with a lot of her neighbors and other organizations within the community to help strengthen her business.”

Upstairs Basement is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They are closed on Mondays.