PRESS RELEASE
MILLINGTON, TN LAUNCHES "SAVE THE HARROLD" CAMPAIGN
TO PRESERVE 1911 LANDMARK IN HISTORIC DISTRICT
City invests $1M+ in adaptive reuse project inspired by young residents;
public invited to shape future of historic district
KEY FACTS
Building: Harrold Building, 7922 Leroy Boatwright Street, Millington, TN 38053
Year Built: 1911 (Millington's oldest surviving commercial building)
Purchase Price: $134,778 (2024)
Total Investment: $1M+ for historic preservation and development
Status: Stabilization underway; completion expected early 2026
Website: SaveTheHarrold.com
Location: Shelby County, Tennessee, 15 minutes north of Memphis, and less than a mile from Naval Support Activity Mid-South, one of the state’s largest employers
Millington, TN — January 1, 2026 — Today, the City of Millington launched Save the Harrold, a community engagement campaign to preserve and reimagine the Harrold Building (est. 1911), one of Millington's oldest structures. The building was home to the Harrold Store and later the Old Timers Restaurant.
The historic brick landmark was purchased by the city for $134,778 in 2024 after nearly a decade of deterioration threatened permanent loss. The goal of this effort is to gather community input on how the City should preserve the building and activate it as an anchor economic development project that drives reinvestment in the historic district.
A Historic District Built for Community
For decades, the Harrold Building anchored a thriving historic district alongside longtime institutions like Boatwright Pharmacy (operating since 1957), Frenchy’s Barbershop, and Morrie's Tavern. For more than a century, the building served as a hub of commerce, conversation, and connection for Millington and North Shelby County.
The Harrold Building's Story
E.A. Harrold opened his first sundries store at this corner in 1898. The current brick structure was built in 1911, becoming Millington's oldest surviving commercial building and a defining anchor of the city's historic district.
After Harrold's death in 1950, famed Millington entrepreneur Babe Howard purchased the building. Over the years, it housed a general store, shoe factory, fabric store, slaughterhouse, and a cable company. Eventually, it housed the Old Timers Restaurant, a beloved southern restaurant for generations of Millington families.
How the City Stepped In
In fall of 2024, the Millington Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to authorize the purchase of the Harrold Building for $134,778 using a capital improvements fund.
Later that year, the Board approved a $1 million budget amendment to support historic preservation, economic development, and community development projects in the city core, including the Harrold Building.
The purchase ensured one critical outcome: The Harrold Building would remain in public hands, with its future shaped by the community and not erased by neglect.
Saving the Structure
By 2024, after years of neglect, portions of the roof and second floor had collapsed. To prevent total loss, the city stabilized the historic brick exterior and removed deteriorated interior sections.
A new steel frame will be installed within the preserved brick walls, creating a flexible double-height space while retaining the building's historic character. This adaptive reuse approach preserves Millington's architectural heritage while creating opportunities for mixed-use community space and improves the City’s long-term economic resilience.
An Idea That Started With Young Residents
The effort to save this historic building began in 2024 with Millington Central Middle High School students, including then-senior Montanah Caldwell, Mackenzie Murphy, Cortia Hibbler, and Anthony Fry. Montanah Caldwell is now a first-year student at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, where she spends her breaks interning for the City on the project she helped start.
Participating in a speech class, she and her peers answered City Manager Frankie Dakin's question “What would bring people together and inspire the next generation to make Millington home?”—by pointing to the Harrold Building.
Their advocacy sparked city action. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen heard their call and saw an opportunity: preserve the building as a catalyst that attracts visitors, drives economic activity, and builds community pride. Most importantly, this effort shows what makes Millington special—the community honors its history, invests in its neighbors, and empowers its young people.
What "Save the Harrold" Means
Save the Harrold means preserving one of Millington's oldest buildings and creating space for community imagination and a shared vision for the future
The campaign focuses on:
Bringing the building back to life through gatherings, celebrations, and conversations about the future we want to build together
Preventing the demolition of Millington's architectural heritage and a place that holds a century of community memories
Removing blight in Millington's historic district to enable economic growth
The city envisions the Harrold Building as a mixed-use community space, potentially housing local businesses, community programming, or public gathering areas that can activate on community ideas gathered through the SavetheHarrold website.
The vision draws inspiration from Vancouver's Granville Island and Memphis's Crosstown Concourse adaptive reuse projects but remains tailored to Millington's scale and character.
Local Hands, Local Investment
To date, nearly 100% of funds spent preparing the site have been spent with locally owned small businesses, supporting the local economy and keeping this Tennessee historic preservation project hyperlocal (focused on a specific place and driven by the people who know it best).
Local contractors include:
SNK Construction, a woman-owned firm leading early demolition and stabilization
Tim Michael, Millington native and principal architect with designshop
Tom Needham, Millington-based engineer with Building Systems Group
Branding and design support for the campaign is being led by J + L Creative, a Memphis-based creative studio known for thoughtful, culture-forward work. Their role is to translate the Harrold Building's history into a modern identity that feels authentic, welcoming, and relevant today.
Community activation and public events are planned for later this year and will be announced on the campaign’s website.
Why This Matters
The campaign reflects Millington's effort to ensure current residents benefit from the community's growth, support local voices, and create spaces where community life can thrive. As Tennessee communities face pressure to demolish historic buildings, Millington is choosing preservation, vibrant public spaces, and adaptive reuse as economic development strategies.
Partnership Opportunities
The Harrold Building offers a unique opportunity for businesses to co-locate in a restored historic landmark at the heart of a growing community. The City is looking for partners who see the value in authentic spaces, local investment, and long-term community impact.
Interested businesses can visit Built4ItMillington.com to explore opportunities to get invested in Millington or contact manager@millingtontn.gov.
What Comes Next
As the Save the Harrold campaign launches, the City invites residents to visit SaveTheHarrold.com, share their stories, memories, photos, and help shape what this historic place becomes.
The website features the building's history, project updates, and opportunities for community input on future uses.
Over the course of the next several months, the City will collect the ideas and formulate a plan for redevelopment of the historic structure.
ABOUT MILLINGTON
Millington is Shelby County's fastest-growing city, 15 minutes north of Memphis. Home to the largest inland Navy base in the United States, Millington serves 12,000+ residents with a focus on economic growth, public safety, and quality of life. Learn more at MillingtonTN.gov.For media inquiries, interview requests, or additional information:
Frankie Dakin, City Manager
manager@millingtontn.gov | 901.873.5710
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