Who remembers the Cabbage Patch Market on the New Nashville Hwy./S. Lowry Street in Smyrna? I know I do.

This letter to the editor from 1998 sums up the business perfectly!

Cabbage Patch an asset to Smyrna people. Anyone who lives in Smyrna knows that one of the best assets of our community is The Cabbage Patch which is located on South Lowry Street right in the heart of Smyrna. In the spring, a quick drive by this establishment is a sure-fire way to lower your stress level due to the sheer beauty of the plants and flowers that abound. In the fall, the excitement is contagious as the children pick out their Halloween pumpkins. Come winter, the best Christmas trees from Nashville to Chattanooga can be found right in our own hometown. - - For the past 16 years, the citizens of Smyrna have enjoyed all of the delights of The Cabbage Patch.

Unfortunately, we are in grave danger of losing this fine establishment. It seems that City Hall is demanding that The Cabbage Patch give up over 50-percent of the outside area they use to display plants to allow for nine vertical parking places in front of the market. To do so would put them out of business. The simple facts are the markup on plants is very low and without the volume sales it would be impossible to make a profit. Without a profit, no Cabbage Patch, no flowers, no pumpkins, no Christmas trees! This all adds up to a terrible loss to our community and for what good? City Hall says it is for safety reasons, supposedly they feel it is safer to back out on to Lowry Street (the busiest street in town) than to parallel park on Lowry and simply merge with the traffic.

Believe me, I have done both and with all due respect, they are just plain wrong on this one! Would the citizens and the Town of Smyrna not be better served if City Hall worked with our small businesses instead of trying to run them out of town? I encourage anyone who has ever shopped at the Cabbage Patch or those who have simply enjoyed the view to call your commissioners and protest what they are doing to our beloved Cabbage Patch! And to the Commissioners of Smyrna, I suggest you step back and examine your motives here. Perhaps you should take just a few moments "to smell the roses" The Cabbage Patch would be a wonderful place to do it! Sincerely, Mary V. Ware Highpoint Drive Smyrna.