Turnip Truck Owner Eyes Nashvilles Outer Ring

 

Photo for Nashville Business Journal by Martin B. Cherry

By Julia Masters  –  Reporter, Nashville Business Journal

 

The Turnip Truck has been a Nashville favorite since 2001 when John Dyke opened the first store in East Nashville.

Last Wednesday, the grocer — which sources from over 80 local vendors — announced its fourth location in Midtown, set to open in 2023.

Dyke — raised on a farm in Greene County, Tennessee — has expansive growth plans for the next chapter of Turnip Truck that go beyond his new Vanderbilt neighborhood location.

“I have a map and it has about eight different spots … I know where I want to go, I know the areas,” Dyke said in an interview. “A couple of the spots that I am look at right now would be Madison, Franklin, Mt. Juliet and there are about three or four others.”

When planning a new location, Dyke gets demographic reports on areas he is eying. He will then look for opportunity in a specific piece of property.

“Our vision is to be Nashville’s most local, trusted grocer. To me, Nashville is Metropolitan Nashville, I don’t look at the core,” Dyke said. “Our next venture, and we are looking at it in several different angles right now, we need to create a central commissary-type kitchen.”

The commissary would allow Turnip Truck to have consistency in both recipes and food service across its different locations.

If a large enough piece of real estate is found, Dyke would like to create a store, commissary and warehouse at the same location.

“I could have better buying purchases, better patrol over food, better consistency and be able to look at how we provide these services and build a culture where people that want to grow with the Turnip Truck, we can take care of them,” Dyke said.

The new Midtown location, creating around 100 to 125 jobs, will become a much-needed service in the area, both as a place for professionals and students to grab a quick meal and shop. The Turnip Truck’s space between Lyle and 20th avenues has around 80 parking spots for customers.

“That area, there’s really not many grocery stores and the one grocery store on the other side of Vanderbilt is getting ready to shut down,” Dyke said.

Located in 23,500 square feet of Vanderbilt University’s new graduate and professional student housing, the store will have increased food service offerings in addition to traditional Turnip Truck inventory.

There will be an expanded coffee and juice bar, fresh pizzas, acai bowls, fresh sushi and a build-your-own-burger bar.

A large part of the Turnip Truck’s success is its commitment to high quality produce and its business model of being a reflection of customer feedback, Dyke said.

“We have not waivered off why I set off to do what I did 21 years ago, and it’s always been about this passion of produce. It’s been about local produce, but mainly around organic produce,” Dyke said. “I think sometimes we forget what food is about. … We forget as individuals to slow down and enjoy food.”

Dyke referenced the fresh strawberries he just got in, picking one up, feeling its texture, looking at its color, before just biting in.

Beyond produce, Dyke has 60 grass-fed black angus steer raised in a manner that regenerates the soil and has honey-bee hives at the East Nashville store.

Today, most people that frequent Turnip Truck don’t know it by any other name. But when Dyke opened the store, it was called The Good Earth Market.

Later the name was changed after Dyke said the old Southern expression, “I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck.”

“My favorite part is watching people come in and want to change their lifestyle and eat a healthier way, and watch them keep showing up,” he said.

Though Dyke was determined to get away from his farming background, graduating from The University of Tennessee, he eventually came back to the values it instilled in him: hard work and dedication.

Ribbon Cutting with Nashville LBGT Chamber of Commerce

Today Turnip Truck had the honor of celebrating the first birthday of our West Nashville/Charlotte Ave. store during a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

Our founder John Dyke reflected on 20 years in business as an LGBT-owned company while encouraging our team to continue pursuing excellence every day as we serve the Nashville community.

Click to watch the video: https://fb.watch/4r4hOMf9ma/

Slideshow: Take a tour of Turnip Truck’s new West Nashville store

Slideshow: Take a tour of Turnip Truck’s new West Nashville store

Nashville Business Journal

By Marq Burnett

Mar 30, 2020, 7:48am EDT

Like a lot of Nashvillians and Middle Tennessee residents, John Dyke is dealing with disasters on two fronts.

Dyke, founder and owner of Turnip Truck, opened the grocery’s third location, in West Nashville, on Friday, but said it’s been a challenging few weeks due to both the tornado and COVID-19.

Dyke recalls spending “three days in rubble” after a deadly tornado struck Nashville. Dyke’s East Nashville store sustained roof damage, but a warehouse near John C. Tune Airport storing his equipment was flattened.

Dyke was able to salvage a few countertops, but said he was fortunate enough to find closed grocery stores in North Carolina where he could buy equipment during an auction.

Now, he’s managing a grocery store in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic.

“I had to remind myself to look around because we still have a neighborhood that’s torn to pieces right in front of our eyes,” Dyke said. “It’s almost like we don’t notice it because we’ve moved from one thing to the next.”

Dyke opened the doors to Turnip Truck’s third location on Friday.

“We wanted to have an essential place for our neighbors on the west side to be able to come shop,” Dyke said. “There are so many stores that aren’t able to meet the demand, so I felt it was critical for us to open up.”

Dyke said sales have almost doubled in recent weeks, calling it “extreme growth” inside the stores.

Take a tour of the store in the slideshow with this story.

“Everything I’ve seen has been two thumbs up, twice,” Dyke said of the response he’s seen to the store opening. “Everybody’s excited about having this in their backyard so they’re not having to drive out of their neighborhood to get the critical supplies that we all kind of need at this moment.”

The 15,000-square-foot store offers produce, a butcher, bulk foods, beer and wine, supplements, health and beauty items, and a filtered-water station. The produce is sourced within 200 miles. In a typical season, 90% or more of Turnip Truck’s produce is organic, but a news release notes that this may be affected by “the current situation.”

The store also plans to have a hot bar, salad bar, 100% organic juice bar and deli. However, due to the coronavirus, the salad and hot bars are currently closed at all Turnip Truck locations. In an effort to meet increased demand for groceries throughout the city, Dyke said he’s hired 30 new employees to ensure shelves remain stocked at stores.

Rooftop solar panels will provide 15% of the store’s energy. The store will have recycling stations; it also won’t use plastic grocery bags, a company policy since 2014.

Dyke, an East Tennessee native, opened the original Turnip Truck Natural Market on Woodland Street in East Nashville in 2001. He later opened a location in the Gulch.

 

Turnip Truck set to open West Nashville store

Turnip Truck set to open West Nashville store

Turnip Truck set to open West Nashville store

Nashville Business Journal

 

 

By Marq Burnett  Mar 26, 2020, 7:33am EDT

With the increased need for groceries and other household items due to COVID-19, the Turnip Truck is proceeding with plans to open its third location.

Turnip Truck owner and founder John Dyke announced the full-service natural grocery store will open at 10 a.m Friday at 5001 Charlotte Ave.

“Two weeks ago, much of the equipment for this store was destroyed by the tornado,” Dyke said in a news release. “With COVID-19 striking on the heels of that, we knew we had to press forward to help feed our neighbors. I’m thrilled to say that – against all odds – we are opening a day earlier than we had originally planned. It won’t be as polished as we had hoped, but it will be open.”

The 15,000-square-foot store will offer produce, groceries, a butcher, bulk foods, beer and wine, supplements, health and beauty items, and a filtered water station, according to a news release. The produce is sourced within 200 miles. In a typical season, 90% or more of Turnip Truck’s produce is organic, but the release notes that this may be affected by “the current situation.” The store also plans to have a hot bar, salad bar, 100% organic juice bar and deli. However, due to coronavirus, the salad and hot bars are currently closed at all Turnip Truck locations.

“This would not have been possible without the herculean efforts of our team and the support of the city of Nashville,” Dyke said in the release. “We are thrilled to have more than 90 local companies represented in our inventory. In addition, we are creating new jobs here for 70 employees.”

In an effort to meet increased demand for groceries throughout the city, Dyke said he’s hired 30 new employees to ensure shelves remain stocked at stores.

Rooftop solar panels will provide 15% of the store’s energy. The store will have recycling stations, and it also won’t use plastic grocery bags, a company policy since 2014.

Dyke, an East Tennessee native, opened the original Turnip Truck Natural Market on Woodland Street in East Nashville in 2001. He later opened a location in the Gulch.

“With the current threat to our health, now’s the time to focus on nutrition and building up our immunity,” Dyke said. “Our team has always been a health partner to our customers, and we are ready and able to help folks find the right products and supplements for their individual need

Turnip Truck: Nashville’s home-grown produce purveyor is expanding

Turnip Truck: Nashville’s home-grown produce purveyor is expanding

A big thanks to The Tennessean for featuring us on the cover of this Sunday’s business section. And an equally big thanks to you, our customers and friends — the secret to our success.  We are thrilled to be growing to serve you better!

 

To read story and watch video click on tittle then here: https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2019/04/05/nashville-turnip-truck-expanding-charlotte-ave-west-nashville-fall-2019-new-location-organic-produce/3163757002/

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