FARRAGUT, Tenn. — Sometimes, a leap of faith is all it takes sometimes to make your dreams come true. Kim Wilt wanted to be a business owner. In May that dream was realized in Farragut when she opened Whit's Frozen Custard.
This past year and in the near future more and more businesses are expected to open in Farragut. With new stores coming, Farragut is now seeing increased sales tax revenue up 12% from last year.
The town said building permits are also up and stores like Burlington are about to bring more shopping choices. For Wilt, it's a dream come true to open her first business in Farragut.
"It was kind of shocking that I just kind of up and moved from Florida without knowing anybody here, but I did," Wilt said.
The odds were against her. She had an uphill battle to overcome since she was a child.
Yet, that didn't stop her. When she was in Florida, her teenage daughter introduced her to a franchise that would change her life. She sold her house and with some extra money in her pocket, and marched on to find a place to set up her own business.
After working for other companies and sometimes difficult bosses, she went for it and turned her life around in Farragut.
"Probably the best way to put it would be abuse, on every single level that a child can be abused — was not a good upbringing at all," Wilt said. "Everybody has been so supportive in reaching out, 'Do I need anything?' Even other business owners. The Reckless Hippie, they've been a huge help and anything I need, (I go to) Summer Moon across the way. The Farragut Chamber of Commerce has been wonderful."
While she found support in Farragut's community, this side of town has been seeing new businesses this year that leaders said are helping boost the local economy.
Because people are shopping in Farragut, they saw an increase in sales tax revenue of about 12%. Farragut's Mayor Ron Williams said it's an exciting time for people who live there.
"They should look forward to the new restaurants that we're going to have in town. The town centers developing, we are going to have a minimum of four restaurants there," Williams said. "We've got another development down in Dixie Lee area where there's a residential going in right now. There will be a new grocery store across the street."
Tony Binkley, the President/CEO of the Better Business Bureau of East Tennessee, shares the big picture. He said it's not only East Tennessee that's growing. So are areas all across the state.
One of the reasons is that Tennessee is a "business friendly" state he said, due to its taxes.
"Knox County was third overall in the state for new businesses," he said. "Knoxville is the third largest city in the state. Davidson County was the largest but Nashville was just blown at the seams. But really all counties in Tennessee have experienced growth over the past several years."
Wilt's dream is now part of Farragut's economic growth. She said a leap of faith takes resilience.
"You know, you can do, you can be, you can dream and have it all," Wilt said.
According to the Blount Partnership, sales tax revenue also increased from around $17.1 million to $20.4 million between 2021 and 2022. Maryville's sales tax revenue also increased from around $27.4 million to around $31.2 million.