Franklin Boutique Owners Navigate Construction as Margin District Takes Shape

For sisters Kelsey Dobias and Kricket Krizon, opening Crickets & Clovers on Columbia Avenue fulfilled their ambition to run a boutique in downtown Franklin. Two months after they welcomed their first customers, construction began nearby on the multimillion-dollar Margin District development, bringing a prolonged period of building work to the area around their new shop.

Work on the project started in June 2025, and cranes are expected to continue operating around the two-block site for another year. The sisters have experienced the disruption directly outside their business. Krizon recalled a day when cement trucks remained parked in front of the boutique throughout the day as they waited to move farther down the block.

The construction has tested the owners' patience, but it has not changed how they feel about their location. Both say downtown Franklin is still where they want their business to be. Their approach is to maintain a sense of humor while the work continues. “It's been a challenge, but we have to laugh and just wait for it to end,” Krizon said.

The Margin District is planned around luxury housing and access to downtown Franklin on foot. It will include approximately two dozen condominiums, with prices ranging from $2 million to $6.7 million. A luxury real estate agent said Williamson County home prices have already peaked above $1.16 million, providing a backdrop for the development's pricing.

Leah Crutchfield, who is with the Margin District project, said those prices reflect an existing market in the area. She described the development as another lifestyle choice for buyers at that price level, with downtown walkability serving as its central attraction.

Inside Crickets & Clovers, the sisters have their own priorities for the business: reasonable prices and relationships that encourage customers to return. Krizon said affordability was part of their vision for opening a shop. They view the Margin District as a major addition to Franklin's changing landscape, one that is moving forward regardless of differing views about it.

As that landscape changes, Dobias and Krizon say they want to preserve the personal connections they value in Franklin. Their welcome extends to people who simply stop in for a visit. For Krizon, encouragement, a hug or a prayer can be an important part of those encounters, reflecting what the sisters hope to continue giving through their shop.