Best of Nashville
People, Places & Events
Best Petition Drive
Carol McCullough
When East Nashville resident Carol McCullough found herself wishing in 2007 that Trader Joe's would bring its tasty, healthy and relatively affordable groceries to Nashville, she did what any community organizer would do—she started a petition. McCullough, whose day job is working for the nonprofit Neighborhood Resources Center, signed up some 3,000 people online by the time Trader Joe's announced its first Tennessee store would open in Green Hills in November 2008. So did McCullough and "people power" have any role in bring TJ's to town? Says the company: "While it's nice to be wanted, wooing does not go into our decision-making process." Says McCullough: "I like to think it's not a total coincidence." Meanwhile, a friend of McCullough's has started an online appeal to bring Swedish furniture monger IKEA to town. It's at ipetitions.com/petition/ikeafortn. So far, signatures number fewer than 100. But here's hoping. DANA KOPP FRANKLIN
