PLEASANT VIEW, Tenn. (WKRN) — Emory Henley just celebrated 30 years in business.

After serving in the U.S. Air Force and graduating from Nashville Auto Diesel College, he opened Auto Service of Pleasant View in 1995 as a one-man operation.

"The building came open and came available for sale, and it seemed like a nice little town," Henley said. "It was quite small at that point, and it's grown and still, but still has a very small hometown feel."

Henley's business has grown, too. He now has six employees including his son, Austin, and a lot of loyal customers.

"The local people, they kind of embrace you once they get to know you. It's like you're family," Henley said.

The Henleys have seen Pleasant View transform, especially with more commercial and retail development.

"You're getting more influx of out-of-county, out-of-state residents, but they've all kind of adapted to kind of that hometown, small town feel, and everybody likes it," Henley said. "They've moved here because of the feel that Pleasant View has."

"It's halfway between Clarksville and half in between Nashville, so it's a kind of happy medium," Austin Henley said. "You're in a small town, but very quickly you can get to a big city."

"The coolest little town in these United States of America," Pleasant View Mayor Bill Anderson said. "We're the coolest little town; I call it our little piece of heaven."

Anderson has lived his entire life in Pleasant View. He served as an alderman, vice mayor and a Cheatham County commissioner. He's now in his second term as mayor. He said when he took office, the town had approved 800 buildable lots for new homes, so they pumped the brakes on approving any more residential development.

"I felt like we needed to concentrate on the commercial, get more commercial growth in here because as this town grows, we're going to need those funds for recreational facilities, for police protection, for fire protection," Anderson said.

Just last week, TriStar Health held a ceremony with the town to announce a new, freestanding emergency room coming to Pleasant View. Anderson said new fast-food restaurants and even a Wawa convenience store are on the way.

"People get off the interstate, they stop," Anderson said. "They get them something to eat; they hang out a little bit; they get back on the interstate, and they leave. Well, that money is staying here, and it's helping us to expand what we need to expand as far as our parks and things of that nature."

The town put in a disc golf course and basketball courts; tennis and pickleball courts are slated to be built. Anderson said Pleasant View's natural beauty, and most importantly the people who live here, make this place so special.

"I've grown up here. I've worked here all my life, been around this area, and it's home," Anderson said. "I tell people all the time when I get off of 24, and I cross 24 coming from Nashville, and I see the sign that says, 'Welcome to Pleasant View,' I know I'm home. There's no better feeling, no better feeling than that."

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/on-tour-middle-tn/long-time-businesses-thrive-in-pleasant-view-with-new-ones-on-the-way/