Brandon Anglin was a sophomore at Franklin High School when he first started working at the Baskin-Robbins on East Main Street. That was 2002, and over the next several years he formed a relationship with owner Randy Luffman and worked his way up to a managerial position.
In 2012, after nearly 30 years of ownership, Luffman decided to hang up his ice cream scoop. But he didn’t hand it over to just anyone—he picked a successor he’d been mentoring for the past decade.
“I grew up in this store, and Randy was my mentor. I never thought about owning a Baskin-Robbins while I worked here, but he really encouraged me to get into the business,” Anglin said. “It almost became a joke between us—until he told me that the Brentwood location was up for grabs, and I bought it.”
Anglin, who graduated from Middle Tennessee State University, received his diploma in the midst of an economic crisis. Instead of vying for a lackluster job in a weakened market, the Williamson County native decided he’d rather take the entrepreneurial route. In 2010, he became the proud owner of the Baskin-Robbins store located in Brentwood.
“I was familiar with the business, and I knew it was fun,” he said. “You get into some restaurants and you run into grumpiness. Here, everyone’s in a good mood. How could you not like ice cream?”
Though the economy has struggled over the last few years, Anglin says downtown Franklin’s Baskin-Robbins location has thrived. The businessman attributes that to both the community’s support and the local leadership.
“I’m thrilled to have that store in Brentwood, but I also love downtown Franklin. I knew this would be an excellent addition,” he said. “This was a really good investment, because as the town grows so do we. Randy used to tell me stories about dirt roads and no sidewalks. He said when they start revitalizing it, that it really boosted sales. I guess I owe a lot to the Heritage Foundation.”
Today, the Baskin-Robbins store operates largely as it always did. Equipment has been upgraded and Anglin’s incorporated personal touches to make it his own, but the store still offers 35 flavors of ice cream and carries the fresh smell of those baked-in-house waffle cones.
Anglin says his favorite part of the business is the customer interaction. Since he’s been creating custom ice cream cakes and crafting sundaes for many of the same people for 10-plus years, he’s formed meaningful relationships with the regulars.
Almost on cue, an elderly man with a shock of white hair shuffles in with a greeting and a “knock, knock” joke. Anglin calls him by name and watches as the customer orders his usual, a scoop of strawberry ice cream.
“Now he’s a character. That’s the great part of all this. Randy got to know everyone, and I’m getting to the do the same,” he said. “Downtown Franklin is an awesome place to be, to work, to do everything.
“It’s just refreshing to be in a happy job.”
Baskin-Robbins is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays. To learn more, go to its location at 214 E. Main Street or call 615- 790-3795.