The Antioch store opened in 1987.


The Rivergate store next to Joann's consolidated 3 smaller locations.


Sally Cheney's Superstore offers sewing, vacuum, & kitchen products.

          Lots of people come to Nashville every year looking to make a mark in the music business. Lee and Sally Cheney were included in those numbers in 1985, as Lee pursued a career as a singer and songwriter. But once the couple started to learn more about Music City and the middle Tennessee area, they saw an opportunity to serve the community in Sally's area of expertise – sewing. So in 1987 they opened a small retail store in Antioch, Tennessee, calling it AAA Sewing & Vacuum. Their focus was simple – backing up quality products with top flight customer service.

          By 1991 the business had outgrown that original location, so Lee and Sally moved to a larger space. They added locations in Green Hills and Hendersonville the following year. The business continued to grow, consistently earning awards for both sewing and vacuum sales nationwide. By 1997, they again needed more space.

          They decided to consolidate the three stores into one large one next to Joann's, near the Rivergate Mall in Madison. They continued to earn sales awards from their suppliers, including the top spot nationally for single location retailers. They maintained their focus on their customers, expanding the number of classes they offered to their customers.

          Sally still found time to host a cable television show on sewing ("Jazz It Up with Sally Cheney") while expanding the business. And Lee still found time for his guitar and some songwriting, earning a cut on one of multiple Grammy winner Ray Stevens' albums.

          In 2007, now in their 20th year in business, the Cheneys found themselves feeling cramped again, especially as customers sought more classes for the software that had exploded onto the market in support the new embroidery machines. Plus, the customer demand for seats at special events often forced Sally to hold them off site, creating extra work and logistical problems. So they decided to make another move, this time a short one – only a couple of blocks, on the other side of the Rivergate Mall – into a 10,000 square foot space where they could have two separate classrooms. They also decided to add high-end kitchen appliances, supplies and accessories to their product offerings, supported by a gourmet kitchen where they could offer cooking classes.


One of Sally's many national sales awards

          This latest move, completed in a single weekend in August, transformed AAA Sewing & Vacuum into Sally Cheney's Superstore – Sewing, Vacuum, Kitchen & More. Hundreds of loyal customers showed up that first day in the new store, and more came around for the official "grand opening" in November.

          With top quality products, expanded sewing machine and vacuum cleaner display areas, two large classrooms, and a gourmet kitchen, Sally Cheney's Superstore is poised to continue its growth in the Middle Tennessee area. Sally, Lee and their staff still focus on their customers, doing all they can to not only give them a satisfying retail experience, but also following up with education to help them enjoy the products when they get them home.

          Stop by the new store and see where 20 years of growth has brought Sally and Lee.