Nashville food and beverage scene

[captainwjm]

This may be old news but a restaurant out of Louisville will occupy the triangle part of the Hills (former 'Great Escape') delevopment across from teh Corner Pub.

 

Doc Crow’s Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar Restaurant

 

http://doccrows.com

Looks like a good addition to the neighborhood. We needed something other than another music bar or pizza joint. My only question is the lack of parking.

[bwithers1]

 My only question is the lack of parking.

That's easy:  don't drive, and then you won't have to park!  Otherwise, if the city doesn't want to get into the parking garage authority business, maybe the Buckingham development will have public parking options.  I think that there is also public parking in the Palmer Plaza garage a few short blocks away.   Chad Grout reports that the new downtown code has eliminated parking requirements entirely.   So if a business thinks that it relies on parking specifically on their site, they had better do enough business or charge enough for their products to cover the cost of that land, or offer valet parking for a fee.  Otherwise, the business should choose to locate in an area where foot traffic from nearby offices/hotels/residential buildings will support their business.  The latter is probably the case for these restaurants in this development.  Most people partying on Division Street don't really need to be driving anyway.

[BnaBreaker]

^what he said!

[ruraljuror]

Looks like a good addition to the neighborhood. We needed something other than another music bar or pizza joint. My only question is the lack of parking.

 

I'll be interested in trying it out, but it seems like it's pretty similar to Southstreet, which is half a block away.  I agree that Nashville could use more places like this, but it's right next door to one of the few similar smokehouse/raw bar places (relative to pizza joints and music bars) that we already have. 

 

Also, far less importantly, Doc Crows is kind of hard to say.

[captainwjm]

That's easy:  don't drive, and then you won't have to park!

 

Well that works for me since I live across the street, but it's not a realistic business model in the real world. The point of my comment is that this new restaurant will be at a disadvantage with its competitors [and yes, they do sound just like South Street].  The truth is that all the businesses in my neighborhood rely on those who have to get there by car. Currently, all the avaialble open lots in the immediate area are being used as monthly or reserved parking or valet lots [and if, if, the Buckingham development ever starts, there will be even fewer - at least until the garage is built].  It is a real free-for-all during the peak dinner-time hours.  So, this new restaurant, with no parking at all, will have to find customers that are either living within walking distance or come by cab/hotel shuttles.  Otherwise they'll find their customers parking with some competitor. 

[BnaBreaker]

Or...people can just park somewhere else and walk to the restaurant like they do in most other large urban centers. 

[bhibbs]

Or...people can just park somewhere else and walk to the restaurant like they do in most other large urban centers. 

 Like right behind Corner Pub Midtown.

[UTgrad09]

<----parks on sidewalks.

[captainwjm]

Like right behind Corner Pub Midtown.

Except when there are services at Cathederal, who owns that lot. Come on guys, parking is a major issue in this area. If you doubt it, come over and patronize my neighbors on Wednesday.

[bwithers1]

Come on guys, parking is a major issue in this area. If you doubt it, come over and patronize my neighbors on Wednesday.

I don't think that anyone on here is disagreeing with you.  It's just that if this restaurant signed a lease in a spot with limited or no on-site parking, they must have taken that issue into account with their due diligence.  And if they are based in the Bardstown Road/Highlands neighborhood of Louisville, then they probably are used to a clientele that is quite comfortable with walking to restaurants almost exclusively or at least parking somewhere and walking a few blocks to a restaurant.  The scores of locally-owned/locally-sourced/"farm-to-table" restaurants along Bardstown Road in Louisville are doing quite well there with limited or no on-site parking.  That area of Louisivlle is years and years ahead of Nashville in the area of urban living, even without any more public transit than Nashville has.  It's time for Nashvillians to get with the program. 

Edited August 9, 2013 by bwithers1

[producer2]

parking does not have to be such an issue and would not be if the City can get mass transit like the AMP up and running. People complain about the lack of parking and then they complain when you want to give them an alternative. There would be a stop literally a block and a half from this area.

[captainwjm]

  It's just that if this restaurant signed a lease in a spot with limited or no on-site parking, they must have taken that issue into account with their due diligence. 

 

I hope you are right. 

[captainwjm]

parking does not have to be such an issue and would not be if the City can get mass transit like the AMP up and running. People complain about the lack of parking and then they complain when you want to give them an alternative. There would be a stop literally a block and a half from this area.

Yes, and the No. 7 bus stops right in front.  I'd like to see the business model that bases profitabliity on the MTA [and, I'm a regular rider with only good things to say about the MTA].  I just question whether the due diligence that bwithers assumes was done [as do I] accurately reflects the current realities of the area.  As I said above, I hope so.

[bhibbs]

http://nashvillepost.com/news/2013/8/9/the_food_biz_pig_and_90_proof

 

Peg Leg Porker starting their own line of Tennessee Bourbon, among other things.
 

[BnaBreaker]

A great Chicago spot called City Winery is expanding into Nashville, New York, and Napa, CA...Nashville seems to be rapidly developing a very positive image...

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2013/08/20/city-winery-confirms-expansion-into.html

[Guest]

and more....

 

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/aug/17/top-10-nashville-restaurants-diners

 

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/aug/17/top-10-bars-nashville-tennessee

[CenterHill]

A great Chicago spot called City Winery is expanding into Nashville, New York, and Napa, CA...Nashville seems to be rapidly developing a very positive image...

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2013/08/20/city-winery-confirms-expansion-into.html

 

Interesting quotes from the article:

 

"In an interview Dorf said existing liquor laws in Nashville won't allow him to make wine on the premises.

"We will still go on and build out a winery there, while we work to change the legislation," said Dorf. But getting new laws passed, Dorf noted, could take years."

 

Understatement. 

 

"Dorf wouldn't disclose the exact address of his new City Winery location in Nashville. But he indicated the warehouse property is situated between the city's new downtown convention center and the Gulch."

 

Wondering where this might go.   Plenty of warehouse stock in the 8th / Division area, and would seem like a good fit with Jackalope, Yazoo and TN Brew Works.  

[bhibbs]

Hopefully all breweries/alcohol businesses end up in the same localized area, would be cool to form a collection of them so that pedestrians could walk back and forth.

[UTgrad09]

Interesting quotes from the article:

 

"In an interview Dorf said existing liquor laws in Nashville won't allow him to make wine on the premises.

"We will still go on and build out a winery there, while we work to change the legislation," said Dorf. But getting new laws passed, Dorf noted, could take years."

 

Understatement. 

 

"Dorf wouldn't disclose the exact address of his new City Winery location in Nashville. But he indicated the warehouse property is situated between the city's new downtown convention center and the Gulch."

 

Wondering where this might go.   Plenty of warehouse stock in the 8th / Division area, and would seem like a good fit with Jackalope, Yazoo and TN Brew Works.  

 

Interesting indeed. I do hope that Tennessee eventually modernizes its liquor laws. Some of them are woefully archaic. 

 

As for the space they would pick -- I doubt it would happen without an office tenant coming into play also, but I think this would be a cool thing to have on the bottom floor of the Voorhees building if they rehabbed it.

Hopefully all breweries/alcohol businesses end up in the same localized area, would be cool to form a collection of them so that pedestrians could walk back and forth.

 

I keep saying it would be cool for Nashville to have a brewery district in the lower Gulch area.

[BnaBreaker]

i love the idea of a brewery district. I also think the city should look into creating a permenant food truck park in an area that has less chance of being built up, like say, south gulch.

[FrankNash]

Yes, the Voorhees building for the City Winery location would be perfect. Good call UTgrad!

[dmillsphoto]

i love the idea of a brewery district. I also think the city should look into creating a permenant food truck park in an area that has less chance of being built up, like say, south gulch.

 

It's all I can do to not delete this comment! SHHHHHH!!!!

[bwithers1]

Hopefully all breweries/alcohol businesses end up in the same localized area, would be cool to form a collection of them so that pedestrians could walk back and forth.

It's too late to get ALL of the breweries in one area.  Fat Bottom, Corsair, and Blackstone's, to name a few, aren't going anywhere anytime soon.  But that stretch of 8th Ave South is a good center point for several of them. And there are already quite a few intoxicated pedestrians stumbling about there

[bhibbs]

i love the idea of a brewery district. I also think the city should look into creating a permenant food truck park in an area that has less chance of being built up, like say, south gulch.

I have seen signs at the old Mrs. Winners on Main in East Nashville near 5points saying that they are going to turn that into a food truck park type of place.

It's too late to get ALL of the breweries in one area.  Fat Bottom, Corsair, and Blackstone's, to name a few, aren't going anywhere anytime soon.  But that stretch of 8th Ave South is a good center point for several of them. And there are already quite a few intoxicated pedestrians stumbling about there

Ha, very true!

But, with Yazoo, Jackalope, TN Brew Works, Pour House (just a bar, but...still in the area) it is a great localized area.

Hopefully more will move in and make this a unique area. If you haven't been by Peg Leg Porker yet you really should, some great food being produced by those guys.

[CenterHill]

But, with Yazoo, Jackalope, TN Brew Works, Pour House (just a bar, but...still in the area) it is a great localized area.

Hopefully more will move in and make this a unique area. If you haven't been by Peg Leg Porker yet you really should, some great food being produced by those guys.

 

Ha!  TN Brew Works agrees - this is from their website:

 

"Okay, to be fair, Nashville doesn’t officially have a brewery district, yet. However, with Yazoo Brewing Company on Division just west of ninth, Jackalope Brewing Company on eight just north of Division, and Czann's Brewing Company at Lea and fifth, Tennessee Brew Works fits nicely into the middle at Ewing and Fogg. So, you read it here first, Nashville has a new Brewery District."

 

There's definitely a critical mass of breweries/restaurants/bars forming in this area.    Don't forget Flyte, Rumors and the ever-popular Arnolds and new additions in the Gulch like Hops & Crafts and, coming soon, Burger Republic and The Pub.   I think eventually all of this will be tied together a little better for pedestrians to get from the 11th Ave venues to what I'll call the Division St venues.  I recall an article when Peg Leg Porkers opened quoting owner Carey Bringle saying there were plans for a brick path or something connecting his street (Gleaves) to Pine Street.    And then ultimately the pedestrian bridge connecting to the Cannery/Cummins Station side.