After several years in North Carolina, life brought us to Middle Tennessee in the early ’90s. My first job in the 'big city' of Nashville was located on 2nd Avenue just north of Broadway. Back then, Broadway felt a little forgotten. After the Grand Ole Opry’s move out of downtown in the 1970s, the street had grown quiet and neglected. Elected in 1991, Mayor Phil Bredesen saw the need for new energy and destination anchors to help bring people back. Almost immediately out of the gate, he and his administration began a campaign to revitalize this area of downtown.
Not long after I started, the Mayor announced that Gaylord would demolish an old warehouse on Second and that a new entertainment venue would open calling it the Wildhorse Saloon. Following closely on the heels of this, a new arena was announced which was later opened in 1996 and later became the home of Nashville’s newest NHL franchise team; the Predators. Together, both venues were the catalyst needed and sparked the transformation of Broadway into what it is today.
The two became the new bookends and responsible for anchoring of all the activity along Broadway—the Wildhorse anchoring the east end and (now) the Bridgestone Arena on the west—drawing locals, families, and travelers back into the heart of the city. It didn't take long for news to travel and many followed suite. I remember the day Sylvester Stallone came to announce Planet Hollywood was coming to Broadway. That was another big deal!
The recent news that Jack’s BBQ sold its Broadway location to its neighbor stirred up a wave of nostalgia for me. I’ve photographed Broadway over the years (film included though I can’t seem to put my fingers on them aside from the few with Sly) and has me rifling through my harddrive to see what I could find.
Jack’s BBQ first opened on the 1st block of Broadway as part of the early revitalization efforts in the early 1990s, but later moved to make way for the Hard Rock Café. When they moved, they relocated closer to the honky-tonks, and just steps from the Ryman, turning out to be a smart business move.
Broadway’s historic honky-tonk bars are located just below the Ryman Auditorium made famous by the country legends who would slip away for a drink between performances. These bars have always been a destination point for anyone loving ccountry music and wanting to experience even just a little bit of that world and lifestyle, even through the blip in time we know as Covid.
Though the streets were quiet, there were table saws on the sidewalks signaling long overdue renovations and the time to deal with them.
Today, the Wildhorse Saloon is no more and has been replaced with another bar and event venue and the Bridgestone arena now shares the bookend with the 5th and Broadway mixed use development.
Broadway continues to have an insane energy that spans nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Much of this is due to many with the long game visions and those that can get it done. But it all started with a man and administration that was focused on bringing life back to a place that needed it.
Funny how a simple storyline about a neon sign heard on the way into work has led to a little bit of a rabbit hole of nostalgia and a little bit of a walk down memory lane. Gotta remember to take photographs along the way because you never know where it will lead you.
Countless photographs of these historic bars have also captured Jack’s BBQ’s historic neon sign; from selfies, quick clicks with friends, and even the background of a photoshoot or two.
Today, Broadway is almost unrecognizable from those earlier days of my time here. If life has taught me anything, it’s that nothing stays the same. Change is inevitable. Missing the old neon sign will be notable as we all continue to photograph and record memories along that busy street. Grateful for the little bit of sass and vibe its added to my photographs throughout the years gone by.
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3 Comments
Sep 1, 2025, 4:38:04 PM
Laura Schroeder - ❤️❤️❤️
Sep 1, 2025, 11:23:11 AM
Linda - After reading your blog, I think this would make an excellent story for Southern Living Magazine. Having lived in Iowa (with Meredith Publishing so big in Des Moines,). I met several people who were models for one of the magazines and folks who had awesome gardens which appeared as features in Better Homes & Gardens or another publication. Might be worth a submission and great PR.
Sep 1, 2025, 10:39:49 AM
Laura Richards - Wow this was a great read for me this morning! I didn’t know this backstory and it brought a little tear to my eye. Things sure have changed, and we love the assembly food hall! Thanks for sharing your talent and your heart feels♥️