Some say it’s a hidden gem, while some would consider it an eclectic mix of “things.” But no matter how you put it, Edgehill Village is emerging as one of Nashville’s hot spots.
The neighborhood was quite literally hot in the 1920s when White Way, a huge commercial steam laundry, established its production facility there.
After some 80 years, needs changed, and as the area continued to grow, White Way packed up and moved to a large facility downtown.
The property, with Music Row one street over and a few blocks from Belmont and Vanderbilt, was a prime location for developers who came in and established Edgehill Village. The development proved to be an exciting turn for the area.
“Edgehill Village is such a creative use of space—turning an industrial laundry into a mixed-use neighborhood destination,” according to The Urban Land Institute of America. “The preserved industrial architecture is a great example of sustainable development … and it’s beautiful.”
With a wide range of “destinations,” Edgehill Village provides restaurants, boutiques and spas for the community.
But why has this become the place it has?
“I think it’s simply because we are casual, offer good, high-style, and everyone brings something different,” said Jenelle Hynes, owner of KORE Nashville, a home goods store in the Village focusing on local designers and natural goods. “We are a lot of like-minded individuals who appreciate [something like] an old building like this.”
With its eight buildings, Edgehill Village has a lot more to offer than meets the eye. The Mall at Edgehill Village is located inside of the promenade of boutiques and has its own few specialty stores that don’t have the street storefronts.
“Hey, don’t be afraid to go in there, you’ll be surprised and happy about it because there is a lot of stuff in here that people are missing,” exclaimed Leigh Ann Agee, one of the independent artists who showcases her work at The Studios at Edgehill Village.
She and Wendie Strauch Mahoney are the two artists that call “The Studios” inside the mall home with their work that ranges from murals to canvas. They have been there for two years and are continuing to build their clientele.
Edgehill Village appeals to all, and since it’s so close to Music Row, what better place to have a grassroots guitar shop than right inside the mall at the Village?
“We wanted to cater to the musicians, the songwriters, the record producers that are looking for tools in the studio and guitars, basses, amps music instruments and that is what we do,” said Brady Seals, co-owner of Music City Pickers.
As a former guitarist for “Little Texas”, Seals has been around the area for a long time and knows what he wants to convey to the customers.
“This was Whiteway Cleaners for a long time, but your generation knows it as Edgehill Village and we just want to be something cool for people to come visit,” said Seals. “It’s a great mix of tenants here and you can hit them all at one time.”
Whether its natural goods for your home or natural oils brought in from Greece, Edgehill Village has it.
At O.liv Body Bar, a full service day spa, the customer is able to customize their own massage oil, which they blend right front of you. O.liv also does body oils, hair oils and beard oils.
“My dad is from Greece and he brings in all of our olive oils which you can use for massages, blending, cooking and for your skin,” said Maryann Mousourakis, owner of O.liv Body Bar. “That is our whole concept of this spa, and it is very different, but cool, and we love it here.”
But if home goods, body bars or guitar shops aren’t your thing, there are several restaurants Edgehill has to offer. Whether it’s pizza, tacos or a pumpkin-spice latte, the Village caters to a variety of tastes.
Consistently ranked in the Nashville Scene’s top pizza places in Nashville, Bella Napoli’s mission from the beginning was to bring Naples, Italy, to Nashville, and it seems they have done just that.
“So because of the authenticity of ingredients and uniqueness of dishes, we have brought a lot of exposure to the Village,” said Amy Daconto, manager of Bella Napoli. “It is fun to be a part of it all.”
About 30 seconds down the walkway is your “fresh-Mex” fix at one of the first establishments developed at Edgehill: Taco Mamacita.
But nothing has been more of a mainstay of the Village than the area’s coffee shop: Edgehill Café.
“We’ve wanted to be a place where people could come together and create, where they could meet with friends or for business meetings,” said Rachel Beasley, owner of Edgehill Café. “We also wanted to be a place where people can come and curl up in a comfy chair with a book and just be still, and I think we’ve done that.”
Edgehill Village is set on being a place that belongs to the community. With various events throughout the year, such as the every Third Thursday Art Crawl or the annual Emmylou Harris benefit concert, the Village gives back and wants to make this home for those in the neighborhood.
Beasley and all the owners of the tenants of the Village agree that they are trying to “give the community something they can take ownership in.”