Moove! Wild Cow Headed for a Bigger Barnyard
East Side fav The Wild Cow is moving to greener (and bigger) pastures. According to co-owner Melanie Cochran, the popular vegan and vegetarian eatery will soon be leaving its long-time location on Eastland Avenue for new digs at 1100 Fatherland St., in the space formerly occupied by Local Taco.
“Our current space had become way too small and our lease is up at the end of the year,” Cochran says. “So we had been looking for some time. When we heard this space was available our real estate agent arranged for us to look at it the same day. In just a couple of days we’d signed a lease.”
In addition to a larger dining area, plans call for a heated patio, a full bar, draft beer, and more in the new location. Some changes will also be made behind the scenes as Chef Ryan Toll will be joining current co-owners Melanie and John Cochran as a full business partner. And in distinctly Nashville-style, music is of course involved with the move.
“On October 1st, we’re doing a benefit show at The Cobra,” Melanie Cochran says. “My band, The Swanies, is playing as well as Ryan Toll’s band and others. All the bands include people who work at The Wild Cow, and all proceeds will go towards purchasing new equipment for the move.”
Cochran says they hope to open in the new location by Nov. 1, 2019 and are planning a new location celebration as well as a 10th anniversary party. For updates, visit thewildcow.com.
Elements Expands to the East
Elements Salon’s new East Nashville location is now open and will be celebrating its Grand Opening on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. Owner Jason Facio is particularly excited about Elements’ new location, which joins its current shops in Green Hills, Brentwood, and 12 South. “I have lived in East Nashville for 18 years and opened my first salon in Green Hills,” Facio says. “Finally I am able to open an East Side location and I’m pumped about it!”
The new East Nashville location will be at 914 Woodland St. For more info visit elementsalon.com.
Acupuncture Expands to the West
East Nashville Community Acupuncture recently announced they are opening a second location in Bellevue, along with changing their name to Encircle Acupuncture to reflect their multi-clinic expansion.
“For the past nine years, we have treated thousands of patients from our clinic in East Nashville,” owner Alexa Hulsey said in press release. “From day one, it has been our mission to make acupuncture affordable and accessible for as many people as possible.”
Slated to open Oct. 6, the Bellevue location will be at 140 Belle Forest Circle and will offer acupuncture performed in a group setting with a sliding pay scale of $20 to $40 per treatment as at their East Nashville location. For more information, visit encircleacupuncture.com.
ACTing for the Community
East Nashville native Quanie “Cash” Clendening has been attracting headlines recently but not for his success as a hip hop artist, record producer, and filmmaker. Instead it’s for his ongoing efforts as a community activist through his nonprofit, the Build Up Foundation (B.U.F.).
Established in 2017, B.U.F. seek to “build up” communities by offering opportunities for at-risk youth through mentorship, education, and youth sports programs in the Middle Tennessee area. One of the foundations signature programs is the ACT Prep courses offered at the East Park Community Center. The free course prepares students to take the American College Testing (ACT) exam, a standardized test required for admission in several colleges and universities. Since launching the program in fall 2017, more than 500 Metro students have participated.
The most recent class began on Sept. 14 with almost 100 students enrolled. A second class is being offered with a start date of Nov. 16. For more information, to volunteer or to donate to B.U.F., or to enroll a student in the ACT prep course or any of B.U.F.’s programs, visit the Build Up Foundation.
Record Release Party Roundup
There’s no reason not to see and hear great live music this week, especially with several East Siders celebrating record releases. Friday, Sept. 20 from 6-7 p.m. songwriter Darrin Bradbury is celebrating the release of his new album, Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs, with an in-store performance at Grimey’s (1060 E. Trinity Lane). For the full scoop behind the album, check out our online exclusive on Bradbury.
After the music ends at Grimey’s, scoot over the Hi Watt (1 Cannery Row) to help East Nashville rockers and 2019 Music Issue stars, The Minks, celebrate the release of their new record, Light & Sweet. The show starts at 8 p.m. and based on their appearance at the Café Rooster Records AMERICANAFEST party last weekend, it’s gonna be a hot one!
Saturday, Sept. 21, things heat up at Grimey’s again as East Side teen rock-mavens Queens of Noise deliver a tribute/birthday celebration for quintessential rock ‘n’ roll bad girls, The Runaways. The L.A. legends’ first two LPs, The Runaways and Queens of Noise, were recently reissued on vinyl for the first time since the early 1980s, and it’s also the birthday of Runaways’ members Joan Jett and Lita Ford. The cherry bombs are set to explode at 5 p.m.
Finally, baritone saxophonist Mary Rodgers has been turning heads and honkin’ the big beat as an accompanist and music instructor at Fanny’s House of Music since her arrival in Nashville a few years ago. Now she’s taking center stage with the release of her first album, To the Ghost of Mary Rodgers, an utterly charming and unique combination of ragtime, jazz, and twisted medicine show music. The record release party (with circus performers!) is Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m.at Little Harpeth Brewing (30 Oldham St.). For more info, check out the Facebook event page.
Quick Bits
- The 1.13-acre retail space complex, the Shoppes on Gallatin Ave. at 1214 Gallatin Ave. recently sold to for $7.7 million according to a story in Nashville Post. The entire 4.4-acre property, including the former Walmart Community Market was purchased by Atlanta-based Childress Klein in June 2016 for $5 million, who then renovated the Walmart building into a SpaceMax self-storage facility and built the Shoppes on Gallatin Ave. in front of the existing building.
- Plans for the proposed new pub and restaurant, Eastwood Assembly, at 714 Gallatin Ave. appear to be cancelled based on the large “FOR LEASE” sign that appeared on the property this week. As reported in last week’s News Roundup, several residential neighbors were voicing opposition to the project and were organizing in an attempt to halt it.
- The New York Times recently reported that Sean Brock’s new East Nashville Appalachia-themed restaurants will be named Red Bird and Audrey. As previously reported, both restaurants will be located at in the 10,000-square-foot former industrial building located at 809 Meridian St. and will focus on the cuisine and culture of Brock’s native region.
