On the open market, the alley that the Garth Brooks property acquired would be worth millions of dollars, while the condemnation of the alley will have significant implications for the other business in the area, and for one business especially: The Ernest Tubb Record Shop.
When the Ernest Tubb Record Shop on Lower Broadway in Nashville was under threat of being closed down permanently and sold off earlier this year, a few were predicting sarcastically that they might turn the historic business and property into a Walker Hayes-themed Applebee’s restaurant.
The iconic Ernest Tubb Record Shop on Lower Broadway in Nashville has officially been sold to a group of investors for $18.3 million, as well as the current contents of the Record Shop including the inventory and fixtures in a separate deal. The new owners include Ernest Dale Tubb III, musician Ilya Toshinskiy, and investor Brad Bars.
The Ernest Tubb Record Shop closed on May 3rd. But over the past few days, the previous owner, David McCormick, and people close to him have been signaling that hope springs eternal, and the Ernest Tubb Record Shop will be opening its doors once again, and soon.
Terry Tyson was the manager of the Ernest Tubb Record Shop from early 2018 until early 2020. In that time, the Record Shop went from being chronically understocked to once again becoming a hopping destination spot in on one of Nashville’s most bustling areas.
“It is in a local historical overlay district. It’s in the historic Broadway Preservation District, which runs from 1st to 5th Avenue, and picks up all the properties on both sides of the street,” W. Tim Walker tells Saving Country Music. “The building cannot be demolished.”
Garth Brooks is the latest high-profile country star to purchase property in Nashville’s Lower Broadway entertainment district with the intent of putting up a new multi-story bar and restaurant. Acquiring the three-story, 40,000 square foot property at 411 Broadway…
With so many of the artists that reach superstar status, there is a “moment” that put them there. Sometimes, it’s a number of these moments. For Loretta Lynn, that moment came through Ernest Tubb, and the Ernest Tubb Record Shop’s Midnite Jamboree.
It seemed just about perfect. In hindsight, perhaps it was a little too perfect. The owner of Robert’s Western World on Lower Broadway—JesseLee Jones—would purchase one of the oldest operating businesses in Nashville, housed in one of the oldest buildings.
We all just need to appreciate that the Ernest Tubb Record Shop on Lower Broadway in Nashville is not just a building, and it’s not just a business. It isn’t just brick and mortar, any more than the Ryman Auditorium is. It is a cultural institution and landmark.
The owner of one of the last remaining true honky tonks on Lower Broadway in Nashville’s downtown district has purchased one of the most iconic and historical businesses that happens to sit right across the street. JesseLee Jones—owner of Robert’s Western World—has purchased the Ernest Tubb Record Shop.
On Monday, fans of of the 68-year-old radio show The Midnite Jamboree were disappointed to learn that the radio program broadcast Saturday nights at midnight on WSM had been suspended due to financial concerns, and was in jeopardy of going away. The owner of the Midnite Jamboree and the Ernest Tubb Record Shops in Nashville named David McCormick could no longer support the show’s production.