The changing face of Hillsboro Village in Nashville

The changing face of Hillsboro Village in Nashville

All of Nashville is changing at a rapid pace these days, but few areas in our city have morphed quite as intensely as Hillsboro Village, the compact shopping and dining hub that’s home to one of Nashville’s most dependable tourist draws, the forever lined-up Pancake Pantry.

Over the past few years, a parade of the Village’s staples have closed their doors, Boscos, Sunset Grill, BookManBookWoman and Sam’s Sports Grill included. At the same time, a steady flow of new developments and popular brands have moved in; the big Hill Center Acklen opened its doors, popular food spots like Jeni’s Ice Cream and gourmet grilled-cheese place The Grilled Cheeserie started serving, and longstanding sushi space Ru San’s moved out of The Gulch and into the Village. Popular East Nashville shop Hey Rooster General Store is in the middle of swapping zip codes right now, too, taking over the former BookWoman space.

Even among the longtime Hillsboro Village anchors that remain, there’s been serious change — historic Nashville film house the Belcourt Theatre closed for the first half of 2016 and reopened bigger and better in July, after a $4.5 million renovation. (Nashville film buffs have been ecstatic with that particular change, with a modernized lobby, upgraded concession stand, new bathrooms and a new screening room.)

Things definitely haven’t slowed in 2017 — on March 8, ground broke on the neighborhood’s first hotel: the six-story Moxy Nashville Vanderbilt (rendering above), which is expected to open its doors in early 2018. And this week, we learned about a mix of new businesses setting up at the new Village 21 at Regions Park development at 21st and Wedgewood Avenues: According to the Nashville Business Journal, we’ll see outdoor lifestyle boutique Mountain High Outfitters, juice/smoothie/cocktail space the Urban Juicer, clothing/gift shop South Boutique and taqueria Taco Mama. A celeb-associated restaurant is in the works too, NBJ says, and developers expect doors to start opening this summer.

Longtime Nashvillians, at this point, may barely recognize the Hillsboro Village of old, which can be a source of mixed feelings. But all these changes have made the area more accommodating to Nashville’s rapid-pace growth, with more square footage to live and be. And for newcomers who’ve moved to Nashville from more broadly foot-friendly cities like Chicago and New York, the Hillsboro Village area is an easy place to acclimate — a compact area of shoulder-to-shoulder shops, and the possibility of, if not a full pedestrian life, at least more of one.

If you’re among the new-to-Nashville — or you just haven’t been to Hillsboro Village in a while — here are a few links that’ll help you get acquainted or reacquainted with what’s happening there now:

Nashville Guru: Hillsboro Village
A thorough rundown of everything from where to eat and shop to where to rent an apartment

Visit Music City Hillsboro Village map 
A little outdated (understandable given all the changes), but a handy way to get the lay of the land

Hillsboro Village merchants Facebook page 
A neighborhood bulletin board of sorts, and an easy way to stay up to date on the latest happenings/changes

Been thinking Hillsboro Village might be the right place to settle down in Nashville? Here’s a quick look at the kinds of homes you’ll see on the market:

214 Fairfax Ave
Nashville, TN 37212
$1,195,000

Classic historic Hillsboro Village — this bungalow was built in 1927, and is thoroughly renovated, with an open floorplan, exposed brick and a huge master (including a huge master closet — not an everyday find with historic homes). If you’re a home cook, in particular, you might really fall for this one.

3213 Acklen Ave
Nashville, TN 37212
$1,200,000

Brand new upscale construction steps from the thick of things. The design is classic and clean, and it’s a really spacious place — more than 4100 square feet, 4 beds and 4 baths. Potential for even more space, too, with a large unfinished basement.

Want some help exploring the area more? We help homebuyers and sellers throughout Nashville, but the West Side of the Cumberland tends to be our specialty. Contact us here, and tell us a little about what you’re looking for.