Hillsboro Village

The Hillsboro Village shopping district was largely developed on parts of the former Acklen Estate—and it is one of the longest-standing shopping districts in Nashville outside of the downtown area. Most of the buildings you’ll see as you walk along 21st Avenue have been carefully preserved to maintain their original character. Hillsboro’s charm lies in its willingness to honor both its past and its present. Old-fashioned brick and modern steel are nestled side by side: it’s old Nashville and new Nashville all at once. Listen as you walk, and when you reach the intersection with Belcourt Ave. turn LEFT.

In the early 1920s, the main buildings of Hillsboro Village’s shopping district began to take shape. At that time, the busy street you are walking on today consisted of just two grocery stores, a drug store, and an oil station. The Village also had two theaters: in addition to the Belcourt, the Belmont Theatre was built in 1925 at the corner of Blakemore and 21st and hosted productions until 1962. Hillsboro Village has been a vibrant part of the community through the many businesses that have called this area home.

During the 1930s and 1940s, a drive-in barbecue, Mousson’s Barbecue Stand, was located where Pancake Pantry stands today. Hamburgers were a dime, a barbecue sandwich was fifteen cents, and Coca-Cola was a nickel. As cultural trends shifted in the post-WWII era, Hillsboro Village welcomed Patty’s Record Shop, which was popular with local teenagers. Look for the historical marker on the side of the building at 1807 21st Avenue. This marker is at the former location of Bradley Studios. 

Best known for their Quonset Hut studio on Music Row, Owen and Harold Bradley operated a one-story, concrete block film and recording studio located behind this Hillsboro Village storefront from 1953-1955. Why did they move? One likely story is that their neighbors complained about the noise!  “Queen of Country Music” Kitty Wells, bluegrass legends Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers, and popular vocalist Pat Boone—making his studio debut—were among the artists who recorded in the studio. The structure later served as a school supply store and a ceramics studio. The building was demolished in 2014. You can learn more about the Bradleys and other music celebrities on two Music Row tours on Nashville Sites.

Hillsboro Village’s most notable turning point came in 1967, when Nashville’s Metro Council sought to implement an urban renewal plan. Residents of the area fought this plan with fierce opposition; one lawsuit went all the way to the Supreme Court. The Nashville Housing Authority had ruled that the houses surrounding Hillsboro Village were in poor shape and needed fixing, and Vanderbilt eventually bought some of these properties to expand its campus. Fannie Mae Dees Park, located on Blakemore Ave., is named after one of the most vocal opponents to this urban renewal plan. 

Although urban renewal was a tough adjustment for the residents around Hillsboro Village, it ultimately strengthened and revitalized the area. Construction plans were careful to maintain the Village’s unique character. Today, its proprietors continue to turn old treasures into new haunts, like the former Jones’ Pet Shop becoming popular Fido Cafe in the 1990s(but keeping the distinctive doghouse sign.)

After walking through Hillsboro Village, turn LEFT on Belcourt Avenue, crossing 21st Avenue. Walk up Belcourt Ave with the Hillsboro Village mural on your left and the Belcourt Theater on your right. This is your next stop.