417 Union/ Satsuma Tea Room

Arlene Ziegler and Mabel Ward, the proprietors of the Satsuma Tea Room met at South Dakota State College. Ward was a professor at the school, and Ziegler was a student in the Division of Home Economics. Following Ziegler’s graduation, they left the town of Brookings and headed to the bright lights of Nashville, where they planned to open a tea room and restaurant. Before moving to South Dakota, Ward had previously taught at George Peabody College in Nashville and knew that the city had much to offer. The pair set out on a road trip by automobile that covered over a thousand miles. It was a daring feat for anyone to attempt in 1918, especially two young women traveling alone.

When they arrived in Nashville, they needed a bank loan to finish the kitchen before they could open for business. Unfortunately, local banks refused to extend credit to two single women whose families no one knew. Despite this setback, Ward and Ziegler moved forward with their plans—finding creative solutions and making the most of the money they had left. They succeeded and opened their doors in the fall of 1918. The restaurant’s first location was next door to the Hermitage Hotel, and kitchen furnishings consisted of fruit crates, second-hand utensils, and whatever else they could find. 

Once Satsuma Tea Room opened, it was not the furnishings but the food that kept customers coming back. They moved to Sixth Avenue in 1919, and later to this location on Union Street. The restaurant’s name, “Satsuma,” was based on a type of small orange, as well as the name of a pottery style produced in Japan’s Satsuma province. Satsuma was a mainstay of downtown Nashville from the time it opened until it closed its doors in 2005. It is now a historically themed restaurant called 417 Union, named for its address at 417 Union Street. Their affordable menu offers “made from scratch classic American fare with an emphasis on Southern traditions.” Like Satsuma, it remains a popular breakfast and lunchtime destination. 

Continue walking down Union, and take a RIGHT onto Fourth Avenue North. About half-way through the block, you will arrive at the Arcade Shopping Center. You may take a RIGHT into the Arcade Shopping Center. Feel free to explore the Arcade while listening to your second narrative.