Javanco and Farber Building

While little has changed inside Station Inn, the area around it has witnessed a dramatic transformation. Until 2000, the Gulch was primarily an industrial area with commercial and shipping suppliers. Today’s Gulch is an eclectic and vibrant neighborhood which features coffeehouses, restaurants, boutique shops, and residential condos and apartments. While some of these buildings are new, several of the structures that once served as corporate businesses have been renovated. These hip places to shop and eat also serve as historic reminders of the area’s industrial legacy. Dating back to the 1930s, the Javanco and Farber Building is one such place. 

Prior to 1930, the area was home to multiple business and some residences as part of a thriving African American commercial district. In the mid-1930s the Marshall & Bruce Printing Company purchased the entire block, and established a printing plant in 1938, located in the buildings you see now. Marshall & Bruce Printing was one of Nashville’s oldest and most established print shops with the slogan “We Print Anything,” and printed the Annual City Directory for decades. It opened in 1865 on Union Street and is still in operation—with headquarters now on Davidson Street.

By 1960, the Gulch was experiencing a period of decline with high vacancy rates following the close of Union Station and the suburban flight of many downtown businesses and residents after the completion of the interstate system. In 1960, after Marshall & Bruce moved, a new business opened its doors in one of the two buildings. The building’s name, Javanco, comes from this era. Javanco sold electronic parts with an emphasis on computers. The Nashville Scene reported in 1996, “Stacks of PCs and electronic parts line the entryway. Thousands of small cardboard boxes line the shelves, filled with everything from batteries to capacitors to power supplies. Some may call it junk, but true geeks call it ambrosia for the soul.” After nearly forty years in this location, Javanco moved just up the road, to Eighth Avenue, in 1999.

As MarketStreet Enterprises looked for new real estate and development adventures, it focused in on the Gulch and, in particular, the Javanco-Farber complex. These buildings sat at the most significant neighborhood intersection, so it made sense to make this the spot to start their Gulch revitalization project. After extensive renovations, Six Degrees opened in 2000. The high-end restaurant, bar, and music venue closed its doors in 2001, but the restaurant’s failure actually contributed to the area’s long-term success as new businesses moved into the conjoined building. Also featuring 32 residential lofts, the complex perhaps reflects the Gulch’s transformation better than any other. From a transportation and commercial hub to a hub for shopping, eating, and living—the Javanco and Farber Building has survived and now thrives. 

Continue down Twelfth Avenue South to the three-way intersection. Turn LEFT on to Eleventh Avenue South. Once you reach Pine Street, use a crosswalk to turn RIGHT. Walk down the left side of the street for about three minutes until you have reached the fence that overlooks the railroad tracks. Here, you will see Kayne Switchyard and Clement Landport.