Click the photo to see a gallery of shopping and dining options in the Gulch (photo: Samuel M. Simpkins / The Tennessean).
Most of us have grown comfortable with the concept of the one-stop shopping mall. It never occurs to us that palm trees don’t grow in giant planters in the middle of buildings or that women offering to flat-iron our hair or scrub the back of our hands aren’t around every corner.
But when we are out of town, rarely do we head to the local mall. Instead, we ferret out the unique shopping venues, little out-of-the-way neighborhoods that showcase off-beat wares. It feels, in a word, adventurous.
If adventure is what you crave, a trip to the Gulch, the high-rise-littered community that abuts downtown Nashville, is the antidote to mall malaise. Navigating the sidewalks, sipping a latte at a street-side cafe and shopping the unusual feels a tiny bit like you are playing the part of Carrie Bradshaw from
Sex and the City. In a word, adventurous.
You may never visit a mall again. Ready to spend the day at the Gulch? We hit the high points.
Casablanca Coffee
602 12th Ave. S., 615-942-7666, casablancacoffee.com
Start the morning at Casablanca Coffee. Sip a latte — they use locally roasted Drew’s Beans — at one of the sidewalk tables and watch Gulch residents start their day. Save your receipt, because showing it to local retailer Apricot Lane nets you a 10 percent discount.
Urban Outfitters
405 12th Ave S., 615-254-3339, urbanoutfitters.com
Head to Urban Outfitters for jeans, dresses, trendy tops and a surprising selection of books and gifts. It is a chain, but the brand takes such pains to individualize stores, placing them in the heart of urban areas in lieu of malls, you hardly feel it. The clothing reads young, but even those older than 40 can find ferret out trendy blazers , belts and blouses.
Two Old Hippies
401 12th Ave S., 615-254-7999, www.twooldhippies.com
Save a chunk of time to explore the huge Two Old Hippies. This huge store is to be savored. Artisan jewelry — yes, expensive — sidles up to reasonably priced, trendier pieces. And if Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks and the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger spawned a fashion line that somehow worked for country music, it would feel perfectly at home. among the racks. Offerings for women are floaty, flowing and edgy, all describe the offerings for women, while men have a hefty dose of musician-cool without veering into rhinestone-esque costume. Add to the mix Italian leather boots and shoes, gifts and a serious selection of high-end guitars and you have a tiny idea of what is there. in the store.
The Turnip Truck
501 12th Ave. S., 615-248-2000, theturniptruck.com
Stop by The Turnip Truck for a meat-and-three (the Nashville traditional lunch that lets you choose an entree and three veggies) that is probably healthier than the mall restaurant chain salad you usually have for lunch on your shopping forays. Organic offerings on the hot table change daily, but everything is locally sourced and made from scratch.
Apricot Lane
315 12th Ave. S., 615-942-7153, info@apricotlanenashville.com
After lunch, round the corner and go to boutique Apricot Lane. Dresses, feminine blouses and skinny jeans are stocked in the decidedly girly store. Check out hand-beaded Swarovski crystal headbands like Taylor Swift wears (starting at $45) and don’t miss the on-trend dresses that are reasonably priced at less than $50.
Sweet CeCe’s
311 12th Ave. S., 615-891-2534, sweetceces.com
Pop next door to Sweet CeCe’s for an afternoon treat. Healthy frozen yogurt in flavors that change daily — and toppings that negate the healthy benefits of the yogurt — will fortify you for more shopping.
Cashmere Salon Spa
604 12th Ave. S., 615-770-3065, www.cashmerenashville.com
If you planned well, you made an appointment for a spa pedicure at upscale Cashmere Salon Spa. The most popular, the Aveda pedicure, will take an hour and includes massage and hot towel wrap for $40. Don’t want to spend the time? Ask for an express manicure or pedicure. The mani lasts 20 minutes and costs $25, while the pedi lasts 30 minutes and costs $30.
Bullets & Mullets
1108 Division St., 615-678-7631, www.bulletsmullets.com
If Two Old Hippies is boho and Apricot Lane is girly, then Bullets & Mullets is all about urban edge. Started by two sisters, the store offers in-your-face clothing, logo tees and a mix of sexy dresses and tops. Round it out with fun jewelry, including a Hello Kitty selection that girly girls and bad girls will love.
Urban Flats Flatbread & Wine Co.
610 12th Ave. S., Nashville, 615-254-0454, www.urbanflats.net
Sambuca
601 12th Ave. S., Nashville, 615-248-2888, www.sambucarestaurant.com
Finish your day with a glass of wine and an appetizer or two at Urban Flats Flatbread & Wine Co. Should you stay for dinner, wander over to Sambuca or opt for Mexican at Cantina Laredo. The dining options, like the shopping, are fun and unique.
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