Mellow Mushroom Works With Nashville Artists To Honor Local Legends In New Location

The location, which opened this summer in an historic building on Broadway, contains reclaimed wood from the original building, as well as other reclaimed wood and metal from century-old barns located around Nashville. The restaurant is also home to one of the tallest rooftop bars on Lower Broadway and is made up of five stories filled with artwork from several Nashville and regionally-based artists.

Each floor features a different theme, such as the second floor's spotlight on some of Nashville's famous female artists, including Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Patti Page and Patsy Cline, among others. A large wall-sized mural, which portrays the Nashville cityscape and features such attractions as a hot chicken restaurant and the Ryman Auditorium, can also be found on the second floor.

Also among the several pieces found in the restaurant is a 25-foot mural of Johnny Cash set above the store's live concert stage. The mural shows the legendary musician looking down through a magnifying glass to signify his watchful eye over Nashville's new musical talents. Dolly Parton is also depicted in a three-dimensional mural in which she is being carried by King Kong, and the mural is accompanied a 1,500-pound King Kong sculpture constructed from used tire treads.

Tonya Woods, Mellow Mushroom's senior art and design manager, spent a great deal of time in Nashville learning about the city and its rich cultural heritage, as well as researching and selecting all of the contributing artists, in advance of the location's design.

"It really is important to Mellow Mushroom to connect with and enlist the help of local artists when designing our stores, because it allows for the artists to get recognition and gives them a platform in their neighborhoods to showcase their work," said Woods. "Nashville is filled with incredible artists and people, and I am thankful for the opportunity I've had to learn about all this amazing community has to offer."

Featured artist Corey Barksdale said the close partnership between Mellow Mushroom and local artists is unique and added he is proud to display his hard work and represent his hometown in the new restaurant.

"I think the fact that Mellow Mushroom is reaching out to regional and local artists shows they are respecting their talent and view their work as something that should be cherished," said Barksdale. "Everyone loves to eat, but when you go to a Mellow Mushroom you want the overall experience of the art, culture and people involved in it."

Audie Adams, another featured artist, said the process of developing and designing the restaurant is a great example of Mellow Mushroom's collaboration with the communities in which it operates and its focus on truly representing the local culture.

"It's hard to appreciate the attention to detail and artistry that goes into a Mellow Mushroom until you're seeing it from beginning to end," said Adams. "The art here is definitely a visual of everything that Nashville represents, and I'm really appreciative for the opportunity to contribute to it."

About Mellow Mushroom Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers was founded in 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia. This franchise, operated under Home-Grown Industries of Georgia, Inc., is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. For over 40 years, Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers has been serving up fresh, stone-baked pizzas to order in an eclectic, art-filled and family-friendly environment. Each Mellow is locally owned and operated and provides a unique feel focused around great customer service and high-quality food.

SOURCE Mellow Mushroom