The DISTRICT’s Merchants Advisory Group is a collaboration of the businesses located within the Downtown DISTRICT. The Merchants group was established to ensure that business interests in the area have the ability to communicate effectively together and to discuss issues pertinent to the District. The DISTRICT’s Merchants meet on the last Thursday of every month, and share the responsibility of hosting each meeting. Government agencies, Civic Leaders, Special Event Organizers, Marketing Groups and many others visit the Merchants Advisory Group to promote opportunities, and to keep in touch with city interests.MERCHANTS ADVISORY GROUP
EVENTS
March 26, 7-9 PM, The Wildhorse Saloon has teamed up with The DISTRICT, Inc., and Metro Historical Commission Foundation for a star-studded, 2-hour musical event to be broadcast in prime time on NewsChannel 5 Nashville. Musical guests include an A-list lineup of musical performers including Old Dominion, Ashley McBryde, Scotty McCreery and Lee Brice.
High Rises & Honky Tonks~ is a celebration of Downtown Nashville. This event serves as a fundraiser in support of The DISTRICT’S mission and is an incredible opportunity to showcase some of the unique venues that are part of downtown Nashville. Contributions for The DISTRICT help fund community projects such as Holiday Decorations and Downtown improvement projects, including The Ryman Alley, and Art Wall on 2nd Avenue. The event features three destinations where guests meet, mingle, have fun and support a great cause. A key feature of this event is our Silent Auction. If you love downtown Nashville and would like to support an organization with the purpose of fostering the rich heritage of Broadway, 2ndAvenue and Printers Alley, we need your support! The guests for the evening will include more than 300 local leaders, business owners and community members who make a difference. Each year’s locations will include three high profile locations that you don’t want to miss… Each venue will include Libations, a sampling of their menu, and entertainment for the party attendees! The DISTRICT is an important part of our city, in or near, where you earn your living and live your life. You’re fundraising contribution also serves to elevate community spirit and pride in helping to preserve a very special time and place with an opportunity to show your face and faith in The DISTRICT. In addition, a silent auction with interesting and valuable items and packageThe Progressive Party
Wine in the Winter
Wine on the River features 30 beverage Booths, and The DISTRICT provides the Volunteers!Wine on the River is always held in September, and features a variety of wine, beer, and/or spirits specific to certain regions from around the globe. The event is always held in downtown Nashville, on the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. Food and live jazz music will also be included in the festivities.
AWARDS
The purpose of this award is to honor a person or persons who have provided great-service & leadership to The DISTRICT and who have worked to broaden The DISTRICT’s influence, outreach and goodwill. A native Nashvillian and Vanderbilt University graduate, Judy Steele Bayer has spent most of her professional career in government work. In the mid-80s, Judy worked for Mayor Fulton, who championed downtown’s historic districts. Judy joined the Metro Development and Housing Agency(MDHA) in 1987, where she became that agency’s representative on a revitalization committee that was the catalyst for turning around the endangered historic districts downtown. In addition, Judy worked for Phil Bredesen when he was the Mayor of Nashville, then again when he became Governor of Tennessee. Her last government position was Director of Community Relations for the Tennessee Department of Transportation (2003-2011). Shortly after her retirement, Judy was asked to take a temporary post of Acting Executive Director of You Have the Power (YHTP), a victim’s advocacy organization, during that agency’s transition in 2011. Judy is a current or past board member of many organizations, among them The DISTRICT, where she currently serves as Treasurer, Nashville Women’s Breakfast Club, Nashville Catholic Business Women’s League and Catholic Charities of Middle Tennessee. She is a member of the Women’s Political Collaborative of Tennessee and Ladies of Charity. She is immediate Past President of the Board of Directors of You Have the Power and continues to be an active member of that Board. This year we are honored to award the Spirit of The DISTRICT to Judy Steele Bayer.Spirit of District Award
Preserve America Award
Tootsies Historic Preservation Award
The legend began in 1960 when Hattie Louise “Tootsie” Bess bought a bar named Mom’s. After buying Mom’s, Tootsie hired a painter to refurbish the place. One day she came to the bar to find that he had painted the whole place orchid. From that day on, Mom’s became known as Tootsies Orchid Lounge.Tootsies is located behind the Ryman Auditorium, which was home to the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. From 1960 to 1974, Tootsies was positioned to accommodate the up and coming stars that appeared on the Opry. Those who frequented Tootsies between sets were Roger Miller, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Harlon Howard, and Merle Kilgore, among others. As these icons gathered at her honky tonk, Tootsie Bess began to collect their photos and plaster them all over the wall, effectively creating what is today renowned as Tootsie’s Wall of Fame.
As the owner, Tootsie Bess became an icon, not only for the popularity of Tootsies Orchid Lounge, but also for her kindness.
“The artists just loved Mrs. Tootsie,” says John Taylor, the current entertainment director at Tootsies, “[because] she would take care of them.” Country Music luminary and early Tootsies patron Tom T. Hall has stated that “for young songwriters and musicians [Tootsie] was a small finance company, a booking agent, and counselor.”With this repertoire, Tootsie Bess established herself, and her Orchid Lounge, as an invaluable part of the Nashville community.Although Tootsies became a notable part of the downtown Nashville scene, the honky tonk soon fell upon hard times. In 1974 the Grand Ole Opry moved to the Opryland Complex. As a result, Tootsies’ popularity declined, and by the time Tootsie Bess died four years later, the Broadway strip in downtown Nashville had also settled into urban decay.By the 1990s Tootsies Orchid Lounge was in danger of closing. Steve Smith, who had been renting Tootsies on a month-by-month lease, became determined to save it. By 1997 he had bought and acquired all rights to Tootsies, and through his hard work revived the iconic spot.
Today, Tootsies World Famous Orchid Lounge is a thriving, must-see stop in Nashville for Nashvillians and tourists alike. The honky tonk is packed every night of the week with live bands playing on the first, second, and the recently added third floor patio.Tootsies continues to receive up-and-coming artists who aspire to establish themselves and potentially get their photo on Tootsies Wall of Fame.“We call [Tootsies] ‘Honky Tonk Boot camp,’” says Taylor. “We know that a lot of the kids come to get started [here] and we hook them up with the number one songwriters over on Music Row. We put … some of the best new artists in the country working there to become stars of tomorrow. Its fun working with them and carrying on a tradition that Tootsie got started.”And this tradition has not gone unnoticed. In 2011, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum honored Tootsies with a photo exhibit entitled “Tootsies Orchid Lounge: Thirty-Four Steps and Fifty Years.” The exhibit recognized Tootsies’ contribution to Nashville and the Country Music industry with photos that encapsulated key moments in Tootsies’ legendary history.
