A Brief History of Riverside Village

The corner of Riverside and McGavock has been home to Inglewood businesses for more than 75 years. In the early years, when Inglewood was an independent community with it's own police and fire departments, the corner of Riverside and McGavock was an important place for neighbors — many of whom traveled on foot — to shop for the necessities of daily life. Businesses such as Hunter's Foods Store, Creech's Five and Dime, Walter Paris's Lion Station and Riverside Pharmacy made this a popular destination for Inglewood residents. At this time, the Williamson Ferry was located at the end of the McGavock and traffic backups along McGavock Pike were a frequent occurrence. The traffic issues were no problem for the businesses at Riverside and McGavock, who quickly converted the stalled commuters into paying customers.

In 1965, Charles Edward Jones, owner of Riverside Pharmacy, was ready to expand his business from it's original location — the building which is now home to A Bark Above. The photo above shows the construction of the strip of buildings that would house the new Riverside Pharmacy and a neighboring doctor's office. Castrillo's Pizza is located here today.

Beginning in the late 1970s, the corner of Riverside and McGavock went through a decline. For the next few decades, several businesses would come and go in the area, but the friendly, neighborhood feel of the place was gone. All that changed in 2007, when Inglewood resident Dan Heller began an extensive renovation of the buildings and surrounding lots. Riverside and McGavock was effectively transformed from an urban blight to a symbol of the revitalization of this community. Re-branded "Riverside Village," the corner now provides an affordable home to successful new businesses, as well as a gathering place for the Inglewood community. The unique courtyard area features a community garden, outdoor doggie water fountain, all-weather, concrete chess tables and is a popular venue for art shows, musical performances and other community events. Easy to access for pedestrians and cyclists, Riverside Village is quickly becoming one of Nashville's most unique neighborhood destinations.

To learn more about the history of the Inglewood neighborhood, check out Nashville's Inglewood (Arcadia Publishing, 2009), a popular book that tells neighborhood's story with historic photos and captions.