NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — After a decade of providing locals with live music, good food, and a welcoming atmosphere, Twin Kegs Two on Hermitage Avenue is having to close its doors.
Todd Rossbach opened Twin Kegs II on Hermitage Avenue back in 2014. He wanted a place away from the sights and sounds of Broadway.
Todd explains what his bar means to the community in the player above.
Rossbach, who had hoped to celebrate the venue's 10th anniversary in 2024, revealed the challenges he faced in attempting to extend the lease.
"I had sent my landlord an addendum to the lease to extend it out for another five years. And I hadn't heard from him. Finally, he responded and said that we're not renewing the lease," he said.
Expressing concern over the trend of small businesses being pushed out by large corporate developers, Rossbach predicts that this unfortunate pattern will continue.
"I think the trend is going to continue with the small businesses getting squeezed out. I really feel it's going to continue for quite some time," he said.
Despite the setback, Rossbach is actively seeking an alternative location for Twin Kegs II.
However, he stresses on the challenges of finding an affordable space, noting that the cost of rent for commercial properties like music venues and restaurants has skyrocketed.
"I do know in 15 years the cost of rent for commercial properties like this, like a music venue or restaurant, has gone up 1000%," Rossbach said.
As the search for a new location continues, Rossbach is working with realtors to find an affordable space.
He has pledged to keep the community updated through Twin Kegs II's Facebookpage, expressing hope that the venue will not be absent from the local scene for long.
Twin Kegs II's final day on March 31.
For people of my generation, in our younger days we spent part of our weekends watching music shows like American Bandstand and Soul Train. That was before the age of music videos. Several years before Soul Train was syndicated out of Chicago, another syndicated R&B show was taped in Nashville at NewsChannel 5. Night Train aired in the 60s and included what may have been the first TV appearance for legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Forrest Sanders has another great look back at station history.
-Lelan Statom
