NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A once-thriving area of Nashville suffered through a decade of decline, but now there's a renaissance in Rivergate as more people move to the Madison area — new businesses, shops, and restaurants are following.
RD Management LLC, one of the nation’s largest privately held real-estate development and management organizations, announced in November of 2021 three new lease signings at Marketplace at Rivergate in Nashville.
The three new tenants include Aaron's furniture, electronics, and appliances discount store, Twin Peaks Restaurant, a local sports bar and restaurant scheduled to open in the second quarter and Rainbow Shops, a women’s retail apparel chain that opened in October 2021.
Small business owners said they are noticing the positive trend.
"We're seeing the resurge of all kinds of new businesses and different types of repurposing of buildings and things like that so," said Derek Vance, the owner of Flower Express.
His business opened when the Rivergate area didn't have much to offer before and after the mall.
"When we got here, you know, basically the end of the earth was where Conference Drive is now and beyond that, there wasn't any businesses really between here in Hendersonville," he said.
Flower Express opened a second store but stayed in Madison with hopes things can turn around.
Vance says it looks like it's happening and he says it's great news.
"I think that's a very positive sign for the future. In particular, because the growth of Nashville in general, there's just not a lot of places left to go. And I think Madison's kind of an untapped area if you would," he said.
New construction on housing is also popping up in the area. Vance says he hopes this is the just beginning.
"We're hoping to continue to, you know, see new businesses come and new growth and, you know, and I don't want to say where I heard this from, but through the grapevine of such of the area, that the mall itself at one point is scheduled to be remodeled, redeveloped, similar to like the Bellevue mall area," Vance said.
Dutch Bros Coffee just broke ground at Myatt and Gallatin Pike and should open soon.
Pacifico's Real Mexican Cocina just opened a few weeks ago on Gallatin Pike.
