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City Cast Nashville

Keep It Local

Keep It Local by City Cast Nashville features spotlights on local businesses we love, and personal, curated, and neighborly recommendations that will help you live your best Nashville life right now. So, if you’re ready to ditch the national chains, e-commerce giants, and corporate restaurants, sign up today for our new weekly newsletter.

Sign up for Keep It Local from City Cast Nashville

Margaret Littman

What you actually need for back-to-school varies from school to school, for private schools as well as within the MNPS system. Check with your individual school for dress codes, which may be something termed 

. You’ll likely need solid-color clothes, collared shirts, and no leggings as pants (they’re fine under dresses and skirts). Here are some suggestions on where to buy clothes, school supplies, and a few treats that are wants, not needs.

Local Nashvillian Jennifer Caywood opened growUP in 

 because she wanted to offer kids (and their parents) some options for child development and creativity that didn’t involve screens and batteries. The store has fun back-to-school options including a dry-erase cursive tracing board and placemats that look like looseleaf paper with No. 2 pencil napkins.

A collective of kid-centric, woman-owned businesses, East Nashville’s The Getalong stocks clothes, toys, instruments, and books (including some of my 

; thanks, Jennifer Kite). They also have a robust schedule of activities, such as 

 — one for kids ages two to second grade and another for third to sixth grade. The next session starts Aug. 24.

 and find uniforms for many local private, religious, and charter schools, from branded polos to khakis, skirts, and even scrunchies. You can save your sizes and current inventory in their database so you don’t buy what you don’t need (unless last year’s polo shirt got left in a gym bag somewhere). Owner Geoff Dennie offers a tool to help you figure out the dress code for your kids’ school by grade and gender.

Started in Belle Meade, this boutique now has a location in 

, too. Both are stocked with racks of clothes that can only be described as cute. Yes, there are plenty of basic solids that work as uniform staples, but they also carry 

It's back-to-school time! Check out these locally owned stores in Nashville for your school shopping needs.

Check Out These Locally Owned Stores for Back-to-School Shopping

The Best Stores for Back-to-School Shopping in Nashville

Subscribe to City Cast Nashville's newest newsletter Keep It Local about shopping small

Many (most? all?) teachers outfit their classrooms by paying out of their own pockets — and 

teachers traditionally aren’t paid well in the U.S.

, so those pockets may not be all that full. Unfortunately, MNPS teachers aren’t allowed to make their classroom wish lists public. Of course, that doesn’t mean that their classrooms aren't in need.

If you want to contribute to your kids’ classrooms, many teachers love to have extra age-appropriate books. Green Hills’ 

 are good places to look. Consider picking up some name-brand supplies, not because teachers care about the brand name, but because quality goods tend to last longer.

MNPS is providing supply boxes for all kindergarteners and first graders this year, but you know teachers have extras in case of emergency. Think: Crayons, Kleenex, and Ticonderoga pencils. 

 in East Nashville has a wall of fancy pens and highlighters that will make any teacher happy. 

 isn't locally owned, but Nashville teachers love the White Bridge Road location because it is stocked with educational goodies (Hint: It is a great place to buy a gift card for a teacher).

Got more cash to spend? Consider buying extra sets of headphones that work with school-district-issued laptops. On a budget? Many of you know how I love 

 in Music Valley. It’s a shop jam-packed with second-hand art and craft goodies. Erasers, pens, paint, fabric, buttons, glue, poster board — you name it, they probably have it. Everything is organized by category, so it’s pretty easy to see if they have what you want. If not, head back soon; the inventory changes regularly. All of the profits from the store support work to aid folks with intellectual disabilities in the Nashville area. And if all else fails, 

🧑‍🏫 Teacher Discounts

Help Nashville teachers out by buying classroom supplies at these local stores.

Where To Buy Classroom Supplies for Teachers in Nashville

Help Nashville Teachers Stock Up for Their Classrooms

Yes, you can bake cookies at home. But it’s hot, and turning on the oven makes it hotter. Plus, Nashville has cookie shops that are doing it better — and we get to support local businesses if we buy a little treat while we are out.

Mathew infused joy into everything, especially his cookies. His recipes are the cornerstone of Pink Door’s operations, so head over to Sylvan Heights and treat yourself. The 

 is the only faux watermelon-flavored item I have ever loved.

. Like Pink Door, there are regular favorites, plus seasonal specialties. 

 is a vegan option. PS: Check out the podcast team’s 

 about the perils of being a small business owner in a big influencer world.

Lots of sugar cookies are decorated beautifully, but they’re just about the photo — they don’t taste good. Not at Baked on 8th! I also love their 

 and the same sense of style as Baked on 8th.

Opened in Donelson in 2024, Doug and Dolly’s started out when Doug was baking at home while his partner and husband Marc was going through recovery. Many things came out of that rough patch, including a gourmet cookie shop. Try the 

"A cookie here and there can make even the worst days a little bit, well, sweeter." — Mathew Rice of Pink Door Cookies

Nashville's Best Local Cookie Shops

The Best Cookies in Nashville

We are living in the golden age of Nashville bakeries, and this new era rose pretty quickly (baking pun intended). A decade ago, you could get good bread at a restaurant, but finding a shop where you could grab a loaf to take home and make a big tomato sandwich was tougher.

 in East Nashville and grab a loaf of Jennifer Latham’s olive bread, say hi to friends hanging out on the patio, and also shop for a few essentials in the 

. If I realize I need bread later in the day (when Mama Bread is already closed), I head to 

, where chef Benjamin Tyson was just named one of

I’m a huge fan of Elodie Habert and her 

. Cocorico supplies baguettes to many local restaurants, and I like to stop in for a 

 while I read a book and people-watch. There’s no Wi-Fi in the Music Row spot, so it’s a good excuse to disconnect and enjoy the baked goods. (Fun fact: “Cocorico” is 

. Sounds so much better than “cock-a-doodle-doo.”)

 “new” location in Woodbine (I know, I know), but I am planning to get there on Aug. 2. That’s when the next 

 is taking place. Buy art and vintage goods from Dozen’s employees, and the bakery will stay open an extra hour for more pastries.

When I want to impress someone, I stop at 

 I have ever seen. (The only others that come close are from Edelweiss in Highlands, North Carolina, and I yapped about those in 

.) If I am trying to impress someone vegan, then I go to 

 in Donelson. If I were trying to impress proud Houstonian and City Cast Nashville executive producer Whitney Pastorek, I’d go to 

, home of kolaches, which is a baked good that Texans feel strongly about.

 is not a local small business. But the New York cookie sensation is coming to 12 South, and I’m ready to give their 6 ounce treats a try. Who am I to turn down the opportunity to make a day sweeter?

🎂 Even More Local Bakeries

Nashville has so many great bakeries! Here are some of our favorites.

The Best Bakeries in Nashville for Fresh Bread & Sweet Treats

Your Nashville Bakery Guide

With all the frolicking and sweating, you’re going to need some good gear and good fits for your upcoming water adventures. Fortunately, Nashville’s boutique owners will have you looking made in the shade.

 boutique has two locations — one in Fifth + Broadway in downtown Nashville and one in downtown Franklin. The shop is chock-full of sundresses, sun hats, and sunglasses — everything you need to look pulled together before and after you get in the water.

 has been a Nashville institution since 1855, and its Green Hills shop is a good place for men to look for swim trunks and other summer clothes that look put together. They still offer free gift wrapping, an old-school perk that can’t be beat when buying a last-minute present.

 in Donelson has a good selection of women’s plus-sized swimsuits and swim coverups. Nashville-based 

 has a good selection of one- and two-piece suits with locations in Hillsboro Village, Green Hills, and Franklin.

Don’t forget sunscreen! A post-water-activity sunburn kinda negates the fun in the sun. Swing by East Nashville’s 

 in East Nashville stocks natural bug spray, which you definitely want if you are going to be near the water during mosquito season in Nashville.

Here's where to find good gear and good fits for your Nashville water adventures.

Where To Find Water Gear in Nashville

Dress for Sun-cess

While the temperatures may continue to climb well into what is considered autumn, summer always seems fleeting to me in Nashville. I mean, it’s only July, and yet we’ve got just a few weeks before kids are back in school (more on that and back-to-school shopping in a future KIL newsletter). So, it’s now or never to take your family out to enjoy some weekday water activities, with the help of some local outfitters. (Looking for some good water-safety tips? Read this 

 from City Cast Nashville’s Whitney Pastorek before you head out.)

I used to own NPC, but since it was purchased at the beginning of last season, I’ve had nothing to do with it. So, I can’t take any credit. But I can see that Katy, the new owner, is offering lots of fun programming at Hamilton Creek on Percy Priest Lake, including full-moon paddling outings and learn-to-paddleboard classes. Through Labor Day, she’s offering 5 p.m. evening paddles, and there is nothing quite like golden hour on the water.

RQV changed ownership last year, too (details are 

 if you want to go way back in the City Cast Nashville files) and its new owners kept the old staff leading the charge. That means there are lots of experienced folks putting you on the water. They offer pontoon and kayak fun on the Cumberland River. Plus, there are even kayak scavenger hunts!

Cumberland Kayak is serious about the “adventure” word in their name. In addition to providing Cumberland River outings with views of the skyline, the company leads guided trips to scenic waterfalls in Middle Tennessee, including Burgess Falls and Fancher Falls. Cumberland Kayak also volunteers to organize clean-up events with the 

Not a people-powered watercraft person? You can still have fun in the water. Metro Parks runs Wave Country, a swimming pool and water park off of Briley Parkway. Get soaked in the wave-action pool and slide down the water flumes. You can BYO cooler and snacks (alcohol is not permitted). Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for kids, and half-off for children Tuesday through Friday between 3-5 p.m., so it can be an affordable family outing.

🌊 Summer Watering Holes

Beat the heat and enjoy the summer with these water activities in Nashville.

The Best Water Activities in Nashville

Nashville Water Activities

I’m old enough to remember — through childhood nostalgia — 

 in 1976. My family went to a pool party at a friend’s country club to watch a huge fireworks display, eat burgers, and drink soda (the latter only for special occasions). My core memory, however, is that my brother, our babysitter, and I spent the previous weeks painting a fire hydrant to resemble Paul Revere, part of a nationwide campaign to 

paint fire hydrants as patriotic characters

I can't walk around town and see a quirky art installation of fire hydrants for 

, sadly. But I can support local shopkeepers by shopping locally for holiday essentials. (Remember to check hours, as business owners need to celebrate the holiday, too.)

It’s going to be hot as a firecracker this week, so if you don’t want to turn on the oven or fire up the grill to cook, understood. In Good Company in the 

 is a gourmet grocery with tinned fish, crackers, and the cutest new striped bags for carrying your picnic supplies wherever you are headed. (Need a new picnic blanket? Order a locally made one from 

If you want to dress like a human firework, with sequins and sparkles that catch the light, head to Any Old Iron on 4th Avenue North. Andrew Clancey makes stagewear for the biggest stars … but also clothes for the rest of us. Even if you don’t plan on going out for the Fourth, you can dress yourself in 

If you’re going to spend the long weekend outside, you gotta protect your eyes. UAL sells designer samples of clothing and shoes, and it is my go-to for affordable, but not junky, sunglasses. The Southern chain started in Mississippi and has 

, including West End, 12 South, and a new one on White Bridge Pike.

You gotta protect your skin, too. East Nashville’s Lemon Laine has some 

 that are high in SPF but won’t make you look like a five-year-old at the pool.

Where to pick up snacks, outfits, and sunscreen for the USA's big day.

Your Nashville Fourth of July Shopping Guide

Where To Shop for the Fourth of July in Nashville

There’s a fair amount of research exploring the idea of multitasking being a myth. Seems like maybe our brains can’t actually do two things at once. This article in 

 suggests that even trying costs our brains a lot. And yet! Life and scheduling make efficiency appealing. As you know, Nashville parking is a challenge, so if we can find places to shop and eat or drink — 

ROOTED is a Nashville-based purveyor of sneakers, hoodies, sweaters, and other fits. Inside the Gulch shop is 

, a coffee shop where you can nab flavored lattes and the ROOTED Beer Float, a root beer float with a double shot of espresso and vanilla cold foam. That should give you the necessary sugar and caffeine fix to try on as many shoes as you like.

Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott in 12 South isn’t a locally owned purveyor of Western goods and jewelry: This is the Texas brand’s fourth store. But inside the shop is 

, a 40-seat cocktail lounge that doesn’t exist anywhere but Nashville. It's got a vibe that offers respite from the 12 South hubbub, while also taking advantage of the buzz.

 in East Nashville. It closed in 2022, and I thought it was just one of those places that made up Nashville’s past. Last year, Kettner Coffee Supply came back, opening inside Jade & Clover, a plant bar and gift shop in the Gulch.

There must be something about coffee shops and shopping. Two more options for double-dipping include East Nashville’s Forevermore and Donelson’s Bagelshop. Forevermore offers jewelry and handmade goods by local artists — plus a photobooth — in addition to their popular matcha. Bagelshop has a small but mighty selection of cheeky, bagel-themed goods. I love their merch with their signature saying, “Thanks a lox.”

In some circles, the word "mall" is a four-letter word. Hanging out, going from store to store, people-watching, and grabbing a snack may not have the allure they did in previous generations. (For a nostalgia boost, 

listen to the City Cast Nashville team reminisce

But the idea of a place with lots of different entertainment, food, and shopping options under one roof still brings people in. Here are three spots in Nashville that are home to collections of small businesses and locally-owned shops to check out; just don’t call them malls.

A former hosiery mill and restaurant equipment warehouse, Charlotte Avenue’s 

 is now a collection of places to shop and eat. Stop by 

 has everything you could want for your kids, from party supplies to toys to clothing. 

 stocks casual women’s clothing, jewelry, and even its own line of signature scents. Fuel up with a snack from 

In Germantown, a former slaughterhouse has become Nashville’s best mixed-use development. With local restaurants like 

 is a go-to for dining out. Grab a fit from 

 for men’s and women’s clothing. Dress your house in style, too, at 

 may be known for its fruit-and-vegetable stands, but once you arrive, you’ll quickly see it’s also a place for beer, ice cream, and wood-fired pizza, plus shopping for knick-knacks, plants, and bath soaps. The selection both inside the market house and outside in the farm sheds means it’s never the same place twice. A full list of outdoor vendors is listed 

. Inside also depends on your mood, with 

. Plus, where else can you eat and shop next to 

Nashville's parking situation is dire. Here are some one-stop options where you can shop and eat without having to move the car.

Where in Nashville to shop, eat … and park once

Two-for-One Shopping Stops in Nashville

The great thing about jewelry is that you can wear it in any season, and spice up your fit even when it’s too hot to wear extra layers. Nashville is home to countless talented jewelry designers who make their art in town. They do so at all price points, so whether you’re looking for a high-dollar piece or something affordable to lift your spirits (or just to shout your love of the 

), you can find something handmade, local, and one-of-a-kind.

Mclaine Richardson bought Margaret Ellis Jewelry when her mentor, its eponymous owner, retired in 2013. She relaunched the brand, keeping the name as an honor, but now often refers to it as “ME.” At ME, Richardson makes and sells 18K gold, sterling silver and other pieces from 

, which is open to the public. Hang out on the patio, pet the shop dog, and pick out a new bauble. ME designs are also sold at 

This East Nashville jewelry designer has been making bright, modern, affordable pieces for two decades. The gift shop is also stocked with lots of other fun non-jewelry items, including puzzles, hats, scarves, and books. Currently, the inventory includes many tomato-themed items, so stock up for 

 for tutorials and class information if you want to try some DIY.

One of my favorite pieces of jewelry is from fellow Inglewooder Jennie Okon. It’s a big dome ring with a secret 

. I look at the trees and the river and dream of being outside when I’m at my desk. Okon sells at events around town, most recently the 

. You can also buy from her website and then pick up in her studio near Riverside Village, where you’ll be tempted by more shiny objects.

Judith Bright is a thoughtful entrepreneur who turned her passion for making jewelry into a national brand and her second act. A former nurse, she taught other artisans to handcraft designs, which can be customized with specific gemstones from the studio in 12 South (one of the 

 in the neighborhood). And she trained the next generation: Bright’s son, William, is now the company CEO.

Nashville is home to countless talented jewelry designers who make their art in town, at any price point.

Nashville's Best Local Jewelry Shops

Where To Shop Local for Jewelry in Nashville

Most of the time, when we think about pearls being made (if we think about it at all), we think of saltwater pearls being formed in oysters somewhere off in the high seas. But pearls can form in other bivalve mollusks, that category of hinged, shelled invertebrates. Since the mid-1800s, freshwater pearls have been found in mussels in Tennessee rivers.

In the early 1900s, pearling was a significant industry in Tennessee, according to the 

Tennessee River Freshwater Pearl Museum and Farm

 is the only freshwater pearl culturing farm in the country. Located about 85 miles west of downtown Nashville off I-40, the farm offers 

 on the shores of Kentucky Lake. Tours are by appointment: Call Bob at 731-584-7880.

In addition to selling pieces of jewelry (from necklaces to earrings to cufflinks), Tennessee River Freshwater Pearl also 

 that you can have made into jewelry. Find a Nashville jeweler to make something one-of-a-kind with said pearls and old pieces of jewelry that you don’t wear anymore. Donelson’s 

 specializes in reworking antique pieces to make new heirlooms to keep in the family, and I’ve asked 

 to make new, modern pieces for me from some of my grandmother’s old jewelry.

The pearl is Tennessee’s official state gem. Today, the Tennessee River Freshwater Pearl Museum and Farm is the only freshwater pearl culturing farm in the country. 