How We Opened Our Second Location in Just 48 Hours
A few days ago, I had the privilege, along with our founders and our Mayor, of cutting the ribbon on our new Store location in Nashville. But it almost didn’t happen.
Like every construction project, there were delays. A fire alarm that wouldn’t connect. A missing water meter. A critical part stuck on backorder. We were down to the wire, with inspections still pending a week before opening.We considered postponing. But the need was too urgent, and our community too committed, to delay even a few weeks.
The contractors worked overtime. City teams moved mountains to help us schedule inspections. On Monday, we finally got the keys. The ribbon cutting was Wednesday.
That gave us 48 hours to turn an empty building into a fully stocked grocery store. Fridges had to be filled. Clothes unpacked and shelved. Produce washed and sorted. Our team and volunteers worked around the clock.
And we made it.
When the ribbon cutting began, I stood on stage and took in the crowd: board members who dreamed this into reality, volunteers who quietly show up week after week, donors who gave sacrificially. Every single one part of this moment.Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley, our co-founders, shared powerful reflections. Mayor Freddie O'Connell reminded us that in Nashville, we solve big problems by working together. And Ms. Kim, a customer and now volunteer, spoke with love and strength about how The Store changed life for her and her grandkids.
Then Tom Ozburn, CEO of TriStar Medical Center, handed over the ceremonial key. That moment hit me deeply. This space used to be a storage room at the bottom of a garage. Now, it’s a place of hope and dignity.
After the ceremony, people kept asking: “Can you breathe now?”
We smiled. Because while the ribbon has been cut, our work is just beginning.
The shelves are stocked. The lights are on. And today we welcomed our first customer—with choice, with dignity, and with love at the core.
What began as a tight deadline and a few unforeseen hurdles became one of the most inspiring moments in The Store’s journey. In this blog post, our CEO reflects on the whirlwind 48 hours leading up to the ribbon cutting of our second location—with support from city leaders, volunteers, contractors, and community champions who made the impossible happen. From an empty space in a parking garage to a fully stocked grocery store serving neighbors with dignity and choice, this is the story of what happens when a community refuses to wait to meet a need. The ribbon may be cut, but the work is just beginning.
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