I moved to Nashville in the summer of 2015 - June 1st in fact. I don't think I can tell you what the first Bridgestone Arena show I saw was...but I CAN tell you the restaurant that my wife and I ate at beforehand.
That restaurant...Paradise Park Trailer Resort...is now closing it's doors.
Surely you've seen it, even if you're one of those locals that never goes downtown. It's one of the first destinations that welcomes you on to Lower Broadway, marked by an intentionally obnoxious neon red-and-green sign reminiscent of old Las Vegas...you know, the shady part that you go to for loose slots and cheap drinks.
Inside, the Astroturf floors and trailer park decor sucks you in to an environment that feels like nothing else on Broadway - a perfect marriage of redneck stereotypes and Music City charm. But what sells it isn't so much the atmosphere as the food. Cheap beer, greasy but oh-so-worth-it diner-style burgers, and the tater tots. No, really, if you've never been to Paradise Park...the tater tots are better than any other spot downtown, and that's saying a lot because I consider myself somewhat of a tater tot aficionado.
In a statement on the website Broad Varieties, a member of Strategic Hospitality's management team (the company that operates Paradise Park), made a statement about the future of 411 Broadway.
Nashville has changed tremendously in the time since Paradise Park opened so this is a chance for a fresh start in an evolving city. The new business going in to 411 will cover all three floors and the rooftop. In the same vein as other Strategic Hospitality restaurants, the food and cocktail menus will be spot-on. A lot of time and attention has gone in to the building’s history, and it will be reflected in the design and details when the new concept opens. We’re excited to stay in 411 and build a new legacy, and we promise to keep our side of Broadway fun.
While the 11-year old Paradise Park hardly constitutes a "Nashville legend", it's certainly one of the most notable spots on Broadway and a favorite for locals and tourists alike. Certainly Strategic Hospitality, who also operates cool local spots like Patterson House and The Catbird Seat, will have something great in store for the location, but I for one am gonna be SUPER sad the day that PP closes. There's a bit of nostalgia in it for me, and also...
Damn. Those tater tots are awesome.