Eastside (part 1)

eastsidea retrospective of Gallatin Road through color, places, people and things

eastsideEastsidea retrospective of Gallatin Road through color, places, people and things.©Anna Thomsen

May, 2009 Senior Thesis University of Tennessee Graphic Design Program All content, book layout and Photography taken by Anna Thomsen

Size: 10X8 inches

Type: Cover and chapters- Times Regular 300 point Interview chapters- Times Regular 200 point Intro Paragraphs- Times Regular 10/22 point Interviews- Times Regular 10/18 point

All photography was taken or filmed by Anna Thomsen using either a Canon Powershot A560 or a Panasonic Mini DV camcorder.

This book was designed in Adobe InDesign CS4 on an Apple Macbook Laptop

It was printed by blurb.com

eastsidea retrospective of Gallatin Road through color, places, people and things

University of Tennessee Graphic Design senior thesis project by Anna Thomsen

This book is dedicated to my family, especially my mother, Kristina Thomsen.

Thank you for moving me to this wonderful place, and always having the

drive and ingenuity to make me do things that have been out of my comfort

zone. You gave me the confidence to take on this project and I know that with

you on my side I will be able to take on the world.

I love you Momma.

In 1993 my family moved us from a busy street on Music Row into a big house

on Fatherland Street in the heart of East Nashville. I fell in love. This new neigh-

borhood had a whole plethora of wonderful discoveries that made for a really

wonderful childhood for me. Suddenly I had a bunch of friends to play with and

parking lots to ride bikes in and hills to sled down in the winter. I spent the sum-

mers playing truth or dare and selling lemonade with my neighborhood friends. I

watched the area grow and change and move from a sketchy undesirable place to

live to a place that is hip, different and laid-back.

East Nashville is known to have some of the best neighborhoods as well as some

of the worst with its mixture of historical old Victorian homes and cottages

as well as low-income housing. For decades, East Nashville had slipped into

decline. The Cumberland River and interstates set it apart from downtown but

low housing prices may have been a blessing in disguise. As struggling artists

and musicians were squeezed out of more desirable neighborhoods, they landed

in East Nashville where rents were cheap. Ever since a devastating F5 tornado

hit in 1998, there was a revitalization of the area. People took their insurance

money and began to renovate their homes leading to many parts of East Nash-

ville becoming better than they ever were. Families and urban professionals

began to move in and before long there were all kinds of people living in the

area. East Nashville’s diversity is a big benefit. All manner of income levels,

ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation and lifestyles can be found here. A lot

of free thinkers are in East Nashville’s cultural mix. Now a hip and happening

area, there are a slew of restaurants and bars. People can eat sushi, traditional

southern, Mexican, Italian and just about everything else. Bars are choked with

people on Friday and Saturday nights and after Tennessee Titans football games.

The Titans’ 68,800-seat home, LP Field, is less than a mile from Five Points. Its

a very trendy area, which has its ups and its downs.

Having lived in this area since before it was “hipster and cool” I feel like I have

some sort of special claim to the area that other people don’t. While I certainly

love being able to get sushi without crossing the river and working in the

swanky art gallery during the summer, I feel like the old side of East Nashville

is disappearing. The grit and dumpsters and hand painted signage are becom-

ing a thing of the past, being quickly replaced by brand new “quirky” condos

and restaurants that bring in more big-sunglass-wearing hipsters than actual

locals. Now, this is not a popular train of thought. The new families and urban

professionals are all for seeing some of the things pictured in this book go away

because to them they represent a side of East Nashville that is attached to crime

and the low income population which used to make up the majority of inhabit-

ants in this area. But to me, these are the things that have always defined East

Nashville in my mind– amazing spicy chicken served in a paper tray or a 40 oz.

from the discount tobacco are as much a part of my experience of East Nashville

as the vintage clothing stores and historical home tours.

In the 10 year plan for Nashville, one section highlights Gallatin Road, and

illustrates it’s future as a renovated boulevard which looks more like the new

concrete sterility of Cool Springs than it does my eastside home. This book is

my attempt at documenting and preserving Gallatin Road as it exists today and

making a point of showing the beauty, uniqueness and creativity on this street.

I wanted to show Gallatin as I have always seen it and experienced it and invite

you all to experience it with me. In the process I talked to all kinds of people and

took over 500 pictures, breaking the book up into categories of color, location,

interviews and found objects. These sections really show how this area operates

and how beautiful and creative it can be, while still holding on to the grit and

authenticity of an urban neighborhood. I want people who read this to know that

this part of East Nashville doesn’t have to be scary or sketchy, and that while

you may feel a little out of place, the people are accepting and kind and eager to

talk about why they love East Nashville too. I know that it will only be a matter

of time before this street follows the suit of the rest of East Nashville, and I can

only hope that it can be done in a way that is tasteful and preserves the history

of this area. And if all else fails this book will be a legacy of Gallatin Road as it

exists today and why I, and everyone else, should appreciate it.

places

Gallatin Road is incredibly long and runs from Nashville all the way

to Gallatin Tennessee. I am looking at a section of about 5 miles- from

900 Main Street to 3623 Gallatin Pike. I have selected certain buildings

to highlight because of their architecture, signage, and because some of

them have a special place in my heart, and the culture of Gallatin Road.

Left is a full map of the area I am surveying. Each building will feature

a map like this one, showing where it is located on the street and where

it is in relation to the other buildings I have surveyed. I have included a

little personal comment on each of the businesses as well.

Fluffo Factory

900 Main Street

.

* Someone once told me that they toured this mattress factory as a child. Its been shut down for some time now.

Beauty and Beyond

710 Gallatin Avenue

* This beauty supply shop has some of the best signage in the area in my opinion. Human hair 1/2 off!

Beauty and Beyond

710 Gallatin Avenue

Tire Shop

828 Gallatin Avenue

* Since I took this picture they have painted this building grey. My reasons for documentation exactly...

Fast Stop Auto Repair

914 Gallatin Avenue

* I took my VW here and it sat outside overnight and someone came and smashed all my windows.

Graffiti Building

926 Gallatin Avenue

* A guy outside this place said it would be the perfect location for the bar I want to open. Hmmm...

Weathered Building

931 Gallatin Avenue

.

* I love this textured old painted build-ing. Apparently it used to house a screen printing shop that went under..

Hot Flix Video

1006 Gallatin Avenue

* The guy that owns this place would not let me interview him. But this “porno shop” has more family films than porn.

Big A’s Tire


* The guy in this photo didn’t acknowledge me at all. He was not feelin’ it I guess.

The Old Krispy Kreme Building


.

* I love this building, It has an awesome shape and these cool mirror windows with radiating bars. Super retro.

Coin Laundry Express


* When I went in here to get some inter-views they got really mad at me. Some people feel threatened by cameras

Coin Laundry Express


Abandoned Firehouse


* I have always thought this building is so sad. It is the remains of a Gallatin Avenue that no longer exists.

Tight Fadez Barber


* This is the best name for a barber ever. I bet they probably hook your fade up extra tight.

Street Customs

1102 Straightway Avenue

* Really awesome hand painted type with FLAMES up the sides! Totally hot-rod. Fabulous.

Collision Repair Service Inc.

1409 Gallatin Road

.

* I have always liked the blue of this building and the cool racing stripes that go around it. Its pretty bitchin.

Juncal’s Mexican

2412 Gallatin Road

* I took this picture in March. Now this store is gone and its only April! But I thought the yellow wall was striking..

Ghot Wings

2501 Gallatin Road

* I especially love the arrow in this shot. The light pole also made some conveniently complimentary shadows.

Instant Rental

2637 Gallatin Pike

* This is one of my favorite images in this whole book. I think its the simplicity and perspective that get me..

Fat Mo’s

2608 Gallatin Pike

* Wow if you want a freaking huge burger this is the place to get it. I think they have one that is seriously 2lbs.

Brown’s Automotive

2809 Gallatin Pike

* When I was taking pictures and filming this dude at Brown’s was watching. I think I weirded him out.

The Auto Lot

2812 Gallatin Pike

* This is pretty cool architecture that looks 50’s to me. I have always liked the moulding and big serif letters.

The Real DiscountTobacco and Beer

2828 Gallatin Pike

.

* Incidentally, I played “Hey Mister” at this location many a time before I was able to purchase my own alcohol

The Corner DiscountTobacco and Beer

* When we couldn’t get anyone at the Real Discount to buy us beer we’d try our luck here, directly across the street.

2830 Gallatin Pike

The Corner DiscountTobacco and Beer

The Old Caudle Vet Clinic

2986 Gallatin Ave.

* This is where we had our family dog put to sleep a few years ago. That was a sad day..

Household Pawnshop

3100 Gallatin Ave.

* When I went into this pawn shop

to see if I could interview anyone

they said no.

Household Pawnshop

3100 Gallatin Ave.

Eastend Appliances


.

* The outline here reminds me of graffiti and I love that. The way the red pops against the brown building.

Inglewood Drive-In Market

3216 Gallatin Pike

* This place sells the cheapest Faygo and cellphone chargers in town. Plus you gotta love the retro-ness.

Aluminum Building

3253 Gallatin Pike

.

* I used to pass this place all the time and never knew what it was. Its right next to where my homeless friend Jerry lives.

Caudle Vet Clinic

2915 Gallatin Pike

* This is the NEW vets office. I love the architecture of the building- its really old, you can tell by the detail.

Eastside (part 1)

Documents

Transcript of Eastside (part 1)