Printer's Alley
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Printers_alley.jpg/250px-Printers_alley.jpg)
Printer's Alley is a famous alley in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, between Third and Fourth Avenues, running from Union Street to Commerce Street. The portion of the alley between Union and Church Street is the home of a nightclub district that dates back to the 1940s.[1]
At the beginning of the 20th century, Printer's Alley was home to a thriving publishing industry. The area was home to two large newspapers, ten print shops, and thirteen publishers.[2]
When Printer's Alley first became a nightclub and entertainment district, sale of liquor for on premise consumption was illegal in Nashville (and throughout Tennessee). Restaurants and clubs in the alley served liquor anyway, often claiming it had been "brown bagged" (brought in by customers). Law enforcement agencies normally looked the other way on such sales. Liquor sales in restaurants was finally legalized in 1968.
When the district was thriving, it was home to a few fine restaurants, two burlesque establishments, and several country music clubs.
In 1998, murder came to the Alley when longtime club proprietor David "Skull" Schulman was murdered by a robber shortly before his club was due to open.
Trivia
The videos for Carrie Underwood's hit single "Before He Cheats" and Cross Canadian Ragweed's "Sick and Tired" were both shot on location in Printer's Alley.
Paul McCartney's hit song "Sally G" describes the story of a man meeting a girl in Printer's Alley, and even mentions Printer's Alley by name.
According to an Historical Marker sign located on Printer's Alley, US President Andrew Jackson (a Tennessean) held his Inaugural Ball there. It reportedly lasted five days.
References
- ^ "History of Printer's Alley". The Historic Printer's Alley Website. The Printers Alley Merchants Association. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- ^ Thompson, E. D. (2004). More Nashville Nostalgia. Westview Publishing. p. 7.
External links