After our overnight in Bardstown, Kentucky, we headed back down I-65 to Nashville to score oldest tavern #35. On the way, we fortuitously came across the Sumner Crest Winery just a few yards off the interstate in Portland, Tennessee. The winery has over 20 wines to sample, so a couple of white and red flights to share were in order. Besides a large array of delicious wines to sample and purchase, there were excellent sandwiches and snacks to nibble on, as well. Kim took excellent care of us and we had fun looking at the winery’s cool antique cars, chandeliers, knick knacks, and unusual souvenirs. It turned out to be the perfect pit stop on the way back to Nashville.
The oldest continuously open and operational bar in Tennessee happens to be the Springwater Supper Club & Lounge. The Supper Club does not have food, does not sell wine nor spirits, and is cash only. With a business model like that it’s a head scratcher as to how it has stayed open since 1896. Well, for the questioning mind, the Springwater has a nice selection of drafts and canned beers at a good price. Next, the food shack next door, Red's Hot Chicken, has some great food and they have a terrific partnership with the Springwater. Customers at Red's Hot Chicken are invited to have a seat next door in the Springwater and their food is brought to them. Meanwhile, Springwater customers are encouraged to order the food from next door and have it brought to them in the bar. Moreover, the venue is the archetypal honky took with a lineup of local musicians five nights a week. As such, it has been the locale for numerous country music videos over the years. But the best part of the customer experience was Lola behind the bar. We’ve always recognized that the bartender is the most important ingredient to a successful bar, and that is particularly true at the Springwater. Lola spotlighted the bar's positives and made all the negatives disappear. She was interesting and inquisitive, engaging and a little bit sassy. We even made it a point to go back and see her…to drink…and to eat…the next day, something we’ve never done before during our oldest tavern travels. Without a doubt, Lola ascended to our exclusive Mount Rushmore of bartenders.
Besides the Springwater, we spent a night bar hopping on Broadway in Nashville. We found the long strip of bright bars to be extremely loud, over priced, get ‘em in get ‘em out, tourist traps. During our brief Nashville visit we did get a lead on another cool dive, that being Santa’s Pub. It had many of the same attributes as the Springwater…cash only; no food, no wine no spirits; along with plenty of funky Christmas decor. Jericho was keeping things cool behind the bar, and he gave us some history of the bar and plenty of fun Santa’s Pub facts. After a couple cold ones and a bag a Cheetos we said adios to Jericho and giddy upped back to the airport. Til next time…
