The just opened Turnip Truck Urban Fare in the Gulch neighborhood is a local-foods-focused grocer where the customer can meet local farmers and vendors.
This second location for locally-owned The Turnip Truck is at 321 12th Ave. South in the heart of The Gulch, the first LEED certified green neighborhood development in the southeastern United States. Located at the intersection of 12th Avenue South and Pine Street, The Turnip Truck is the only full-service grocery in the downtown area. Until Nashville’s downtown revitalization, the area had been without a full-service grocery for more than four decades.
“MarketStreet Enterprises is delighted to bring a full-service grocery to downtown Nashville for all who live in the area,” said Jay Turner, managing director of MarketStreet Enterprises. “Having a grocery within walking distance is vital for growing urban neighborhoods and healthy residents.”
The Turnip Truck Urban Fare spans 9,200 square feet, ample room for its full-service meat and seafood department, full line of micro-brewed beers, household products and health and beauty section. The store also features an indoor-outdoor café and selection of fresh prepared-in-house foods, including vegetarian and vegan options.
The café’s executive chef is prominent Nashville chef Laura Wilson. Wilson is a 21-year veteran, rounding out her experience at Nashville institutions F. Scott’s, Watermark, Wild Iris and Ombi.
Since its East Nashville inception, The Turnip Truck has focused on providing natural, organic local products. The Turnip Truck Urban Fare is holding true to this mission while also expanding its selection of budget-friendly foods. It will also be undertaking neighborhood outreach programs designed to encourage more healthful eating habits and promote community.
“The word ‘local’ means everything to us,” said John Dyke, founder of The Turnip Truck. “When goods produced locally are purchased at a locally owned store to pay local wages we are growing Nashville in many different ways. But local also means doing everything you can to improve the communities around you, which is why multiple projects are already in the works.”
