Best of Nashville
Food & Drink
Best Local Institution Worth Saving
Family Wash
After hearing rumors of its imminent demise, a fan of this popular East Side venue fired off an email blast. The bottom line was that current economic conditions had hit the venerable Wash so hard that owner Jamie Rubin could no longer make ends meet. The bad news spread like a pub on fire, and local publications (including this one) commissioned articles on the Wash's troubles. Fortunately, the regulars doubled their intake of pies and pints, and business began to pick up—at least for now. "Since [the articles] I've seen a huge resurgence of people coming in," says Rubin, who has also instituted changes to satisfy his establishment's diverse fan base. "For those just wanting dinner, the music will be starting later. And I've reinstituted Thursday Vinyl Night," he says. More adjustments are pending. "A lot of cool people are coming together to help on different levels," Rubin says. Paul V. Griffith
