The Green Ray owner Rebecca Moon at the site of her forthcoming storefront
The Green Ray's move to Hillsboro Village, into the former home of beloved gift shop Pangaea, is a full-circle moment for owner Rebecca Moon.
The Nashville native has fond memories of patrolling the area as a teen and college student, making stops at Jackson’s, Provence, BookManBookWoman and Pangaea — each of which has closed in the past decade. She describes it as a “dreamy, dreamy street” in those days.
“That's what we're trying to bring back — the romance of Hillsboro Village, how it used to feel,” Moon tells the Scene. “Everyone here has been so sweet to us too. We're just trying to bring the magic back, hopefully.”
When there’s a special occasion, my friends have a foolproof unspoken rule: Get a book from East Nashville shop The Green Ray. The art lover’s…
The Green Ray is set to open at 1721 21st Ave. S. in mid-September. The space was most recently occupied by Molly Green boutique, and toy store Arcade operated in the space briefly following Pangaea’s 2019 closure.
The new shop will be full of references to the Hillsboro Village of yore, including Pangaea’s sea salt soap, rack of postcards, bracelets and other tchotchkes for less than $10. In fact, The Green Ray’s East Nashville location — which opened in 2022 — had already carried three-legged terracotta “chanchito” pig figurines in honor of the store Moon loved in her childhood. Moon will add more fragrance and homeware items, as well as expanded clothing and book options.
In a nod to Davis Cookware, which shuttered in 2019, Moon plans to introduce East Fork pottery and cookware items to the space. The Davis family still owns the space and is renting to The Green Ray.
With more room, The Green Ray will also host book events and fragrance showcases, among other events, Moon says.
For 29 years, the Hillsboro Village spot has given Nashvillians somewhere to sit and stay
A love of Hillsboro Village is something Moon shares with Ana Reese, who owns Earl Espresso. The coffee shop will operate inside The Green Ray, including a coffee window on Belcourt Avenue complete with a bakery case and grab-and-go food items. Reese remembers weekends walking with her father to Fido for coffee (which is set to close in 2028) and to Pancake Pantry for chocolate chip pancakes. She would often catch a glimpse at Pangaea owner Sandra Shelton in her office.
“I would always be like, 'One day when I'm a lady, I'll have an office like that,'” Reese tells the Scene.
And now she does. Earl had operated as a “secret coffee window” inside furniture showroom and event space Galeria Paloma on Gallatin Avenue since December 2025.
Earl will offer an expanded coffee menu and cakes from Little Bird’s Vittles as well as both savory and sweet grab-and-go items from chef Diana Lee Zadlo. In addition, Rebecca Turshen, pastry chef at City House — and notably, formerly Provence — will supply pastries a few days per week.
The Green Ray owner Rebecca Moon at the site of her forthcoming storefront
“By being locals and knowing the feeling it used to have, I just think we're totally capable of bringing that imagery and community feeling — hip feeling — back to it,” Reese says. “I think there's some awesome businesses in there now, and new ones coming. I feel like everyone's just wanting the Village to be for people who actually live here, and not just for tourists.”
It’s a leap for the two small businesses, but their history with the neighborhood makes it feel like a soft place to land.
“To be in business as a small business, especially as small as us, for four years is crazy because it is challenging,” Moon says. “I'm sure you've seen so many amazing small businesses closing. It's definitely a risk. But we're both like, 'We can't pass this up. We have to make it work and at least try.'”
