When Edley’s Bar-B-Que opened its first location 10 years ago at 2706 12th Ave. S., owner Will Newman was taking a risk. 12South hadn’t been as heavily developed at the time, and that end of the strip was still not a very popular destination for tourists and locals. Sevier Park was not quite the family destination it is now, but on the plus side, parking in the neighborhood was a helluva lot easier.
Still, Newman took the plunge and opened his first barbecue restaurant with some admirable smoked meats and damned fine Southern side dishes. It didn’t hurt that in a master marketing move, he would sometimes light a Big Green Egg smoker on the deck just to attract visitors in with the siren smell of charcoal, even if there wasn’t actually anything cooking on that grill.
The gamble paid off. Edley’s has now expanded into a bit of a barbecue empire, with five current locations and more on the drawing board, including a planned move to a new location in East Nashville (with Franklin and Donelson next on the docket). Along the way, Edley’s has carved out a new genre of barbecue, which they call “Nashville-style,” a hybrid between hot chicken and ’cue.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of opening in 12South, Edley’s will throw an all-day block party on Saturday, Nov. 6, and the entire community is invited to join in the fun! In addition to food and drinks, Edley’s has invited local vendors like gold + ivy, Maypop, Cody Hale Art, Pancho and Lefty’s, M.L. Rose and others to showcase their wares at the event.
The free party will also feature a family and kids' area, and live music throughout the day from local acts including 49 Winchester, Channing Wilson, Matt Sahadi, Todd Day Wait, Cole Ritter and the Night Owls, Gloria Anderson and Joshua Quimby. So kudos to this family-owned Nashville restaurant institution. Drop by next Saturday to offer them your congratulations.
