Damage to Geist after the March 3 tornado
For many people, the expression “brick by brick” is just that — an expression, a cliché. But on Jefferson Street, it has been the literal process of rebuilding after the March 3 tornado.
Now Geist Bar + Restaurant, the eatery housed in the historic 1886 property once home to Nashville’s oldest family-owned business, has salvaged all those bricks and put them back together, and is reopening this Friday.
Old sayings aside, the process of reopening after a tornado and during the pandemic was challenging. “After the tornado hit, we spent days salvaging materials because the charm and stories our bricks hold give the building just as much character and integrity as they do structure," says owner Doug Martin. :For a building that’s been around since the late 1800s, we knew Geist just wouldn’t have the same feeling without these critical pieces."
The restaurant and bar will be open for weekend brunch, plus Tuesday through Sunday dinner. Executive chef Seamus Rozycki will be back in the kitchen, and the menu will include old favorites like beef tartare and shrimp-and-grits. Freddy Schwenk will continue to helm the bar, making his signature drinks, including the Pleasure Point (vodka, aperol, St. Germain, pineapple and cinnamon) and the Champagne Julep (brut, cognac and mint).
The restaurant had been open almost two years when the tornado hit. “It's important to us to pick that mindset and momentum back up, so we're thrilled that our same team has stuck around and is coming back to Geist even after being closed for nine months," says Martin. "Other than our new roofing system in the garden, the inside will look and feel exactly like it did before so we can pick up right where we left off,” Martin says. “It’s like the saying: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ — except we just had to fix the physically broken pieces.”
Not everything is exactly the same, though. Geist’s popular Champagne Garden now boasts a louvered roofing structure that adjusts based on the weather. Thanks to the roof and heaters, folks can dine outside even when it is rainy or chilly, which will likely be an in-demand choice as coronavirus precautions continue.
“This was something we had been exploring prior to March, and with outdoor dining on the rise even as temperatures drop, the timing ended up working out,” Martin says. “The roof helps expand our seating options by protecting guests from weather, making the garden comfortable for a year-round dining experience.”
Geist will be adhering to Metro Health Department guidelines, including requiring masks, adding extra space between tables, and requiring staff temperature checks. Walk-ins may be available, but reservations are encouraged through OpenTable.
