Nashville has been home to several private social club/restaurant/bar concepts through the years. Think Citizen, The Spot, The Standard ... heck, even the Nashville City Club, a venue where you might have held your high school prom. Most of these establishments offer exclusive membership perks available to members only, amenities like dedicated wine and cigar lockers, private dining and meeting spaces and rentable event spaces.
But I don’t think we’ve seen anything like what's coming later this fall when The Register opens its doors downtown in the location of the Liggett Building at 200 Second Ave. S. In these times, when some bars and restaurants feel too crowded for comfort and others are completely closed, people may well be looking to find a space where they feel the atmosphere is more controlled. Like a country club without golf, tennis or swimming, these private facilities also feature limited membership, offering the chance to become familiar with the people you’re spending your money to spend time with.
The Register is intended to be the first outpost of a new chain of private clubs, with other sites being scouted in cities like Atlanta, Denver and Austin. The building will have hybrid public/private access, with the gen pop allowed into the lower level to enjoy a bar to be named The Study (as long as they make reservations in advance), with the upper floors reserved for private events and members.
No expense has been spared to try to ensure the security and safety of guests, and founders Barron Solomon and Tillman Holloway made the decision to pour more than $600K into upgrading the systems and practices of the club as soon as the pandemic reared its ugly head — before any members had even signed up to be a part of it. Solomon and Holloway met when both were involved in a Bitcoin-mining operation in East Nashville, and both are regarded as experts in blockchain technology and IT. So it’s clear they’re willing to embrace technology to create a modern version of the staid social club. From their experience working in blockchain, they also appreciate the value of a safe and secure environment to work, so that’s also a big part of their plans.
Among the innovations they have added are body temperature cameras throughout the building. Facial recognition will be used to verify and admit members, and the cameras will be able to take the temp of anyone entering the building. If an elevated temperature is detected, the system will actually lock the doors to prevent entry until the person is identified. Cameras will also scan the crowd to look for hot spots in the main floor bar and in the event space. Custom UV light filters have been directly installed into the circa-1933 building’s upgraded HVAC system to kill viruses and circulate fresh air throughout the building. Finally, a touch-free fog spray disinfecting system will be used to clean all surfaces. That’s some James Bond villain’s lair stuff, right there!
The Study will feature an elevated cocktail program, and bartender training has already begun to create a staff capable of undertaking some of the molecular craft cocktail techniques that The Register hopes to showcase to guests. A perk reserved for members in the third-floor private bar will be an elevated bar cart service, available by reservations. Members can contact one of The Register’s "Experience Specialists" in advance to entertain their guests with a cart stocked with their favorite wines, spirits and mixers staffed by a dedicated mixologist the entire duration of their visit. Different membership levels include individual and corporate plans that permit different numbers of guests to accompany a member to the inner sanctum of Level 3, but tucked away will be a couple of even more private spaces. These rooms can be reserved for private wine tastings or cocktail service or for dinners or sports viewing parties.
The club floor will also feature a private boardroom, a specialty coffee bar and workstations for catching up on a few emails while enjoying that latte. Through the club’s app or directly from the Experience Specialties, if a member wants something, they basically need only ask. Personal concierge services will range from restaurant reservations, event tickets and transportation planning. They also plan to arrange for charging privileges at partner venues so that all bills will be applied to the member’s club account, so you can leave the credit card at home.
The Second floor features a 6,000-square-foot private event space named The Walter, a room that will be available for rental by both members and nonmembers. Corporate members will be allocated one rental per year, and all members will receive priority access to rental dates. The Walter’s amenities include a tricked-out catering kitchen (and a list of approved caterers), a conference room with all the A/V capabilities you could need for the ultimate Zoom meeting and an open concept floor plan with room for up to 200 guests.
The rooftop of the building will be open to the public (again, with prior reservations), but with a special area reserved for members and their guests. Renderings reveal what should be a spectacular space with a two-story glass atrium covering a rooftop cocktail bar and offering sweeping views of Nashville’s skyline and the Cumberland River.
The main entrance will actually be through a secure alley on the side of the building, conveniently located right across the street from the future valet stand of the Four Seasons. One can imagine a lot of future residents of that building wanting membership in The Register. For those who can’t just cross the street to gain entry, The Register offers 24-hour valet service plus some dedicated parking spaces in the 222 Second Ave. building right next door.
While membership prices aren’t publicly quoted, you know it won’t be cheap. But more than a handful of locals have already made the leap of faith to be a part of The Register months before opening. Plans are to accept just 200 individual members and 50 corporate plans, so it should be pretty easy to ensure a little elbow room at the bar for the price. Located just a few blocks off of the Neon Canyon of Lower Broad, Solomon says that his hope is to “give the city back to the locals.” Well, maybe not all the locals, but if you’re well-heeled enough to afford the fare, there will certainly be some remarkable amenities available to you. These are equity memberships, so they will be transferable or salable, so at least they represent an asset. Maybe somebody will invite me to go with them someday so I can experience that beverage cart service!
