Past Perfect in its heyday
An early entrant in the current SoBro revival, Past Perfect bar and restaurant, has closed after more than eight years of existence. The business's owner and general manager, Shawn Courtney, is working to secure a new space for a different concept, my colleague William Williams at the Nashville Post reports.
Past Perfect opened at 122 Third Ave. S. in 2006 as a neighborhood bar that was also poised to target concertgoers on their way to the then-new Schermerhorn Symphony Center, along with foot traffic from the Shelby Pedestrian Bridge.
It had a whimsical, old-timey city saloon vibe long before 19th century motifs became a hipster obsession. Past Perfect was also known for cocktails made with spirits that the team infused with flavors in house.
Courtney says launching and running the business in the changing neighborhood was a learning experience. “Operating Past Perfect was like attending graduate school,” he told the Post. “That experience is what will influence the next business.”
Saying Past Perfect's lease was not renewed by the building's owners, Courtney added that he is working to open a new business in a different location. According to the Post:
Courtney said he is confident he has found another space in SoBro but declined to disclose the building and the site. He did say his new eatery will involve a simple presentation, likely with no servers and a limited alcoholic beverage lineup (beer only). Courtney said the new eatery, like Past Perfect, will focus more on locals than on tourists. He said he wants the menu and presentation to be “simple and consistent” and the building accessible to cyclists, pedestrians and motorists (with on-site parking).
