What’s Closed, How to Help, Plus Stories of Hope After Nashville’s Christmas Day Bombing

The Christmas morning bomb that affected blocks of downtown Nashville’s Second Avenue was just one more devastating jab for restaurants in Nashville in 2020. Over a dozen restaurants and bars were destroyed and will take months to rebuild, while others remain closed for minimal damage, power outages, and more.

The explosion, which took place on Second Avenue near Commerce Street, blasted a giant orange fireball into the air, demolishing several storefronts, scattering ash and debris through the streets, and sending three people to the hospital (with noncritical injuries). Police say that there were far fewer people at those buildings than usual, thanks to the combination of the Christmas holiday and the coronavirus pandemic.

Now moving on from 2020, a year marked by a natural disaster and a global pandemic, downtown restaurateurs are now assessing the physical damage and planning to rebuild following the Christmas morning explosion. Stay tuned to this stream for updated lists of businesses affected, ways to help, alongside much-needed stories of hope and healing from those in the restaurant industry.