Since its founding over 50 years ago, Hendersonville has experienced steady growth. Once considered a sleepy bedroom community, the City by the Lake has become a vibrant place filled with a wide variety of shopping establishments as well as a large number of great restaurants.
However, despite the growth of retail and dining options, Hendersonville was still lacking one key element – a dedicated musical performance venue. While some of the city’s restaurants and bars featured performing artists at certain times of the year, there was no single place that was dedicated to live, local music.
That situation changed last August with the opening of The Local Hendersonville. The Local Hendersonville is a comfortable combination of restaurant, bar and live music venue featuring daily performances by some of the area’s most talented singer/songwriters. Founded by Hendersonville songwriter Geoff Reid, The Local Hendersonville is the place to go to share an evening of food, drinks, music and fun with friends and family.
To find out more about the venue, Hendersonville Lifestyle recently visited with Geoff to experience The Local firsthand.
How did you become involved with the music industry?
“I grew up surrounded by music. When I was five years old, I played harmonica in my school’s talent show. From there, I played in the band in middle school, and by the time I was in high school, I was playing guitar and writing songs. When I turned 14, I started working as a dishwasher in a music venue, and I worked there for the next few years until I went to college on a music scholarship. After college, I decided I wanted to write and play music, so I moved to Nashville to begin my career.”
How did you come up with the concept for The Local?
“When I arrived in Nashville in the early 90s, there were mini songwriter venues all across the city. Over the years, most of them closed, leaving very few options for songwriters to perform their original music in a live setting. One night, I was booked to play a Saturday night show at a popular songwriter venue, and I was unable to get a ticket for my wife because the show was sold out. That frustrated me because I believe that if an artist is playing at a venue, then he should be able to be surrounded by his family, friends, fans and music industry professionals – not just ticket buying tourists. Subsequently, I talked with several of my hit songwriter friends about the situation and they agreed that we were sorely missing a venue that catered to songwriters. That’s when I decided to open The Local in Nashville.”
What makes The Local different from other venues?
“The Local has a warm, welcoming vibe that you can feel as soon as you walk inside. Our motto, ‘come a stranger, leave a local,’ was developed out of our desire to treat our fellow artists like family. We truly do what we do for the love of music. From single singer/songwriters to full bands, The Local was built to be a one-stop shop for the music industry. There is no greater feeling that watching songwriters grow and achieve their dreams, and we are happy to provide a venue for them while they are on their way.”
Why did you choose Hendersonville for your newest venue?
“Hendersonville has been my home for the past 25 years. I was drawn to the area due to the large number of artists who live in the area. As I watched Hendersonville grow over the years, I eventually decided that the time was right to introduce a live music venue back into a city that is deeply rooted in the music industry and by the artists that live here. The Local Hendersonville is a great way for artists and fans to come together to share a little community love through music.”
How would you describe The Local experience?
“At The Local, our goal is to ensure that every guest gets to experience a great atmosphere in a comfortable, intimate setting. Our bar offers a wide selection of craft beers and specialty liquors from some of our area’s best breweries and distilleries. The kitchen is open daily, and all of our menu items are made to order with fresh, locally grown ingredients. Our menu features a variety of affordably priced appetizers and entrees, including fried pickle chips, gourmet burgers and fresh grilled salmon. Most importantly, our guests get to enjoy their food and beverages while listening to quality entertainment. We want all of our customers to feel like when they leave, they can’t wait to come back to The Local.”
The Local Hendersonville
300 Indian Lake Blvd., Building B100,
Hendersonville, TN 37075
615.431.0381
The Local was founded in 2017 in Nashville by Geoff Reid, a songwriter with deep roots in Nashville’s music scene. As a Music Row veteran, Geoff was concerned over the lack of small, comfortable spaces in which local artists could come together to perform their original music. In response, Geoff opened The Local on 28th Avenue in Nashville, right in the heart of the trendy West End neighborhood.
The Local is a combination bar, restaurant and live music venue that features a warm and welcoming environment in which to listen to some of Music City’s finest entertainers. Since opening its doors, the venue has featured a variety of rising and established singers, songwriters and musicians, including Zach Brown, Dillon Carmichael, Jamey Johnson, Jason Aldean, Ty Herndon, Kathy Mattea and Asleep at the Wheel.
Last fall, Geoff opened his latest venue, The Local Hendersonville. Located at the center of the Streets of Indian Lake, The Local Hendersonville features the same vibe as its Nashville precursor, but with an added emphasis on Sumner County’s contributions to the music scene.
"We want folks to eat, drink, listen and enjoy great times while we provide local artists with a chance to perform their music."