Mindy Campbell of Eagleville was busy being a stay-at-home mom, but she had a dream to open an acoustic music venue. Her husband, country music artist Craig Campbell, always wanted to open a coffee shop. They decided to combine their two goals into one business—Grindstone Cowboy.
“The name came about when Craig misheard Rhinestone Cowboy as Grindstone Cowboy,” she says. “He thought that was a perfect name for a coffee shop with a cowboy theme.”
In 2021, they bought a building in Eagleville and, after renovating it to meet their exact needs, opened it in 2022. Last November, along with partners Mike and Beth Davis, they opened another much larger location in Shelbyville.
“They are similar in the respect that they are very cowboy Western, so a lot of rustic barn wood and cowhides,” says Mindy. She describes Eagleville's location as having a Hallmark-kind-of feel—very cozy, small, and quaint- while Shelbyville has more of a Nashville nightlife vibe. It’s also about five times bigger and three stories.
People come from all over, including Brentwood, to enjoy not only the great food and beverages but also the fun events like karaoke, open mic night, Singo, and other musical entertainment.
Eagleville is 25 to 30 minutes from Brentwood. “It's a beautiful drive out here, so a lot of people like to make the trip,” says Mindy. “We do have some stores, and the Arrington Vineyards is out here. So people could almost make a day of it by going to the vineyards, visiting Lucky Ladd Farms, and stopping at our restaurant for breakfast or lunch. Nash Family Creamery is up the road from us, so a lot of people will get ice cream there.”
Shelbyville, she says, is about 45 minutes away. “There are shops and bakeries, an art gallery, a river, and a whiskey distillery. The Walking Horse National Celebration and fairgrounds are down there, too. It's just a very popular area to spend a day.”
Rhinestone Cowboy always has something happening. Every Friday, the venues host trivia game nights, karaoke, open mic, or Singo. On Saturdays, there’s live music.
“In Shelbyville, on July 15th, we’ll have Grammy and CMA award-winning artist Pam Tillis,” says Mindy. “We also have a bunch of hit songwriter nights once a month.”
At the Eagleville location, Coffee, Cars, and Christ is held the first Sunday of every month from 7 to 10 a.m. In Shelbyville, it’s the third Sunday of the month. “We do a cruise-in car show, and a lot of people come to that,” she says. “So you get a little live music, a car show, and then a 10-minute message from a pastor.”
Both locations serve breakfast and lunch and offer the same menu in the evenings. “We have biscuits and gravy, burritos, and your basic breakfast foods,” says Mindy. “For lunch, there is a wide variety of options from nachos and Santa Fe wraps to salads, soups, and sandwiches.” Acai bowls and an array of delicious baked goods are also on the menu.
The Outlaw Lattes include the Clint Eastwood (Dark Chocolate, Caramel, and Toffee), Wyatt Earp (Brown Sugar Cinnamon, Hazelnut, and Cinnamon), and Annie Oakley (Honey and Lavender). Of course, regular coffee and espresso are also available, along with smoothies, frappes, juices, and more.
Mindy and Craig plan to expand Grindstone Cowboy even further. “CreatiVets, an organization that does arts for the military and veterans, bought an old church in The Nations and want a café,” she says. “So, we’ll join with them in a couple of years.”
A Florida location is also on the list. “We already broke ground near Santa Rosa Beach. A friend of ours is opening a gym and wants a cafe, so we're going to set up camp there too.”
Take a drive out to Grindstone Cowboy in Eagleville or Shelbyville, and enjoy delicious food, amazing drinks, and fun entertainment.
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“It's a beautiful drive out here, so a lot of people like to make the trip.”