Week of September 1-8, 2025

​new sprinkler system to be installed Lighting design is completed and lights have been ordered. Our bar stools arrived, and they are pretty dang cool: commercial design, weight bearing up to 500lbs. and they swivel. They'll be good for a second round and then another show. Luke got some steeply discounted kitchen equipment from the Burger Up auction. And, that's ALL he bought this time. Plans are waiting on Mechanical HVAC update for resubmission to the city so we can have the sprinkler system installed. Concrete work opening the new exterior door into the lower floor classrooms is done, as is the bricking up the opening between spaces downstairs, and filling in the voids upstairs where the old weight bearing wall used to be. NES upgraded a transformer on the pole in the parking lot and added some new boxes on the back of the building for the upgrade to handle the new HVAC and other demands. Piedmont has a work order to move all the gas lines in the corner of the front parking lot so we can build stairs connecting the front main entrance with the back parking lot and entrance to the classrooms under the venue. And, it seems like we walk through once a week to make sure walls and plumbing and electrical are all in the right place. 

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Week of August 25-30, 2026

A slow week for us. With the new sprinkler system to be installed, we have to have new architectural plans submitted and approved. Some HVAC and electrical and plumbing has to pause until we see what this new system will do to those elements. Downstairs thought, has been marked off for construction and a new door created from outside. The opening between our future classes and the rest of the downstairs has also been sealed off. Behind the scenes, more fundraising asks, and work to get money in the door through naming rights and sponsorships. I recommend asking everyone for that $50 donation. Lots of those and we achieve our goal!

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Week of August 14-24, 2026

Marathon village has managed to tackle us on the way out the door and is wanting a lot of demolition beyond what we expected. (sarcasm alert:) Fortunately, there's not a lot to do so having some new, refreshing additional work at our old home feels good. And, here's fun one too, since things are smooth sailing: the state does not have a solution for a bar that is no longer open in its previous location and does not yet have a certificate of occupancy for its new location. Amazing what lawmakers did not think of. We will keep you updated on that one. Dave, the property owner, is letting us store our things for free, and is letting us use two HVAC units for the downstairs classrooms. Those are good news items! Additionally, he is now committing to putting sprinklers in the building. This too will help us run the venue as we need to. We do have to pay for half of the cost, but he has agreed to fix the amount so we are not on the hook for future unforseen price increases. The Indiegogo is underway! PLEASE get all your people to donate $50. We now need 1,720 people to give that amount and we have met our goal! Lots of little decisions now taking place all over the venue: where the new mainstage will end precisely, what toilets we will buy, color scheme in bar, sinks. One question for you: if we brand the bar, what is a good name for it? I am thinking Viola's in honor of Viola Spolin. This is Field, btw. Shoot me an email with your suggestions.

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Weeks of August 2- August 13, 2026

Electrical and plumbing teams are now on site, with both expected to wrap within the next three weeks. HVAC will follow, with a similar timeline. Downstairs, the classrooms are taking shape, including a new entrance and continued work on the lower-level spaces. Upstairs, the mainstage and bar entrances are also being modified, and framing has been inspected and approved.

On the fundraising side, Pinnacle is reviewing our updated construction numbers and finances, and we have enough in savings to meet their required equity for the project. We’re grateful that years of saving have helped put us in this position.

And finally: our Indiegogo campaign has been approved and is going live this weekend alongside the Erica & Blaine fundraiser shows!

 

Week of July 27-August 1, 2026

Our time in Marathon Village is over. The last show every performed at our original home, the Tenth Anniversary Show, is now done. It was truly a show for our people, and it is difficult to express how special an evening it was. Further, the last week of shows and student showcases added a climactic element of high attendance and laughter and enthusiasm. At the Dickerson location, the downstairs is now cleaned and prepped and ready for framing. The main stage was assembled - no deck on it just yet. More, slow, movement on getting bids for the work. The SBA loan is on hold until those final numbers come in. As of this note, the Marathon location has been mauled! We completed two long days of taking everything down and moving it out. Our new landlord was generous enough to have us pay $2/sq. ft. to store all of our stuff while we invest in his building to pay him tens of thousands a month for the next decade. Old school Nashville right there. 

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Week of July 20-26, 2026

Seemingly slow week. Lots of meetings with subcontractors, lots of sharing of approved plans, lots of asks for bids, and lots of waiting for replies. Pricing updated for building out the classrooms. Gulp. But, it's got to be done! Also got to be done: paying our fine staff for August. SBA loan officer on vacation this week, so we'll have to wait until they get back to move forward. Successful yard sale with remainder moving to FB Marketplace. Bought the bar chairs, shopping for more furniture, getting final price for lighting and then pulling the trigger on that, revising staffing for the new space, booking shows for the new season, and securing new location (City School of Nashville, 631 2nd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37210) for the start of the next Training Center session so classes can begin on time. Property owner to decide on whether to invest in sprinklers for the whole building. Investigating a near zero waste venue with glass, aluminum, plastic, and cardboard recycling as well as composting. 

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Week of July 13-19, 2026

All plans approved. Building permit issued. General Contractor moving at light speed. Luke and Scott communicate all employees will be paid a full amount during August. Ask property owner for some additional time to complete build out. GC confident he can complete work by first week of September. Downstairs classrooms are cleared out and cleaned out. Next up will be prepping floors and creating a new exterior door in the "alley" between our new building and the neighbor's building. Lighting order is in and needs final pricing. 

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Week of July 6-12, 2026

Redesign finished. Submitted to Codes again. Set design for main stage nearly done. Crystal clear that August first will not happen in this new space. More SBA loan docs collected. 

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Week of June 29-July 5, 2026

Fire Marshal rejects his own Fire Safety Plans revision; he wants new re-design. Christ. Redesign underway when the holiday happens. But people holiday early. Where the fuck is everyone?! No one seems to be around. Begin editing Indiegogo video and drafting gift levels. Making plans for a dark August. 

 

Week of June 22-28, 2026

Fire Safety plan rejected. Notes given to MZA for redesign. MZA redesigns to meet Fire Marshal request. Plans resubmitted. SBA loan process still underway. Jesus, so many documents. 

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Week of June 15-21, 2026

New architectural plans submitted. Lighting needs detailed! (Lighting is important - so it has to be right!). Water main in to building deemed insufficient in size, will need an upgrade. Permitting underway.

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Week of June 8-14, 2026

Addendum to lease written to include downstairs space. With additional space, architectural plan is re-drawn to enlarge bar area. Bidding process continues. Meeting neighbors and seeking agreements to have additional parking. Video testimonials for Indiegogo filmed. 

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Week of June 1-7, 2026

Subcontractors submitting bids. Possibility of acquiring downstairs space to build out as new classrooms. Scott and Luke drive to Indianapolis to get new fixed seats. Heavy rain all day and driving a 20' U-Haul home in the dark is no fun, but the seats are wicked cool!

 

Week of May 25-31, 2026

Demolition complete, including removal of load bearing wall to make room for new main stage.

 

Week of May 18-24, 2026

General Contractor with Beech Construction begins some demolition. SBA loan process underway.

 

Monday, May 18, 2026

Permit set of Architectural plans completed by MZA.

 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Thursday, May 14, 2026

We've been featured in the Nashville Business Journal! Read on if you're looking for a summary of what we've done and what's to come. For now, here's a sneak peek at what the bar at Third Coast may look like:
 

 

​​Monday, March 16, 2026

We're ahead of schedule and some demolition has begun. We're putting the finishing touches on the architectural drawings and have looped in the engineering team.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

Monday, March 9, 2026

We have received our demolition permit and a date for demo is scheduled for March 24th.

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Monday, March 2, 2026

We've been revising the layout and drafts with MZA (our architecture firm) and had a great introductory meeting with our new neighbors, Retrograde coffee).

Friday, Feb 27, 2026

The architecture firm, MZA, has created some drafts of the new layout. With some back and forth they are now understanding better what our priorities are: a slightly bigger main-stage, a legitimate second stage that will be used mostly as a classroom but will feel like a proper venue for performers, a classroom space that is mostly square, and as large a bar as possible given those demands. It's tight!

 

Tue., Feb 17, 2026

Third Coast is thrilled to announce that we've SIGNED A LEASE for a property on Dickerson Pike in East Nashville.

 

Thur. Jan 15, 2026

Our Marathon lease is extended through July 31, 2026. And, there are good vibes from Marathon about extended month to month as needed until we are ready to move. We pivoted FROM the Gallatin Avenue funeral home and are now looking at a new property in East Nashville. As of this posting, negotiations for a new lease are progressing. More to come!

 

Fri., Aug 29, 2025

We’ve secured an extension on our lease at Marathon Village through October 2025, with the option to renew month-to-month after that. This means the uncertainty of an abrupt departure is gone, and we can move forward with our programming. We’re breathing a big sigh of relief, and we hope you will too!​

 

Sat, Aug 2, 2025

Still negotiating with Marathon; still negotiating with new property; commercial contractors and architects ready to submit bids; doing final interviews with lawyers to retain.​

 

Tues, July 1, 2025

Website updated with information about campaign, ways to help, and links.

 

​Mon., June 30, 2025

Donations now accepted at the Third Coast Bar.

 

​Fri., June 27, 2025

Donations available during ticket checkout.

 

​Sat., June 21, 2025

Fundraising Committee Established

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​Sun., June 8, 2025

Third Coast Town Hall on the upcoming move.