“ It was a dark, scary place. If you talk to anybody who went in there, they’ ll tell you there were real skeletons inside. It was something!”
— Andi Rogers Bartels
The Ferguson House when it was the iconic antique shop. Scenes from today’ s Antique Alley complex.
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Michele Hayes, owner of The Clay Purl, said she has enjoyed watching the couple revive the complex, particularly The Ferguson House outside her shop door.
“ It’ s been so fun to watch these buildings come to life,” Hayes said.
Today, families stroll through the alley’ s bouquet of delightfully unique shops. Artisans can be found painting, weaving, throwing pottery, and carving outside their shops, while live music spills out of The Ferguson House’ s new beer garden.
“ I still frequently get asked where the antique shops are,” said David Hoggatt, owner of the alley’ s Brown County Model Trains.“ There aren’ t antiques here, but folks really enjoy what they do find.”
Ohio residents John and Julie Frye recently rested with their dogs Jeep and Rubicon in the beer garden during their first visit to Nashville, a pit stop on their drive home from California.
photos by Cindy Steele
The family leveling a cabin in Antique Alley. 20 Our Brown County • Sept./ Oct. 2023
“ We’ ve walked and walked today— I think we’ ve seen every alley and back road in this town,” John laughed.“ This is such a great little place. We’ ll definitely be back.”
Until then, Andi and her family will keep renovating and building upon their vision of keeping Nashville moving forward for businesses and for visitors.
“ I just love our community, and I love our town,” she said.“ All I can do is keep carrying on the history of Nashville and the history of my dad.” •