These structures collectively have 130,000 square feet of space. Today, that space is home to a wide diversity of unique stores and small factories. You can find everything from coffee makers and sellers to antique shops here, but the biggest, most famous, and probably the best of these antique shops is called Antique Archaelogy. A section of this story contains restored classic cars, several of which were actually manufactured here when it was owned by Marathon Motor Cars. But Antique Archaeology is just one of the many amazing shops you will find in these historic buildings.
The Marathon Village was the brainchild of Barry Walker, who purchased the badly dilapidated complex for dirt cheap in 1986. At that time, the rundown buildings were used by gangs, drug dealers, and other shady characters. After ridding the area of ne’er-do-wells, Walker renovated and leased out the space to carefully selected retailers.
Today, largely because of Marathon Village, this area of town is one of the finest and most coveted in all of Nashville. In addition to the shops, there is even space for special events such as weddings and receptions. The entire complex, both inside and out, has retained the look and feel of the old car factory, making it an interesting and unusual location to visit in Nashville.
