Turnip Truck Natural Market West

In 2018, Turnip Truck, a Nashville-based grocer with a focus on healthy, local foods, commissioned MZA to design their third store in Nashville.  Located within walking distance of Sylvan Park and The Nations; the renovation to the former Cash & Carry building at the corner of 50th and Charlotte Avenue brings a full service, locally focused grocery store to this part of the city.

The existing building faces Charlotte Avenue to the north, and Richland Park to the east; on a completely impervious site.  The realized design addresses on-site stormwater management by incorporating bioretention areas, pervious paving, and planting islands.  An
exterior patio is included on the north side of the site to activate this facade and encourage pedestrian use along Charlotte Avenue. Solar panels cover the majority of the existing and renovated roofs, and the building’s entry canopy is designed to accommodate a green roof.

The renovated building maintains most of its street front masonry and adds a two-story volume to the southwest corner to house Turnip Truck’s program.  These two pieces – existing and new – are tied together by a green ribbon that draws visitors to the interior. This ribbon and nearby orange hyphens also serve to shade openings on the main facade from direct southern sunlight.  Inside, several layers of existing, suspended ceiling were removed during renovation; exposing the existing barrel vault roof over the store’s aisles and service areas. A mezzanine overlooking the building entry acts as a light well, and an existing east-facing window isextended upwards to provide morning sun.