NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — There's a reason Nashville is a growing city: Lots of people and developers want a piece of Music City.
Some say growth is a great thing, but Sarah Gavigan, owner and founder of Otaku Ramen, wonders when growth is too much.
“I don't think people really understand what it takes to actually make this happen,” said Gavigan, who started the business in 2012 and opened his first brick-and-mortar store in 2015.
“For a long time it was very sleepy music and had a very simple identity of country music, but now it's become so much more,” Gavigan said.
She didn't anticipate how quickly Nashville would grow, and that's becoming a problem for her.
“While we have the recession and a saturated market, we also have growth, growth and growth,” Gavigan said.
According to the Davidson County Clerk's Office, 494 licenses were issued to food establishments, including food trucks, in 2023. That's a big increase from 216 in 2013.
As of 2024, 247 have been issued.
“If rents continue to rise at an unsustainable pace, landlords will try to evict people in order to raise rents, and soon independent housing will not be able to compete with developers from outside the city,” Gavigan said.
Gavigan wants to make a difference.
“If the city, metro and tourism board really wanted to protect the independent restaurants that make our city what it is, they would work together to create a better system. Tennessee needs a chapter of the National Restaurant Association, and we don't have one,” Gavigan said.
She understands growth is good for the city, but feels it comes at a cost.
“Maybe this is happening in other cities, but sadly, this is not where we wanted to be. Is this an escape route or is this the end? Is this our reality?” Gavigan said.
There are several Otaku Ramen locations in Gavigan and one in the Gulch.
She says the site has been suffering from construction for the past two years and she believes developers have underestimated the damage it is causing to local residents.
