Check out the hot neighborhood at the center of Nashville's cultural boom

At Nashville's hip, hot Marathon Village, I run into Darek Bell. For Bell, there's no finish line. The Corsair Artisan distillery co-founder pours his spirits while dressed in a 1920s bartender's outfit, dapper from gold-chain pocket watch to Gatsby-esque straw boater hat. In barely six years, Corsair's spirits have won 41 medals at international competitions and wooed connoisseurs worldwide.

Bell is an example of overachievers making Music City a powerhouse in all kinds of creative pursuits.

You'll find the pleasurable fruits of their labors bubbling up in revitalized areas with the kind of big spaces and low rents that help ventures take root. 

One prized secret of locals is Marathon Village, barely 10 minutes west of downtown's honky-tonk heart.

Darek Bell makes and serves terrific, creative spirits at Corsair Artisan Distillery in Marathon Village in Nashville. 

Robin Soslow

"This is such an exciting time to be in Nashville, with the cultural boom happening on all fronts," says Buddy Kite, media director at Frist Center for the Visual Arts, where I'd gawked at sexy models -- cars, that is -- in the "Bellissima! Italian Automotive Renaissance" exhibition before heading to the former quarters of Marathon Motor Works. The massive industrial-chic site now revs visitors' motors with a medley of temptations.

Marathon Motor Works manufactured innovative automobiles designed by an engineering prodigy named William Henry Collier. The cars drew buyers from around the world to Tennessee, from Chile to China. But by 1914, Marathon's executives motored on and production ceased.

Envisioning a new model of adaptive reuse, Nashville entrepreneur Barry Walker bought four blocks of red-brick buildings erected between 1881 and 1912, including Marathon's 130,000-square-foot former factory. His makeover preserved the spaces' historic character and architectural integrity.

The complex's four dozen tenants include artists, photographers, Lightning 100 indie radio (listen for Nashville talents like Blackfoot Gypsies and Shane Piasecki), a spa and tantalizing treats to reward you for a day's visit.

This bold mural at Marathon Village has become a pop ular selfie-taking spot for Nashville visitors and locals alike. 

Robin Soslow

The "I Believe in Nashville" outdoor mural. Musician-artist Adrien Saporiti's hit place-making image is a popular selfie setting. It has appeared in national magazines and soft drink ads.

Bang Candy Company. Their candy is dandy. How about marshmallows hand-dipped in Belgian chocolate and flavored with chile pepper, toasted coconut almond, smoked cherry and rose cardamom? The confectionery also peddles sodas and giftable syrups made on-site.

Find deals and rare collectibles at Antique Archaeology in Marathon Village. 

Robin Soslow

Antique Archaeology. Treasures here have appeared on the American Pickers TV show. Sharp-eyed roaming picker Mike Wolfe crams this cavern with seriously cool finds, drawing antiquers from afar. Musical instruments? Housewares? Lighting? Hats? Books? Vintage signs? Quirky conversation pieces? It's all here.

Come on in for a fun tour and memorable tastings at Nelson's Gree n Brier Distillery in Marathon Village. 

Robin Soslo

Nelson's Green Brier Distillery. This is a funhouse of fine whiskeys made in small batches. The owners resurrected their great-great-great grandparents' business that produced sour mash whiskey between 1870 and 1909. Prohibition led to its closure.

The new distillery opened in 2014. Many spirits are made using family recipes, some deduced from old grain receipts. Hits include Belle Meade Bourbon and a new bourbon aged in cognac casks (you'll taste notes of brown sugar, vanilla and fruit).

Marathon Music Works. Catch live music in a cool setting. William Collier's Room there serves cocktails, bourbons and coneys. Nashville artist James Willis sketched the bar-top design from original Marathon Motor Car blueprints. The bar is made from reclaimed wood salvaged from the auto plant.

Garage Coffee Company. Pair fresh roast from "Road Rage" to decaf "Anger Management" with baked goodies or zesty salads.

The Old Time Pickin' Parlor. Musicians with tastes from bluegrass to Delta blues come for its stock of banjos, mandolins, guitars and handmade Doom Ray straps.

"O" Gallery. Actress and painter Olga Alexeeva's fine art outpost displays brightly colored, high-energy, music-themed works.

Island Cowgirl. Designer Heather Charlick's romantic and rugged pieces bear messages from "Hell on Heels" to "Blessed." Motifs run from hearts to flowers to dog paws. Tanks and T-shirts, too.

Lorraine Frances. Her bling that sings includes copper and sterling creations like the Plumber's Wife's Heart Cuff, squiggle earrings, lost-gem chokers and medieval chain-mail-inspired bracelets.

D. Luxe Home. Industrial-chic salvage treasures, furniture, vintage lamps and artworks will make good souvenirs for friends and yourself.

Grinder's Switch Winery. The family-owned business is ranked by Southern Living among the South's Best Vineyards. Take a seat and taste at the 22-foot-long barn-wood bar.

Pure Spa. At this cheerful toxin-free salon, pamper your hair, lashes, skin and body. The spa menu includes Swedish and therapeutic massage, trigger point therapy and passive stretching.

While at Marathon Village in Nashville, sip an Old Fashioned made with award-winning craft spirits at Corsair Artisan Distillery. 

Robin Soslow

Corsair. What a fitting moniker for this brewstillery, given the Prohibition-meets-privateer vibe. After a tour revealing the awesome copper pot still, sip at the spirits and beer bars. Bell, a wizard who knows the science and black magic of distilling, has converted gin haters into gin lovers.

Tasting highlights: the hickory-smoked whiskey Rymageddon and alternative-grain award winners Oatrage (oats), Buck Yeah! (buckwheat) and the earthy-nutty Quinoa Whiskey.

The overachieving distillers' other creations include Grainiac 9 Bourbon, Elderflower Bohemian Whiskey and pumpkin spice moonshine.

Tip: The $6 flight reduces the decision-making challenge.

A bit of advice: Start your Marathon Village marathon early. That way, you can indulge at a leisurely pace.

Robin Soslow, a writer and photographer based in the South, can be reached at rsoslow@gmail.com.

Source: Check out the hot neighborhood at the center of Nashville's cultural boom