Keith Weaver, owner of world's longest bar Humble Baron, has big plans for Shelbyville

Melonee Hurt, Nashville Tennessean
·3 min read
Nearest Green co-founder Keith Weaver, top right, speaks with guests at the distillery’s restaurant and bar, Humble Baron, during a holiday party Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.
Nearest Green co-founder Keith Weaver, top right, speaks with guests at the distillery’s restaurant and bar, Humble Baron, during a holiday party Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.

As Keith Weaver — the former Sony Entertainment Pictures executive and the brains behind Nearest Green Distillery along with his wife, Fawn — prepares to celebrate the one-year anniversary of their Humble Baron restaurant and bar, it's just the start of the plans he has for his newly adopted hometown of Shelbyville.

Weaver has launched Nashwood Entertainment, a new real estate and hospitality company based in Shelbyville that is fueled by the same big dreams that allowed Nearest Green to become what Weaver says is one of the most-visited distilleries in the world.

Through Nashwood, Weaver has plans to invest $100 million into Shelbyville and Bedford County including rehabilitating several downtown buildings, adding a top-tier hotel, elevated food and beverage options and possibly a Bonnaroo-style music festival.

"We want to think about entertainment, hospitality and real estate in a very dynamic way," Weaver told The Tennessean. "If I could do a music festival here, that’s really great, but how are people coming? How are they mapping out their day? If you came here for an evening concert, maybe you don’t want to drive home. Maybe you want to relax and sit by a fire and stay here? That’s something I’m squarely focused on."

Nearest Green co-founders Keith and Fawn Weaver are photographed at the distillery’s restaurant and bar, Humble Baron, during a holiday party Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.
Nearest Green co-founders Keith and Fawn Weaver are photographed at the distillery’s restaurant and bar, Humble Baron, during a holiday party Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.

The Nearest Green property alone is 450 acres, which Weaver said can house 15,000 guests for a festival.

"This would be the place to have a music festival with Coachella or Bonnaroo vibes," he said. "You can't do that just anywhere."

He said plans for an elevated hotel, including location and aesthetics, are being finalized.

"I know it will be consistent with how we've developed the Uncle Nearest brand, Nearest Green the distillery and Humble Baron the bar," he said. "As with all of our other projects, there will be a high level of execution."

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As for downtown Shelbyville, Nashwood has purchased several properties that Weaver said have a sense of presence and history, but are also in need of some refurbishment and could house multi-tenant uses.

"The U.S. Bank building for example, it needs a lot of work, even in all its grandeur," Weaver said. "Same goes for the Shelbyville Times-Gazette building. It's a really great beacon of past journalistic activity, but the building itself looks kind of sad. And I'm being nice. This community is really special, so let's have a place to house different types of businesses in this space. I'm bullish about how great this community is and how that continues to grow."

Nearest Green co-founder Keith Weaver is photographed at the distillery’s restaurant and bar, Humble Baron, during a holiday party Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.
Nearest Green co-founder Keith Weaver is photographed at the distillery’s restaurant and bar, Humble Baron, during a holiday party Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.

Weaver credited the Shelbyville/Bedford County economic development team as well as the area's elected officials with fostering productive growth of the area.

"There’s so much here, and the opportunities aren’t just theoretical. We have things that are funded," Weaver said. "They are coming. To be a part of that conversation is really special. These investments just make sense to me, and they will to the public as well."

Humble Baron beverage director DeAndre Jackson prepares a cocktail at the new Humble Baron bar restaurant at Nearest Green Distillery Monday, March 13, 2023, in Shelbyville, Tenn.
Humble Baron beverage director DeAndre Jackson prepares a cocktail at the new Humble Baron bar restaurant at Nearest Green Distillery Monday, March 13, 2023, in Shelbyville, Tenn.

Humble Baron celebrates anniversary with live music, global cocktail takeover

When it opened in March 2023, Humble Baron at Nearest Green Distillery had already been deemed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the Longest Bar in the World, clocking in at 518 feet. Now, the proprietors are preparing to celebrate its one-year anniversary.

Fresh off the heels of hosting performances by Eddie Vedder and Jelly Roll, the weekend of March 21-24 will have live performances by The War & Treaty (Friday) and Nappy Roots (Saturday) along with a global cocktail takeover with cocktails from some of the world's top mixologists.

For a complete schedule of events and details on the global cocktail takeover, visit humblebaron.com.

Melonee Hurt covers music and music business at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee. Reach Melonee at mhurt@tennessean.com, on X @HurtMelonee or Instagram at @MelHurtWrites.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Humble Baron owner Keith Weaver has big plans for Shelbyville