Mulehouse Closing In On Opening
• Back in July RAMP first told you that veteran Country radio personality Blair Garner and his husband Eric had bought a 55,500 square-foot former Baptist church in Columbia, TN, about 40 minutes south of Nashville and are in the process of turning it into a modern entertainment and special events venue. Since Columbia’s nickname is “Muletown” (it was once the mule-trading capital of the world, don’t you know), they christened the joint “The Mulehouse,” and it’s slated to formally open in Spring 2021. Here is an artist’s rendering of the completed building.
The Mulehouse’s state-of-the-art technology will allow artist and fan interaction in real-time during performances, and the building will also house a full-service studio for artists to do live radio and satellite interviews.
Garner said, “The technology surrounding any concert event of today would’ve been considered fantasy only a few short years ago. We aspire to be the first independent venue that not only incorporates those advancements into our design, but to serve as an example of what like-minded industry professionals can achieve when all involved work with a fresh pair of eyes.” Once the theater is completed, Phase Two begins — the addition of an upscale restaurant and bar and a 35-room boutique hotel, slated for 2022.
To properly chronicle the development of The Mulehouse, Garner has produced a 10-part digital miniseries titled From Dream to Reality: The Making of the Mulehouse. The first episode premiered October 8 on the venue’s YouTube channel and social media accounts. Guests on the series include gold-selling country music duo (and Columbia residents) High Valley (Brad and Curtis Rempel), whose music was first played on the radio by Garner 10 years ago. In this episode, High Valley played an acoustic set during a socially-distanced, ceremonial groundbreaking with county leaders and local business owners in attendance.
During the event, Garner (center) presented High Valley with a special plaque commemorating the Gold certification of their first Top 10 single, “She’s With Me.” The brothers continue their Country radio journey with their current Warner Music Nashville single, “Grew Up On That.” New episodes will be released every Thursday. Blair Garner can be contacted at Blair@TheMulehouse.com. [High Valley photo credit: Jon-Michael Schoeny]
