Imogene + Willie, the denim brand that helped turn 12South into a shopping destination, is doubling down on its home turf. The company is reworking the property around its flagship store to carve out new spaces for other shops and restaurants, expanding its presence on 12th Avenue South while slicing the rest of the site into smaller suites for retail and food operators. For locals who have watched the strip change over the years, it is another clear sign that the corridor is still very much in motion.
According to the Nashville Business Journal, Imogene + Willie plans to grow its footprint and add partner spaces for retailers and restaurants, with leadership stressing that the upgrade is meant to fit the neighborhood rather than steamroll it. "We want to create something that feels authentic to 12South and helps preserve what has made the neighborhood so special," the company’s CEO told the paper.
What’s changing at the 12th Avenue site
The work centers on the parcel that hosts the flagship at 2601 12th Ave S, a compact, commercially zoned lot in the middle of the 12South retail strip. Public commercial listings describe it as a sub‑half‑acre site that is the kind of footprint developers and brokers often break into multiple storefronts, according to LoopNet.
Imogene + Willie has built its identity out of that exact converted service station, which serves as the brand’s Nashville flagship. As described on Imogene + Willie, the shop opened in 2009 and continues to draw both residents and out-of-towners looking for made‑in‑USA denim and apparel.
12South's changing retail scene
The expansion comes amid broader churn along 12th Avenue, where landlords and developers have been reshaping small parcels to lure brand‑ready tenants. Local coverage has followed that steady turnover and the neighborhood debates that come with it, including the closing of long‑running restaurant Burger Up and other projects that have shifted the balance between independent operators and national names. Beloved Burger Up booted from 12South as chains move in captured some of the reactions from regulars and nearby residents.
Imogene + Willie has not released a public timeline for the construction work or named any future tenants, and the Nashville Business Journal reports that no firm opening date has been announced. For now, the next signals are expected to show up in local permitting and design‑review filings, which should spell out the size of the build‑out, parking plans and whether the team will seek any historic‑district waivers.
