51 North Taproom in Nashville's Nations neighborhood will pour its last pints on Dec. 13, closing the book on a nearly decade-old neighborhood bar that owner Will Shuff says never fully bounced back from the pandemic. The announcement comes just months after Shuff and co-owner Jamy Borda shut down their other longtime spot, 12 South Taproom, ending a run that stretched back two decades.
Shuff opened 51 North Taproom in The Nations in 2017, according to NewsChannel 5, building on the momentum of 12 South Taproom, which Shuff said grew out of simple enthusiasm: “It was just kind of a passion. I love beer and cooking.” That earlier business started as 12 South Market and Deli in 2003 before transitioning into the taproom in 2006, per Nashville Scene, which also notes that Shuff co-owns the businesses with Jamy Borda.
A Lease That No Longer Pencils Out
Shuff told the station that 51 North's lease is ending at the end of the year, and that the math simply doesn't work anymore. “Our lease is coming to an end at the end of the year. And now we just can't afford it,” he said, according to the same NewsChannel 5 report. He pointed to a steady climb in overhead across the board — “Food, repairs, labor, and rent all cost more” — as the costs that finally pushed the business past the point of sustainability.
The station's report also notes that Shuff said the business never fully recovered from the pandemic, even though Paycheck Protection Program funding had helped keep it afloat and retain most of its staff during the worst of it. By his account, the cost of simply keeping the lights on at 51 North kept climbing in the years since, eventually outpacing what the taproom could bring in.
Second Closure of the Year for the Same Owners
The shutdown marks the second restaurant Shuff and Borda have closed this year, according to the Nashville Business Journal. Their 12 South Taproom served burgers, quesadillas and drinks to the neighborhood for 20 years before closing in May, a run NewsChannel 5 described as part of what helped shape Nashville's craft beer scene alongside 51 North. Shuff has asked customers to stop by during the taproom's final months and consider gift cards or merchandise as holiday gifts, while reflecting that small businesses are part of what makes a town feel unique.
Notably, 51 North Taproom's own events page still lists activities after the announced closing date, including a Jeopardy Bar League event on Dec. 23, according to the taproom's website. It is unclear whether those listings are outdated or reflect a change in plans.
Part of a Broader Wave of Nashville Closures
Wheatley's count of locally owned Nashville-area restaurant closures in 2026 was pushed past 30 by the latest round of closures, including 51 North's announcement, as reported by WKRN. In the span of a single day, at least three other closures were announced alongside 51 North's: Judge Bean's BBQ, the General Jackson Showboat and Deacon's New South. Judge Bean's BBQ in Brentwood is set to close Nov. 14, and West Nashville sushi spot Punk Wok said it planned to close after dinner service on Oct. 25, though WKRN noted that date could still change.
Wheatley attributed much of the pain to property tax increases of 300% to 500% hitting some downtown businesses, costs that get passed straight to tenants through triple-net leases. “These property tax increases, they hit the tenants directly and immediately,” she said, per the same WKRN report. Rising diesel prices pushing up food costs, parking headaches and plain old restaurant saturation have compounded the squeeze.
Costs Outpacing a Rebounding Craft Beer Market
A previous Tennessean analysis found that locally owned businesses made up 73% of Nashville restaurants and coffee shops that closed in 2026, a figure cited in the outlet's reporting on the city's closures. Other recent casualties tied to leases and operating costs include Varallo's, which closed after 119 years citing failed property-management negotiations along with higher rent and property taxes, and the SOUL Restaurant's Charlotte Pike location, which cited rising operating costs and steep property tax increases. Margot Café & Bar and Dalt's have also closed. Pelican & Pig, Barbara's Home Cooking, and the Melting Pot have all closed amid similar pressures. SupperClub's building lease ended, and the restaurant's final service was Jan. 4, 2026.
The squeeze on Nashville operators is striking given that craft beer demand itself isn't fading nationally. Monthly craft-beer consumption among craft drinkers climbed to 85% in 2026, the highest level since 2019-2020 and up 10 percentage points from the prior year, according to the Brewers Association. Craft drinkers also reported visiting breweries an average of 5.5 times over the past year, up from 5.1 the year before, even as monthly consumption among the general population dipped slightly to 28%. For 51 North, though, rising rent and operating costs proved to be the deciding factor, regardless of broader industry appetite.
