After 51 years of providing the community of Nashville with unforgettable concerts, the famed EXIT/IN venue is closing its doors this Thanksgiving. Current owners Chris and Telisha Cobb released a statement earlier today announcing that they are not renewing their lease. Instead, the property will be purchased by the development firm AJ Capital Partners. While the venue’s history and local zoning laws will prevent the complete destruction of the building that holds the EXIT/IN, the venue’s future is unpredictable.
The Cobbs and their loyal fans did not go down without a fight. Through a GoFundMe set up by the owners, they were able to raise $200,000 to keep the venue independent, but AJ Capital refused to sell. With the recent influx of new citizens moving into the Nashville area, large companies like Live Nation have been purchasing small stakes in the live music scene in the city, including an investment in Tennessee’s most popular music festival Bonnaroo. This recent uptick in large companies moving in and purchasing stakes in the live music scene of Nashville has fans of the proudly independent EXIT/IN worried about the venue’s future.
EXIT/IN refuses to go down gracefully and instead has set up a string of going-away shows that span the history of the venue. Artists like Emmylou Harris, Lilly Hiatt with Adia Victoria, JEFF The Brotherhood, and two reunion shows from local favorites Diarrhea Planet are set to send off the venue with a bang.
Read the full statement from the Cobbs below:
