As celebrities in their own right, Brad and Kimberly Paisley wanted to give their two children, Huck and Jasper, a “broader perspective” on life. To achieve this, the family began volunteering together, which eventually brought them to Unity Shoppe, a free grocery store in California.

Brad and Kimberly were deeply inspired by the impact of Unity Shoppe and felt that Nashville could benefit from a similar resource. That vision led to the creation of The Store. It officially opened its doors on March 12, 2020, located on Belmont University’s campus. This came just 10 days after one of the worst tornadoes in the history of Music City and the state of Tennessee.

In response to the disaster, The Store quickly adapted its operations to support displaced residents. However, only four days after opening, Tennessee issued a stay-at-home mandate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a swift pivot, The Store implemented curbside pickup and porch delivery to continue serving the community while ensuring everyone’s safety.

In its first year, The Store provided 1.2-1.3 million meals to their community.

The Store finally began operating as originally intended in July 2021. With inflation and rising housing costs across the country, the need has likely grown even more. The Store has already made a significant impact on the community and is expanding at such a rapid pace that they announced the opening of a second location on August 28!

The new location is on the Tristar Centennial Medical Center campus and will help The Store reach their goal of doubling the number of families they serve. Between the two locations, The Store will help over 2,000 families facing food insecurity.

The Paisleys have every reason to be proud of the incredible work they’re doing for their community!