Club Baron

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Club Baron was a nightclub in Nashville, Tennessee. Built in 1955 on Jefferson Street, an African-American business district, it was owned by local pharmacist Jackson H. Brown. The club hosted famous performers like Jimi Hendrix, Ray Charles, and Joe Henderson, and most of its customers came from nearby colleges such as Fisk University, Tennessee State University, and Meharry Medical College.

After its peak, Club Baron became Elks Lodge #1102 and survived attempts to demolish it in the 2010s. Over time the building fell into disrepair because of neglect and storm damage, raising worries that it would be torn down. The structure had housed the Elks Lodge since the 1960s and showed serious problems like a falling roof and water damage, earning a spot on Historic Nashville, Inc.’s endangered properties list. With Jefferson Street losing many historic landmarks, there was concern the club would be destroyed.

Change began when Butch Spyridon, CEO of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp., stepped in. He raised more than $300,000 through personal outreach and online campaigns to fund essential repairs. The roof and awning were fixed, and electrical and plumbing issues were addressed, with the goal of saving the building and restoring it as a community space.