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A Whole Lot of Cats and One Lone Wolfe Draw a Big Crowd in Nashville
by Rich and Laura Lynch
On April 26, 2025, there were a lot of events taking place in town. One of the most newsworthy was that Antique Archaeology of American Pickers fame would be closing their Nashville, Tennessee location and of special interest to us was a Spring Craft Fair hosted by The Catio.
American Pickers star Mike Wolfe said goodbye to fans and Antique Archaeology in Nashville.
"After nearly 15 amazing years, we’ve made the tough decision to close the doors of our Antique Archaeology store here in Music City," Mike Wolfe said. Adding that "this place has meant the world to me — not just the brick and mortar, but the people. The community. The visitors from all over the world who came through those doors, shared their stories, and reminded me every day why I started this journey in the first place." To say thanks to Nashville, Mike was on location to sign autographs and say goodbye.
We got to Antique Archaeology in the afternoon and there were three lines running through the aisles of the store to speak with Mike. People were also doing some picking of their own scooping up Antique Archaeolgy swag or pieces that they had seen on the show.
This guy said hello to many potential adopters; there were a lot of cat themed and vintage items for sale at the Catio Spring Fair in the Music Valley.
American Pickers is a reality television production that premiered on January 18, 2010, on the History Channel. In the series, founder Mike Wolfe and a co-host (originally Frank Fritz until 2022), traveled around the United States in search of rare Americana artifacts that they wheeled and dealed for so they could add interesting items to their own collections or sell.
Although the loss of Antique Archaeology is disappointing the unique location that it was housed in is still a worthwhile destination for locals and tourists. What started as a reverence for the history of Marathon Motors Works transformed into a vision for Marathon Village, a place dedicated to creativity, community, and the cars that built it. In addition to historic machinery Marathon Village has plenty of exceptional stores to explore that offer clothes, jewelry, leather, Music City souvenirs, specialty foods, sprits, and more.
However, there are other cool sections of town that offer one-of-a-kind items too. A few miles outside of downtown Nashville is the Music Valley Village. It is located behind Cracker Barrel on Music Valley Drive directly across from Gaylord Opryland Resort. Within this strip mall, there are many unique merchants and live music venues. Plus, one of our favorite spots The Catio who was hosting the aforementioned Spring Craft Fair.
The Catio event had a diverse range of vendors with a number of them selling cat themed items. There was art, clothes, crafts, drinks, pet supplies, along with a number of DYI stands. At the Spring Fair we meet folks from Hands On who connect people with volunteer opportunities in the community. Also of interest was Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) who was giving out free items and letting people know about their 24/7 emergency care office located at 207 Stones River Mall Blvd in nearby Murfreesboro, Tennessee. We picked up some delicious baked goods from Sourdough Bakehouse and were impressed with the artwork of Anna Stanfill and Mikayla Osgood among others.
Fans had one last chance to go behind the scenes of American Pickers at North Gulch adjacent Marathon Village complex in Nashville.
The Catio Cat Lounge is an adoption center with a lot of heart and soul. This non-profit 501(c)(3) is dedicated to finding cats and kittens forever homes along with providing a safe home for special needs animals. The Catio has a number of large open spaces for the felines to roam and socialize. The rooms are full of beds, cat trees, engaging toys and food/water bowls. Throughout the year The Catio host events such as the Spring Fair to raise awareness and funds for their important work.
Some of our favorite shops near The Catio are the Music Valley Antiques & Marketplace which has over 6,000 square feet of antique, vintage, and curated goods from up to 50 vendor booths. Vinterest is our go to place for local honey plus they have a great selection of décor, gourmet foods and records. Duckies, Candles and Friends sells homemade soaps and scented candles along with a curiously compelling collection of rubber duckies both large and small.
Wicked Ollie's Vintage is a vintage clothing store and museum where you can see stage wear worn by famous country artists including Loretta Lynn and Porter Wagoner. Step inside the ‘Green Hornet,’ a 1960s tour bus once owned by Country Music Hall of Fame Member Ernest Tubb. All for free! Also of interest is Dashwood for Mid-century Modern furniture and Boho décor. At Jae’s Gem Mine folks can mine a bucket of ore through their flumes, crack a geode, or just enjoy their amazing collection of crystals from around the globe.
Although Antique Archaeology may now be part of Nashville’s history there are still plenty of great places to shop in the region plus The Catio offers fun opportunities to interact with cats and perhaps one or more will win you heart and be a lifetime keepsake and companion. Then, you'll have an excuse to keep shopping all over the Nashville region in search of unique items to keep you and your new friend entertained.
Food, fun and furry felines - what more could you ask for on a warm spring day in the 615.
Related Links:
For more information on THE CATIO and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -
The Catio |
Antique Archaeology |
Marathon Village |
Everything Is Just Ducky Over in the Music Valley |
The Music Valley Village Has a Lot to Offer Both Tourists and Locals Alike in Nashville, Tennessee |
Thankful Once Again for The Catio in Nashville |
Country Superstar Ronnie McDowell Opens the Troubadour VIP Lounge in the Music Valley
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