Rocket Fizz and Printers Alley

There it was. On the corner of 2nd Avenue and Church in Nashville. Billed as a "one stop shop for all your soda pop and candy cravings"--Rocket Fizz.

I went straight to the soda cooler to look for a Nehi orange. Not finding one, I settled for an orange Crush. With manager's OK, I worked on my soda as I walked around the small shop.

I said "small," but from the second floor, the shop looked much larger.

I think every super hero was represented in the posters and signs found on the second floor. I know that I've watched too many episodes of American Pickers, because I started wondering about the "finds" these posters might represent.

But given that there are some four dozen Rocket Fizz franchises around the country, I have to believe that these concert posters are all reproductions. Very interesting, though.

I finished my soda and began my search on the first floor for the candy and soda. The taffy looked very inviting, but I was set on discovering the soda varieties available.

I was looking for unusual sodas, i.e., ones with which I was unfamiliar. Well, Lester's Fixins varieties of soda went to the head of that class.

Bacon soda, Sweet Corn soda, and PB&J soda.... I'm at a loss for words.

It was a short walk to Printers Alley.

Printer's Alley takes its name from its early connection with Nashville's printing and publishing industry, which had been located in the immediate area. The alley also became the center of the city's nightlife and serviced the hotels, restaurants, and saloons fronting on Fourth Avenue, which was known as the Men's Quarter in the late nineteenth century.

Nightclubs opened here in the 1940s, and the alley became a showcase for the talents of performers such as Chet Atkins, Waylon Jennings, and Hank Williams. This historic district's architecture includes elegant late Victorian styles.

We close our walk around Nashville's downtown with a few photos of the lighter side of activity.

The Pedal Tavern

The Nashville Party Barge

The Redneck Comedy Bus Tour

But there's still time for one more meal before leaving Music City.