Nashville honky-tonks reveal how much they're raking in

If you've ever been on a sidewalk on Lower Broadway on a Saturday night, you know what it's like to feel squished.

With all those throngs of tourists and music lovers, you have to wonder: Just how much money do honky-tonks make?

The Tennessean spent the last month interviewing the eclectic group of honky-tonk owners whose businesses are the backbone of Nashville’s booming leisure tourism industry and who, for the first time, revealed the extent to which they are cashing in. As tens of thousands of tourists descend next week upon Music City for the CMA Music Festival, Nashville's one-of-a-kind honky-tonk business has never been better.

More: How Nashville's honky-tonk barons created an empire

Here's how a few of your favorites are doing, according to their owners and operators. These numbers help tell the story of the city's soaring hospitality industry, which last year drew a record 14.5 million visitors.

Tootsie's Orchid Lounge

Steve Smith and his partner purchased Tootsie's for less than $10,000 in the early 1990s. The investment has paid off. Back then, Tootsie's averaged $500 a day in sales. These days, the honky-tonk, which celebrated its 57th birthday last year, sells close to 11,000 beers on a busy Saturday night.

Honky Tonk Central

Smith's largest venue, Honky Tonk Central raked in $20 million in revenue last year.

Acme Feed & Seed

Restaurateur Tom Morales and partners invested $6 million to rehab the Acme historic building on the corner of Broadway and First Avenue. Four years after opening, Acme is making $20 million a year in revenue with 25,000 customers a week.

Margaritaville

Margaritaville has seen revenue skyrocket to about $12 million, up around 1,000 percent from nine years ago.

Whiskey Bent Saloon

Whiskey Bent Saloon, which is one of the smaller clubs on Lower Broadway, brought in $3.5 million in revenue last year.