Jim Myers

USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee

When doors open April 1 at The Mainstay, the renovated space at 501 Main Street in East Nashville, the owners hope to stem the tide of failed ventures at that location. Opting for a more casual "farm-to-sports-bar, elevated bar food" vibe instead of fine dining, they plan to capture more diners in an area that is being dubbed the "Lower Gallatin Corridor."

Owners Manny Hatz (Jets Pizza, Feast) and Josiah Johnson (Rosepepper Cantina) are counting on residential growth in the area as an opportunity to connect more with the community.

The kitchen will be the domain of Falon Smith, whose previous experience includes stints at Demos' in Hendersonville, Cafe Fontanella and Cafe Fundamental. Most recently, she was the executive chef at Vine, the last restaurant to occupy The Mainstay space until its abrupt close last May. Smith saw firsthand the challenges of upscale dining, and is the driving force to make this second chance more approachable and affordable.

Supporting the sports bar ethos, the site will have more than 20 television sets, as well as outdoor seating and 90 highly-coveted free parking spaces. The Mainstay also promises an over-the-top signature bloody mary, "garnished with olives, sliders, onion rings, a smaller bloody mary, and actual sparklers," which must mean the sparklers are actually lit.

The corner location originally opened as Allium before re-branding as Germantown Cafe East. That closed after the tragic death of restaurateur Jay Luther in 2012. Under new ownership it became Feast, where Mainstay co-owner Hatz tried to revive the fortunes of the space, but then closed and became Vine, which came to an abrupt end, leaving the space vacant for the last 11 months.

Reach Jim Myers atjtmyers@tennessean.com or 615-259-8367, on Instagram@culinarityand on Twitter@ReadJimMyers.