NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — From restaurants and markets to shops and services, small businesses help give Nolensville Pike its identity. Now, a new grant program is offering some of those businesses money and extra exposure.
Conexión Américas, with support from Main Street America, is offering business improvement grants to qualifying small businesses along the Nolensville Pike corridor.
A total of $50,000 is expected to be distributed, with organizers hoping to support about 30 businesses between Casa Azafrán and Harding Place.
Businesses can receive support in several areas:
- Storefront improvements: up to $3,000
- Signs and signage: up to $2,000
- Marketing and advertising: up to $1,000
- Digital promotion: up to $500
The goal is not only to improve the way businesses look, but also to help attract customers and preserve the character of one of Nashville's most diverse corridors.
“The corridor of Nolensville Pike speaks the diversity of the city,” said Martha Silva, co-executive director of Conexión Américas. “It is the flavors, the colors, the diversity, the different cultures.”
Conexión Américas has long worked with Nashville's Latino community and says its mission includes helping families achieve greater financial stability and strengthening their sense of community.
The assistance comes as small-business owners continue dealing with high operating costs and staffing challenges. For some immigrant-owned businesses along Nolensville Pike, community leaders say immigration enforcement and the fear surrounding it have created additional pressure.
That impact was evident last year, in May 2025, when NewsChannel 5 spoke with the owner of El Cubilete following a major immigration enforcement operation in Davidson County.
“La comunidad está asustada,” the owner said at the time, which translates to, “The community is scared.”
The owner told NewsChannel 5 last year that the restaurant had seen sales fall by about 40% following the enforcement activity.
The May 2025 operation resulted in 196 people being arrested by ICE during a coordinated effort with the Tennessee Highway Patrol involving nearly 600 traffic stops, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Content creator Anas Saba said those concerns affected several restaurants.
“Difficulty keeping people staffed. People are afraid to leave their homes. So you have customers aren't going out as much,” Saba said.
For Saba, helping businesses along Nolensville Pike is personal.
The Nashville content creator has built a following by highlighting immigrant-owned restaurants, particularly in South Nashville. He's also the child of immigrants and grew up with a family business in the area.
“I'm a child of immigrants and my family business growing up was in this area,” Saba said.
Now, he's using the platform he's built to help promote businesses participating in the new effort.
Saba said social media exposure can sometimes provide exactly what a restaurant needs to turn someone unfamiliar with the business into a potential regular.
“Sometimes that's all restaurants need is just that little boost to get new people in the door,” Saba said. “And then once they're in there and they love their experience there and they come back.”
For organizers, the effort is also about preserving the businesses and cultures that have helped define Nolensville Pike even as Nashville continues to grow and change.
Silva said Conexión Américas wants “to preserve as much as possible those local immigrant-owned businesses.”
Businesses can apply through the Conexión Américas website. The application deadline is Nov. 20.
The grants are focused on qualifying businesses along Nolensville Pike between Casa Azafrán and Harding Place.
Main Street America is also partnering with other Nashville organizations on efforts supporting businesses along Jefferson Street and Gallatin Pike.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@NewsChannel5.com
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