NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Downtown Nashville is saying goodbye to something that helped change the look of our city. Yes, the iconic Jack's Bar-B-Que sign was taken down Tuesday morning. Today, bright signs light up downtown, though it hasn't always been that way.
"It's kinda sad, and it's bittersweet," said artist Ron Sweeney, waiting for the sign to come down Tuesday morning. "To me, it's not the turning of a page, it's the closing of a chapter, but then there's another book."
Sweeney created several signs and murals on Broadway. He's worked on signs for Legends Corner and Layla's. The Jack's sign is not one of his originals, but he's repainted it a few times.
"I like 'em lookin good!" he smiled.
Sweeney was downtown with a loyal friend, owner of Jack's Bar-B-Que Jack Cawthon. Sweeney created a billboard for the Cawthon's Caterer business in about 1985.
"I love Jack," Sweeney nodded. "He's been a longtime friend."
Let's go back to March 1997. It was a very different downtown. Planet Hollywood had recently introduced a rotating planet sign, causing some debate over whether that was in keeping with the character of Broadway. Cawthon wanted a bold sign for his restaurant.
"There was one particular councilman that said the day he had a neon sign that hung that far over the sidewalk, that'd be the day pigs fly!" Sweeney remembered. "That gave Jack the idea to have pigs flying [on the sign]."
A lot happened over the next 28 years. Cawthon is today a survivor of head and neck cancer. His sign has been surrounded by a lot of neon added over the years.
"Well, the sign started it all," Cawthon said. "The sign opened up the floodgates."
Cawthon's sold his downtown building to the neighboring Robert's Western World. There are still two other Jack's locations. The downtown one was having its sign removed by Joslin Sign Company. The next plan for it isn't certain yet.
"Broadway is neon-friendly, and it always will be," Cawthon said.
"I would hope it goes on a little tour of the city, and it goes on display in a couple different places," Sweeney said. "I hope it allows people to understand the history of the sign and how it started the neon on Broadway."
Thinking back to 1997, Cawthon said life gives these full circle moments.
"I wore the same hat 30 years ago!" he smiled, thinking back to the 1997 arrival of the sign.
"Things change," Sweeney said. "All things have a season, and it's had its season."
For more than 28 years, pigs flew on Broadway.
"They sure did, and we helped 'em get along!" Sweeney smiled.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
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