Pangaea

Pangaea is a Nashville boutique that has spent twenty-six years solidifying its position as one of the most venerated establishments in the highly popular neighborhood of Hillsboro Village. Located on 21st Avenue in the heart of what many call “The Village,” the locally owned Pangaea has become one of the few staples of the rapidly changing (and increasingly expensive) neighborhood. Since its opening in 1987, Pangaea has sold women’s clothing and accessories, books, jewelry, Mexican folk art, home decor, toys, and a vast assortment of other unique and often quirky offerings. The extremely colorful and somewhat chaotic shop is packed to the brim with this wide array of goods. Though the majority of the stock is an ever-evolving mixture of items, some products have become permanent signatures of the store. Examples of these include miniature Day of the Dead sculptures, resin Buddhas, and naked doll charms. Pangaea’s website states that the shop is a “reflection of the owner’s and buyer’s tastes and travels,” with a majority of the goods originating from Mexico, South America, Asia, and India.

Hillsborro Village is directly adjacent to the campus of Vanderbilt University and only a few blocks away from Belmont University, an asset that has contributed significantly to the success of the businesses situated here. Nashville began experiencing a growth spurt around 2000, since when the population of the city has increased from approximately 545,000 to 655,000. As the contemporary “hipster” subculture developed during this time, the boutiques and coffee shops on 21st Avenue became favorites of the quickly emerging social group. Though Pangaea’s distinctive and somewhat strange offerings made it initially popular among young Nashville hipsters, the shop also began selling clothing brands and other goods directly targeting this group. These include items such as pageboy hats, wayfarer sunglasses, and replica vintage leather jackets. As other establishments did the same, Hillsboro Village continued to be one of the strongest areas economically for businesses, the majority of which were locally owned.

However, as the neighborhood’s popularity has increased, so too have pressures from the real estate and development sector. Rising rent prices have forced several of the area’s establishments, including some that had been open for more than twenty years, to close their doors. Various restaurants and boutiques open and close in the neighborhood every year, each taking a turn at trying to make it in Hillsboro Village. Despite the area’s favorable location, rent at a price tag as high as $12,000 a month makes establishing a successful independent business extremely difficult. As a result, many of the area’s distinctive brick storefronts have been torn down and replaced with staid complexes that house high-end specialty shops owned by larger corporations or high-priced chain restaurants. Several buildings no longer have occupants. Many believe these developments have caused Hillsborro Village to lose much of its gestalt, or charm. However, there are several venerated local shops and restaurants still in business, as Pangaea demonstrates. Time will tell if the neighborhood can stabilize and reclaim a new sense of identity.