She Wanted Her Kids to See the World. Instead, They Built One That Changed It.

Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley looked at their two young sons and realized something uncomfortable.

Their boys lived in a bubble.

A safe one. A privileged one.

A world where groceries appeared, needs were met, and hunger was something you read about—not something you felt.

“We’ve got to get them into service,” Kimberly told Brad.

“Out of their bubble. So they understand there are hungry people in the world.”

So they took their kids to volunteer at a place in Santa Barbara called the Unity Shoppe.

They thought the lesson would be for the children.

It wasn’t.

The Moment Everything Changed

At the Unity Shoppe, families didn’t stand in lines.

They didn’t receive boxes of whatever someone else chose.

They shopped.

They pushed carts.

Picked their own food.

Chose what their children would eat.

And the kids?

They never knew anything was different.

That’s when it hit Brad.

“Most people don’t want handouts,” he said later.

“They want dignity. They want respect. They want a chance to get back on their feet.”

The Paisleys flew home to Nashville with one question echoing in their heads:

Why isn’t this everywhere?

Building a Grocery Store With Dignity

In October 2018, they announced a bold idea:

A free grocery store in Nashville that worked like a real one.

Not a food bank.

Not a charity line.

A store.

They called it The Store.

Belmont University donated land.

Architects donated designs.

The goal: raise $1.2 million and open in spring 2020.

Then Nashville was hit by a devastating tornado.

Then the world shut down.

Opening in the Worst Moment — On Purpose

March 12, 2020.

While the city was reeling from disaster and COVID-19 was closing everything else, The Store opened its doors.

They pivoted instantly:

Curbside pickup

Home delivery

Special care for elderly and vulnerable neighbors

For 17 months, they operated in crisis mode—because crisis was the reality.

What Makes The Store Different

To shop at The Store, families are referred through nonprofits or agencies.

Once approved, they can shop for a full year.

They choose:

Fresh produce

Meat and dairy

Pantry staples

They check out.

They leave with groceries—and dignity intact.

But food is just the beginning.

Through partnerships, The Store also provides:

Healthcare clinics

Legal aid

Cooking classes

Financial planning

Job training

Case management

During the holidays, parents shop a pop-up toy store—so kids still get presents.

This isn’t charity.

It’s a bridge.

From One Store to Many Lives

By 2024, The Store was serving about 1,000 families each year.

The need kept growing.

So in August 2024, Brad and Kimberly announced a second location at TriStar Centennial Medical Center in North Nashville—after hospital staff revealed they were buying food for patients out of their own pockets.

The model worked.

The dignity mattered.

So they expanded.

The Lesson That Lasted

Brad Paisley could’ve written checks.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley could’ve hosted fundraisers.

Instead, they built something that changed how help looks.

They wanted their kids to learn about service.

Instead, they learned something deeper themselves:

That hunger isn’t just about food.

That dignity can heal shame.

That people don’t need pity—they need a chance.

They asked,

“Why isn’t this everywhere?”

Then they built it anyway.

And because they did, thousands of families now shop like everyone else—heads held high, carts full, futures still possible.