Hillsboro Village eatery offers tasty meals in an inviting environment

Photography by Warner Tidwell

Located in historic and bustling Hillsboro Village, the fast-casual eatery Greenery Co. offers healthy meals on the go or in a warm and inviting environment., founded by sisters and co-owners Caroline Gaston and Whitney Abblitt, both Vanderbilt University graduates who are passionate about the Nashville restaurant scene.

“We are excited to bring fresh, delicious, and balanced food to Hillsboro Village and those in Nashville,” says Gaston. “We want to take care of our neighbors and contribute in a way that allows those working at the hospital to easily access and enjoy meals that are nourishing and satisfying. These hard-working people are an integral part of our community, and we want to be there for them in whatever way we can.”

Greenery Co.’s interior offers the comfort of classic Southern charm coupled with unique modern touches for fast and friendly dining. Each design element draws inspiration from residential interiors, in an effort to create a warm and welcoming experience for guests. Designed by local interior designer Sarah Bartholomew and local design studio Powell Architecture + Building, the light-filled space is outfitted with a neutral color palette with soft blue and green tones, beautiful fabrics, accompanied by gold and brass details, rattan accents, and hand-drawn illustrations. The inviting 3,500-square-foot space also features seating vignettes, tables and additional pieces in the dining room crafted by local furniture designers Holler Design and Mesa Designs, as well as a hand-painted mural by local artist Maggie Sanger at the restaurant’s entrance featuring the restaurant’s logo.

The Greenery Co. menu, developed by culinary consultant Chef Barclay Stratton, features a thoughtful selection of nutritious and locally-sourced salads, bowls, and snacks, as well as a variety of nonalcoholic drinks.

A Commitment to Their Community

Gaston returned to Nashville in 2018 after graduating from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City with a certificate in Entrepreneurship and Culinary Management. She developed Greenery Co. along with Abblitt, whose background is in finance, with a desire to fill a gap in the Nashville market where they saw a need for fresh, fast, and healthy meals.

Gaston and Abblitt have both worked in a variety of professional fields, and through these past experiences have seen firsthand the negative impact of lacking strong leadership and supportive employers. As employers, their priority is to develop a workplace that will create new and unique opportunities for their team members and to foster a healthy work environment by focusing on creating a culture that supports employees’ personal and professional development as well as educational and career aspirations.

“One of our core values is making sure we’re consciously and consistently making an effort to invest in our people. Their professional and personal development is important to us, and we want them to be proud of where they work,” explains Abblitt. “For example, we plan to have a monthly series of guest speakers for our staff that would cover topics such as personal finance skills, customer service management, and enhanced food safety education. Caroline and I have both had past experiences of facing adversity in the workplace and feeling unsupported by employers, so we want to break that cycle and become a resource to our staff no matter what they need. We see this as an opportunity to create a positive atmosphere for our teammates from day one.”

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