Brad Paisley and wife pledged $1 million for a free grocery store in 2024; it opened in 2026

In August 2024, country music star Brad Paisley and his wife, actor Kimberly Williams-Paisley, pledged the first $1 million towards a $5 million campaign to open a second location of their nonprofit grocery store in Nashville, Tennessee. The new site opened on January 14, 2026, at TriStar Centennial Medical Center, allowing eligible families to select groceries without paying. Reports by Southern Living, TriStar Health and local broadcaster WSMV document the expansion, which aims to help more people facing food insecurity while preserving their dignity and freedom of choice.The store, called The Store, was co-founded by the couple and first opened in March 2020 on the campus of Belmont University, Paisley’s alma mater. Unlike a conventional food pantry, where people may receive pre-packed food boxes, it operates like a grocery store. Referred families can choose from fresh produce, meat, dairy products and pantry staples according to their needs and dietary preferences.The model is designed to make receiving food assistance feel less like accepting a handout and more like an ordinary shopping experience. The organisation works through referrals from nonprofit and government agencie...