Hail, Dark Aesthetics

What a cool place. My husband loves weird and unusual things and this place fit the bill. From the other oddity stores we have visited, the prices at Hail are VERY reasonable. Do yourself a favor and take a trip out to East Nashville and visit Hail.
You won’t be disappointed and you may even come home with a Hippo skull!

This place is THE BOMB. They have awesome stuff! The entire aesthetic of the store is authentically dark. Being a secret lover of taxidermy, they had quite the unique selection. My brother and I were in here for over an hour just looking at all the cool trinkets. It is a bit on the expensive side, but it’s high quality stuff. You’re getting what you pay for, especially since majority of the stuff is handmade by local artists. If you’re in the Nashville area, I suggest stopping by here just to get a kick out of the curiosities they have to offer. I promise you’ll leave with a sense of wonder ;)

I really enjoy unusual things or places, and this caught my eye as I was driving down Gallatin last weekend. My curiosity piqued, I stopped in on my way home.
The place is pretty open, and looks like a cross between an old attic and a mad scientist’s laboratory. If you love taxidermy, some of it a little bit creepier and weirder than your average stuffed deer head, look no further! They’ve got it all! There are also jars of fetal pigs and what I think was a fetal goat, but I really couldn’t tell. The harlequin fetuses in jars were the best, I thought. I was also fascinated by all the old dental tools and molds they had in a case. Skeletons are popular here, with several on the wall and different models and authentic skeletons alike are seen throughout the store. Be warned, most of that cool and creepy stuff isn’t cheap, so maybe not the best choice for next year’s Halloween décor.
They’ve also got a section of vintage clothing, and a smattering of metal and other music of the darker persuasion on vinyl. I noticed some jewelry in one corner as well.
And, if you’ve always wanted your own confession booth, you’re in luck, because they’ve got one!

Really rad store located in East Nashville. Lots of great and affordable taxidermy, wet specimens, art, jewelry, candles, etc! Friendly owners. I hope this place sticks around for a very long time!

There’s a full skeletal spine peaking out the door. It’s hazy. A little bit like an attic on the ground floor. A wall lined with some nicely executed taxidermy pieces. My favorites include the raccoon rump and the on-​looking squirrel. If I could have splurged… either would be the start to an amazing collection, but no. Taxidermy isn’t in my scope of interests. Maybe it should? The unicorn, baboon, and jackalope are equally worthwhile.
My love holds in skeletons, bones, and things in murky jars. All of which Hail, DA doesn’t disappoint. Boney dream catchers to Victorian hair wreaths all of which are gorgeous. They have a small dental collection and dermatology slides. Their collection also has a few neat gaffs and inspired clothing that fits their aesthetic. The staff seems stylish and young too.
My only lament is the price on a few items makes me wonder if they’re really that rare. Granted I’d happily be fine with a majority of their askings, but a few items made me laugh at how seemingly overpriced they were, mostly animal skulls of the common variety or things I’d have spotted and purchased at similar markets for ¹⁄₈^th the price shown here. To sum it up, the unique pieces are probably worth it, but if you’re like me just collecting bones in boxes… keep memo of your inventory. The easier to acquire items are worth shopping around for.
I don’t know much about their previous location, but they seem to have done very well in creating an atmosphere all their own in this new space. Anytime I’m in Nashville, I’ll be sure to stop in.