CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Downtown Clarksville’s iconic Federal Building will soon be reopening as a new restaurant, according to the building’s owner.
Wes Cunningham, owner of Strawberry Alley Ale Works, told Clarksville Now that he purchased the historic building, located at the corner of Strawberry Alley and North Second Street, because he was excited about the growing downtown community.
“We’ve been opened up at Strawberry Alley for about three and a half years now, and we really love being part of downtown Clarksville,” Cunningham said. “We love being down there. Downtown revitalization has really picked up in recent years and it’s now, in our opinion, one of the best places to eat, shop, play and just enjoy time with friends and family.”
Cunningham said the building was originally built to be a post office in 1935 and was later repurposed as a federal office building in the 1960s. It entered private ownership in the 2000s, and has not been occupied since the mid-2010s.
A self-described “history nerd,” Cunningham said it was important to him to maintain the current identity of the Federal Building.
“It’s obviously a historic building, and very significant to the community. We are restricted on what we can change about the building, but we think that’s a good thing because it’s so beautiful and historic in its own right. We don’t want to change much about it. That building kind of speaks for itself,” Cunningham said.
He also said that the location was ideal, thanks to new and upcoming entertainment options in downtown Clarksville.
“The location is second to none with the Downtown Commons right across from our doorstep and the front doors of the new F&M Bank Arena just a few feet away,” Cunningham said.
The new restaurant is still in the planning stages, but Cunningham said he looks forward to announcing more details soon.