“Mom, why don’t they just shop like us?”
That innocent question from their son stopped Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley cold.

They had wanted their kids to see the world.
Instead, they realized how small — and protected — their world really was.

Their boys had never known hunger.
Never stood in a line.
Never felt the quiet shame of needing help.

So Brad and Kimberly took them to volunteer at a food pantry.

That’s when everything broke open.

Families weren’t begging.
They weren’t lining up for leftovers.
They were shopping — pushing carts, choosing food, holding onto dignity.

And Brad understood something most people miss:

“People don’t want handouts.
They want respect.
They want a way back on their feet.”

That moment followed them home to Nashville.
And it wouldn’t let go.

So instead of writing checks…
Instead of hosting galas…

They built a grocery store for people who need help —
with aisles, carts, checkout lines, fresh food, and no shame.

Not a food bank.
Not a charity line.
A store.

They raised $1.2 million.
Then a tornado hit Nashville.
Then the world shut down.

And on March 12, 2020, when everything else was closing —
they opened anyway.

Curbside pickups.
Home deliveries.
Care for the elderly.
Seventeen months of crisis mode — because crisis was real.

By 2024, over 1,000 families a year were shopping with dignity.
Parents chose groceries.
Kids got toys at Christmas.
Families got healthcare, legal help, job training — not pity.

Then hospital staff admitted they were buying food for patients out of their own pockets.

So Brad and Kimberly did what they always do.

They expanded.

They once asked,
“Why isn’t this everywhere?”

So they stopped waiting for an answer…
and built it themselves.

They wanted their kids to see the world.
Instead, they changed it.

Full below in the comments 👇

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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—Huck and Jasper—and saw something that made them pause.

These boys had it good. Real good.

A big house in Nashville. A second home in California. Groceries that just showed up in the fridge. Needs met before they even asked. Hunger? That was something in stories or on the news—not something they ever felt in their bellies.

They were living in a bubble. A safe, shiny, privileged one.

“We’ve got to get them into service,” Kimberly told Brad one day. “Out of their bubble. So they understand there are hungry people in the world—real people, right here.”

Brad nodded. He’d grown up in West Virginia, not exactly rolling in it, but this was different. Their kids needed to see more.

So, during a Thanksgiving trip to Santa Barbara, they took the boys to volunteer at a place called the Unity Shoppe—a free “supermarket” that had been helping families for over a century.

They figured it’d be a good lesson for the kids.

It wasn’t.

The lesson was for them.

At Unity Shoppe, families didn’t line up for handouts.

They shopped.

Pushed real carts down aisles. Picked fresh produce, meat, dairy—the things their own kids would eat. Checked out like at any grocery store.

And the children? They had no idea anything was different. Parents could hold their heads high.

That’s when it hit Brad and Kimberly hard.

“Most people don’t want handouts,” Brad said later. “They want dignity. Respect. A chance to get back on their feet—not pity.”

On the flight home to Nashville, one question kept echoing:

Why isn’t this everywhere?

They couldn’t let it go.

In October 2018, they announced something bold: a free grocery store in Nashville. Not a food pantry with pre-packed boxes. A real store.

They called it The Store.

Belmont University—Brad’s alma mater—donated land right in the heart of the city. Architects gave their designs for free. The goal: raise $1.2 million and open in spring 2020.

Then life threw curveballs.

First, a devastating tornado ripped through Nashville in March 2020.

Then, COVID-19 shut the world down.

But on March 12, 2020—right in the middle of chaos—The Store opened its doors anyway.

They pivoted fast: curbside pickup, home deliveries, extra care for the elderly and vulnerable.

For 17 months, they ran in full crisis mode. Because crisis was the new normal.

And it worked.

What makes The Store different?

Families get referred by nonprofits or agencies. Once approved, they shop free for up to a year.

They choose: fresh fruits and veggies, quality meat and dairy, pantry staples—whatever their family actually needs.

No lines. No stigma. Just dignity.

But it’s more than food.

Through partnerships (including with Belmont University), they offer:

On-site healthcare clinics
Legal aid
Cooking and financial planning classes
Job training
Case management to help families toward self-sufficiency

During the holidays? A pop-up Toy Store—so parents can pick gifts their kids will love, wrapping them with pride.

This isn’t just charity.

It’s a bridge.

By 2024, The Store was serving hundreds of families weekly—delivering millions of meals since opening.

But the need kept growing. One in seven Middle Tennesseans faces food insecurity. Waitlists stretched long.

So in August 2024, Brad and Kimberly announced a second location—at TriStar Centennial Medical Center in North Nashville.

Why there? Hospital staff had been buying food for patients out of their own pockets. The need was real.

The new spot (nearly three times bigger) will include emergency clothing and even more space to serve.

They launched a $5 million campaign—kicking it off with their own $1 million.

As of late 2025, hunger in Nashville hit a 10-year high. Demand surged 40%. The waitlist hit 2,400 families.

The second location? Delayed a bit by funding, but still pushing forward—now with added urgency.

In November 2025, amid SNAP benefit cuts, Brad and Kimberly announced they’d match donations up to $50,000 to keep shelves stocked.

And just this month (December 2025), they hosted their third annual Toy Store—now in a bigger space at Colman Park Community Center. Over 1,000 kids got gifts, thanks to hundreds of volunteers and sponsors like Sam’s Club.

Brad could’ve just written big checks.

Kimberly could’ve thrown star-studded fundraisers.

Instead, they built something lasting—something that changes how we help.

They wanted their boys to learn about service and the wider world.

Instead, the whole family learned something deeper:

Hunger isn’t just empty stomachs.

It’s shame. It’s stress. It’s feeling less-than.

But dignity? That heals.

People don’t need pity.

They need a fair shot—and sometimes, just the chance to shop like everyone else.

Heads held high.

Carts full.

Hope renewed.

Because Brad and Kimberly asked, “Why isn’t this everywhere?”

Then they went and built it anyway.

And now, thousands of Nashville families walk out of The Store not as “people in need”…

…but as neighbors, parents, humans—ready for whatever’s next.

If you’re moved by this, check out thestore.org to donate, volunteer, or learn more.

Because one store became two.

And who knows? Maybe one day, this model will be everywhere.

Just like they dreamed. ❤️