The Mulehouse - America's Ultimate Venue
By Elizabeth Shane
For seventeen years the church at the corner of South High Street and West 8th Street in downtown Columbia sat empty, falling into disrepair. But in Blair Garner’s eyes, he saw nothing but beauty and opportunity. This is where he could build his own platform — one allowing for the kinds of meaningful, insightful, and relatable celebrity interviews that are his passion. The sanctuary would be reimagined. It would become a stage. The congregation would become an audience of fans and the conversations would become a unique and captivating experience for artists and fans alike.
The Mulehouse held its first ever event on May 22nd, which featured performances by Country Music artists Lee Brice, Chuck Wicks and Tyler Farr to raise funds for The Special Forces Charitable Fund. The result was an immersive and unparalleled experience for artists and fans alike. And thanks to the venue’s cutting-edge livestream technology, that rich experience will extend beyond the venue walls to a truly global audience.
Opening day was full of excitement and gratitude. As Garner explained, “I didn’t feel I should be the first person to set foot on the stage because it was Pastor Mike Dawson from the First Baptist Church who led the congregation that final Sunday morning from this property years ago. I reached out to this inspirational man and said, ‘You are the singular person on this planet that deserves the honor of walking up on the stage first.’ So he did, and generously blessed the building and officially declared it The Mulehouse. That day was packed with emotion, second only to the birth of my children, where multiple times throughout that day I found myself crying tears from a depth of gratitude that I’ve never experienced before. The culmination of the dream to the reality of it was beyond my wildest dreams.” Now that The Mulehouse has officially opened, Garner feels it is important that it no longer be called his dream because this is something that belongs to Columbia. It is a community dream and Colombia has embraced it as its own. Garner smiled, “I am simply the guy lucky enough to have the key that fits the locks in my new hometown Columbia, Tennessee.”
Garner began his broadcast career in his hometown of Canyon, Texas when he was only 17. The owner of the small town radio station thought Blair might be great on air and offered him an audition. Only three months later, Garner was snatched away to work in the top-10 market of Dallas, Texas. By the age of 23 he racked up wins in the coveted markets of Los Angles, New York, Houston and Washington, DC. In 1993, his strong entrepreneurial bent took over, and he created his own syndication company with the show that he both created and hosted, After MidNite. That show quickly tracked as the fastest-growing syndicated show in broadcast history.
Twenty years later he was hosting a #1 Country morning show in Nashville. After three high octane years, the grueling pace was taking a toll on his family, whom he calls his greatest achievement. Garner knew what he had to do. He resigned his position the next day. Not wanting to lose him, the company promptly offered the chance to do a different show — this time, on his own schedule. The resulting Blair Garner Show grew to 170 affiliates in the first six months alone.
Through it all, Garner formed lasting personal and professional relationships with some of the leading forces in entertainment — those relationships are now eagerly supporting his new venture. For Garner, it all goes back to that one simple idea of working hard and being kind.
He’s scored a Marconi nomination, nine Billboard Broadcast Awards, and three Academy of Country Music Awards. And while earning those recognitions, he collected a wealth of experiences — both good and bad — all of which are now helping Garner and The Mulehouse in establishing the guiding principles for the young company: Community. Quality. Iconic. Impact.
The company culture is designed to empower — to value — and to support everyone in pursuing their own dreams — all while collectively working to turn The Mulehouse dream into reality. The shared vision of The Mulehouse team is to establish itself as “America’s Ultimate Venue” — to make a lasting impact on the music industry as well as the landscape of Columbia, Tennessee.
Garner and his husband, Eric, discovered Columbia while searching for a family vacation home. The goal was simple. It shouldn’t be too far away from Nashville but should feel as if it were a world away. And it was in this historic self-proclaimed “mule capital of the world” that they found their dream home — their “forever home”. “I didn’t realize how much I missed community until Columbia wrapped its arms around me and my family,” said Garner.
Asked what Garner considers to be the favorite part of his job, he said, “hands-down it’s the interviews — I’ve always been fascinated by people who have pushed through life’s challenges — they’ve risen to top of their craft. Their stories inspire me, and I know how deeply they can inspire their fans. That’s why I feel such a deep sense of gratitude when artists generously share who they are behind the scenes.”
But since today’s commercial radio doesn’t lend itself to those long-form types of conversations, Garner knew he would once again have to navigate uncharted waters. The decision to dive head first into those waters was natural for this lifelong entrepreneur. And the dive he made, was a big one indeed. Garner and his husband purchased a 55,000 sq. ft. building — the former home to Columbia’s First Baptist Church, situated next door to President James K. Polk’s ancestral home, museum, and library. This is where the dream began to physically realize itself.
These intimate interviews, done in true Garner fashion (no notes, just a lot of preparation — and a lot of listening on Garner’s end) will serve as the cornerstone for The Mulehouse. “Fame doesn’t insulate celebrities from the shared human experience. We all have fears. We all suffer loss. We know the joys of success, and we understand the weight of a moral choice” he says. “When artists allow themselves to be that vulnerable — to speak so candidly — fans relate to that. They forge a far more meaningful bond with the artists they love. Extracting those kinds of moments through a thoughtful and supportive conversation is very fulfilling to me.”
The first of its kind – a venue with livestreaming as its core component, The Mulehouse merges history with cutting-edge technology. Garner and his team approached the design from the inside out, adding elements that would ensure that artists feel completely at home.
Garner knows from his close relationships with artists what they value most —They want to know that they will sound good. They want to know that they will look good. And just like their fans, the artist wants a rich and meaningful experience. That is exactly what The Mulehouse will give them. No stone was left unturned, with an especially exhaustive effort going into both the sound and lighting design, as well as the overall aesthetics of the venue. “When you combine the latest tech with a tip of the hat to history, the end result is a different level,” Garner explained.
Utilizing his “uncompromising standards, a dedication to excellence and stamina,” Garner unequivocally labels his project as “built without excuse.” He says, “where others only see roadblocks, I see opportunity. And I’m never afraid to walk through a door that’s been opened for me.”
Garner credits that kind of courage to his parent’s advice. His mom taught him early on, that “the odds don’t apply to you” and his Dad said, “If you’re going to make a mistake, make it as big as possible. Don’t be timid.”
All of this factor into the The Mulehouse, which will ultimately include a theater bar, restaurant and boutique hotel within the building. “I want The Mulehouse to serve as an example of the kind of magic that results from marrying your dream with action,” Garner said. “I would love it if we can inspire people to remember a dream they long ago labeled as impossible — to consciously silence that inner voice of negativity that keeps creeping in — the one that tells them they aren’t good enough, or that it will never work. I want them to believe in themselves, and to summon the courage that will allow them to show the world who they truly are, and what kinds of remarkable things they can actually achieve.”
And when it’s all said and done, what does Garner value most? “My last name,” he says. “Whatever successes or material rewards come my way, none of it compares to the value of that name. It’s the greatest gift I can ever give to my children. Take everything else away, I don’t care. I want that name to represent someone who treated people with kindness — that says you made the right choice, even when it wasn’t to your own personal benefit — it should be a name that stands for integrity, honesty, and goodwill. If I do that, then I will have led a most successful life.”