About Us
Founded in 2017, The Nashville Spice Company was a dream for Greg Fox and Mark Schmidt. Greg and Mark moved to beautiful Brown County Indiana in 2012 to live a quieter life and be surrounded by nature. They left the hustle and bustle of the city and suburbs and settled on 7 acres near Nashville, Indiana. Greg was looking at retirement as an executive at a Fortune 20 company and Mark was enjoying his artwork doing commissions and having work placed across the country and around the world. When they began to think about this next chapter, they wanted something they could be excited and passionate about. So, they looked at what they love to do when they travel the world - engross themselves in the cultures and food cultures of where they travel. They realized they no longer brought back souvenirs or trinkets but rather spices, oils and other food related items. They realized they were both foodies at heart. In their travels they would visit spice and gourmet food shops wherever they were. That was the seed that planted the creation and growth of the Nashville Spice Company.
They began to do their homework and developed a detailed business plan and did two years of research on the spice business and potential brands and partners before ever opening their doors. The first store opened in May 2017 in a small 700 sq foot retail space with just 142 spice offerings along with a few gourmet food items. They quickly realized they were on to something as the attention the store got from locals and visitors alike was tremendous. They took that as a sign and began to expand plans to grow the business. During this time Greg did retire from corporate which allowed him to devote full-time attention to the business they both loved.
In 2020, they moved the store to a new and larger location allowing them to expand their product offerings. They also bought a facility in Brown County where they could begin to blend and bottle all their spices locally. The spice offerings grew from 142 to well over 400. Having the facility for blending allows them the place to explore and experiment with many different blends. In the last 18 months, they have introduced more than 20 new blends which all have become top sellers for their company.
They couldn’t do it all without the help of a great team. They’ve been fortunate to have a team along the way of hard workers that love food and cooking as much as they do. In 2022, they brought on their nephew Keith to manage their blending and bottling facility. As they continue to grow Keith is learning the business, making this a family venture.
In 2023, they opened the Nashville Spice Company’s Cheese Shop inside the spice shop. This is a grab-n-go cheese shop with a variety of artisanal cheeses produced by some of the premier and award-winning cheesemakers in our country. Plans are to expand by offering a wide variety of cheeses from around the world. This has been an exciting addition to the shop.
Also in 2023, Mark left the Nashville Spice Company and relocated to his hometown. We want to thank Mark for all his contributions since opening the store in 2017. He was an integral part of the team and created some great spice blends that everyone loves. His contribution to the business has helped us to grow and become the premier spice shop in Brown County.
Looking at the future, with the area of Brown County getting 1-2 million visitors a year, they are always expanding their customer base. They are looking at additional expansion plans into wholesale, international partnerships, and additional store concepts.
We hope you like what you find at the Nashville Spice Company. We strive to provide the freshest products with some great variety and creativity. When you come into the shop, it’s an experience. We love to talk with other foodies and educate on all the spices and gourmet products we offer. Come and give us a visit. We hope to see you soon.