Feature photo by Megan Goble

Story by Megan Goble

On the surface, Mayday Brewery looks like a typical craft beer hangout. Brick walls. String lights. Metal-framed windows. Concrete floors.

But beyond the decorations, it holds years of memories for the craft beer community near downtown Murfreesboro.

Couples shared wedding vows there. Families began there. People found passion at the brewery, becoming professional beermakers. And on Nov. 16, Mayday served its last beer after 12 years of operation. 

“Good vibe. Welcoming. Open. Different people. Nonjudgmental,” said Lance Williams, a customer of nine years, describing why he loved Mayday.

A community of craft beer enthusiasts spoke of the brewery with similar fondness, calling it comforting and exciting. Many reminisced about unique memories shared with the family that ran the show, owner Ozzy Nelson and his two daughters – Kelsey Nelson, brewmaster, and general manager, Ashlee Young. 

“My philosophy is always love the people, love the beer,” Ozzy Nelson said. “The beer is second. The beer is always second.” 

The focus on people led some to create lifelong memories there. 

July 23, 2016, was unforgettable for Desiraee and Jason Biggs. Desiraee’s friend’s band, The Festivus Players, performed “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton as she and her husband tied the knot right outside of Mayday. 

Desiraee Biggs initially started going there on dates with Jason Biggs and felt at home, so they returned weekly. They made their wedding venue decision last-minute during the Folk ‘n’ Art Festival.

“I already had one wedding at a church, and he had as well,” Desiraee Biggs said. “And then we were like, ‘nope, let’s do something different because we’re different kind of people.’” 

Mayday was a family-oriented place where Nelson made everyone feel like his best friend, Desiraee Biggs said. They always made space for children and pets while live bands played.

Because of the comfort Mayday brought, Desiraee and Jason Biggs were married on the dock in front of 400 people — about 20 friends plus a crowd of well-wishing strangers. People cheered, ate cake and shared beer. Nelson sent the newlyweds home with growlers and fond memories. 

Although their Mayday outings slowed down a couple years ago, the brewery’s closure made the couple feel like a piece of their lives was leaving. 

“It’s heartbreaking that they’re closing and our spot where we got married is just kind of gone now,” Desiraee Biggs said.

Mayday impacted other people’s paths, especially Kenneth Kamieniecki. 

“It was the first craft brewery I’d ever been to, and I kind of fell in love with the idea of craft beer, and it ended up turning into a full-time career for me at that point after learning about craft beer,” Kamieniecki said.  

He became curious about the crafting process and asked questions. Eventually, Nelson offered a behind-the-scenes tour. 

“Ozzy has this giant reclining chair that was on wheels, and he basically gave us tons of drinks and pushed us around in this chair and then fed us cheese puffs between all the beers,” Kamieniecki said. “It was just a really fun night, and I think we were there until closing and he just hung out with us and chatted with us.” 

The experience prompted Kamieniecki to attend an American Brewers Guild program. He now works as a professional brewer at Migration Brewing in Portland, Oregon.  

Kamieniecki credits Mayday’s “Daddy’s Money” for drawing him into craft beer, but he also loved the atmosphere. After moving out of state, Kamieniecki still visited Mayday yearly.

“He had karaoke the one night we were there and actually nobody was doing karaoke, and he actually got us to do karaoke with him which was pretty fun,” Kamieniecki said. 

Nelson did his best to keep customers feeling noticed and comfortable. Kamieniecki had his karaoke memory with Nelson, but other customers also had individual moments they haven’t forgotten.  

Chris Crockett became a regular for eight years after a fun trivia night with a group of friends.

“Ozzy approached us while we were sitting here, and we just had a blast with him,” Crockett said. “He actually ended up joining our trivia team, and while he was washing dishes over there, he was yelling out the answers to help us win.” 

Nelson knew he had to work harder to keep people coming back to his small business, so he focused on the most important aspect – people. 

“My favorite thing is the people, talking to the people, getting to know new people, feeling myself grow with people,” Nelson said. 

And he’s satisfied with the impact he’s leaving behind.

“I don’t have anything else to prove. I’ve done what I wanted to do. I’ve touched a lot of people,” Nelson said. “There’s nothing else I need to prove to myself or anybody else.”

Megan Goble is a Reporter for MTSU Sidelines.

To contact the Lifestyles Editor, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com.

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