Robert's Western World

Robert’s Western World is located on Lower Broadway in the famous historic district of downtown Nashville, Tennessee. It stands in the shadow of the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry.

The buildings on Broadway are steeped in history, with some of them serving as hospitals during the days of the American Civil War. The building that is now home to Robert’s was used as a warehouse, office space for river merchants, and a variety of other purposes.
 From the late 1950s to the early 1980s — the heyday of country music — our building served as the home of Sho-Bud Steel Guitar Company. Shot Jackson and Buddy Emmons, two of the greatest steel guitar players in history, manufactured and sold some of the best steel guitars and other musical instruments ever made. They manufactured Dobro-style guitars and made other unique instruments including custom steel guitars for popular bands such as The Monkees, Yes, and Poco.