Chaldean Spice on Broadway

Zaid Elia and Kane Brown partner up for success in Nashville.

Zaid Elia brings Detroit hospitality to Nashville

By Mike Sarafa

Detroit restaurateur and developer Zaid Elia is making a bold play in one of America’s fastest-growing cities.

Through his Michigan-based company, Elia Group, Elia has emerged as one of Nashville’s most ambitious hospitality developers, bringing a distinctly Detroit—and Chaldean—entrepreneurial spirit to the heart of Tennessee’s booming entertainment district. Drawn by Nashville’s explosive growth in population, jobs, and income, Elia saw an opportunity to establish a presence in a city increasingly viewed as one of the country’s most dynamic business and tourism markets.

His latest headline project is Kane Brown’s on Broadway, a four-story entertainment destination developed in partnership with country music superstar Kane Brown. Located at 312 Broadway in the heart of Nashville’s famed Lower Broadway district, the venue occupies more than 11,000 square feet and was designed to stand out in a landscape increasingly dominated by celebrity-backed restaurants, bars, and music venues.

The venue blends several Nashville experiences under one roof. Guests enter through a high-energy main floor anchored by a live music stage before moving to a mezzanine level overlooking the action. A third-floor lounge offers a more intimate atmosphere, while the rooftop—known as Dusk—features panoramic views of the Nashville skyline, cocktails, DJs, and an upscale nightlife experience. The venue also serves elevated American comfort food and Southern-inspired cocktails, creating an all-day destination that transitions seamlessly into late-night entertainment.

Brown attended the grand opening celebration in May and is expected to make regular appearances at the venue, adding another layer of star power to one of Broadway’s newest attractions.

Elia’s path to hospitality success was anything but traditional. Armed with degrees in biology and law, he initially appeared destined for a more conventional professional career. Instead, he found his calling in real estate development and hospitality, where he combined business instincts with a flair for creating memorable experiences.

He first built his reputation in Metro Detroit through upscale restaurant and nightlife concepts, including 220 in Birmingham and Parc Restaurant and Zuzu in Detroit. He later expanded into Nashville with  Zuzu Nashville, an immersive Asian-inspired dining and nightlife concept known for its dramatic interiors, sushi offerings, craft cocktails, and Miami- and Las Vegas-style energy.

Kane Brown’s on Broadway is only part of Elia’s broader Nashville vision. His hospitality strategy includes as many as five projects in the city by 2028, with another artist-backed concept and an upscale Italian steakhouse already in development.

The opening weekend itself became something of a Detroit-to-Nashville reunion. Roughly 150 friends, family members, investors, and patrons traveled from Michigan to celebrate the launch, demonstrating both Elia’s extensive network and the growing connection between the two cities.

For Elia, the expansion is about more than business growth.

His goal, he said, is “to bring a little Chaldean spice to one of the smallest big towns in the United States and make an impact on the market.”

The grand opening drew a celebrity-filled crowd that included NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes, along with athletes, entertainers, music executives, and hospitality leaders. The event further cemented the venue’s status as one of Nashville’s most anticipated new destinations.

As Lower Broadway continues to evolve into one of the country’s premier entertainment districts, Elia has positioned himself among a new generation of developers helping shape its future. His projects blend hospitality, entertainment, and experience-driven design—an approach that has become his signature.

For a Chaldean entrepreneur who began his journey in Detroit, the success of Kane Brown’s on Broadway is more than another hospitality venture. It is a testament to the entrepreneurial drive that has long defined the Chaldean-American community: creating jobs, building destinations, and proving that opportunities can be found wherever vision, determination, and hard work come together.

Check out Elia Group’s new venture at kanebrownsonbroadway.com.