The first project between Benjamin Goldberg and Austin Ray, Bar Twenty3 was one of the very first establishments in the Gulch, a now-booming neighborhood in Nashville. Opened in 2005 when Goldberg was just 23 years old, Bar Twenty3 was an instant success, named one of the top 30 nightspots in the world by Conde Nast Traveler and winning myriad awards from local publications Nashville Scene and the Tennessean. Some of those awards include: Best New Bar, Best Place to People Watch and Bar That Makes You Not Feel Like You Are Not In Nashville. Bar Twenty3 closed in 2008.