Stones River Kayak and Canoe
Time to Float
Float Alchemy’s opening marathon has come to an end and its float tanks are now open to the public.
Floating introduces you to an environment that you likely have never experienced before.
Because of this, Float Alchemy, located on Cason Lane, is offering a first float special. Get three floats for $120 (non-transferrable, $40 per float). If you’re unsure of floating, check out Float Alchemy’s blogs at floatalchemy.com.
Stones River Kayak & Canoe Rentals will help you beat the summer heat. Contact them at 615-946-7810 or email stonesriverkayak@yahoo.com to schedule a float down the waterways of Rutherford County.
Hemp and More
Tennessee’s first hemp dispensary opened in June in Murfreesboro. Tennessee Hemp Supply, 1370 W. Clark Blvd., will sell products and Tennessee-grown hemp from its dispensary.
“Made from high-CBD hemp plants, all of our products are geared toward relieving pain, anxiety, symptoms of PTSD and more. Our goal is to provide a natural alternative to prescription and over-the-counter medications while striving to educate the public on the benefits of CBD,” the company said on its website.
The initial response was so overwhelming, the dispensary had to reduce its hours in order to replenish its supply. But it is up and running at full speed again.
Stones River 9
Movie-lovers rejoice! You can now enjoy the movie-going experience at AMC Stones River 9.
The theater’s nine auditoriums opened for business Friday, June 22. They range in size from 60 seats to 250 seats. The largest also boasts a screen that measures 30 feet tall and 71 feet wide.
The theater at Stones River Mall features AMC’s most popular movie-going amenities like AMC Signature recliners, better food and drink options, the latest sight and sound technology, and coming soon, the AMC MacGuffins adult beverage concept. (The theater will not offer dine-in, seat-side service.)
In addition to the AMC Signature’s plush, power-recliner seating, AMC Stones River 9 features reserved seating as well as an integrated box office enabling ticketless entry, which allows guests to skip the box office entirely through access to their ticket on their mobile device, or opt for traditional service.
HollerDesign Gutted in Fire
Acclaimed woodworking studio HollerDesign in Lascassas was completely destroyed by a fire in June.
As owner Matt Alexander has sifted through the ashes, his friends and family and the community at large have rallied around the company that specializes in modern interpretations of traditional Southern furniture.
He even got a retweet from avid woodworker and actor Nick Offerman asking his followers to help Alexander rebuild.
Alexander’s brother-in-law Ben Vance also launched a GoFundMe campaign (https://www.gofundme.com/rally-and-recovery-for-hollerdesign) to help replace the tools that Alexander had collected since he was 16 years old.
In the meantime, Alexander has ordered new tools and moved back into his old shop in Cainsville.
No Sunflowers This Year at Batey Farms
In a Facebook post that disappointed many, Batey Farms announced it was not planting sunflowers this year.
“Many factors go into how, when and where we plant them and this spring season and weather have just not allowed us the opportunity to get everything done as planned,” the post said.
Farmer Brandon Whitt had to use his time to harvest and plant other crops on all the acreage owned by Batey Farms, the post said. Batey Farms hopes to resume the tradition next summer.
Local Escape Room Ranked by Industry Magazine
The Blind Pig, a speakeasy-themed escape room, was named the No. 1 escape room in the Nashville area by industry magazine Room Escape Artist. The Blind Pig is at Murfreesboro Escape Rooms, 1970 Medical Center Pkwy.
Escape rooms are large, step-by-step puzzle-solving adventures, typically played by a small group of friends. Each room has a theme, clues, hints, and a solution that can be found through careful strategizing.
Room Escape Artist’s reviewer, Lisa Spira, praised The Blind Pig’s blend of puzzle strategy and unexpected twists.
Three-Story Storage Facility
Murfreesboro’s newest and likely largest self-storage facility, Red Carpet Self Storage, opened earlier this spring on John Rice Boulevard. The climate-controlled facility measures 99,600 square feet, with 817 units on three floors in a variety of sizes from 25 square feet to 300 square feet.
It’s so big it takes facility manager Lisa Sterle more than an hour to do a complete walk-through.
Most of the units are climate controlled, but it has self-storage on the ground floor that is accessible from the outside and is not climate controlled. It also offers U-Haul rentals, boxes and moving supplies, workspace with free wifi, a free conference room and even cookies. It also boasts 32 motion-activated, high-res surveillance cameras.
To learn more about Red Carpet Self Storage, visit redcarpetselfstorage.com.
Salons, Bowling, Gas Stations and More
Taylor Farms purchased property in May to build a second factory in Smyrna, according to records from the Rutherford County Register of Deeds.
Taylor Farms Tennessee bought 21.7 acres at 442 Nissan Drive in Smyrna for $4.16 million on May 18.
The company got approval in October 2017 from the Smyrna Planning Commission to build a plant for producing deli items. The facility will employ up to 800 additional people.
Dye Hard Hair Salon follows in the grand tradition of hair salons with a punny name. Recent Paul Mitchell School graduate Melissa Curran, who is certified in color, Balayage, lash extension and as a makeup artist, heads the shop, located on Samsonite Boulevard.
Wand and Willow Day Spa has also opened recently, offering area residents a chance to discover a unique spa experience—relaxation plus a whimsical charm that unlocks the magic in all of us. It is located within Salons by JC, 760 N. Thompson Lane, Suite 23. Learn more at wandandwillowdayspa.com.
The Circle K on the corner of Mercury Boulevard and John Bragg Highway was temporarily delayed because of an issue with right-of-way for its entrance. The city granted approval in mid-June and the shop should be opening soon.
The much-anticipated new Kroger on Mercury Boulevard has been “delayed,” the company said. Instead of investing in the low-income area, Kroger will add ClickList to its north Murfreesboro location on Memorial Boulevard. Three years ago, the grocer received approval to raze the old Rose’s department store and build a 94,241-square-foot store in its place.
Speaking of old department stores, the Kmart in Smyrna has been retrofitted as a Stars and Strikes “family entertainment center,” a.k.a., a bowling alley. The new alley has 24 lanes, a 7,300 square-foot arcade, laser tag arena and escape room.
Food News
Dallas and Jane has recently added lunch service, Chef Alex Belew announced in a Facebook post. The restaurant opened in a few months ago with only a dinner service but demand has grown to the point where Belew wanted to add lunch. Learn more at dallasandjane.net.
Two couples out of Oklahoma have taken the space occupied by Karen and Zach Stafford at Vibe Nutrition off the Square. Kelli and Jimmy Jarman join Mykah and Alex Rolison as the new owners of the smoothie shop. Vibe Nutrition offers protein-packed smoothies made with Herbalife supplements along with metabolism-boosting teas as a healthy meal replacement. The Jarmans and Rolisons ran Herbalife nutrition shops in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but recently relocated to Middle Tennessee.
A new doughnut place has opened on South Church Street. Project Donuts specializes in specialty yeast-raised donuts made with seasonal toppings. The shop even offers gluten-free varieties. Project Donuts is located at 2870 S. Church St. in Murfreesboro.
Sarah Jackson’s dream will come true when she opens Vine Street Market in downtown Murfreesboro. The food shop will offer prepared foods and a take-out market. Ready-to-eat items will include chicken salad, pimento cheese, salads, sandwiches and such. Ready-to-heat items will include casseroles, meat and veggies, and soups.
Boombozz Pizza & Taphouse, on Medical Center Parkway, says it will be open on July 2.
Closings Corner
Fans of smashed burgers and Brussels sprouts were shocked in mid-June when Smashburger closed suddenly. The corporate website says it is only closed temporarily but the sign on the door feels permanent.
In a note on its website, Robin Taylor’s Bird Song Studio in Woodbury announced it closed at the end of June.
“After four wonderful years in Woodbury, Tennessee, including over 40 shows on our beautiful stage, over 200 Airbnb guests, and over 50 5-Star Airbnb ratings, I will be moving out of the church on June 30 and I will be closing Bird Song Studio, effective immediately,” Taylor said in the post.
Taylor apologized for canceling the remainder of the 2018 Roots Music Series. All tickets purchased for future shows will be refunded. The recording studio/listening room and home to Taylor was created in a former Presbyterian church.
China Wok has closed its doors because of development in the strip mall that has been its home for years. But there’s good news! The restaurant will be reopening July 17 at its new location at 2327 Memorial Blvd.
Loco Larry’s Liquidation has closed for business. In a Facebook post about the closure, Loco Larry said the lease was up and it was time to move on.
“While we aren’t ruling out opening another location at some point, for the near-term future we plan to focus on the wholesale portion of our business,” the post said.
Lone Wolf Saloon in Smyrna has closed.
“No one in Smyrna wanted to pay a cover to see live shows,” Lone Wolf owner Tim Hopkins said in a farewell Facebook post. “I’ve been paying bands out of my pocket . . . I’ve met and got to know some really good people through this experience. And I am blessed to call a lot of you guys and gals true friends.”
