Nonnie's Bakery
How many bakeries within two square blocks are too many? We may find out soon now that two new bakeries have opened their doors within two blocks of the Historic Courthouse.
First, Tasty Table and Olive Branch Bakery have joined forces on North Church Street. Tasty Table has relocated from its Medical Center Parkway location to the former B.McNeel’s building at 215 N. Church St. The restaurant and caterer will be serving breakfast, lunch and desserts, along with a coffee bar. The desserts will be provided by Olive Branch Bakery, which shared space with Tasty Table at its previous location.
Then Nonie’s opened at the beginning of the year at 115 N. Maple St. on the Square. Owner Cindy Marshall brings more than 30 years of baking experience with her, having owned a bakery in Arkansas before moving to Murfreesboro. Nonie’s offers a full line of pastries, muffins, cakes and cookies. Marshall hopes to set herself apart with a create-your-own cupcake. Customers can pick their cake’s flavor, frosting and up to two toppings.
This brings the grand total of bakeries on the Square to four, as Olive Branch and Nonie’s join Simply Pure Sweets and Boro Town Cakes. It could be too many for a small area, or they could all develop their own distinct followings. They all seem to specialize in different areas of baking. Who will survive the Great Crumble Rumble of 2019? We will find out soon enough.
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Restaurant News
Good food and fun is coming to Franklin Road. A sign declaring the construction of Toot’s West has been erected on the corner of Franklin Road and Rucker Lane.
Louisiana Seafood will be opening soon at Stones River Town Centre (a.k.a., the mall), according to recent reports.
Nearby, California-based Crab Fever plans to open in the space formerly home to Applebee’s. According to its website, the restaurant serves low-country boil staples like shrimp, crawfish, clams, mussels, corn on the cob, potatoes and sausage alongside a raw bar, crab legs, oysters, sliders, salads and desserts.
Also, at the mall, Miller’s Ale House opened in January in the former TGI Fridays. The Florida-born chain is a casual sports restaurant with freshly made food that also has locations in Franklin and Chattanooga.
The long-awaited dual-concept restaurant Nick Newton’s and Spinelli’s Pizzeria is set to open in February on West Main Street (in the space formerly known as Tempt). The restaurants will occupy the same space but serve different menus. The owners previously thought they could open in the fall, but city codes being what they are, they were delayed. Management has said they have passed city inspections and should be open soon.
If you don’t want to wait that long, you can pick up a Hot-N-Ready from the new Little Caesars Pizza near Riverdale High School. The new pizza joint is located at 2546 Southgate Blvd., off Warrior Drive.
As you may have noticed, one of the Oscar’s Taco Shops got a new name. Now called So Cali Taco Shop, the restaurant has the same managers and menu with a few new options and a new name.
Speaking of rebranding, Yoki Buffet has opened in the old Chef Wang’s building on Broad Street. The rebranding comes after Chef Wang’s closed with little warning and was sold to new owners. In September 2018, Crystal Dong, daughter-in-law of the new owner, reported that the building would undergo an extensive remodel. Dong said the interior would change but the buffet menu would stay the same but with a few additions.
In other remodeling news, Taste of Thai on South Church Street has temporarily closed to remodel. If memory serves, the building used to be an Arby’s. According to the sign, it should be reopened Feb. 17 and then you can get another giant bowl of pho.
A new food delivery service is opening in Smyrna. We Deliver Smyrna opened for business Feb. 4. According to its website, the service will deliver food from partner restaurants from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 10:30 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays. Find out more at wedeliversmyrna.com.
If you’re looking to own your own business and want to work long hours, CJ’s Restaurant is selling the restaurant business it operates in the Holiday Inn in The Gateway. The catering and room service business is “completely turnkey” and has its own staff and built-in customer base. The owners are willing to self-finance. Call 615-964-0390 for more information.
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Other Business News
A few years ago a HomeGoods was approved for the empty spot next to Stein Mart at The Oaks on Medical Center Parkway. As you may have noticed, the building hasn’t been built yet. I’m assuming it’s because construction costs have skyrocketed in the two years since the Murfreesboro Planning Commission approved it. You may have also noticed that the Fresh Market that was approved for the old Bed, Bath and Beyond (which moved to The Avenue) space in The Oaks also has not been built out. Why that never happened, who knows? But never fear, gentle reader. HomeGoods applied for a building permit for the old Bed, Bath and Beyond, according to recent reports.
Another shop that has been moved around has done it again for the third time. All Things Possible has opened on Middle Tennessee Boulevard, across from Kroger. It was on Northfield Boulevard and then on Lascassas Pike occupying old grocery stores for a few years apiece. Maybe it’s found a forever home.
Unable to find a corporate lease, Fountains at Gateway has transformed its top floor into The View at Fountains. This new, upscale conference and event center is located on the top floor of One Fountain Plaza. Floor-to-ceiling views of the surrounding green space and Gateway Island Park serve as the perfect backdrop for your next meeting or event, so they say. It is a nice view from up there.
Local printing company Wax Family Printing announced Weston Wax as the company’s new chief executive officer, marking the transition to the third generation of the family-owned business. Wax Family Printing experienced a record year in sales in 2018 as Weston Wax led the team as the director of sales and expanded the company’s newest endeavor, Wax Eloquent, a digital marketing and creative agency. The agency grew to account for nearly 20 percent of the company’s sales in 2018.
Dr. Zac Ditmarsen recently moved to Murfreesboro and opened Aspiring Health Clinic of Chiropractic in the fall of 2018, near Metro Diner. Ditmarsen relocated from Minnesota to Middle Tennessee to bring his Midwestern charm and skills to Murfreesboro. He uses the Gonstead System of chiropractic, which uses thorough assessments and customized treatment options to guide his gentle practice of chiropractic care. The system detects locked joints using temperature and Ditmarsen makes spinal adjustments targeting those areas. You can find out more on his website at aspiringhealthcc.com or visit him at 803 N. Thompson Lane, suite 103A.
The new Circle K at the intersection of Rutherford Boulevard and Mercury Boulevard / John Bragg Highway has still not opened for business. According to City of Murfreesboro officials, the applicant representing the Circle K is working with the Tennessee Department of Transportation to obtain a driveway permit, which would allow a connection from the gas station to John Bragg Highway. Since John Bragg is a state highway, TDOT permission is required in order for the connection to be made.
A new home decor place has opened at 1134 Commerce Park in Murfreesboro (the former location of Georgia Career Institute). Called DecorStop, I hear it has very decent pricing.
A coalition of area individuals involved in the arts recently announced the launch of Rutherford Arts Alliance, a nonprofit group dedicated to identifying, uniting and promoting arts, culture and heritage in Rutherford County. Organizers say they want to connect and promote existing arts groups in the county—the Rutherford County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Boro Art Crawl, Carpe Artista, the Center for the Arts, the Murfreesboro Arts Laureates program and other organizations—to better connect creatives in the county and open even more opportunities for artists and those who benefit from art.
It is with sadness, but not much surprise, that I have to report the closing of Bread & Butter Sandwich Co.
“We want to thank all of our customers for their loyal support,” Bread & Butter said in a Facebook post announcing the closure.
It was a great sandwich at a bad location.
