Just Love Coffee marked its 10-year anniversary at the end of October. A month-long anniversary celebration coincides with National Adoption Awareness Month during November by encouraging adoptive families and their supporters to participate in the brand’s online fundraising program. Since its start in 2009, Just Love Coffee has contributed nearly $500,000 towards adoption, helping more than 2,300 families across the country and providing support to other nonprofit causes such as orphanages and clean water systems in Africa.
The homegrown coffee shop, its flagship location at 129 MTCS Drive in Murfreesboro, also announced a planned expansion of its socially conscious specialty coffee shops nationwide.
What started in an 800-square-foot warehouse has evolved into a nationally-recognized franchise with 30 franchise agreements in place to open locations in nine states. Just Love Coffee has unveiled plans to open 36 additional locations nationwide in 2020 and a goal to open nearly 200 Just Love stores within the next five years. The brand currently employs more than 200 employees system-wide, with approximately 100 employees based in Middle Tennessee.
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More Food News
Chantell Kennedy-Shehan, proprietor of Simply Pure Sweets, announced the French-inspired bakery will be relocating in late November.
The bakery has grown to the point where they need more space and they found it in the former location of another bakery, BoroTown Cakes.
“Our new location will be located at 128 N. Church Street. Please stay tuned for details and hours of operation during this transition,” Kennedy-Shehan said.
She also said the new shop will allow her husband, Matthew Joseph, a.k.a., The Bearded Breadman, to live up to his moniker. They plan to bake bread daily and provide it to the public and wholesale to area restaurants.
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Do you like Mexican food and the convenience of a drive-thru, but want something higher quality than that other “south of the border” place, then Erik Moreno, formerly of Fresko, has the place for you.
Moreno has opened El Monte Fresh Mexican Food at 2089 Lascassas Pike in Murfreesboro (between Sonic and Waffle House). Think of it as a Mexican Koji.
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Speaking of Koji, Koji Express will open a new location on South Church Street. The Japanese fast-casual concept with a drive-thru will be in the building next to Papa John’s, French Twist and Oscar’s Tacos.
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Carmen’s Taqueria on South Church Street is under new ownership.
The location has been several things since The Parthenon vacated the building . . . a decade ago. Is that right? It can’t be. Anyway, it became a Carmen’s in 2017.
The restaurant remains open, with the same menu for now, under the new owners, while founders Carlos and Carmen Ramirez continue to operate the Northfield Boulevard location.
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A petition on change.org signed by more than 6,200 people was enough to get the attention of Texas-based Whataburger and to get the company to look at Middle Tennessee.
“We are excited to hear we have so many fans in the Nashville area, and we have been exploring this area,” said James Turcotte, Whataburger, chief development officer for the Texas-based company. He added the company doesn’t have any concrete plans yet, so it might be awhile before you can get your spicy ketchup fix.
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MTSU student Gianni Scramuzza has announced a food truck park of sorts near MTSU campus. Called That Food Truck Place, the weird triangle of land at the intersection of Main and Mercury near Circle K is now open for food trucks. If you have a truck and need a place to put it, occasionally, visit facebook.com/thatfoodtruckplace.
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Much-loved food truck Smokin’ Buttz started as a weekend hobby for John Cathey in December 2013 but is poised to expand with a physical location. Since launching, Smokin Buttz’ has done weekend catering for birthday parties, family reunions, family dinners and graduation parties, as well as parking the truck in locations around the county. Soon, you’ll be able to get some Buttz anytime at the Kroger on Veterans Parkway, where Cathey is establishing a restaurant.
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More Business News
Based out of Lascassas, Aberlea Veterinary House Calls will provide your pets with one-on-one wellness and vaccination visits, end of life and at-home euthanasia services with cremation transport, minor surgeries, chronic metabolic disease management and treatments for wounds, lacerations and skin and ear conditions, all from the comfort of you and your pet’s home. Find more at facebook.com/aberleavet1.
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Gold’s Gym Tennessee has added eight gyms in East Tennessee to its six locations in the Nashville area.
This purchase gives Gold’s Gym Tennessee almost exclusive coverage throughout the state of Tennessee with 14 locations, soon to be 15 with the addition of a new fitness center in Mt. Juliet. In addition, Gold’s Gym Tennessee now becomes the second largest Gold’s Gym Franchisee in the United States.
Gold’s Gym Tennessee is owned by three partners and their spouses who all live locally in the Middle Tennessee area, John and Tiffany Davis, Andrew and Liz Davis, and Robert and Holly Dennis.
If you need ice in bulk, Ice House has opened behind the gas station at Memorial Boulevard and St. Clair Street.
First Cash Super Pawn on Northfield has closed, with building and contents auctioned in October. Maybe the economy is improving.
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One East College
The preliminary plans for the future of the former Methodist Church in downtown Murfreesboro are now in.
Brian Davis, from TRC Construction and developer One East College, gave the Downtown Murfreesboro Business Association a quick tour of the project on Oct. 10.
The project will occupy the entire city block bounded by Lytle, College, Church and Spring streets. A hotel will be built on the College Street side. On the Lytle/Spring corner, a four-level public parking structure with 505 spots will be the foundation for a residential development. Offices and retail will occupy the Church Street side.
Davis said the church building, including its iconic bell tower, will be saved.
“We want the church to be the focal point of the project,” Davis said, adding they are trying to tie elements of the church into the overall design of the buildings.
One East College purchased the entire block for $1.8 million in June, with the primary task of redeveloping the site while preserving the church.
Davis reiterated that only thing to remain on the site is the church building.
“It’s very important to the city . . . inside the building will be restored for what we want to do with it,” he said, adding the developer intends to use it as an upscale event space or restaurant.
One East College is in the process of looking for a hotelier to run the 110-room hotel, Davis said. It will have a boutique feel provided by an upscale chain.
The complex will also have retail space on the ground floor and could have a rooftop bar, depending on the hotelier.
The commercial portion will consist of retail and offices on the Church Street side. There will be approximately 15,000 square feet for retail on the ground floor and 15,000 square feet for restaurants.
Also, the Murfreesboro Police Department has asked for a small police precinct to be included “to get more police cars back in the downtown area,” Davis said.
In order to incentivize the completion of the project, Murfreesboro is offering the developer $6 million in tax increment financing. The funds will be used to offset the cost of the $65–$70 million construction project by deferring property taxes. The Murfreesboro Planning staff estimated that the new construction could generate $1.2 million annually in local and county taxes, even after the incentives.
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Hotels are Expensive, Y’all
Coming as no surprise to anyone who has reserved a hotel room in Nashville recently, Nashville is the most expensive city in the United States for accommodation, according to a survey by cheaphotels.org, which compared hotel rates across 50 urban destinations.
According to the survey, Nashville came up at the top of the rankings. Music City has an average price of $223 for the most affordable room (only centrally located hotels rated 3 stars or more were considered for the survey).
A quick look at kayak.com for Murfreesboro and Smyrna finds the Rutherford County average a slightly more affordable average price point of $133 per night, which would put us at No. 31 on the list, just between Cleveland and Kansas City.
