Gallagher Guitar Co. has left its longtime home in Wartrace for Walnut Street in Murfreesboro.
The company was located in Wartrace for decades and was the inspiration for the annual Wartrace Music Fest.
The locally owned company stopped taking orders in December 2018 and ceased production in May 2019.
Founded by J.W. and Don Gallagher, the company came to prominence with the late and legendary Arthel “Doc” Watson, who began playing Gallagher guitars in 1968. In fact, one of Doc Watson’s Gallagher Guitars is on display at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The company is now owned by David and Reina Mathis, who decided to move production to Murfreesboro.
The new workshop and showroom are located in the former Simply Pure Sweets/VNTG building on Walnut Street. Simply Pure Sweets has opened a new shop at 128 N. Church St. on the Square in Murfreesboro.
“We are calling the space Gallagher Unplugged in honor of our acoustic pedigree. Tours for the shop are planned, and the venue will have a stage and seating for singer-songwriters to come and play their music,” the company said in a Facebook post.
The Mathises are still in the process of finishing out the public portion of the building but production has begun on new guitars.
Find more about Gallagher Guitar at gallagherguitar.com.
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Piccole Bolle is bringing its mobile bar experience to the ’Boro.
“The focus of our business is to create unique mobile bars for parties and events that elevate the guest experience. We have imported tiny vintage vehicles and installed full-service draft systems, allowing the party or event host to serve just about any beverage they would like on draft,” explained David Harvick.
He added the bars offer primarily beer, wine, Prosecco and batch cocktails, but they can also serve non-alcoholic beverages like coffee, kombucha, juices and sodas.
The flagship mobile bar is a ’81 Piaggio Ape that was imported from Italy last year. The Piaggio Ape is a three-wheeled light commercial vehicle. It was made and marketed as a more robust version of Piaggio’s Vespa scooter.
“It has gone through a complete restoration including full paint and custom fabrication of the original cab on the back. It features five taps,” Harvick said.
Piccole Bolle’s other bar option is a 1968 motorcycle that has had the sidecar converted into a two-tap draft system.
“We completely repainted it and had a custom black walnut bar built into the sidecar. It has been an absolute hit thus far,” Harvick said.
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You can’t swing a cat without hitting a CBD shop anymore. It seems like they are the new check-cashing places.
Last month I told you about Amata Wellness’s partnership with Tanasi, the MTSU-derived, full-spectrum CBD tincture, which joined Tennessee Hemp Supply, Gen. 1:29, Kaleidoscope Vapor, Half Hill Wellness Emporium, Frog Brigade Farmacy, Enchanted Planet and other local stores among the many purveyors of the supplement.
Now Nature’s Elite CBD and Wellness enters the mix.
The shop will be selling CBD along with nutritional supplements, local honey and homemade granola from its new home on Broad Street at West Main.
Nature’s Elite CBD has additional locations in Tullahoma, Manchester, Shelbyville and Chattanooga. For more information, visit www.natureselitetn.com.
It’s not all good news though.
CBD American Shaman has closed, but it’s likely not from a saturated market. The shop was owned, in part, by Kelsey Ketron, who has recently seen some legal troubles related to alleged mismanagement of the family insurance business.
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Food News
The Nutrition Spot opened Dec. 28 in Murfreesboro. The health-food shop offers smoothies, shakes, energy beverages, coffees and frappés from its place at 3032 S. Church St. in Murfreesboro, the former location of F.A.D. (Fitness. Arts. Dance.).
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Another new place to eat is Seasons of Murfreesboro. The restaurant, owned and operated by Chef Raymond Daugherty, is now open in Clarion Inn, the former home of Nobody’s BBQ. Seasons is a Southern American restaurant that offers food service all day with various entertainment throughout the week.
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Smyrna barbecue lovers can rejoice, as Slick Pig is going to reopen. The restaurant was opened as a franchise but unexpectedly closed at the beginning of December.
Matt Nelson, manager of the original location in Murfreesboro, said the restaurant closed because of a disagreement with the franchisees. The owners of Slick Pig hope to re-open at the beginning of the year and at least by the Super Bowl, so you can enjoy the wings at your party.
