The Eclectic Road – A World Boutique will celebrate its grand opening on Sunday, Oct. 16, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The new boutique will be located at 1404 Hazelwood Dr. in Smyrna, and will offer a variety of products including handmade clothing from India and Nepal, stones and crystals, incense, tarot cards, $5 gemstone earrings, pendants and rings from India, handmade quilts and towels from Stitches by Jackie, candles from Burning Embers, woodworking products, and other items from local artists.
The boutique also sets up other locations inside The Painted Tree in Murfreesboro and Franklin, and in High Cotton in Dickson. For more information, visit theeclecticroad.com or call 615-462-5156.
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Haunted Murfreesboro recently started offering tours in Murfreesboro, just in time for the Halloween season. Haunted Murfreesboro includes a downtown walking tour for longtime residents and Murfreesboro visitors alike. The new walking tour includes more than 20 stops around the historic Murfreesboro Public Square, and focuses on locations well-known by way of folklore and tales of eerie occurrences and spirit sightings.
“After moving back home to Murfreesboro in 2021, I was looking to create something unique for my hometown that could also educate and entertain,” Haunted Murfreesboro creator Jen Freeman said. “While I was traveling the country over the last few decades, one of my favorite pastimes was to take local ghost tours to learn about whatever city I happened to be in and thought it would be an activity that would resonate here with locals and visitors.”
Freeman spent some time studying Murfreesboro’s history and interviewing residents and business owners. Most of her interviews included the personal experiences of her interviewees.
Tours run throughout the year from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., weather permitting, with check-in times at Haunted Murfreesboro headquarters, 105 N. Maple St., just across from the Rutherford County Courthouse. For more information, visit instagram.com/hauntedmurfreesboro.
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Floor Coverings International has opened a local franchise in Murfreesboro at 316 W. Lytle St., offering services including a mobile showroom with over 3,000 different flooring samples. This is one of the franchise’s few locations in Tennessee, locally owned by 41-year-old Middle Tennessee resident and veteran Scott Grisham.
Those interested can call to schedule a complimentary, in-home consultation with the business’ design associates to help provide the perfect flooring design for any home. Associates offer information for both flooring and design, and are fully prepared to meet in the convenience of the customer’s own home to review project details.
“Our inventory of name-brand carpets, hardwoods, tile, stone, vinyl, cork and more are from reputable, national producers, which ensures we have something for every style and lifestyle budget. The flexibility of our Mobile Flooring Showroom allows you to see how different flooring options will look and perform in your home,” according to company promotional materials.
The business also includes factory-trained professional flooring experts who install the flooring. After 10 days, professionals will return to the property to evaluate the performance of the install. Floor Coverings International supports comfort and understanding between the customer and installer, which is why the business provides a single point of contact for the duration of the project.
“We are not a brick-and-mortar store, but what makes us unique is that we offer a mobile showroom that we can bring right to our customers,” said local office manager Tia Wright.
In addition, Floor Coverings International also offers haul-away services for old flooring, furniture moving, subfloor preparation, trim additions, and cleanup and removal of excess materials. For more information, call 615-900-5658 or visit floorcoveringsinternational.com.
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Overflow Brews and Bakes has opened at 115 N. Maple St. on the square in Murfreesboro. The new bakery—locally-owned, veteran-owned and woman-owned—is located in the former Nonie’s Bakery location. Overflow Brews offers pour-over coffee, drip coffee, cappuccinos and lattes, nitro brew and other coffee options, as well as hot and cold brewed teas, bubble teas, and freshly baked cookies, English muffins, scones and bread. Current hours are Monday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and closed on Sundays.
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A second Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has opened in Murfreesboro at 2435 S. Church St., located beside the Pilot Travel Center. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.
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Jason Day, the owner and operator of the Murfreesboro Red Bicycle locations, recently rebranded both Murfreesboro locations to operate under the name of Joanie’s, in honor of Day’s late mother. The restaurants will operate as usual with the addition of some new menu options including scratch-made waffles. Hours for both locations are Monday through Saturday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays 8 a.m to 4 p.m. For more information, visit joaniesboro.com.
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Liberty’s Station has opened at 850 NW Broad St. after celebrating a soft opening mid-September. Liberty’s Station is a progressive workforce pipeline where 90% of the employees have intellectual and developmental disabilities, physical disabilities or other employment barriers. Employees are assessed, trained, and gain work experience to then confidently acquire long-term community employment.
Liberty’s Station offers a tasty grilled cheese lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and plans to eventually offer lunch on Saturdays. in addition to the cafe, Liberty’s also offers event space and a local market with offerings including private label coffee and one-of-a-kind gifts.
The cafe will also host an Oct. 13 Project ReStyle Fundraiser event for Amelia’s Closet. For more information, visit facebook.com/libertysstationtn and libertysstationtn.org.
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Sa Bai Dee Café at 505 Cason Ln., Ste. E has reopened after a long hiatus for renovations. The restaurant is currently only open for pickup and delivery due to some last-minute updates, but has plans to fully reopen for dine-in soon. Some of the changes made at Sa Bai Dee include an expanded dining area and new overhead lighting. Current hours are from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and closed on Monday.
Menu options include fried crab and pork wontons, fried ribs, a variety of soups, pho, fried rice, noodles, salads, homemade sausage, coffee, tea, bubble tea, and a multitude of other meal options. To place an order or view the menu, visit sabaideecafe.com or call 615-900-3777.
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Big Creek Winery Tasting Room will soon move out of its home in downtown Christiana.
The property sold recently, and according to business owner and operator Candy Pomeroy the new owners gave her three weeks to vacate the building.
“In the meantime, I am looking for a place to relocate,” she said. “I have actually been presented with a few options and with luck we won’t have much downtime.”
Fans of Big Creek Winery Tasting Room—which samples and sells products from the Tennessee-based Big Creek Winery and over the years has hosted numerous Jeep days, craft fairs and outdoor community events—have until Oct. 16 to visit the Christiana location of the tasting room.
“We have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this place. We absolutely love and adore it here but our hopes are we will have something ASAP so we don’t have to be closed for long,” Pomeroy said. “I do believe this is a ‘one door closes another one opens’ kind of thing.”
Stay tuned for more developments and a possible announcement on a new location for the business.
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A new restaurant is coming to Murfreesboro at the old Pizza Hut location on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. A temporary sign on the restaurant mentioned street tacos, but little else has been publicly revealed about the space.
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Mayweather Boxing + Fitness is coming soon to Murfreesboro, and will be located at 2108 Medical Center Pkwy. near Cajun Steamer. Mayweather Boxing + Fitness is a high-intensity fitness experience dedicated to those who want to enjoy a more authentic experience and learn from undefeated champion boxer Floyd Mayweather’s own techniques and training regimens. Workouts are expected to build strength, confidence and passion within the tight-knit community. Workouts include a combination of boxing, strength and cardio conditioning intervals designed to enhance performance.
The fitness center will offer classes including Undefeated: a fast-paced, 45-minute workout that includes six rounds of boxing and two rounds of fitness; Strong: a 45-minute workout that includes five rounds of boxing and three rounds of fitness; Champ: a 60-minute workout that offers the opportunity for teamwork; and Advanced Bagwork: a 45-minute workout that includes longer boxing combinations, more footwork and Mayweather’s famed defensive movements. For more information, call 615-716-1165.
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The Great Escape will celebrate its 45th anniversary this October across all locations with a Free Goods Day event that will include discounts on various merchandise items. Those who come out to the stores on the designated days will receive 10 free items ranging from comic books, records, toys, DVDs, CDs, posters, books, magazines, 45s, VHS and more. No purchase will be necessary to receive the 10 free items, which will be restocked during the duration of the event.
The event will also offer various discounts during the event. Events will take place on Oct. 1 at the Madison location, Oct. 8 in Bowling Green, Oct. 15 in Murfreesboro, Oct. 22 in Louisville, and Oct. 29 in Nashville.
The Great Escape was founded in 1977 and is dedicated to serving the Middle Tennessee and Kentucky area by offering a “hot spot” for those who wish to buy and sell their music, movies, comics and more. For more information, visit thegreatescapeonline.com.
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Lucky Duck River Rentals in Shelbyville recently launched plans for a new 25-mile, 2-day kayak and canoe trip. Business owner Chuck Baker and his business partners Benji Garland and Beth Nicolay recently purchased a 20-acre farm providing one-third of a mile of frontage on the Duck River in Bedford County, as well as more space for patrons of Lucky Duck.
This new access point will serve as a launch for short tubing floats, or the two-day trips in which river-goers board kayaks or canoes at Fisherman’s Park, float 11 miles to Baker’s farm, and then camp in one of the many tents on standby. Participants may order meals for delivery from Halls Mill Market during their overnight stay, and are welcome to fish on the many sandbars. After a night at the campsite, the nine-mile journey to Halls Mill Market will complete the 20-mile trip.
Lucky Duck River Rentals will also open a standalone business Normandy, Lucky Duck River Rentals II. Once this Normandy location opens in 2023, the business will be able to offer excursions on over 50 miles of the Duck River to customers.
“That’s incredible because the river is only 280 miles,” Baker said.
For more information, call 931-294-FISH.
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Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electrical will be featured on YouTube’s American Plumber Stories, produced by Pfister Faucets and hosted by country music artist and army veteran Craig Morgan.
American Plumber Stories is a popular docuseries featuring plumbing organizations across the United States. Companies detail how their business began, advice for future plumbers and other contractors, and the benefits of trade work and trade careers.
Jimmy Hiller began his journey in 1990 with a truck and a commitment to his 100% satisfaction guarantee of “Happy You’ll Be or the Service is Free!” Over the past three decades, the service company has grown exponentially as a result of loyal homeowners across the Southeast. The business now includes over 500 trucks and 700 associates across 16 locations, serving homes in seven states.
CEO, founder, and namesake Hiller is willing to share many of his secrets to success with other businesses. In 2016, Hiller, Terry Nicholson and Jim Abrams partnered to launch PRAXIS S-10, a national success college for contractors across the U.S., providing resources for marketing, operations and hiring.
“I am so honored to have our organization featured on American Plumber Stories,” Hiller said. “The trades have been historically under-represented in media, so shows like this, that highlight the benefits and successful career pathways in the trades, are extremely important. Allowing us to highlight our business, team members, and history may inspire young adults or newly-formed contracting companies to achieve their goals, and that is truly special.”
Filmed at Hiller’s corporate headquarters in Nashville, the episode is scheduled to air in October. For more information, visit americanplumberstories.com.
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The Senior Citizens Awareness Network of Rutherford County will receive the 30th annual Sage Award on Oct. 3, presented by AgeWell Middle Tennessee, a resource and catalyst for solutions for older adults and family caregivers. The Sage Award honors lifelong leaders who improve our communities, and organizations that significantly impact the lives of older adults across the region.
SCAN takes a proactive approach to addressing the needs of older adults in their counties. SCAN officers are uniformed representatives of the county sheriff’s office who volunteer to check on the safety and security of older citizens who have enrolled in the program. SCAN also collects donations from the community to help meet needs like home repairs, transportation and arranging benefits or services.
Volunteers also provide home security surveys, crime prevention information, and information related to local social and community services, and volunteers Clarence and E.T. Guice will be recognized for volunteering 30 hours a week for the past 11 years with SCAN.
The Sage Awards have been presented annually since 1992 and serves as AgeWell’s signature event and fundraiser. All funds raised during the event directly support the organization’s mission to champion informed and positive aging.
Other 2022 recipients include Dr. David and Lynn Palmer Barton, co-founders of Alive, the first hospice in the Southeast, former Robertson County Mayor Howard Bradley, community volunteer and former Tennessee Assistant Commissioner of Human Resources Mercedes Lytle, community volunteer and retired Volunteer State Community College educator Vanita Lytle-Sherrill, African American Heritage Society of Williamson County CEO Alma McLemore, and community volunteer Novella Page. AgeWell is also honoring the Senior Citizens Awareness Network (SCAN) of Wilson County.
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Joe B’s Furniture, a longtime fixture on Front Street in downtown Smyrna, has closed.
