Daniel and Crystal Creach have announced they will be opening a private membership club on the historic Murfreesboro Square by the name of The Velvet Room Speakeasy. The owners expect the speakeasy to open within the next two months within the lower level of the Hoffman Brothers Building, 112 S. Maple St. The Velvet Room will offer a variety of exciting events including bourbon, scotch and wine tastings; live art and music including acoustic, blues and jazz; 1920s mixology classes, seasonal and holiday parties, murder mysteries and more.

Daniel and Crystal describe the The Velvet Room as a club that will take guests back to the golden age of the Prohibition Era, offering the finest craft cocktails, an elegant wine selection, entertainment and small meals.

In attempt to keep the speakeasy authentic, the club features a dress code not permitting jeans, sneakers, T-shirts, shorts, athletic wear or anything considered casual. Membership prices start at $99 per month.

Daniel has a diverse background in music, the restaurant industry and technology. He played a key role in opening a family-owned restaurant in his hometown of Fort Myers which continues to thrive. In 2016, he founded a tech company that developed heated wearables for various industries, including communications, manufacturing and the U.S. military. Daniel is also an accomplished interior designer and the creative mind behind the theme of The Velvet Room, where he aims to transport guests back in time with his unique design vision.

Crystal has 17 years of experience in corporate environments specializing in people and culture. She has a track record of supporting operations as a strategic partner, developing successful talent strategies.

For more information on The Velvet Room Speakeasy, visit thevelvetroom.com.

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Luna Latin Food, which opened early April of this year and was located within the gas station at 2181 Old Fort Pkwy., recently rebranded to The Taco Shop and celebrated its grand reopening late July. The new restaurant is family owned, offering a variety of meal options from tamales and tacos to pizza birria and pambazo, a sandwich filled with chorizo and potatoes, dipped in a red guajillo pepper sauce, fried and then topped with lettuce, queso fresco and crema. For a limited time this fall, the restaurant will offer a special pumpkin spice horchata. For more information, find The Taco Shop on Facebook.

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Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes and Fries has opened at 5131 Franklin Rd. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and it offers dine-in and drive-thru services.

Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes & Fries now offers an All-American diner experience in 10 states, serving burgers, cheesesteaks, salads, chicken tenders, shrimp po’ boys, tots and frozen custard. The Murfreesboro location is currently hiring.

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Taste of India will open at 120 Eleanor Way. Paul Singh confirms that he is working opening the Indian restaurant in the space where Xingha Sab Bor Lao operated.

Taste of India will offer a buffet during lunch hours and a full menu of Indian items for dinner.

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A different restaurant known as Los Churrascos will take over the space where El Cubilete had its Memorial Boulevard location, near Climb and Primrose Table, according to a banner hung at the space.

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Obento has taken over the restaurant space at 1636 New Salem Hwy., Ste. G, specializing in Japanese meal boxes.

Affiliated with Oishiya Hibachi & Sushi on Cason Lane, Obento serves stir-fried noodles and fried rice; teriyaki chicken, salmon, shrimp and beef; gyoza, edamame, oden soup, squid salad, grilled eel, taco yaki (fried wheat balls with octopus) and other offerings. For more information or to place an order, visit obento-tn.com.

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Carhartt officially opened its new retail location in Murfreesboro on Thursday, Oct. 3 at the Shops at Clari Park (2634 Medical Center Pkwy.).

This is Carhartt’s 46th standalone retail store in the U.S. and the third in Tennessee.

Carhartt is a global premium workwear brand with rugged products for workers on and off the job.

The store’s hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday–Saturday, and 12 p.m.–6 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit stores.carhartt.com or carhartt.com.

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Floor & Decor has announced plans to build a 59,879-square-foot store on six acres along Beasie Road near Costco. Floor & Decor also operates Middle Tennessee locations in Antioch, Brentwood and Hendersonville.

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Undisputed Collectibles LLC, which specializes in collecting and selling anime-based, Pokémon and sport-related cards and collectibles, has been working towards opening a physical storefront.

“Just over a year ago, we decided to come together and create this LLC to improve the card-game scene in our area, which we believe has massive opportunity for growth,” according to information from the proprietor. “We pride ourselves on pricing to market value and not trying to nickel-and-dime our customer base.”

The business currently has online stock, and sets up at local events and those in surrounding states, with the most recent being in Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and Tennessee. In addition to Pokémon cards, Undisputed has also jumped into the hottest anime-based card games, including One Piece, Dragon Ball Super and Union Arena.

Undisputed has started a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help raise the funds to maintain a retail space for at least six months, including utilities, while also expanding its inventory.

“We want to appeal not only to the collector but to the player, so we’ve also been working on gathering valuable singles to help players complete their competitive decks and take that next step in the tournament scene,” according to the fundraiser page.

For more information, visit undisputedcollectibles.com or find a page to Help Undisputed Collectibles Open a Physical Store on GoFundMe.

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E | spaces has announced that it will open its newest location in Murfreesboro at 1639 Medical Center Pkwy., its 12th location. E | spaces Murfreesboro is set to provide local professionals, entrepreneurs and remote workers a cutting-edge facility to enhance productivity and creativity while escaping a potential long commute to Nashville. Amenities will include onsite parking, IT Helpdesk access, free wifi, a business address and fully stocked cafe, location manager assistance, notary services, 24/7 access to the facility, flatscreen displays, networking events, conference phones and more.

The 23,000-square-foot space includes private offices, co-working spaces and meeting rooms for teams of all sizes. Memberships start at $200 per month.

For more information, visit espaces.com.

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Local event venue Saddle Woods Farm has changed hands and is currently undergoing a number of renovations. Newly acquired by Infinity Hospitality, enhancements include the construction of an all-new outdoor pavilion adjacent to the Saddle Woods indoor event barn, a large stone walkway leading to the cedar wood barn space—featuring a fountain centerpiece, intricate stonework, multiple platforms, and picturesque flowers and greenery—as well as a remodeling of its Cottage and Quarters buildings.

Based in Nashville, Infinity Hospitality also owns The Bridge Building and The Bell Tower in Nashville, and The Estate at Cherokee Dock in Lebanon, as well as Murfreesboro’s Saddle Woods and its secluded 25-acre property. Saddle Woods Farm renovations are slated for completion by May of 2025.

For more information, visit saddlewoodsfarm.com/renovations and infinityhospitalitygroup.com.

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Plans for Murfreesboro’s new Veterans Park continue to solidify, with Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department officials saying the park could open to visitors by late 2025.

Plans for the park, located on Veterans Parkway near Blackman Road, include a large playground, eight pickleball courts and three miles of hiking trails. This will be the first city-owned park in the growing Blackman neighborhood of west Murfreesboro.

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Amelia’s Closet, a Murfreesboro nonprofit organization dedicated to providing professional attire and career development resources to women in the Middle Tennessee area, recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary. For the past decade, Amelia’s Closet has offered a sense of hope and transformation for women facing significant challenges in their personal and professional lives. Since its founding in 2014, Amelia’s Closet has assisted more than 750 women and gifted over $184,000 worth of clothing and makeovers.

“We are humbled and amazed to be able to celebrate this milestone and reflect on the incredible impact Amelia’s Closet has made over the past 10 years,” said founder and executive director Jody Powers. “Our mission of empowering women to break poverty cycles and build brighter futures for themselves and their families would not be possible without the generous support of our community. Thank you to our incredible volunteers and donors. You are truly helping change lives.”

Amelia’s Closet will host a special Project Restyle 2.0 fundraiser on April 29, 2025, at Liberty’s Station. Tickets will be available in 2025.

Visit ameliascloset.org for more information on the organization.

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In 2023 it seemed like a clash of history versus baseball at Cannonsburgh, but now a group is seeking to combine and celebrate both.

After a proposal last year to bring a professional baseball stadium to Murfreesboro raised concerns that the facility would replace Cannonsburgh Village, even the proposed team owner signed the petition to save Cannonsburgh. Out of that effort, “Home Run History” was born. The leader of the Save Cannonsburgh effort, Lisa Cisco, is even leading this newly named group.

Home Run History has been advising the prospective owner to make sure any proposal would celebrate and preserve Cannonsburgh Village. The main entrance to the sports complex could showcase Cannonsburgh, making it the front door of this multi-use facility. As a result, guests using the main entrance would have an opportunity to stroll through the village prior to going to a baseball game, concert or community event.

An approximate 3,500-seat stadium could be on city-owned land adjacent and immediately west of Cannonsburgh Village, providing enough room for both a ballpark and the historic pioneer village.

An architectural firm specializing in sports facilities, HKS, has been retained by the prospective American Association of Professional Baseball franchise to design a unique facility that reflects the beauty and character of Murfreesboro and Cannonsburgh Village.

“The ballpark is designed to weave the facility into the fabric of the Cannonsburgh Village without infringing on its historic elements,” said Fred Ortiz, global practice director of sports and entertainment and partner at HKS. “The site could be one of the most distinct in all of American baseball.”

Cisco has transitioned her efforts to “Save Cannonsburgh” to support of the baseball stadium and the “Home Run History” effort.

“A year ago, I took action to save Cannonsburgh. Now the focus is to showcase it and revitalize this beloved facility. Home Run History seeks to do just that as it supports the creation of a true community gathering place for Murfreesboro,” said Home Run History Chair Lisa Cisco. “We are not asking our city council to do anything immediately or even in the short term. We are committed to a process as long as it takes to build community support and goodwill.”

To learn more, visit homerunhistory.com.

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After four years in business, Panther Creek Brews has announced that it will be closing its taproom, located at 714 W. Main St., on Saturday, Oct. 5.

“As painful as it is, the Panther Creek Brews Taproom has come to an end,” according to a September social media post sharing the news. “This past year has brought several challenges that have forced us into a situation we hoped we would never see. Panther Creek Brews will live on and keep our beer alive and flowing in the market, so please request it everywhere you hang out.”

The taproom will maintain normal hours until its final day, Oct. 5, so customers can stop by and grab a beer on draft or a four-pack of Porch Lyfe until then. Panther Creek will still have a presence at area festivals and its beer will remain available at area stores and restaurants.

“We will continue our dream of brewing delicious beer and getting it to your favorite spots all throughout town. Please request it wherever you enjoy craft beer, so the brand can continue on. Cheers!”

For more information, visit panthercreekbrews.com.

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Party Fowl has closed its Murfreesboro location on Broad Street, leaving Murfreesboro without perhaps its favorite spot for Nashville hot chicken.

Party Fowl—also known for its catfish, brunch items, boozy slushies, salads and burgers—has closed its Cool Springs restaurant recently, as well.