Paris Baguette, a French-inspired bakery cafe with South Korean roots, will open a Murfreesboro location at the Avenue beside Bar Louie in addition to its current Nashville cafe, which is located at 1109 Church St.
“We opened our first U.S. cafe in 2005 and we are growing rapidly with a projected 1,000 locations by 2030. At Paris Baguette, our vision is to re-establish the bakery cafe as the heart of the community,” according to Paris Baguette. “We serve expertly crafted baked and brewed goods to our guests, made with the highest quality ingredients made by our skilled cakers, bakers and baristas. Guests can taste the difference in our pastries, cakes and breads that are made fresh on-site at each cafe while enjoying a warm and welcoming bakery cafe experience that delivers joy to everyone.”
Some of the cafe’s cake options include cheesecakes, chocolate mousse, and yogurt cakes. Other menu options include croissants, fruit pastries and Danishes, sweet potato tarts, breads, croissant and mochi donuts, quiche and breakfast sandwiches, cookies, coffees and more. Visit parisbaguette.com for details.
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Playa Bowls will open two Murfreesboro locations this year. Playa Bowls specializes in refreshing acai bowls made daily, as well as smoothies and juices, and uses eco-friendly, easily compostable bowls, spoons, lids and straws at all locations.
The two new restaurants will be located at 2965 S Church St. and 5619 Franklin Rd. For more information, visit playabowls.com.
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Patina Unique Boutique, located at 2295 NW Broad St., across the street from Bumpus Harley Davidson, offers various vendor booths featuring something for everyone, from antiques and vintage to handmade items from local crafters and soap makers, toys, comics and Lego bricks, local art, and local foods including sourdough goods, honey and jams.
“Me and my wife Jessica pride ourselves in making every shopping experience in our store incredibly fun and laid back for everyone,” said owner Blake Smith.
“We also have some of the most unusual gift items that you can find anywhere around. We are known as the store that has everything you didn’t know you needed but have to have. We currently have 54 unique vendors in our store and are bringing in more in the coming weeks.”
Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit patinauniqueboutique.com for more information.
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Three Mothers Cuisine and Bakery, which currently operates at 1002 Memorial Blvd., will open a second location at 5131 Franklin Rd. in the former Hwy 55 Burgers location, beside Christian Brothers Automotive. The second location is expected to open sometime in March.
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Valvoline Instant Oil Change will open a new location on Beasie Road between Warrior Drive and Costco, its sixth Murfreesboro location. Valvoline currently operates more than 2,000 locations in the United States and Canada, and offers a variety of services including oil changes, battery, bulb and wiper replacements, tire rotations and more. Visit vioc.com for a list of locations and other services.
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After 38 years of owning Bud’s Tire, located at 3600 Woodbury Pk., Bud and Kay Mitchell have decided to retire. However, rather than closing the tire shop, longtime residents of the Kittrell community Johnny and Melissa Kincaid have purchased the business and intend to keep it running. Currently, they say they have plans to make a few renovations and system changes to improve the overall flow and customer experience while keeping the core of the business in mind. Visit budstireprostn.com for more information.
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The Detail Department, located at 906 Ridgely Rd., sharing the building with Cedar Glade Brews and Spread the Positive, offers a variety of car care products including cleaning materials, detailing brushes and tools, high-pressure spray bottles, container labels, microfiber towels, sealants and waxes, paint correction kits and more. For more information, visit detaildept.us.
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76 Fence, a leading provider of residential and commercial fencing solutions, recently announced its latest franchise growth with the addition of regional developers Deana and Josh Persons in Tennessee. With plans to launch their first two territories in 2025, the couple held a ribbon-cutting for the Smyrna franchise in February, with future plans to expand statewide.
The Tennessee expansion builds on the momentum of the brand’s mission to deliver premium fencing services and support aspiring entrepreneurs in growing their own businesses.
“We are excited to bring 76 Fence to Tennessee and introduce its exceptional service and business model to our communities,” said regional developer of 76 Fence, Josh Persons. “With the brand’s strong foundation and proven success, we’re confident in its potential to meet the fencing needs of both residential and commercial customers across the state.”
The couple will oversee franchise recruitment, training, and support throughout the state, creating opportunities for aspiring business owners.
“Our role as regional developers is not only to establish our territories but also to help others succeed within this proven system,” said regional developer of 76 Fence Deana Persons. “We’re eager to grow 76 Fence into a household name here.”
76 Fence’s first Tennessee location is at 6620 New Nashville Hwy. in Smyrna. Visit 76fence.com for more information or to request an estimate.
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Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford has named Daphne David as its new president and chief executive officer, effective May 1, 2025. With more than 20 years of leadership experience in health care, David joins Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford at a time of continued growth and investment in advanced patient care.
David most recently served as CEO of HCA TriStar Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, where she led $160 million in capital infrastructure growth and oversaw significant expansion across multiple service lines. Under her leadership, the 234-bed facility experienced strong growth, improved patient experience and increased physician engagement, all while reducing staff turnover.
Prior to her role at TriStar Summit Medical Center, David served as CEO for North Suburban Medical Center in Thornton, Colorado, and chief operating officer for Orange Park Medical Center in Orange Park, Florida, and Garden Park Medical Center in Gulfport, Mississippi.
“Over the past 15 years, the hospital has undergone a generational transformation—opening a new state-of-the-art facility, expanding access to critical services lines, and making significant capital investments to better serve our growing community,” said President and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Fahad Tahir. “With Daphne at the helm, we will build on that momentum.”
David succeeds Gordon Ferguson, who has served as the hospital’s CEO since 2005 and will transition into the role of vice president of community relations for the next year, focusing on strengthening the hospital’s community partnerships and philanthropic initiatives.
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Republic Bank & Trust Company has announced that Grady Payne will now serve as vice president, business development manager III at its Murfreesboro banking center, bringing decades of experience and expertise in banking and financial services to the bank’s Tennessee market.
“We’re excited to have Grady join our Tennessee team at the Murfreesboro banking center,” said Republic Bank Tennessee Market President Chad Hart. “Grady possesses a wealth of experience and deep roots in central Tennessee that will undoubtedly provide all of our clients banking services and security they can rely on, along with the great customer service they deserve.”
With over 25 years of financial experience, Payne joins Republic from F&M Bank, where he served as the assistant vice president, branch manager and a lender. Prior to that, Payne held leadership roles at First Tennessee Bank and Country Financial in Murfreesboro as well as positions at other area financial institutions.
“I’m incredibly grateful to join Republic Bank’s leadership team in Murfreesboro,” Payne said. “My focus will continue to be providing clients, small businesses and the Rutherford County community the much-needed services and resources to help them build a brighter financial future.”
Payne serves the Murfreesboro community as an active board member for Greenhouse Ministries and the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raider Athletic Association. Additionally, Payne is a Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce Diplomat as well as a member of the Murfreesboro Noon Rotary and the Community Foundation of Rutherford County Guild.
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The Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, located at 502 SE Broad St., has appointed Bobbie Jo Meredith as its new vice president of learning. Meredith will oversee the museum’s educational initiatives, including program development, outreach efforts, and partnerships to expand STEAM-based learning opportunities.
Meredith previously worked for 11 years in the engineering field before transitioning to education. She taught mathematics and STEM in Rutherford County Schools and is currently pursuing a doctorate in education in K-12 educational leadership and policy at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College.
Meredith’s responsibilities at the Discovery Center will include advancing hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences, strengthening community partnerships, and developing programs that align with state and national education standards.
“As the new vice president of learning at the Discovery Center, I am thrilled to lead the development of programs that inspire a love of learning in our community,” said Meredith. “I look forward to working alongside the talented staff to make the Discovery Center a leading destination for STEAM education.”
For more information on The Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, visit explorethedc.org.
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The Rutherford County Archives recently welcomed County Genealogist Kayla Howard. She replaces Susan Daniel, who stepped down after serving for 46 years.
Rutherford County Archives Director John Lodl said the county genealogist position was created in 1978 at the same time that the Rutherford County Public Records Commission was started by state mandate.
“We are very excited to have Kayla Howard appointed as the new county genealogist,” Lodl said. “As current supervisor of the Historical Research Center, a branch of the Rutherford County Library System, Kayla is in a key position in terms of researching our rich and diverse local history. Kayla will continue making great strides in connecting researchers to their ancestors though the records of our historical past.”
The mission of the Rutherford County Archives is to preserve and protect the written documents, past and present, generated by the government offices of Rutherford County. The county records preserved at the archive include judicial proceedings, tax documents and administrative records. The preservation of most of these records is required by law. The Rutherford County Archives seeks to make these documents accessible to government agencies, the people of Rutherford County, and the public at large. For more information, visit rutherfordcountytn.gov/archives.
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A new building going up on Broad Street near Rutherford Boulevard will house “Maria Market II” according to a sign recently hung there.
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CLOSINGS
Big Lots recently announced it would be closing all locations as a result of bankruptcy; however, Gordon Brothers Retail Partners later announced that some of the company’s locations will remain open in an attempt to save the discount franchise and retain jobs for a majority of its employees.
The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2024, but has reached an agreement to keep 200–400 of its stores open, including its Murfreesboro location. As part of this agreement, Variety Wholesalers Inc., a company that operates over 400 discount stores across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, intends to acquire between 200 and 400 Big Lots locations while maintaining operations under the Big Lots brand.
The Murfreesboro store, located at 1262 NW Broad St. will remain open.
Big Lots President and CEO Bruce Thorn described the agreement with Gordon Brothers as the best opportunity to preserve jobs and maintain the continuity of the brand. The company had previously attributed its financial struggles to inflation and high interest rates, which led to a decline in consumer spending on home and seasonal products, significantly affecting revenue.
“Having established a strong working partnership with Big Lots, we executed seamlessly with all parties to provide the company and its stakeholders a holistic, solutions-oriented sale and avoid a full liquidation,” said Gordon Brothers Chief Transaction Officer Kyle C. Shonak. “Throughout the restructuring, our firm not only provided financing, but the guidance, expertise and services needed to develop and lead a multi-faceted solution to avoid layoffs and maximize value.”
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After more than 80 years in the business, JOANN Fabric and Crafts has announced that it will be closing all 800 locations across 49 states after filing for bankruptcy less than a year ago.
“In connection with this agreement, subject to Bankruptcy Court approval of the transaction, the winning bidders plan to begin winding down the Company’s operations and conduct going-out-of-business sales at all store locations,” JOANN said in a statement.
Stores are expected to close by the end of May and employees say JOANN will hold clearance sales leading up to the final days. However, Mandy Fletcher, an associate at our local Murfreesboro store, recently mentioned in a Facebook post that store associates will not know the expected dates for clearance sales until they begin. In addition, stores can no longer offer fabric cuts of less than one yard or accept gift cards, customer discounts or fulfill online orders.
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Bargain Hunt, which had two Murfreesboro stores, has announced that it will close all stores across the U.S. after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The discount retailer announced its intentions to close all of its 92 locations—31 of which are located in Tennessee. Going-out-of-business sales will continue as Bargain Hunt wraps up operations.
