Layali Dubai Restaurant & Lounge Experience is expected to open soon in the former Cathay building on Church Street. It will offer Iraqi and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Layali Dubai management says it will also offer weekly entertainment nights featuring top stars from the Arab, Iraqi and Kurdish music scenes, and will provide outdoor seating surrounded by elegant fountains and landmarks inspired by Iraqi history and heritage, as well as designated play areas for children.
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Boro Bazaar is set to open at 131 Cason Ln.—the former Float Alchemy and Boro Health & Wellness Spa location. The new store and restaurant will feature spices, lentils, fresh produce and Indian cuisine. It is affiliated with Nashville’s Indus Kitchen.
The Boro Bazaar is expected to serve as a hub for the local community, providing access to authentic Indian ingredients and cuisine. Stay tuned to the Indus Nashville Instagram page for more information on Boro Bazaar’s offerings and expected opening date.
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Photo Courtesy of Andy Heidt / MTSU
Demos’ Restaurant has opened a new location on Middle Tennessee State University’s campus, located in the Student Union Building food court. It offers a local favorite to students and faculty, and will remain open Monday through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the fall semester.
Demos’ first opened in Murfreesboro in 1989, founded by father-son combo Peter and Jim Demos. The family-owned business quickly became known for combining pasta dishes with American steaks, chicken and seafood at affordable prices.
Jamey Demos—son of Peter and Kristin Demos, both MTSU alumni—will head up the new campus location.
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A sign is now up, and restaurant management expects Krustaceans Seafood, which offers a variety of seafood options including boiled platters, fried seafood combos, seafood macaroni and cheese, waffles and more, to open at 2858 S. Church St. during early September. Hours will be Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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The Firey Pig will be taking over the space long occupied by Campus Subs at 1124 Old Lascassas Rd., not far from MTSU.
Scott and Lisa Wallace currently operate the Firey Pig as a food truck, specializing in hickory smoked pulled pork, pulled chicken, wings, brisket, ribs and pork tenderloin, as well as hashbrown casserole, baked beans, biscuits and gravy, mac and cheese, cakes and pies.
Find The Firey Pig on Facebook or visit thefireypig.com for updates.
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The Human Bean will open a Murfreesboro location on Memorial Boulevard between the Reeves-Sain Drug Store and Little Caesars Pizza. It will offer a drive-thru and will include a variety of menu options from espresso drinks to dirty sodas.
The chain has more than 180 locations nationwide and is known for serving a chocolate-covered coffee bean with each drink. Other popular menu items include frozen granitas, Bright Energy drinks, real fruit smoothies and seasonal offerings. Visit thehumanbean.com for more information.
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Sprouts has announced that it will bring a new grocery location to Smyrna by late 2026. The new building will occupy a 23,500-square-foot anchor space at Sewart’s Landing—a 44-acre, $400 million mixed-use development on Sam Ridley Parkway West. The development will offer retail, office, residential and hospitality spaces while enhancing Smyrna’s vibrancy and economic growth, according to a recent press release. It will also include designated spaces for medical uses, two boutique hotels with a total of 240 rooms, 10 acres of parks, walking paths and an amphitheater.
“Transformational projects like Sewart’s Landing are shaping Smyrna’s future, creating jobs, and significantly enhancing our community’s quality of life,” said Smyrna Mayor Mary Esther Reed. “We welcome Sprouts Farmers Market and all our exciting new tenants, as this development continues to unfold.”
Sewart’s Landing also expects to host Jonathan’s Grille, City BBQ, Keke’s Breakfast Cafe, Encore Nails, Wawa, Hand & Stone, and Scissors & Scotch.
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Jefferson’s has opened on the Murfreesboro Public Square, vacating its location on East Main Street. Now located at 109 N. Maple St. (briefly the home of Fire Korean BBQ & Bar, another venture operated by Jefferson’s owners Nick and David Carulla), Jefferson’s specializes in wings, burgers and oysters.
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Gallagher Guitars, formerly located on Walnut Street, has announced its relocation to 331 N. Front St. Its new home, just down the street from its original location, will offer space for a larger showroom as well as a more refined shop layout and richer Gallagher experience, according to the company.
“We’re incredibly grateful for your continued support, passion, and love for handmade craftsmanship. None of this would be possible without you, our amazing players and community,” said Gallagher co-owner David Mathis in a recent release regarding the new location.
In September of 2019, Mathis acquired the company from the Gallagher family, and in 2020 he officially moved the workshop and headquarters from Wartrace to Murfreesboro. The company operated out of Wartrace for more than 50 years prior. Visit gallagherguitar.com for more information.
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KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot at Stones River Town Centre, located at 1720 Old Fort Pkwy. between Shoe Station and Bink’s, is expected to be open sometime in September. According to staff, the location was expected to open in July, but due to setbacks with codes they had to move the opening date back.
KPOT is an all-you-can-eat experience that merges traditional Asian hot pot and Korean BBQ flavors with global spices and seasonings, a full bar and a nightlife atmosphere. KPOT offers a variety of meat, seafood, vegetable, barbecue, noodle and soup options.
This is the restaurant’s fourth planned #Tennessee location, in addition to Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville.
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Barrett Firearms has announced that it will open a new local manufacturing facility. The NIOA group recently broke ground on the facility for Barrett Manufacturing & Technology Campus and NIOA North American Headquarters. The BMTC will be the NIOA group’s global center of excellence for firearms and advanced military weapons manufacturing and research capabilities, and will be located at 8808 Manchester Pk. on a 170-acre space, fairly close to the original headquarters where the company has operated for decades.
This marks the most significant investment in Barrett’s history and reflects the NIOA group’s long-term commitment to advanced manufacturing and local jobs in Rutherford County.
The first stage includes corporate headquarters, R&D capabilities, large scale state-of-the-art manufacturing and first-floor office area spread over more than 250,000 square feet. The expansion will double the Barrett workforce and enable the company to meet growing worldwide demand for its commercial and defense products. The building project is expected to be completed by February 2027.
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The Learning Center has announced plans to build a new facility at 1706 Blackman Rd. near the intersection with Hartman Farm Court.
The preschool and daycare provider will offer programs for children from six weeks through pre-kindergarten, following the organization’s STEAM-based curriculum. Hours of operation will be Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The new location will provide access to quality early childhood education in the growing Blackman area. Visit learningzonechildcare.com for further information.
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The new Murfreesboro Transit Center, at 324 New Salem Hwy., opens to the public with new routes Sept. 8.
The Transit Center includes a passenger pavilion, maintenance facility and administration building. Passengers can enter the complex from Bridge Avenue, while Murfreesboro Transit employees have a separate entrance on New Salem Highway.
Amid rapid growth and traffic congestion, the new Transit Center will better facilitate transportation within city limits and through partnership with WeGo Public Transit. Addressing the challenges of the congested and growing Middle Tennessee region makes partnerships between local transit agencies and WeGo Public Transit increasingly important in making local connections with regional services, officials say.
Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland stressed the importance of the city’s Transit Center.
“It really provides a place for us to be able to partner with TDOT, WeGo, Mid-Cumberland and others to get people to their jobs, to medical appointments, and to places some citizens couldn’t otherwise get to without public transportation,” McFarland said.
The City of Murfreesboro received $9 million in TDOT IMPROVE ACT funds and $5 million in federal dollars for design and construction of the new facility. The city’s required $2.8 million in local matching funds for the project came from the 2019 and 2022 Capital Improvement Program. The new facility sits on a 5.5-acre site across from the Doug Young Public Safety Training Facility.
“The opening of the Murfreesboro Transit Center is a vital step forward for public transportation in Middle Tennessee,” said Jason Spain, executive director of the Tennessee Public Transportation Association. “With the opening of this modern and accessible transit hub, Murfreesboro is reaffirming its commitment to a more connected and inclusive future.”
Murfreesboro Transit operates a fleet of 12 buses and 18 drivers. The central hub had been located at 222 W. Burton St. in downtown Murfreesboro since transit operations began in 2007.
Murfreesboro Transit has a mobile app to track public transit service and is available for downloading on Apple and Android devices.
For more information on Murfreesboro Transit, including routes, visit murfreesborotn.gov/248.
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Wellpoint Tennessee, in partnership with the Murfreesboro Boys & Girls Club and Archie’s Promise, recently installed a new hygiene vending machine at the local Boys & Girls Club, which is dedicated to providing free and essential personal care products to students in underserved communities.
“The Boys & Girls Club has always been a safe place for our youth to grow and thrive,” said Senator Shane Reeves at a recent ribbon-cutting event. “This new hygiene initiative ensures that every child has the dignity and confidence they need to focus on learning and building a brighter future.”
The vending machine offers a variety of items including deodorant, toothpaste, floss, wet wipes, and both feminine hygiene packs and other goods.
“Access to basic hygiene products is fundamental to a child’s confidence and success in school,” said Wellpoint Tennessee President Natalie Cooper. “By partnering with community organizations, we are addressing an often-overlooked social driver of health that can impact attendance, self-esteem, and mental well-being.”
Wellpoint offers healthcare services for consumers at any stage of life and helps individuals and communities make measurable progress with health plans that foster independence, confidence and whole-person health. For more information, visit wellpoint.com.
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The Rutherford County Library System has announced the acquisition of a decommissioned school bus, donated by Murfreesboro City Schools, set to be transformed into RCLS’s second Bookmobile.
“The RCLS Bookmobile program has grown significantly in recent years, thanks to the incredible support of our community,” says Michael Cleaves, Bookmobile coordinator. “Demand for mobile library services continues to rise, and this second vehicle will allow us to better serve schools, neighborhoods and rural areas throughout Rutherford County.”
While the full interior conversion is still to come, the community may soon spot the bus out and about, part of the library’s plan to let the public follow along as the bus transforms into a mobile library.
“We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Murfreesboro City Schools and the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation for their generous contributions,” Cleaves adds.
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Shelbyville’s Uncle Nearest has been placed under receivership following a lawsuit alleging that the Tennessee whiskey company defaulted on loans valued over $100 million.
The lawsuit, filed by lender Farm Credit Mid-America, noted that Uncle Nearest breached loan agreements when misreporting inventory and misusing funds. Company leaders deny wrongdoing, suggesting that former CFO Mike Senzaki is responsible for the company’s current issues, and insist that the brand remains financially strong despite repayment efforts only totaling $9 million in 2024 and $7.5 million this year.
The court ordered the preservation of collateral, primarily whiskey barrels, and has placed a gag order in response to CEO Fawn Weaver’s social media activity following posts on her Instagram page suggesting that the brand’s followers should “clear the shelves.”
Senzaki, who was fired as CFO in October 2024, is allegedly responsible for the misrepresented inventory. The Weavers claim that Senzaki overstated the inventory by approximately $21 million between 2022 and 2023. That overstatement helped Uncle Nearest secure an increase of $24 million to the business’s line of credit. The Weavers’ response points out that the bank approved the additional funds without verifying the inventory with the third-party warehouse. The Weavers’ suggest that the lawsuit “tellingly fails to acknowledge that Uncle Nearest was the victim of fraudulent activity and never intended to trigger the technical default.”
Founded in 2016, Uncle Nearest rose quickly to national recognition, honoring Nathan “Nearest” Green, a formerly enslaved man credited with teaching Jack Daniel the craft of whiskey-making. The company remains in operation.
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CLOSED
Dos Rancheros, located at 2458 Old Fort Pkwy., has closed and the building has been emptied, though no official announcement has been made regarding plans for the business. This follows the recent opening of Murfreesboro’s fifth Camino Real Mexican Restaurant, located just in front of the Dos Rancheros space.
