The Tiger Woods-backed golf entertainment concept PopStroke opened its new year-round mini golf venue at 4221 Century Farms Terrace in Antioch in December. PopStroke Nashville features a total of three 18-hole putting courses—two indoors and one outdoors—a state-of-the-art automatic scoring system, a full-service restaurant with burgers, wraps, salads and tacos; an ice cream parlor, and a sports bar with drinks available on and off the greens.

The venue also includes outdoor gaming spaces and a kid-friendly playground.

PopStroke’s arrival adds a major new entertainment option to the Century Farms area, near the Tanger Outlets and the recently opened In-N-Out Burger.

PopStroke Nashville is offering a monthly membership special for $30/month. For more information, visit popstroke.com.

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California-based fast-food favorite In-N-Out Burger has officially opened its first Middle Tennessee restaurants, including the one at 2508 Medical Center Pkwy. in Murfreesboro, welcoming fans with its classic made-to-order burgers, hand-diced fries and real ice cream shakes.

The December opening marked some of the chain’s first locations east of Texas, part of its broader expansion into Tennessee alongside new restaurants in Lebanon and Antioch. The Murfreesboro location features a single drive-through lane, indoor seating for about 74 guests and a covered patio with outdoor seating for roughly 30 more, and aims to employ about 75 local workers. In-N-Out’s commitment to fresh, never-frozen ingredients and its passionate fan base have made the arrival a major event for local diners; nearby overflow parking areas have been necessary.

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A new UFC Gym will come to the former YMCA facility at 205 N. Thompson Ln.

Green Trails Triout Thompson Lane, LLC recently presented the city with redevelopment plans to convert the 30,000-plus-square-foot athletic building into a full-service mixed martial arts training center.

UFC Gyms typically offer a mix of strength and cardio equipment, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu mats, bag rooms, functional training areas and personal training services.

Meanwhile, multiple new restaurants are being constructed on portions of YMCA’s parking area.

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Casa Primos, a new authentic Mexican restaurant concept, will be coming to downtown Murfreesboro.

The space just off the Murfreesboro Public Square at 211 W. Main St., previously home to High Society, will rebrand as Casa Primos. The new establishment will keep the existing stage for live musical acts and will also host karaoke seven nights a week. But, while High Society offered a menu featuring burgers, steaks and sandwiches—similar to multiple other nearby restaurants—Casa Primos will be downtown Murfreesboro’s only Mexican restaurant, and will offer handmade tortillas, carnitas, lengua, pastor, homemade tamales, fish tacos and more.

Christie Shedd, who opened High Society and is also a co-owner of Casa Primos, says she expects the Mexican restaurant to be open every day starting Jan. 15.

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As many fans of the local Joanie’s brand had guessed, Joanie’s Murfreesboro owner Jason Day confirmed that he plans to expand the Joanie’s location on the Murfreesboro Square into the restaurant area next door that was recently vacated by the Red Bicycle Roasting Co.

Day stated that the new addition will be entirely gutted and once renovations are complete will be unlike anything else in Murfreesboro. He also stated that like most historic downtown renovation projects, this one is expected to take some time, so an opening date has not been set.

Named for owner Jason Day’s mother, Joanie, the establishment serves its entire menu during all business hours out of its two Murfreesboro locations: 13 S. Public Square and 1733 St. Andrews Dr.

Although certainly steeped in coffeeshop vibes, the popular Joanie’s menu covers everything from breakfast classics to some delicious, fresh salad combinations, breakfast burritos, French toast, beefy burgers and more, many items having a creative twist and name. Visit the Joanie’s website to order: joaniesboro.com.

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Biladi Coffee House will open soon, according to new signage displayed in a storefront near the Waffle House at the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard and Rutherford Boulevard.

According to the lettering in the window the Experience of Yemeni Heritage Crafted for the Modern Taste will be brewing soon.

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D’Zone BTQ, a retro-focused retail outlet, has opened on St. Andrews Drive after relocating from Nashville to Murfreesboro. The shop specializes in 1990s-era apparel, vintage games and pop-culture memorabilia. Fans of throwback fashion and pop culture can find fun, eclectic pieces at the niche boutique, now open at 132 St. Andrews Dr., Ste. F.

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Photo courtesy of WGNS Radio

Rutherford County commissioners voted overwhelmingly to advance a plan to purchase the former Bank of America building near the Murfreesboro Public Square, moving into architectural planning and due-diligence stages for the roughly $17 million project. The nearly 29,000-square-foot structure, near the historic courthouse, could soon house multiple county departments in a centralized location.

The seller agreed to lower the purchase price from $9 million to about $8.2 million, and design work will begin to prepare the building for renovation and future use.

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Redeemer Classical Academy is planning to relocate its school to 210 Chaffin Pl., the former home of Old Fort Academy. The plan includes using the existing building while constructing a new addition to support the school’s growth.

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Middle Tennessee State University broke ground Dec. 3 on its new state-of-the-art aerospace facility at the Shelbyville Airport, marking a major step forward for one of the nation’s most highly recognized aerospace and aviation programs.

MTSU’s Shelbyville operation plans will result in an aviation hub that addresses the need for expansion and growth of the Department of Aerospace and its exploding pilot training program—while also meeting an important aviation industry need. Supported by $73.4 million in combined federal, state and university funding, this new base of operations will provide a permanent home for all MTSU aircraft. With new hangars, classrooms, offices and ramp space, the project will accommodate future fleet expansion and offer dedicated instructional spaces for training the next generation of aviation leaders.

“The new flight training facility in Shelbyville represents much more than an expanded hangar and new classrooms. It reflects our unwavering commitment to safety, exceptional instruction, and giving every student the space and resources they need to train,” said Greg Van Patten, dean of the MTSU College of Basic and Applied Sciences.

“It’s also a commitment to this region. In partnership with the city of Shelbyville and Bedford County, we are building an aviation hub that will create new workforce pipelines and fuel economic development for Tennessee.”

About 15 planes and 85 to 100 aerospace professional pilot students are already utilizing a temporary facility at the Shelbyville Airport for flight training. Many of MTSU’s flight training, educational programs and aviation maintenance instruction will remain at Murfreesboro Municipal Airport until the new Shelbyville facilities are complete, expected following a 24-month construction period. For more information on the MTSU Aerospace Department, visit aerospace.mtsu.edu.

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CLOSING

Red Bicycle Roasting Co. has closed its Murfreesboro location after its proprietors were evicted from the Murfreesboro Public Square space in mid-November over unpaid rent, according to reports from MTSU Sidelines.

The Nashville-based brand known for its artisanal coffee continues to operate multiple other Middle Tennessee locations, though its Murfreesboro cafe reportedly faced declining foot traffic leading up to the closing. Staff said the closure came after attempts by the business owners to negotiate with the property owners in an effort to keep the shop open were unsuccessful.

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Whataburger has closed its Memorial Boulevard location in Murfreesboro as part of a broader reduction of Middle Tennessee stores. The company shuttered four of its 24 regional locations, though it continues to operate other restaurants locally on Medical Center Parkway and Old Fort Parkway.

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Station Grill announced in late December that it would permanently close its Northfield Boulevard bar and grill on Jan. 1, 2026.

“Our lease at Georgetown Park will not be renewed by the property’s landlord,” according to a statement posted to social media. “We were informed that the decision not to renew was made simply because the landlord ‘didn’t want to;’ we want to express our sincere appreciation to our loyal customers and dedicated staff who have supported Station Grill over the years.

“We are truly grateful for the memories, friendships and shared moments that made Station Grill such a special place.”