Swig, known as the “home of the original dirty soda,” has opened its Murfreesboro location at 1213 Greenland Dr., near MTSU. It opened its drive-thru in early February, with plans to open the lobby later in the month.

Swig offers a variety of dirty soda options and flavors, for those interested in something other than plain sodas or coffee-based beverages, Swig also offers water-based refreshers with either flat or sparkling water, energy drinks, sugar-free and low-calorie drink options, and customizable beverages.

Some popular drinks include the Texas Tab—a blend of Dr. Pepper, vanilla flavoring, and coconut cream—the Strawberry Breeze—made with water, sugar-free coconut, vanilla, strawberry puree, frozen strawberries and coconut cream—and the Shark Attack, which includes a blend of Sprite, lemonade, and blue raspberry topped with a gummy shark.

Posted restaurant hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit swig.com for more info.

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Premium Muay Thai, already open to the public, will celebrate its official grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 7, at noon, and will provide coffee and refreshments as well as a free raffle for those interested.

Daniel Champa [pictured below] opened the martial arts school, located at 2955 S. Rutherford Blvd., to provide high quality and authentic training focused on technical skill, safety, and a positive, team-oriented culture. It holds class sessions from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

Champa began training in martial arts at the age of 6. He now has 20 years of experience in Muay Thai, is a red belt in tae kwon do, and has also studied the Ronin Grappling System, judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Muay Thai, known as the “art of eight limbs,” utilizes eight points of contact including fists, elbows, knees and legs. It is widely known for its emphasis on conditioning and technique. Premium Muay Thai provides structured classes designed for both beginners and more experienced participants.

Training options are divided into two levels, with introductory classes focusing on fundamentals and conditioning, and advanced classes available with instructor approval. A seven-day trial is available for new members, with basic equipment provided during that period. For more information, visit premiummuaythai.com.

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Buc-ee’s has announced that its Murfreesboro location, expected to open by the end of 2026, will include one of the brand’s new signature Texas-style Tortilla Factory machines, which currently produce tortillas at just a handful of Buc-ee’s locations.

The tortilla machine will make flour tortillas used for breakfast burritos, wraps and chicken fajita tacos, dedicated to providing a tastier, fresher flavor.

The Murfreesboro Buc-ee’s will also include a larger electric vehicle charging area and a walking trail.

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The Tennessee Nashville Chinatown development, a plan to create Middle Tennessee’s first Chinatown area, continues to take shape on Hickory Hollow Parkway in Antioch.

The Pan-Asia Supermarket (5255 Hickory Hollow Pkwy., Antioch), an anchor of the project, will hold its grand opening on Friday, Feb. 6. In addition to housing the largest Asian grocery store in Nashville, the supermarket will also feature a food court with a wide range of Asian cuisines represented, including Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Korean food.

The ongoing five-acre, multi-building Tennessee Nashville Chinatown project located just off of I-24 near the intersection of Bell Road and Hickory Hollow Parkway will also host a variety of other Asian restaurants, shops, nail salons, spas and office space, as well as outdoor elements such as gazebos and green space. For more information on the project, visit tnnashvillechinatown.com.

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MilkShake Factory has opened a Murfreesboro location of its ice cream parlor and confectionery shop at The Avenue, 2615 Medical Center Pkwy., Suite 2390, in between Bar Louie and Paris Baguette.

The shop specializes in premium handspun milkshakes made with homemade ice cream. In addition to milkshake classics like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, MilkShake Factory serves signature creations topped with cookies, candy bars, brownies, whipped cream and sauces, as well as sundaes, floats and specialty chocolates. Tracing its roots to a family-owned Pittsburgh shop that opened in 1914, the Murfreesboro location joins a growing footprint for the brand, which has expanded rapidly across the Southeast and Midwest in recent years.

Current MilkShake Factory Murfreesboro hours are noon to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

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Vanderbilt University Medical Center has received approval to continue work on its Vanderbilt Rutherford Hospital project, to be located at 1803 Blackman Rd., after its certificate of need was originally denied in 2023, the result of heavy opposition from other healthcare organizations in the area.

The new location, near the intersection of Veterans Parkway and I-840, is expected to cost an estimated $144.3 million, and will include 42 beds, an emergency department and obstetrics, surgical suites, and cardiac catheterization abilities.

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Compassion Eye Care, led by Dr. Laura Keith, has moved into the longtime home of Legacy Ink at 727 S. Church St.

Compassion offers eyeglasses, dry eye treatment, emergency eye care, cataract evaluations and glaucoma management. For more information, visit compassioneyecare.com.

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The Experience Community Church has opened another church campus, this one located at 352 W. Northfield Blvd. (the former home of Margarita’s restaurant). The new location offers a smaller space, but provides churchgoers with the usual chapter-by-chapter, verse-by-verse teaching.

The Murfreesboro North campus offers ECCO programs for kids and a Spanish ministry. Service hours are Sundays at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and 12 p.m.

Visit experiencecc.com for more information.

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Adult & Teen Challenge has announced its plans for a new residential addiction treatment center in Murfreesboro.

“We are working toward opening a new Adult & Teen Challenge Murfreesboro residential campus, and we believe this will be a place where lives are rebuilt, men are set free from addictions and life-controlling problems and learn how to stay free,” according to Murfreesboro Outreach Director Gene Garcia. “We have the vision. We have the mission. We have the people. Now we just need the building.”

The nonprofit’s staff has asked that those who have real estate connections, or know of a property suitable for the Center, to reach out. Adult & Teen Challenge has also released a lengthy list of needs for this new facility that supporters can donate or sponsor, with items for the residential center ranging from home furnishings and beds to office supplies, musical instruments for its chapel to lawn care equipment. For more details, contact Gene Garcia at gene@atctn.org or 615-624-7878

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CLOSED

Casa Adobe Express on Warrior Drive in Murfreesboro has closed its doors after operating for just over two years in the space, just off of Salem Highway.

However, the Casa Adobe owner/operators have recently opened Che Taqueria at 1813 Memorial Blvd.

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A little over a year after its opening, Tijuana Flats closed its Murfreesboro location.

Though, according to reports, different restaurant operators have already begun working on a separate eatery, to open later this year, at the 1306 Westlawn Blvd. restaurant space.