M.L.Rose Craft Beer and Burgers has announced its plans to expand to Murfreesboro, which will be the Middle Tennessee chain’s fifth location. M.L.Rose Murfreesboro will be located just down the street from Costco in the West Point development off New Salem Road.
“Murfreesboro is a community I’ve considered expanding to for some time,” said chain founder Austin Ray. “I’ve been connected to this place since I was born.”
The original M.L.Rose location opened in 2008 and became a favorite to those in the area. The combination of great burgers, pub food and a dedication to the growing craft beer market prompted rapid growth.
Guests can expect a casual atmosphere with a menu that offers 36 draft beers and 100 total beer options, craft burgers, signature waffle fries, nachos, wings, sandwiches, wraps, salads and weekend brunch. The core draft beer menu will update by season and will provide a foundation of hand-picked favorites.
“It’s easy to see the incredible growth that’s happening here. A location that is easy to see and easy to get to was my priority, and our newest M.L.Rose location will be visible and accessible from the interstate at Exit 80, and just a 10-minute drive from downtown,” Ray said. “Our Mt. Juliet location has been open just more than a year, and the guest response has surpassed our expectations. We think we’ll be right at home in Murfreesboro.”
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A unique food catering service called Graze Craze has opened a new location in Murfreesboro at 675 Middle Tennessee Blvd. Products offered include hand-crafted and customizable charcuterie boards in the form of picnic boxes, platters and grazing tables. Graze Craze has another area location in Mt. Juliet.
Graze Craze was founded in 2018 by an Air Force veteran, who is also a mother and a self-proclaimed traveling foodie dedicated to improving efficiency and providing excellent customer service and high-quality ingredients.
Grazing-style boards offered include portions that provide food for up to 10 people, with prices between $27 and $165. The menu offers variety with its keto, vegetarian, sweet, bread, crackers, gourmet pickles and everything boards. Graze Craze offers free delivery every day of the week.
Hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information, call 615-962-8578 or visit grazecraze.com.
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Koji Express plans to open another location in Murfreesboro by Two J’s Grille and Dunkin’ Donuts on Memorial, which will be Koji’s fourth Murfreesboro location.
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Another Slim Chickens location is expected to open in Murfreesboro across Memorial Boulevard from the new Koji. A Dutch Bros. Coffee and an auto care center will also open nearby.
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Q&R Café at 1798 W. Northfield Blvd. opened early August.
The restaurant offers flavored sparkling water including rose, lavender, peach, mango, orange, pineapple, honey lemon, passion fruit, watermelon, strawberry and grapefruit. It also offers smoothies, slushies, milk tea, a variety of espresso options, breakfast and dessert foods, and hot dogs.
These delicious menu options are available dine-in and online order pickup from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily, according to the restaurant’s website.
For more information, call 615-962-8681 or visit qrcafeus.com.
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Goodness Gracious Restaurant and Catering, a family-owned and chef-run Southern gourmet restaurant, should open soon at its new Fountains at Gateway space, and is currently hiring for the location.
“We are excited and nearly ready to continue serving our customers at our new location at Fountains at Gateway,” said Nicole Ford, who owns Goodness Gracious along with her husband, Eric. “With more days of operation, we welcome customers to come visit us and satisfy their cravings for cinnamon swirl pancakes, filled strawberries, gouda grits, Monte Cristo and all of Eric’s delicious creations. As we move into our new, customized restaurant space, we can assure our customers that our family atmosphere, food and love of the business will remain the same.”
The new Goodness Gracious at Fountains will seat more than 80 people inside and includes a small, upscale, private meeting room. Guests are welcome to enjoy outdoor dining on the patio, and takeout services are also available.
“Our relationship with the Fords and their family goes back decades, having been a fan of their Southern comfort food during the Front Porch Café era back in the 1990s,” said Fountains at Gateway developer Scott Graby, president of Hearthstone Properties. “We had the privilege of being their landlord when they rebranded to Goodness Gracious and moved to Northfield Blvd. After a stint running their restaurant at the Readyville Mill, we invited Eric and Nicole to return to Murfreesboro and continue their legacy at Fountains. As our sixth locally owned eatery at Fountains, Goodness Gracious epitomizes the wholesome and homegrown style that enhances the fabric of our city’s dining scene.”
The Front Porch concept was purchased in the early 1990s by Eric Ford’s mother, Karen Ford, and rebranded as Goodness Gracious Cafe on Northfield Boulevard. For the past eight years, Eric and Nicole Ford operated Goodness Gracious at Readyville Mill and made their home there. Recently, they moved back to Murfreesboro to prepare for the opening of Goodness Gracious Restaurant and Catering at Fountains.
For additional updates, visit facebook.com/goodnessgraciousboro.
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Boro Chiropractic at 401 W. Lytle St., at the corner of North Front Street, has opened. The new chiropractic office is dedicated to treating injured athletes by addressing sports-related injuries and treating them with therapies that include myofascial release, athletic taping, stretching and guided exercises as well as adjustments.
Other treatments include spinal manipulation and manual therapy for back pain, releasing muscle tightness and soft tissue adhesions, rehabilitation services, nutrition services and more.
At Boro Chiropractic, Dr. Noah Emanuel is a board-certified sports chiropractic physician who considers anyone who moves to be an athlete. Emanuel earned his doctorate of chiropractic from Northwestern Health Sciences University, and fulfilled a sports fellowship at the Human Performance Center at NWHSU.
For more information on Boro Chiropractic, visit borochirotn.com.
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Dot & Lucy’s Event Venue has officially opened its location at 4710 Lascassas Pk. The event venue provides rental options for up to 99 guests, and specializes in space for showers, private parties, holiday celebrations, family reunions, small weddings, banquets, corporate meetings and more.
For more information, call 615-380-4510 or visit dotandlucysevents.com.
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Plans are progressing for One East College, a new mixed-use unit in downtown Murfreesboro which will provide 156 residential units, 692 parking spaces in the form of a multi-level parking garage, a 110-room hotel, offices, and retail spaces for stores and restaurants, and more. This new project will also include an event center or restaurant at the location of the historic church building, which is expected to be preserved.
Groundbreaking will begin as soon as October.
Residents of One East College will have access to a gated dog park, a fitness center, a clubhouse and a small park area. A rooftop restaurant is also planned for the location, as well as a Murfreesboro Police precinct station.
“The city is making certain that earth tremors created by the construction will be monitored closely by electronic sensors buried around the construction zone. That is to protect the many historic homes in the area, along with the adjacent First Presbyterian Church with its elaborate classic stained glass windows,” City Planning Director Greg McKnight recently said.
McKnight also said the city is conducting in-depth studies to improve traffic flow, which could include possible plans for some four-lane streets.
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United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties recently announced its 2022–23 Catalyst Program participants. Program participants were selected based on their interest in community involvement and will begin the nine-month program in mid-September. The Catalyst Program trains volunteers to serve in leadership roles such as on nonprofit boards in Rutherford and Cannon counties.
Director of Strategic Initiatives and Programs Ella Weaver is excited about the new cohort and shared some of the benefits participants can look forward to.
“Catalyst participants will meet and learn about many nonprofit organizations in our community. Participants will leave the program having identified ways they can make an impact on issues they care about through advocacy, giving, and volunteerism,” Weaver said.
Catalyst Program participants for 2022–23 are: Theresa Alley, Rachel Bruce, Kathryn Clark, Carlos Delos Reyes II, Jennifer Foutch, Traci Ginn, Rebecca Goodwin, Dawn Guardalabene, Andra Helton, Briana Henry, Lauren Herald, Sally Hickerson, Jantrice Johnson, Kenzi Keene, Trisha Murphy, Lisa Rosado, Jill Showalter, Meg Van Patten, Ariana Vandenburgh, Fabrienne Wade and Lewis Webb.
For more information on the United Way Catalyst Program, call 615-893-7303 or visit yourlocaluw.org/catalyst.
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Greenhill Motion Picture Company, located in Murfreesboro, is currently raising funds through the IndieGoGo crowdfunding site for production of a feature film entitled Jinx & Tracy.
The film is a romance with elements of humor and suspense, based on the novel by Alabama author Sabrah Agee, and will star London-based actress Natascha Slasten and German-Canadian actress Yvette McKoy. The rest of the cast and crew will be drawn from Middle Tennessee’s vibrant local creative community.
“Our minimum goal is to raise enough to shoot about 20% of the feature and create a promotional trailer from that material to help raise the rest of the funding,” according to director Allan McCall.
The filmmakers hope for the film to showcase the Murfreesboro community by featuring multiple local businesses and landmarks.
More details can be found at igg.me/at/jinx-and-tracy.
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The community is invited to a reception to welcome the new Executive Director of Branches, Joshua Courtney. The reception will be held on Thursday, Sept. 15, from 1-2 p.m. at Branches, 1102 Dow St., Murfreesboro.
Dr. Michael Courtney founded Branches in 2007 to serve as a safe place for people to overcome the emotional and spiritual difficulties associated with addictions. His desire was to provide Christian counseling to all, regardless of their financial situation. After 15 years of leadership and growth, Dr. Courtney will retire from Branches in order to devote more time to writing and speaking.
Joshua began at Branches in 2016 as a medical provider, managing mental health medications for Branches clients and other patients in the community. Since then, he has accepted additional responsibilities to become an integral part of the leadership team.
Since its humble beginnings in 2007, Branches has grown to five offices in the Middle Tennessee area with more than 20 counselors and pastoral counselors, four medical providers and seven administrative staff.
Besides offering mental health counseling, medication management, a weight management and wellness program, life coaching and support groups, all programs from a biblical foundation.
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CLOSING
Jim and Kerri Ter Mors, the owners of Ahart’s Pizza Garden, recently made the difficult decision to close the restaurant after nearly two decades in business. A handful of issues are related to the recent closure including health, pandemic and staffing issues, as it has been complicated for many restaurants in the area to find and keep new employees. The restaurant’s last day in business was Aug. 29.
The Old Fort Parkway space will house a new restaurant soon, but it will be a new concept run by new owners.
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The Middle Half Marathon will come to an end after its 2022 race on Oct. 8. The annual half marathon was founded over 15 years ago. The decision was a hard one to make, according to the Middle Half’s organizers, but they concluded that it should come to an end with the recent passing of Miles Tate. Tate was one of the founders and will be greatly missed by many in the local running community.
Runners can register for the final race on Oct. 8 for $75. The run travels throughout Murfreesboro.
For more information, visit themiddlehalf.com.
