Nashville-based TailGate Brewery, pizzeria to open in Murfreesboro
TailGate Brewery and pizzeria will add a Murfreesboro location this summer at the closed Coconut Bay Café, TailGate representatives announced Monday.
A TailGate Brewery press release touts offering 30 craft beers on draft and blending a full menu that includes scratch-made Detroit-style pizza.
Based in Nashville, Tailgate Brewery has eight existing locations, including a "taproom" at Nashville Airport. The restaurant chain plans to open by early summer after renovating the 5,000-square-foot Coconut Bay Café at 210 Stones River Mall Blvd. off Old Fort Parkway (state Route 96). The pending new restaurant that's nearly 2 miles east of Interstate 24 will include café seating overlooking the Stones River, according to the press release.
Murfreesboro City Council member Jami Averwater said she'd been hoping a big company would open a new restaurant at the building that's been empty for a couple of years since Coconut Bay Café closed.
"I think it would be a great location," Averwater said.
More dining planned in Murfreesboro: P.F. Chang's, Raising Cane's, Cava & Drake's plan restaurants at Clari Park development
TailGate Brewery will bring competition to nearby restaurants
TailGate Brewery is independently owned and founded by Wesley Keegan. His business operates one of Tennessee's largest craft breweries with draft beers ranging from German Reinheitsgebot-inspired lagers to heavily fruited sours and IPA (India pale ale) blends, the press release said. The brewery offers a fresh rotation of styles at its taprooms across Tennessee, and its core lineup of brews are available at stores across the state.
“Murfreesboro has been the top-requested future location by fans of TailGate Brewery, so we’ve been working on finding the perfect taproom here for years,” Keegan said in the press release. “To everyone who’s been asking for us, we’ve been working on it. Excited to finally share our plans with craft beer fans in Murfreesboro.”
Keegan said every TailGate Brewery offers a taproom that's unique to each neighborhood location, including the pending site for Murfreesboro.
“We expect this one to evolve to what the community says it should be," Keegan said. "We’re excited for this to be a long-term investment in Murfreesboro. But it doesn’t matter what I think, it matters what the people of Murfreesboro enjoy in a craft brewery. It’s just up to us to be great stewards to the community.”
TailGate Brewery will be opening near a Miller's Ale House off Old Fort Parkway in front of Stones River Town Centre, formerly known as Stones River Mall. Miller's Ale House also renovated a former restaurant, T.G.I. Friday's, that previously operated at the location.
The pending TailGate Brewery will compete against many other nearby restaurants.
Bad news for Murfreesboro area eateries: 'Closed until further notice'
TailGate Brewer boasts competitive pay and benefits
TailGate Brewery is opening in a Murfreesboro area already known for an existing Steel Barrel Brewery at Hop Springs at 6790 John Bragg Highway.
The pending restaurant expects to hire 30 employees, offer 100% company sponsored health benefits and industry-best wages, the press release said.
“You can tell people you appreciate them as much as you want, but we know that businesses can best show that appreciation by paying people great,” Keegan said in the press release. “It’s important that our guests know they’re supporting great wages, and a great workplace, with every TailGate beer they enjoy anywhere in Tennessee.”
TailGate Brewery will be a short drive from a Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro that offers instruction in fermentation science.
Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.
TailGate Brewery existing locations
Headquarters: at 7300 Charlotte Pike in Nashville;
Music Row: at 1538 Demonbreun Street in Nashville;, East Nashville at 811 Gallatin Ave.; Germantown at 915 3rd Ave. N. in Nashville;
East Nashville: 811 Gallatin Ave. in Nashville
Germantown: 915 3rd Ave. N. in Nashville
South Nashville: at 4060 Cane Ridge Parkway, Suite 615, in Antioch;
Hendersonville: at 248 Sanders Ferry Road in Hendersonville;
Chattanooga: at 1464 Market St. in Chattanooga as well as many bars, restaurants and retailers across the state.
Nashville Airport: at a taproom
Source: Tailgate Brewery website
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Nashville-based TailGate Brewery, pizzeria to open in Murfreesboro
