Lebanon has been the focus of several big box superstores, significant industrial projects and some local startups that include a place for parents and small children and a centralized location for area vendors that's already taking off.
Here's a look.
The Village Play Place
A café that combines a coffee shop with an indoor play area for children ages 3-7 and a separate area for ages 2-under at 703 S. Cumberland, opened on Sept. 14.
The concept also has three multifunctional party rooms for birthdays, baby showers and gender reveal parties, according to the website.
The grand opening included Kona Ice and other activities, according to Misty Shadd, who owns The Village Play Place with husband Corey.
The Market at 109
The Market at 109 is a collaboration of local vendors setting up outdoor shops on Saturdays that will continue into November.
Husband and wife Garett and Britani Marvin launched the “pop-up style market” in July on property they own at 3301 Highway 109 North near the Martha train station, just south of Highway 70. The market operates as a centralized place for local farmers, growers, crafters, bakers and creators to sell and service the community. It began with some feeler posts on social media.
“We have had an overwhelming response from the community - both the vendor community and customers,” Britani Marvin said. “Each week of the summer market, the market grew. We are running on word of mouth and social media, in terms of getting our name out there, so our success, if you want to call it that, is truly coming from the amazing response that we've had from the vendors and customers.”
The base fee for tent vendors is $40 per week. Whether a vendor has their own tent and the need for electricity access can also factor into the cost. Food trucks and trailers operate on a percentage of sales.
Vendors use a 10-by-10 foot canopy for uniformity and element protection. There is also a large tent with picnic tables for customers to access.
The market began with a summer schedule that went through Sept. 7.
The Fall schedule began on Sept. 21 with weekly markets planned from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays. There won't be a market on Sept. 28, but the Fall schedule will continue on Saturdays from Oct. 5 to Nov. 9, organizers said.
A special Christmas market is scheduled for Dec. 14. The market is planning to return with a spring schedule, to be determined.
The long-term goal is to have a permanent building at the site that can be used as an event center during the week, Britani Marvin said.
Vendors can email themarketat10@gmail.com .
Walmart
Plans were submitted to build a new supercenter and fuel station at the northeast corner of State Route 109 and Wilson Farms Boulevard, just south of Interstate 40.
Zoning is in place and the Lebanon Planning Commission approved the preliminary plan on Aug. 27.
Sam's Club
Sam's Club now has an approved preliminary site plan to build a new store on 22 acres at Willard Hagan Drive along South Hartmann Drive, just north of Interstate 40.
The planning commission voted to approve on Aug. 27.
Infrastructure improvements will be needed to support the Sam's Club, Mayor Rick Bell has said.
Lebanon’s city council has approved entering an agreement with Endeavor Partners to extend Willard Drive and Hagan Way to support the future Sam's Club and more retail business that can be recruited to the area.
A spokesperson for Sam's Club and Walmart did not have a time estimate for construction or a potential opening.
Lebanon Commerce Center
A request to amend Lebanon’s land use plan, annex and rezone property on Franklin Road south of Interstate 40 is connected to a plan that would include 584,000 square feet of industrial building space with a commercial outparcel.
Al. Neyer, a design-build development company, made requests that initial plans show include two industrial buildings that are 318,000 square feet and 266,000 square feet respectively.
The city council's approval vote on second reading included some new requirements to position the front building to face the second building and provide a maximum buffer around the warehouse portion of the development and move the setback, Councilor Chris Crowell said.
Several residents expressed concern about the project's potential traffic, noise and lighting. An Al. Neyer representative said there were letters of support as well at an earlier meeting.
The land use plan amendment covers nearly 43 acres of the property. The annexation covers about 1.5 acres. The total site is just under 49 acres with 47.36 already in the city. The rezone covers about 47 acres, according to documents.
The commercial tract is shown on about six acres, but how many buildings or parcels it could include is still uncertain.
FSI expands to Speedway Industrial Park
Fulfillment Supply Innovation (FSI) has expanded to a third Middle Tennessee location, a 270,000-square-foot building at Speedway Industrial Park on Darrell Waltrip Drive, according to a news release.
FSI provides fulfillment and supply chain technology services for companies that includes a partnership with Burlington (formerly Burlington Coat Factory) to open more than 100 stores nationwide in 2024. FSI also has facilities in West Nashville and La Vergne.
The new building is open with about 20 FSI employees expected as operations at Speedway Industrial Park ramp up.
The company expects to eventually increase the number of employees on site to 40, the news release said.
Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on X, formerly known as Twitter @ AndyHumbles.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Lebanon business rise with Village Play Place, 109 pop-up market. Latest on Walmart, Sam's
Local News
Comments / 0