Williamson County's August business roundup: The Factory grows and sandwiches say 'so long'
August was a good month for fans of The Factory, the shopping and dining destination near downtown Franklin. The complex announced new businesses set to open there, including restaurants, retail and a logistics company.
It was not a good month for sandwich lovers. Two local spots closed operations in Franklin, leaving behind grateful — but hungry — fans.
Elsewhere, a new coworking space opened to give women entrepreneurs space to grow their businesses.
Read on to learn what's new in Williamson County.
New restaurants at The Factory
The Factory announced new tenants that will open soon — amid a series of renovations.
Two Hands, an Australian-style cafe that offers fun twists on familiar brunch fare, will open its eighth location.
Greys Fine Cheese and Entertaining, which already sells charcuterie essentials at its Memphis location, will bring its cheesy elegance to the Franklin.
Blue Flowers, which describes itself as selling wood, urethane and fabric on its Instagram page, and Diaknonia Group, a material handling company, will also lease space at The Factory.
Franklin Burger Company closes
Burger lovers might have to find a new local spot after Franklin Burger Company, located near U.S. Highway 31 and Moores Lane, closed this month. The restaurant announced the news in a message on its website.
"Unfortunately, the time has come for Franklin Burger Co to say goodbye," the message read. "We have enjoyed getting to meet so many in our community and appreciate you choosing to dine at Franklin Burger."
Pinchy's Lobster Co closes, for now
Pinchy's, a lobster roll concept that has operated out of The Factory since 2017, announced in a Facebook post that they would close operations to focus on building a new flagship location in Sevierville.
"Thank you to our wonderful customer base who supported us through all of our iterations," the social media post read. "We are so grateful to all of you!"
It's been a rough few weeks for the company. The company also runs a food truck and planned to continue operating in the Nashville area, but that truck was stolen on July 29. In the post, the owners said they hope to get a new food truck and return to the Nashville market.
The Sapphire Suite launches coworking space
Women entrepreneurs have a new place to do business in Franklin without purchasing own office space. The Sapphire Suite, a coworking space founded by Tammie Osborne, held a grand opening Aug. 19 and features large collaborative workspaces, rentable conference rooms, private rooms for phone calls and a host of other features for business owners.
The Sapphire Suite: This women-only coworking space has an unexpected networking hub
"Not everyone has a dedicated space area of the home that they can carve out for their office," Osborne told The Tennessean.
"I wanted to give people a place to get out of that environment where they can be more productive and free of distractions."
1201 Liberty Pike #229, Franklin, TN 37067; 615-784-8386; thesapphiresuite.com
Sun Diner launches ghost kitchen
Sun Diner, a music-themed eatery inspired by Memphis' Sun Records label, launched a ghost kitchen in Franklin to deliver its nostalgic diner fare to the Franklin area. Ghost kitchens allow diners to order food online for delivery or pickup and save on costs by not including dining room space. The concept grew in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic as fewer diners ate out at restaurants.
Sun Diner's Franklin location will be available for pick-up and online orders through delivery platforms, including UberEats and DoorDash.
Diner delivery: Music-themed eatery Sun Diner launching ghost kitchen in Franklin
Cole Villena covers Williamson County at The Tennessean, part of the USA Today Network — Tennessee. Reach Cole at cvillena@tennessean.com or 615-925-0493. Follow Cole on Twitter at @ColeVillena and on Instagram at @CVinTennessee.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Williamson County business news: What's new in Franklin, Brentwood?
