M.L.Rose Craft Beer & Burgers plans expansion to Franklin
The growing local brand designed the location with a large patio and the community’s sports fans in mind
FRANKLIN, Tenn. [Oct. 30, 2023] – M.L.Rose Craft Beer & Burgers has plans to expand to Franklin, Tenn., announces founder Austin Ray. M.L.Rose Franklin, the brand’s second new location announced for 2024, is expected to open at 3084 Columbia Ave., a former Chili’s location, in the spring.
“Many of our friends in Franklin have been asking for an M.L.Rose for years, and we’re excited to be breathing new life into an existing restaurant building with plenty of parking,” said M.L.Rose founder and CEO Austin Ray. “I’m thrilled our expansion is bringing us South to Franklin. The patio will have a real front porch/back yard feel with plenty of TVs for meeting up to watch sports. Next year will be an exceptional time of growth for M.L.Rose, and we’re ready to offer Franklin the great atmosphere, burgers and craft beer we pride ourselves on. Our commitment to craft beer will only grow with this move, and we love meeting and supporting breweries near our new locations, both big and small.”
Guests can expect the well-known ‘get out without getting fancy’ atmosphere found in established M.L.Rose locations, including a comfortable, lively and relaxed space that celebrates the spirit of the neighborhood. M.L.Rose Franklin will be uniquely designed to cater to the local sports crowd with ample space and TV coverage. The location will also feature a covered, dog-friendly patio in addition to a spacious turf area and outdoor fireplace.
Financing for both projects totals over $7.5 million, including the purchase of the building at 3701 Gallatin Pike in Inglewood.
Rob Boyd, senior vice president at First Bank, said, “We’ve been enjoying burgers and beverages at M.L.Rose for years, and we are proud to partner with this local, growing restaurant company by financing their new Franklin and Inglewood locations. We have several offices throughout Tennessee, but our team in downtown Franklin is especially excited about this new option for a place to meet up.”
The original M.L.Rose opened on 8th Avenue South in 2008 and quickly became a neighborhood staple. The combination of great burgers, pub food and a focus on the emerging craft beer market prompted rapid growth, as well as the second location on Charlotte Avenue, which opened in 2012, M.L.Rose Capitol View, which opened in 2017. M.L.Rose Mt. Juliet, the first location outside of Nashville, opened in 2021. In addition to Franklin, M.L.Rose plans to open a location in East Nashville’s Inglewood neighborhood in 2024.
With the M.L.Rose brand now well-known to craft beer lovers, guests can expect an expansive craft beer menu with 36 local and craft beers on tap, as well as some of the Nashville area’s favorite burgers, served with a crispy pile of signature waffle fries, pub food favorites like nachos and wings, and fresh items like sandwiches and salads for lunch, dinner, happy hour and weekend brunch.
All M.L.Rose burgers now feature dry-aged, pasture-raised and locally, sustainably sourced beef from Porter Road.
Additional details for the Franklin location, including a specific opening timeline, will be released at a later date.
ABOUT M.L.ROSE
M.L.Rose Craft Beer & Burgers is a locally owned chain of neighborhood pubs founded in Nashville, TN. Since 2008, the pubs have become well-known for their eclectic and lived-in feel, extensive seasonal beer offerings, quality burgers and crisp waffle fries. At M.L.Rose, we welcome all visitors as good neighbors and strive to be good neighbors in each of our locations’ unique communities.
Neighbors and visitors enjoy burgers that range from classic to crafty, accompanied by piles of signature waffle fries. The menu is rounded out by quality pub food, including indulgent sandwiches, beer-braised wings, top-voted nachos, and fresh, crisp salads and wraps.
The M.L.Rose “Beer Council,” an internal team of 20+ team members and partners, carefully selects about 36 draft beers and 100 total beers for the menu at each location. The draft beer menu changes seasonally and provides a foundation for hand-picked beers to be enjoyed repeatedly. Several taps are reserved for collaborations with local and notable craft breweries, limited releases and exclusive offerings. Above all, the M.L.Rose team commits to discovering and bringing an unmatched selection of the best, the little-known, and new-to-market craft beers closer to the communities.
For the less-experienced beer lover, M.L.Rose has thoughtfully divided its colorful menu into categories according to flavor profile and offers flights and samples of beer to try. A cocktail menu and full bar are also available.
The M.L.Rose story began in 2008 in Nashville’s gritty, emerging Melrose neighborhood. Melrose was on the verge of revival but didn’t yet have a great neighborhood bar. So, with a strong passion for craft beer and sharing it with friends, Austin Ray opened the first M.L.Rose location where studio musicians, hospitality workers, and celebrities mingle with local residents to create a laid-back, full-of-life, stay-a-while kind of place. While M.L.Rose solidified itself as a neighborhood staple through a focus on quality, its early alignment with the soon-to-explode craft beer market is what sparked further growth. The second M.L.Rose location opened in Sylvan Park in 2012. The third M.L.Rose opened in late 2017 as the first restaurant tenant in Capitol View. The fourth M.L.Rose, in the Providence development in Mt. Juliet, opened in 2021 as the brand’s first venture outside of Metro Nashville.
M.L.Rose is owned and operated by Nashville native Austin Ray of A.Ray Hospitality also manages local brands Von Elrod’s Beer Hall & Kitchen and Melrose Billiard Parlor. For more information, visit www.mlrose.com and www.arayhospitality.com.
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