Playa Bowls has made its way to Murfreesboro, where franchise owner Henry Anderson and his business partner just celebrated the grand opening of their first location at 2965 S Church St. Now, they are working on opening their second location in Murfreesboro at 5619 Franklin Road, with plans to open in mid-May.
Anderson got involved with the franchise after a nine-year career in the NFL. As he approached retirement, he started to explore franchise options. He initially became familiar with the New Jersey-based Playa Bowls brand while playing for the New York Jets.
“I knew of the brand and as I was looking at a lot of different concepts, that was one that just checked a lot of boxes,” Anderson said. “It was a fun vibe in the shop, and it was healthier food options [and] something I enjoy eating myself. I think the product is the best in the smoothie and bowl space and I wanted to be part of a brand like that.”
Playa Bowls serves acai bowls, smoothies, juices and cold brews and has expanded to more than 200 locations since getting its start in 2014. Anderson noticed that the franchise was growing quickly nationwide and saw an opening for it in the Middle Tennessee market.
“I’m a huge fan of the brand and the product and the opportunity to bring it to Nashville was one that I couldn’t pass up,” Anderson said.
The Murfreesboro location is the second in Tennessee, joining a Playa Bowls currently open in Memphis. Eventually, Anderson and his partner plan to open up 14 locations across Middle Tennessee, including more in Murfreesboro.
“We like that area and it’s continuing to grow and develop. Not being from around there, I didn’t know how big Murfreesboro was. The more time I spent there, the more I realized how big it is and just how fast it’s growing,” Anderson said. “I think there are a lot of areas in Murfreesboro we’ll want to get involved with.”
