FRANKLIN — A popular Nashville brewery and restaurant is opening a branch in Franklin, replacing a restaurant that is set to close.
Big Woods is moving into the Hillview Country Club off King Street near Interstate 65.
Scotty’s Brew Club, which opened at the golf course last year, is set to close. The restaurant, owned by the Scotty’s Brewhouse chain, ended its lease at the end of 2016 after the chain was bought by another company, according to the Hillview Country Club.
Big Woods Brewing Co. was founded in Nashville in 2009 and also has locations in Bloomington and Speedway.
Hillview Country Club is the perfect location, and Big Woods already has fans in the area, Big Woods founding partner Jeff McCabe said. Hillview has renovated its clubhouse, restaurant area, banquet facilities and swimming pool since being bought by local businessmen Pete Grimmer, Jim Admire and Max Woodbury in 2012.
“We have great admiration for the million-dollar renovation they have completed at Hillview,” Big Woods chief executive officer Ed Ryan said in a news release. “It’s a beautiful, well-designed facility, with a timber lodge look and feel that works for our brand. We think the timing is right for us to bring Big Woods to Franklin.”
Grimmer said in a news release that he and his wife have long been fans of Big Woods and are excited to bring that experience to Franklin.
Getting ready to open should take about 60 days, with Big Woods Franklin opening in the early spring of 2017, McCabe said.
The restaurant will be open to club members and the general public.
The menu will feature traditional Big Woods offerings, such as smoked meats and pulled pork nachos, McCabe said.
Drinks will include craft beers from the Quaff ON! Brewing Co. and spirits from Hard Truth Distilling Co., which were also opened by the founders of Big Woods.
This was the second expansion announced within two weeks’ time for Big Woods. Earlier in December, the partners announced the purchase of 90 acres of Firecracker Hill near downtown Nashville to build a new distillery and park-like tourist destination. McCabe said it would be the group’s biggest project yet.
Earlier in 2016, Big Woods/Quaff ON! also opened a 7,500-square-foot restaurant near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and bought Three Pints Brewery in Martinsville.
