Hardin County Business Buzz — Publix Update & New Openings

Key Takeaways

• The Publix development off Ring Road got a fresh look: a Publix store, an adjoining strip mall on the Pear Orchard side, and four out lots — now projected to open November 2026
• Developer Columbia Properties floated an early (and shifting) tenant list including Firehouse Subs, Everbowl, Kilwins, a Publix liquor store, and an infrared yoga studio
• Pop's Coin Laundry is open behind Double Dragon near Big Lots, running 12+ hours a day with large-capacity washers and dryers
• Pawsh Pet Salon, a locally owned groomer, is adding a second location on North Dixie near the bowling alley
• Ever After Exchange, a prom-dress consignment shop, is coming to downtown Elizabethtown

Summary

Nate Bryan returned to the business desk — fresh off a trip and "back on land again" — with a themed rundown he dubbed "Business Briefs, sponsored by the letter P." It wasn't planned that way, he admitted; every update he gathered this week just happened to start with P.

The headliner was the Publix development off Ring Road, where Nate visited to shoot photos and video. He broke down the site layout and walked through a tenant list from developer Columbia Properties that had been changing day to day, with the notable takeaway that the center is now projected to open in November 2026. From there: a new coin laundry, a second Pawsh Pet Salon location, and a prom consignment shop headed downtown — all under the letter P.

Watch this segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JWvG93upLI&t=1704s Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JWvG93upLI

Full Article

Nate Bryan was back at the business desk after some time away, and host Rachel Brantingham teed up the segment with the week's gimmick: "I hear today's Business Briefs are sponsored by the letter P?" Nate leaned in — "taking me back to my old Sesame Street" — and admitted the theme wasn't intentional. "It was just that all everything got... started with the letter P."

Publix and the Ring Road development

The big one, naturally, was Publix. Nate had gone out to the development site himself, planning "to take photos and get a video update" — and Phil shared that footage on screen during the segment. Nate walked through the layout: the strip mall on the Pear Orchard side, the Publix store itself ("that building that's orange-red, whatever you call it — I'm not a developer"), and four out lots along the Ring Road side.

The developer is Columbia Properties, and Nate noted the tenant information has been a moving target. "They uploaded something, and then in the last three or four days, it changed. So we're not sure what's confirmed at this point," he said. As of the Saturday he checked, the list floated Firehouse Subs, Everbowl, Kilwins (the chocolate shop familiar to anyone who's been to Pigeon Forge or Branson), a Publix liquor store on the separate side, and an infrared yoga studio — "maybe that's for Jon's thing, now that he's doing the yoga stuff," Nate joked.

The detail that stuck around even as names came and went: the center is "projected to open in November of 2026." That's later than many expected, and it set off a friendly debate about whether Kroger — also building in E-Town — might open first. As commenter Harvey noted, the new Kroger has already posted its store manager position and is hiring, which Nate read as a sign Kroger may beat Publix to the ribbon-cutting.

Pop's Coin Laundry

Update number three (Nate took the P's slightly out of order on air) was Pop's Coin Laundry, now open in E-Town. "Lots of people have an interest in getting another coin laundromat in E-Town," Nate said. It sits "right behind Double Dragon, right down the corner from Big Lots" in the former laundromat location. Hours run 7 AM to 9 PM Sunday through Thursday, and 7 AM to 10 PM Friday and Saturday — better than 12 hours a day, every day.

On equipment: they've got 30- and 45-pound washers and 30- and 45-pound dryers, with laundry soap for about a dollar. "They've done a great job in there," Nate said, noting the cool signs and pictures inside, and word that they're giving away free Snuggle or Clorox to customers this week. "With as many people we have living in apartments or houses that don't have washers and dryers, it's great to have some like this in town."

Pawsh Pet Salon's second location

A self-described pet lover, Nate was glad to report that Pawsh Pet Salon — a locally owned groomer — is adding a second location. The original is near the Baskin-Robbins; the new spot will be on North Dixie near the bowling alley, in a former U-Haul location. There's no opening date yet, but Nate pointed viewers to the shop's Facebook group to follow along. "They hope to open soon... so that'll be good for them. They are locally owned."

Ever After Exchange comes downtown

Closing out the P's was the one Nate noted "does deal with prom" — Ever After Exchange, a prom-dress consignment shop coming to downtown Elizabethtown. It'll join the building that the German American development is moving into, with the entrance off Plum Alley. The shop just launched its Facebook page and now has an Instagram page too. Exactly how the consignment model works — donations versus buying — isn't fully spelled out yet, so Nate suggested reaching out to them directly.

Teasers for next week

Nate left the audience with a preview. Next week he'll have updates on Home2 Hotel (the new extended-stay hotel going up, "built for long-term stays, which we're going to need, especially with the sports park") and the Tequila House, which has closed and is "giving way to Eldorado La Havre."

"So that's all for the letter P this week," Nate wrapped — handing it back with a nod that next week's stories might just be sponsored by a different letter.