Hardin County Business Buzz: South-Side Growth & Boot Barn Opens

Key Takeaways

• Sullivan's Business Park is breaking ground at 207 East Dixie — two matching one-story buildings on a long-empty lot, one of at least four south-side projects announced for 2026
• The old Movie Palace interior has been leveled flat; Nate's leading theory is a Big Sandy Furniture Superstore, which has told him twice it plans to open in Elizabethtown by the end of 2026 (not yet confirmed at this site)
• Radcliff's restaurant boom continues: WingStop near Mammoth Liquors, Dairy Queen at Ansar Plaza, and General Pho's across from the old Showtime Cinema — plus a new Boys & Girls Club just opened
• Boot Barn opened last week at Starlite Center, with a Grand Opening set for next weekend
• Clark Jewelers co-founder Martha Clark passed away late last week at 100; the store reopened Thursday

Summary

Nate Bryan came to "Nate Bryan's Business Buzz" with a packed slate, opening "on the south side, because that's where I live." The headlines: dirt is finally moving at Sullivan's Business Park at 207 East Dixie, a long-vacant lot now slated for two matching buildings; the gutted Movie Palace has Nate convinced a Big Sandy Furniture Superstore is on the way; and Radcliff keeps adding restaurants, with WingStop, Dairy Queen, and General Pho's all in the pipeline. Boot Barn's new Starlite Center store rounded out the openings.

The segment closed on a somber note: the passing of Martha Clark, co-founder of Clark Jewelers, at 100 years old. The hosts handled it warmly, marking the loss of a true community cornerstone.

Watch this segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPuNSvY6Ap8&t=2322s Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPuNSvY6Ap8

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"It is business news time, Nate," Phil said, handing it over. Nate started close to home. "Starting off on the south side, because that's where I live."

Sullivan's Business Park: dirt is moving at 207 East Dixie

The first item is a long time coming. Sullivan's Business Park is going in at 207 East Dixie, the lot between America's Best Value Inn and the I-65 overpass. "Do you ever remember anything ever being there?" Nate asked Jon, who didn't. "I think it might have been empty for, like, 40 years." The plan is two matching one-story buildings, with tenants not yet named. It's a project from Stewart and Rene Sullivan, and Nate expects the design to leave room for small businesses to rent or lease. He framed it as part of a broader trend: "It's one of at least four south-side things going on that have been announced for the south side for 2026... South side is looking very up."

Movie Palace: leveled, and a Big Sandy theory

Next door to Nate's heart is the old Movie Palace — a building his father helped construct while with Edwards Construction. The interior has been completely gutted: "The stadium seating, it's all gone. It's been leveled out... cemented, concrete, wherever you want to call it."

Nate's theory, clearly labeled as unconfirmed, is that it's the future home of Big Sandy Furniture Superstore. "I would be shocked if it's not Big Sandy Furniture Superstore," he said. "Big Sandy has told me twice that they are coming, and they plan to be open by the end of 2026, which pretty much means a new building" — or a fast retrofit like this one. He added that few big-box spaces remain available in the area. "If it's not Big Sandy, I don't know why somebody is spending all this money." Phil pressed the point on-air for transparency, and Nate was clear: Big Sandy has confirmed they're coming to Elizabethtown, but not this specific location.

Radcliff's restaurant boom keeps rolling

Up in Scott's neck of the woods, Radcliff continues to stack up. General Pho's, a Vietnamese spot, is coming across from the old movie theater. A WingStop sign was spotted going up near Mammoth Liquors — Nate noted the sign went up and came back down, which he attributed to a possible bracing or sign-ordinance issue rather than a cancellation. "I have reached out to WingStop for confirmation, but I'm pretty sure they're going there. The sign was there. People did see it." And Dairy Queen is coming to Ansar Plaza, near Dunkin, with good lighting and plenty of parking. Nate also flagged some good non-restaurant news: a Boys & Girls Club just opened in Radcliff this month. "I think it's something we haven't had anywhere in this county that I can remember, and I think it fills a void."

Boot Barn opens at Starlite Center

Nate walked the new Boot Barn at Starlite Center, which opened last week, and posted a photo gallery and a Reel to his Facebook page. He skipped over the boots ("there's, like, 30,000... it's a ton of boots") to highlight everything else: belts, work shirts, work boots, even bedazzled boots, plus a wall of Wrangler and a deep bench of artist-branded gear from Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, and Luke Combs. "They did a complete overhaul. They did a great job there," he said, adding that he needs a new pair of boots himself. The Grand Opening is set for next weekend — while Nate will be out of town.

Remembering Martha Clark

Nate closed with sad news. Martha Clark — "if that last name is familiar, because it is Clark Jewelers" — passed away late last week at 100 years old. "That is a nice, long life, well lived," he said. Clark Jewelers, where generations of locals bought wedding rings, engagement rings, and class rings, closed briefly and reopened Thursday. "It's a brand that holds a lot of respect and value to this community," Nate said. "We passed along our condolences to the Clark family and the workers." Phil agreed: "Clark Jewelers has been a cornerstone of this community for so long. Our thoughts are definitely with the family."