Whataburger says it will work with Mt. Juliet officials and its landlord to sublease the building and property at a prominent commercial intersection where the restaurant is closing.
Texas-based Whataburger announced it would close four Middle Tennessee locations, which includes 11190 Lebanon Road at the intersection of North Mt. Juliet Road in Mt. Juliet with a high vehicle count.
“We will be working diligently to get the right tenant in as quickly and seamlessly as possible,” a Whataburger statement said.
Whataburger leases the property on the southeast side of the intersection from Lineberry Properties.
Closings are scheduled for the end of the day on Dec. 15, a company spokesperson said. The decision to close the four restaurants “helps focus our efforts where we can make the biggest impact,” a Whataburger statement said.
Whataburger at 11190 Lebanon Road in Mt. Juliet.
The Mt. Juliet location on Lebanon Road was redeveloped for the Whataburger restaurant. The corner previously had a gas and convenience store.
The Whataburger restaurant is beside a Camel Express Car Wash, which is next to Slim Chickens on the east side of North Mt. Juliet Road. A Kroger and Dollar General are among businesses on the southwest side of the intersection with a Publix store anchoring a shopping center on the north side of Lebanon Road, all of which help make a heavy commercial corridor.
“We are committed to supporting Whataburger and the property owner in identifying a suitable tenant to backfill the space,” Mt. Juliet Director of Development Services and Economic Development Jennifer Hamblen said. “We share their desire to ensure the building does not remain vacant, especially given the visibility of that corner.”
Mt. Juliet “recruitment efforts are active and ongoing,” Hamblen said, though she didn’t disclose any prospects.
Whataburger signed a 15-year lease for the property, which Mark Lineberry said went into effect when Whataburger opened on July 9, 2024.
“I have calls every week from brands looking for locations,” Lineberry said. “I don’t expect it to take long to fill.”
Mt. Juliet also has a Whataburger restaurant on Rutland Drive that is not affected by the closures.
The other three Middle Tennessee locations that Whataburger will close are:
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Murfreesboro: 1924 Memorial Boulevard
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Clarksville: 791 North 2nd Street
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Clarksville: 1602 Haynes Street.
Whataburger will work with landlords to sublease those properties as well, the company said.
Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Whataburger closings. What’s next for visible Mt. Juliet intersection
