The Buchanan Realty Group CLICK HERE is a boutique commercial real estate firm that specializes in all aspects of commercial leasing to clients across the Southeast.
With attention to detail, and client oriented goals, the team, under the direction of principal agent, Brandon Buchanan, successfully represents owners & tenants who want to see growth in their prospective investments or businesses.
BRG agents are leaders in the investment sales and acquisition department, and pride themselves in their abilities to successfully negotiate the best deals for their clients. The team has represented clients focused on retail, hospitality, C-store, medical, industrial, and multi-family sectors.
Tax-Free weekend not just for back-to-school shoppers
By: Isabelle Puente
Tennesseans can finally say hello to back-to-school tax-free weekend. The dates for this year’s tax-free weekend are July 31 through August 2.
NOTE: Tennessee’s Food and Ingredient Tax Holiday runs the last weekend of October. For 2026: October 30 – November 1, 2026. During this weekend, food and food ingredients sold in Tennessee are exempt from the state’s 4% food sales tax rate (note: the full state rate is 7%, but food already has a reduced rate; this weekend waives it entirely).
Items that will be exempt from taxes will include clothing items costing $100 or less (apparel worn on the body; excludes accessories, jewelry, handbags, and umbrellas), school supplies costing $100 or less (pens, pencils, paper, notebooks, binders, backpacks, calculators) and computers costing $1,500 or less (personal computers and tablets).
Barry Nalbone, General Manager of Office Max, 157 Stonebrook Place, shared how their store will be participating this weekend.
“All of the back-to-school supplies, laptops, desktops, anything that’s under $1,500 for that,” Nalbone said. “We’ve got calculators, things that students need and all the items that are basically school supplies are gonna be tax-free for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”
Unfortunately, Office Max’s price match policy will not be available during tax-free weekend. However, you will still be able to save a pretty penny. According to the Tennessee Department of Revenue, Tennesseans will save nearly 10 percent in taxes during this weekend.
Nalbone ensures that his employees will help customers be aware of what their deals are so they do not make customers any promises on deals that they’re not able to fulfill. Nalbone also encouraged folks to head out to the store and complete their normal back-to-school shopping but, with the tax-free deals in mind.
Great Wolf Lodge pauses exploration of Jackson resort due to economic conditions
Statement from Great Wolf Lodge:
After several months of consideration, we’ve made the difficult decision to pause exploration efforts surrounding a Great Wolf Lodge for Jackson, Tennessee. The decision is based on current external economic conditions, which have altered the dynamics required to move the project forward. We are extremely grateful to the state of Tennessee, Madison County and the City of Jackson for their support throughout this process. In particular, we are extremely appreciative of the incredible support from the local legislative delegation, Madison County Mayor AJ Massey, Jackson Mayor Scott Conger, and the Greater Jackson Chamber and Visit Jackson teams.
The project was first announced in February 2020, following negotiations on the project which began in November 2018.
It was discussed construction could possibly begin in the summer of 2021, with a completion date 18 months later.
Great Wolf Lodge has 20 existing lodges in the United States and Canada, with its most recent addition opening in Perryville, Maryland, in June 2023. Construction on the project began in July 2021.
Headquartered in Chicago, the investment Great Wolf Lodge was scheduled to make in Jackson-Madison County would have created 500 new jobs – 250 full-time and 250 part-time – while attracting about 500,000 visitors annually to the resort which would also offer 300 hotel rooms.
Jackson Regional Airport bringing West Tennessee’s food truck favorites to Airport
Weekly August series expands lunch options for workers in the nearby industrial and business community
JACKSON, Tenn. – Jackson Regional Airport is adding a new destination to West Tennessee’s lunch map with the launch of its Weekly Food Truck Series starting Monday, August 3, 2026.
The series brings some of the region’s most talked about food trucks to the airport, serving the signature dishes, secret recipes and local flavors that have earned their devoted followings across West Tennessee.
Created with the surrounding workforce in mind, the series will provide our flying customers, workers throughout the nearby industrial complexes, manufacturing facilities and businesses with new and convenient lunch options just minutes away.
“We are excited to welcome our neighbors from the surrounding business community and give them another convenient place to enjoy lunch while watching air traffic and learning more about the airport,” said JRA’S Jennell DeBerry, organizer of the event.
From seafood boils and tacos to barbecue and homestyle favorites, the opening week will feature a different food truck on four days from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., or until they sell out
Monday, August 3: Spicy Catch Shrimp Boils
Tuesday, August 4: Takos Borukas
Thursday, August 6: Estanaula BBQ
Friday, August 7: Meme’s Kitchen
Food trucks have become part of the culinary folklore of West Tennessee. Their loyal customers know where to find them, which menu items sell out first and which sauces, seasonings and family recipes keep people coming back.
Jackson Regional Airport’s new series will bring those sought after flavors to one convenient location, giving the thousands of people who work nearby a fresh reason to leave the break room, make the short drive and discover a new favorite lunch.
Unemployment rates for West Tennessee counties
Highlights from the June 2026 Labor Force Estimates
- The Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rate for Tennessee dropped to 3.5% in June from 3.5% in May.
- The Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rate for the United States dropped to 4.2% in June from 4.3% in May.
- The unemployment rate was under 5% in 84 of 95 counties in June.
- Cheatham and Sevier counties had the lowest unemployment rate at 3.0%. Perry County had the highest unemployment rate at 6.0%.
- Crockett County, 3.5% and Haywood County, 3.6%, had the lowest unemployment rates in rural West Tennessee.
West Tennessee counties CLICK HERE
The Buchanan Realty Group CLICK HERE sponsors Strictly Business.
