Guide updated August 2026
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Cookeville, TN
“Hub of the Upper Cumberland — waterfall country, college town”
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Complete Guide to Cookeville, Tennessee
Cookeville (pop. ~35,000) is the seat of Putnam County and the commercial, medical, and education hub of the Upper Cumberland region, sitting along I-40 roughly 80 miles east of downtown Nashville. The city's character blends a walkable historic core — the WestSide cultural district, Courthouse Square, and the North Dixie Avenue Historic District — with a Tennessee Tech University campus of more than 10,000 students that gives it a steady college-town energy. It's a genuine outdoor-recreation gateway: Cummins Falls and Burgess Falls state parks are minutes away, and the area is marketed as having 150-plus waterfalls within about 40 miles. The economy leans on three large anchors — Cookeville Regional Medical Center, Tennessee Tech, and the Putnam County School System — alongside a manufacturing base, so it suits buyers who want a smaller-city cost of living with their work, healthcare, and university amenities close at hand. The honest tradeoff is distance from Nashville: a realistic 75-80 minute drive each way makes it a stretch for daily Nashville commuting and better suited to remote workers, regional-employer households, or those whose lives center on Cookeville itself. Public schools are operated by the Putnam County School System, which serves Cookeville along with Algood, Baxter, and Monterey.
What's changing in Cookeville
Updated June 2026The Willows: Target- and Home Depot-anchored retail center reshaping Cookeville
The marquee project currently reshaping Cookeville and Putnam County is The Willows, a 40-acre retail development at the corner of South Willow Avenue and Interstate 40 that will deliver Putnam County's first Target and first Home Depot. It is the single most-anticipated and highest-profile project in the market, with two big-box anchors, restaurant pads, and an anticipated fall (reported October) 2026 opening. Two separate industrial announcements (LEV Manufacturing and Anatolia Cabinet & Millwork) are the largest recent jobs and capital-investment wins, but the retail center is the project most visibly transforming the area.
MARQUEE PROJECT — THE WILLOWS (retail). Location: at the southeast corner of South Willow Avenue and Interstate 40 in Cookeville. It is a 40-acre, multi-retail development and is the first Target and first Home Depot in Putnam County.
Developer/team: Developed by Development Management Group, LLC (DMG) of Nashville, with CHM, LLC as developer-builder.
Size: Two big-box anchors (Target and Home Depot) plus restaurant spaces, a garden center, and several outparcels slated for additional restaurants and retailers.
Timeline/status: Construction is underway. Site work began in 2025; the official groundbreaking was held April 24, 2025. Anticipated opening is fall 2026, reported as October 2026. As of mid-2026 the project is under active construction (status: in progress, not yet open).
Public incentive: A $2.75 million infrastructure grant was requested from the Cookeville City Council for traffic and street improvements at the site. No total private-investment dollar figure has been publicly disclosed in the sources reviewed.
WHY IT MATTERS LOCALLY: Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter described Target and Home Depot as among the retailers most requested by local residents, and framed the project as keeping sales-tax dollars in the county rather than losing them to the Nashville and Knoxville metros — relevant context for the regional-hub role Cookeville plays in the Upper Cumberland.
LARGEST RECENT INDUSTRIAL/JOBS WINS (secondary): (1) LEV (Light Electric Vehicles) Manufacturing — announced ~May 2026, establishing its first Tennessee facility in Algood (Putnam County), creating 288 jobs and investing $7 million, acquiring a 100,000 sq ft production/distribution facility to serve Rad Power Bikes products. (2) Anatolia Cabinet and Millwork — announced November 2025, creating 56 jobs and investing $9.6 million in a Baxter (Putnam County) facility.
HOW TO FRAME FOR OUT-OF-STATE MOVERS: The Willows is the headline new retail/amenities story (Target + Home Depot + dining, opening 2026). LEV Manufacturing ($7M, 288 jobs) and Anatolia ($9.6M, 56 jobs) are the headline new-employer stories. The one notable data gap is The Willows' total private investment dollar amount, which was not disclosed in public sources.
- Marquee project
- The Willows — 40-acre retail center, Target + Home Depot anchors
- Location
- S. Willow Ave at I-40, Cookeville (Putnam County)
- Developer
- Development Management Group (DMG), Nashville, with CHM, LLC
- Public incentive
- $2.75M infrastructure grant requested (total private cost not disclosed)
- Groundbreaking
- April 24, 2025
- Opening / status
- Fall 2026 (reported October 2026); under construction
- Largest jobs win
- LEV Manufacturing — 288 jobs, $7M, Algood (announced ~May 2026)
- Largest capital win
- Anatolia Cabinet & Millwork — 56 jobs, $9.6M, Baxter (Nov 2025)
What's New to Eat, Drink & Shop in Cookeville
Updated August 2026Cookeville's Historic WestSide and downtown have added restaurants, bars, and shops since 2023, while a retail center called The Willows is under construction at I-40 and Willow Avenue. Below are verified 2023-2026 openings and publicly reported coming-soon establishments in Cookeville and Putnam County.
Restaurant from Seven Senses owner Jay Albrecht at 35 W. Broad Street in the Historic WestSide, serving a Southern menu with an eclectic range of influences. The space seats about 100 indoors plus a 25-seat outdoor patio.
Restaurant · opened August 2025
Cocktail lounge and restaurant from owners Toni and Bryon Mowrey at 102 N. Cedar Avenue on Cookeville's Historic WestSide. It serves classic and craft cocktails alongside breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared in an open-kitchen setting.
Bar / Brewery · opened October 20, 2025
Restaurant with rooftop dining at 115 W. First Street in downtown Cookeville, owned by Barry Reese and open seven nights a week. In November 2025 the rooftop level was rebuilt with a motorized louvered roof, floor heating, and ceiling fans for year-round use.
Restaurant · opened 2024; rooftop dining expanded November 2025
Brian and Kate Heim's coffee business, which started in a converted horse trailer in 2022, opened its first brick-and-mortar shop at 490 E. 10th Street near Tennessee Tech. The shop seats about 30 guests and serves espresso drinks, smoothies, and teas.
Coffee · opened fall 2025
Cookeville coffeehouse Poet's Coffee, owned by Jeremy and Lauren Crabtree, operates a third location inside the Volpe Library at Tennessee Tech University. The university describes it as the first permanent partnership between its dining services and a local business.
Coffee · opened March 2025
Bakery chain location at 377 W. Jackson Street selling bundt cakes in several sizes and flavors, from single-serve bundtlets to tiered cakes.
Grocery / Food hall · opened March 2026
Afternoon tea service at 1310 Walter Reed Road, serving flavored teas, house-made scones, finger sandwiches, and pastries, with outdoor seating available. The Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber held its ribbon cutting and grand opening on July 22, 2026.
Restaurant · opened July 2026
Shop and event space at 453 E. Broad Street from owners Cayce and Devon Wallace, carrying menswear, womenswear, and everyday essentials. An adjoining room hosts private dinners, micro-weddings, workshops, and pop-ups.
Retail · opened September 2025
Footwear retailer, owned by Shoe Carnival, at 1265 Interstate Drive in The Shoppes at Eagle Point. It replaced the Shoe Carnival store that previously occupied the space.
Retail · opened April 5, 2025
A 3,693-square-foot McDonald's at 12th and N. Washington Avenue, operated by Funderburk Family McDonald's and built by the Hudson Company. It is Putnam County's fifth McDonald's location.
Restaurant · opened December 2025 (ribbon cutting September 12, 2025)
Bar-and-grill from Bluegrass Hospitality Group at 1010 S. Walnut Avenue near The Shoppes at Eagle Point, serving burgers, sushi, sandwiches, salads, and steak. It is open seven days a week.
Restaurant · opened August 14, 2023
The daytime breakfast, brunch, and lunch chain is planned for 1115 Interstate Drive, at a site occupied by an IHOP that was set to close in mid-2026 after the property was sold. The company was recruiting a restaurant operations manager for the location as of June 2026.
Restaurant · announced, opening date not yet confirmed
The Wisconsin-based chain known for ButterBurgers and frozen custard is planned for 969 S. Willow Avenue, at the corner of South Willow Avenue and Humble Drive. Building permits have been issued for the site.
Restaurant · permitted, opening date not announced
The California burger chain has named Cookeville among roughly 35 restaurants planned across Tennessee. The Upper Cumberland Business Journal reports the site will be an outparcel at The Willows shopping center off I-40 and Willow Avenue, though the company has not made an official site announcement.
Restaurant · announced, site reported at The Willows (center targeted for October 2026)
Two national anchor retailers are under construction at The Willows, a retail center at 1100 S. Willow Avenue at the corner of I-40 and Willow Avenue. The center is being developed by Development Management Group and CHM and will include additional outparcels for restaurants and shops.
Retail · under construction, expected fall 2026
Why People Love Cookeville
Neighborhoods & areas in Cookeville
Cookeville Quick Facts
Figures reviewed July 2026. We pull current, address-level comparables before any offer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median home price in Cookeville?
The median home price in Cookeville is approximately $315,000, with homes ranging from $200K – $750K.
How far is Cookeville from Nashville?
Cookeville is approximately 75-80 minutes (about 79 miles via I-40) from downtown Nashville. Exact commute time depends on traffic and your specific destination.
What's it like living in Cookeville, TN?
Cookeville is the regional hub of Tennessee's Upper Cumberland, a Tennessee Tech University college town about 80 miles east of Nashville, surrounded ... It's commonly a fit for Remote workers who want lower cost of living and Tennessee Tech and healthcare-sector households.
What are the popular neighborhoods or areas in Cookeville?
Areas commonly searched in Cookeville include Historic WestSide, North Dixie Avenue Historic District, White Plains, Rebecca Place, Capshaw Woods, Downtown / Courthouse Square. Each offers a different balance of price, amenities, and lifestyle, and we can pull recent comparable sales so you decide what fits.
Who handles real estate in Cookeville, TN?
The Will Johnson Team (eXp Realty) works Cookeville regularly — a 5.0-rated team on Google and Zillow, RealTrends Verified 2026, licensed in Tennessee since 2013, and quoted as an expert source by CBS MoneyWatch and Bottom Line Personal. Call 615-265-1000 — the first conversation carries no commitment.
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About the authors
By Will Johnson & The Will Johnson Team
Will Johnson leads The Will Johnson Team at eXp Realty, serving buyers and sellers across Middle Tennessee — Cookeville, Nashville, Hendersonville, Gallatin, Sumner County, Brentwood, Franklin, Mount Juliet, Murfreesboro and the surrounding communities. A U.S. Army veteran who served 14 years and rose to the rank of Major, and a former ICU nurse and nurse anesthetist (CRNA) who graduated with a 4.0 from MTSA, he has been licensed in Tennessee since 2013 (license #330494); as of 2026 the team has closed $27.7 million in volume across 64 transactions. The team holds a 5.0 rating on Google and Zillow, is RealTrends Verified 2026, has been featured as an expert source by CBS MoneyWatch and Bottom Line Personal, and can be reached at 615-265-1000.
Equal Housing Opportunity · Licensed in Tennessee and regulated by the Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TN #330494) · The Will Johnson Team is affiliated with eXp Realty · This page is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice.