NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Brothers' Burger Joint, a Berry Hill burger staple near Geodis Park, will close permanently on Oct. 3, 2026 after more than a decade in business.
The restaurant is owned by brothers Jeremiah and Cole James and their father, Richard.
Watch full report from Robb Coles
What began as a food truck 11 years ago quickly gained recognition.
"We won Nashville Scene's Burger Week in our first six months. 2016, we won" Jeremiah James said.
The family moved into their brick-and-mortar Berry Hill location shortly after that early success.
Now, nine years later, financial pressures and a legal challenge have forced the family to make the difficult decision to close.
"It's not any single contributing factor. I think primarily our costs are so high," Richard James said.
Rising beef prices have strained the business, and the owners say their property taxes have also surged to almost triple what they once were.
Then came a final blow.
A couple of months ago, the owners said they received a letter from a restaurant coming to the area that holds the trademark for the name "Brothers."
The incoming restaurant wants Brothers' Burger Joint to stop using the name to avoid confusion with customers.
"We got a letter essentially stating the conflict. You know, we understand. I mean, you know, they trademarked it," said Richard James.
The owners of Brothers' Burger Joint said they had used a marketing company to check the business name when they first opened, but apparently it was already taken and they didn't know anything about it for the past 9 years.
Rebranding or paying legal fees at this stage was not a viable option for the family, given the restaurant's finances.
"And it's just something we chose not to fight," said Cole James.
"With all the other headwinds that we were facing as a business, you know, that was kind of that final straw," Richard James said.
James said telling their staff about the closure was the hardest part of the process; many had worked there for several years.
"It was very, very somber and sad when we broke the news to the staff. We cried together. We hugged. We laughed. We reminisced," Richard James said.
Brothers Burger Joint will serve its final burgers and fries through Oct. 3, 2026.
I reached out for comment to the company that holds the trademark for Brothers in the food and beverage space, and will add to this story if they provide a statement.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
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