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| The Ultimate Corporate Businessman surveys the square. |
There are, as always, a number of little pieces of business developments. Of course, Nama seems to be doing very well since its move and Blue Coast Burrito seems to be getting very close. Everything needed to open is piled inside the store and just needs a good organizational hand.
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| New Just Ripe sign and omnipresent Van on the Sidewalk, Union Avenue |
Just Ripe seems to be edging closer to that elusive goal of opening. They now are the proud owners of coolers, which currently reside in the middle of the floor, but will soon, hopefully, be in place. In the meantime, they have placed a sign on the sidewalk marking their spot.
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| Close-up of Just Ripe sign, Daylight Building, Union Avenue, Knoxville, March 2011 |
Union Avenue Books, just next door in the Daylight Building not only has book shelves in place, but is filling up with actual books! They promised an April opening and it appears you can take that to the bank. The business beside it, which only recently had a “For Lease” sign in the window has now disappeared and been replaced with brown paper obscuring the public view. Maybe this means a business is being born behind that paper. That would make the Daylight building achieve full occupancy just months after opening.
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| “Wrecking Company” truck on Wall Avenue, Knoxville, March 2011 |
The construction at 36 Market Square continues with fits and starts. After bringing in bricks to cover the Wall Avenue side and adding elaborate fencing, nothing appeared to happen all winter. Next the fencing disappeared and crews appeared to finish cleaning out the bottom floor.
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| Crews load debris into dumpster from 36 Market Square, Knoxville, March 2011 |
Time for the bricking, right? No. The stacks of bricks that had been there for months disappeared. I have no idea. I have a very good hunch one of our readers knows what’s up, but he’s not talking. Are you? I’d love it if you would give us all an update. Just saying.
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| Helpful Sign on Union Avenue, Knoxville |
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| Crews removed portion of the street, Union Avenue, Knoxville, March 2011 |
Finally, the sidewalk work on Union Avenue which had remained dormant with a portion of the street destroyed for weeks finally got moving, again. The protective plywood covering businesses windows now extend from Gay Street to the southeastern edge of Market Square. Coffee and Chocolate is trying to operate, but Rala gave up until they finish. It will be great when they finally do so.
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| Band rocks out on the new Preservation Pub second floor stage, March 2011 |
Also recently improving the fun quotient on the Square is the opening of the second floor at Preservation Pub. The room is smoke free, which of course doesn’t stop some smoke from coming upstairs, but that’s a real improvement as is the stage. As much as many people treasure the great musical memories of downstairs, it was never a great place to actually listen and see the band, so I’m glad they decided to mess with tradition just a bit.
And speaking of bits, this really was more bits than I realized. I’ll give you more another day.