Culture
The Hills are Alive . . .
Well, you know the rest. Music is popping up so fast around the city that perhaps we should hire Julie Andrews to promote it. I’m going to run through some of the musical events popping up...
A Look Inside the Candoro Marble Building
The Candoro Marble building, located at 4450 Candora Avenue, just off Maryville Pike in south Knoxville, served as a showroom and offices for the Candoro Marble Company. Built in 1923, the building is now on the...
Pandemic Memorial Added to the World’s Fair Park
Knoxville has a new mural, located in the World’s Fair Park and painted by nationally acclaimed artist Kelsey Montague. Designed to commemorate those who were lost to COVID-19 and the suffering experienced by many, she said,...
A Conversation with Cynthia Markert at Mauzy Broadway Studio
I met Cynthia Markert at her pop-up studio, Mauzy Broadway Pop-up Salon at 130 West Jackson Avenue (next to Robin Easter Design). The pop-up art gallery, featuring works by Markert and her neighbor, friend, and local...
Business
Sugar Coated Coming to 109 South Gay Street
A new business has been announced for 109 South Gay Street. Sugar Coated is a hair removal and spray tanning business, brought to Knoxville by owners Megan McCarthy and Brittany Absmeier. The two have operated a...
Pete’s Coffee Shop Celebrates 35 Years: Pete Tells the Story
I have seen Pete Natour, owner of Pete’s Coffee Shop at 540 Union Avenue, many times over the years as I came and went with takeout orders or sat for a meal. We always spoke but...
Broadway Market to Reopen in August
A few weeks ago, I reported that Chef Don Devore, co-owner with his wife Lauren, of Broadway Market, had suffered a serious health setback. After rarely missing work for years, he was admitted to the hospital...
Flower Pot Closes Downtown Location, Opens New Concept on Washington Avenue
I’ve had several people ask about the fate of the Flower Pot location on Gay Street. It closed at the end of 2020 and the windows are currently covered in brown paper. I originally assumed, like...
Development
Talking Baseball and History
There are a number of ways to approach the conversation surrounding the concept of returning minor league baseball to Knoxville. While much of the focus has been on economics, including whether or not public dollars should...
River Breeze Event Center Breaks Ground
This development might seem an odd topic for coverage on this blog, as it is ten-to-twelve minutes outside downtown. For me, the hook was the shuttle from downtown, though the impact on touring musical artists choosing...
Capitol Lofts Announced for Vine Avenue
The name comes from the fact that Knoxville was once the capitol of Tennessee (and today is Statehood Day!) and Leigh Burch, a member of the group developing this site (which also includes Buzz Goss and...
Knox Heritage Presents 2021 East Tennessee Preservation Awards
Each year, Knox Heritage presents awards to the very best preservation projects in east Tennessee. Many of those projects are in or near downtown Knoxville, and this year was no exception. Also, many of the awards...
Events
Downtown Knoxville Ten Day Planner (6/13-6/22/2021)
As events are opening up, we’re listing a combination of virtual and live events. The rules are the same – if you want your event included, please make a Facebook event, invite me (Alan Sims –...
Downtown Knoxville Ten Day Planner (6/6-6/15/2021)
As events are opening up, we’re listing a combination of virtual and live events. The rules are the same – if you want your event included, please make a Facebook event, invite me (Alan Sims –...
Downtown Knoxville Ten Day Planner (5/30-6/8/2021)
As events are opening up, we’re listing a combination of virtual and live events. The rules are the same – if you want your event included, please make a Facebook event, invite me (Alan Sims –...
Three Things You Need to Know
Here are three things happening in and around the city that I’d like to pass along for your mid-week consideration. One’s online, one is returning to live action after a one-year hiatus for obvious reasons, and...
Life
COVID-19: 5/28/2021 Update and Final Report
We did not see that coming, did we? Fifteen months ago, COVID-19 was a vague story we’d read about something happening in China. We had no idea that it would be one of the very few...
Friedman’s Loft: One of Downtown’s Most Stunning Homes is Available For Rental
Josh Smith recently purchased the building at 304 South Gay Street. The building, now named “Friedman’s Lofts,” features a basement and three stories, with the dental office of Ethan Long located in the front half of...
COVID-19: 5/21/2021 Update (International, National, State, and Local)
As we approach the end of my COVID-19 reporting, there is much reason to hope the worst of the pandemic is over for the United States, in Tennessee, and in Knoxville. There are ways that statement...
The Family Justice Center Celebrates Fifteen Years (And Could Use Your Help)
Just over the hill from downtown, the Family Justice Center has been helping families in the city since 2006, thanks to an initiative first promoted by the Bush administration. Our center was one of the first...