Culture
Trees and Art: Can We Have Both?
That’s the question that has been buzzing online in recent weeks in response to the plans to place a sculpture, entitled “Pier 865” in Country Music Park at the corner of Summit Hill and Gay. The...
East Tennessee Historical Society Presents History Hootenanny August 20
Each year for many years, the East Tennessee Historical Society, in conjunction with the Knox County Public Library has presented a history fair in Krutch Park. Disrupted by the pandemic, the groups have re-imagined the event...
Knox Heritage Gains New Leadership and Focus
Founded in 1974 as Knoxville Heritage, Knox Heritage did not have a paid director until 2003. With the recent decision of Todd Morgan to move to another challenge, the board of the organization turned to Christine...
Big Ears Team Expands
If you didn’t know, you’d likely be surprised that the organization that brings the Big Ears Festival to Knoxville each March has operated with only three full-time employees. Executive Director Ashley Capps is supported by Director...
Business
Harvest Opens at 141 South Gay Street
I announced last April that Harvest planned a second location to be on Gay Street. Those plans came to fruition recently when Harvest opened at 141 South Gay Street. As I did last April, I spoke...
River Breeze Event Center Offers Its Fall Line Up – With Shuttles From Downtown
River Breeze Event Center opened with its first concert just a couple of weeks ago and has announced a fall line-up, which Communications Director Carri Lombardi said is more-or-less a soft opening to work out details...
Bistro By The Tracks Serving Up Good Food and a Warm Atmosphere in Happy Holler
The summer Bistro By The Tracks opened at a new location, far from its original tracks. The restaurant assumed the beautiful space at 1123 North Central Street, which had been set up as a restaurant for...
SoKno Throwback and Threads is Open on Sevier Avenue
(Ed. Note: Today’s article and photographs (except two) are courtesy of guest writer Heather Ryerson.) After years in the medical field, DeAnne Thomas McLemore was sidelined by an injury that would be the end of that...
Development
The Tribute is Open (and full) at the Supreme Court Site
(Ed. Note: Article by Guest Writer Heather Ryerson, Photographs by Alan Sims) It took 2 ½ years, but Dover Signature Properties has renovated and opened their latest development project in downtown Knoxville, The Tribute. Located in...
Major Transactions Boost Downtown Investment
Ever larger dollar amounts continue to flow into downtown. Amounts that would have been unthinkable just a few short years ago are increasingly common. While some of the investors are from out of our area, a...
East Tennessee Community Design Center Celebrates 50+ Years of Service
(Article and photos by guest writer Heather Ryerson) If you are newer to Knoxville like I am, you may not know about the East Tennessee Community Design Center (ETCDC). In 1970, the late Bruce McCarty, came...
Development Details Emerge for Downtown Sites
516 and 520 Vine Avenue After a period of semi-quiet, several items of interest for downtown development have emerged. Some of the details involved announced developments while others portend possible future development. Taken together, the three...
Events
Downtown Knoxville Ten Day Planner (9/25 – 10/4/2022)
If you want your event included, please make a Facebook event, invite me (Alan Sims – you’ll have to friend me) and it will be included. I need enough lead time that the list can be...
Maker City Summit Offers Inspiration to Local Makers
(Ed. Note: Guest writer Heather Ryerson provided today’s article and photographs.) The Maker City, run by the Mayor’s Maker Council, has three central goals: Partnership-working to create collaborative partnerships within the community to build a stronger...
Downtown Knoxville Ten Day Planner (9/18 – 9/27/2022)
If you want your event included, please make a Facebook event, invite me (Alan Sims – you’ll have to friend me) and it will be included. I need enough lead time that the list can be...
Big Ears Announces the First of Its Tenth Anniversary Lineup
Big Ears will be presented March 30 – April 2, 2023 in what will be its tenth anniversary. Themed accordingly, “Ten Years of Big Ears,” it promised to continue to push the envelop with stunning world...
Life
Covenant Convenient Care to Close Downtown in Early December
For me, it was one of the greatest one-two punches of good news I’ve ever reported: Downtown got an independent pharmacy in Phoenix Pharmacy and Fountain and downtown got a primary and urgent care clinic in...
The Gateway Opens Downtown, Offering Hope and Support
When last I wrote about the Metro Drug Coalition and their mission, I mentioned the plans to bring their operations along with new support services to 530 Fifth Avenue where they have renovated a portion of...
Barbara Boulton: A (Near) Lifetime in Downtown Knoxville
From time to time, I’ve written about people who make downtown interesting and people who have related to downtown for far longer than the current resurgence. Barbara Boulton may hold the record for continuous downtown living...
KAT Looks Toward a Digital Future in the Midst Change
(Ed. Note: Today’s article is written by guest writer Heather Ryerson.) Even if you are not a public transit patron, I encourage you to read on. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Belinda Woodiel-Brill,...