Culture
The Appalachia Sessions Offer Great Music and Cultural Connections
The Appalachia Sessions might remind some of Austin City Limits, while locals with a bit of a memory might recall the iterations, first at the Bijou, then the Square Room, and later at Boyd’s Jig and...
Arts and Media For Fun On a Friday
From time to time I have a mix of small hits that I’d like to share with the larger world and today is a good day to serve up a few of those. For today’s episode,...
Lilienthal Gallery Celebrates Their Winter Exhibition: Transcending Traditions
Lilienthal Gallery, 23 Emory Place, was the site recently for a Winter White opening. Beyond a simple theme for a party, the recommended color of dress echoed the work presented by four Israeli women, each of...
Inside of a New York City Christmas 2022
Long-term readers of this website know how much I enjoy New York City. It struck a chord with me as a small child and now that I’m able to travel there more often, I do so...
Business
Two Downtown Structures Change Hands; Improvements Planned
The Cazana family has purchased two downtown structures, an office building and a parking garage, with plans to make improvements to each. Interestingly, the buildings were previously owned by the group, but sold. I spoke with...
Pretentious Glass Celebrates Ten Years
For a business to survive a decade, a lot of things have to go right. The product or service has to be good; the right person or people have to be behind it, and a thousand...
Blackhorse Pub and Brewery Closed Downtown; New Concept Coming to 430 Gay Street
It was about four-and-a-half years ago that Blackhorse Pub and Brewery opened at 430 S. Gay Street. It replaced 5 Bar, a more upscale restaurant, with a more affordable kind of option. Last week the owners...
Monkey’s Bar Celebrates Its Grand Opening
Elle Nelson opened Monkey’s Bar, named for her beloved dog “Monkey,” quietly over the holidays. The warm little oasis at 103 W. Depot (corner of Central and Depot) seems set to become the kind of neighborhood...
Development
Pryor Brown Garage to be Demolished
Yesterday evening, Knox Heritage released the following statement regarding the Pryor Brown Garage located on the corner of Clinch Avenue and Market Street. The caption above this article is theirs. On December 14, 2022, a demolition...
34 Market Square Sold to Wests, Rooftop Expansion Planned
In a move that further adds to the Wests’ holdings on the east side of Market Square, Hatcher Hill has sold 34 Market Square to the West family for $3 million. With the purchase, the Wests...
Construction Prepared to Start on the 200 Block of Gay Street
I’m not usually happy to see a sidewalk closed and I’m not delighted to see that on the 200 block. That said, I’ve never been more excited to see a fence being erected than I was...
Baseball Update: An Interview with Doug Kirchhofer, CEO Boyd Sports
It’s been about nine months since I last mentioned baseball in this space. It’s not that the express stopped rolling, but when I wrote last April that the Smokies would not likely play their first game...
Events
Southern Skies Line-up Announced; Tickets On Sale Friday
This year’s Southern Skies Music Festival has come out swinging with a dynamic two-day schedule. After stumbling a bit out of the gates with the first two planned festivals canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the...
Downtown Knoxville Ten Day Planner (1/22 – 1/31/2022)
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...
Downtown Knoxville Ten Day Planner (1/15 – 1/24/2023)
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...
Downtown Knoxville Ten Day Planner (1/8 – 1/17/2023)
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...
Life
Top Ten Downtown Articles for 2022
In the end, for all the other diversions, readers of this website want to read about business and development. Of the top twenty-five most read articles this year, fifteen were about businesses, and eight were about...
Downtown Knoxville Year in Review: 2022
I always enjoy the opportunity to look back at the year’s biggest stories. While I’m in the thick of it, I move from one deadline to the next and barely have time to think about the...
Downtown Knoxville Christmas Lights and Windows 2022 (Part Two)
As promised, here’s another round of beautiful downtown lights and windows. I’d love it if downtown kept as much of the sparkle as possible year-round. As is, it is a reminder of all the wonderful businesses...
Downtown Knoxville Christmas Lights and Windows 2022 (Part One)
Just as fast as it gets here, it seems another Christmas is about to be in the rearview. Before it gets past us, let’s take a look at some of the sights and lights from this...