Downtown Window Decorations, Part II

Christmas Window Displays, Cafe 4, Gay Street, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Cafe 4, Gay Street, Knoxville, December 2012

We’ll start the final post of window displays with the winning display. Cafe Four did a fine job with the window above and the one below. I’m not sure I would have given them first place, but I can’t argue against it. I suspect “beautiful” was what the committee was going for and this is certainly one of the most beautiful. I wonder if the committee,  like me (see yesterday’s post) is pop-culturally illiterate, making us miss “clever,” at times. In any case, congratulations to Cafe 4.

Christmas Window Displays, Cafe 4, Gay Street, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Cafe 4, Gay Street, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, TVA Credit Union, Wall Avenue, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, TVA Credit Union, Wall Avenue, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, TVA Credit Union, Wall Avenue, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, TVA Credit Union, Wall Avenue, Knoxville, December 2012

I really like the combination of practical and compassionate with festive that TVA Credit Union pulled off in their display. The windows are very attractive while the “decorations” will go for a good cause and the banner below explains how passersby might also get involved. Extra points!

Christmas Window Displays, The Market at Union and Gay, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, The Market at Union and Gay, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, The Market at Union and Gay, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, The Market at Union and Gay, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Coolato Gelato, Gay Street, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Coolato Gelato, Gay Street, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Rick Terry's Jewelry Design, Gay Street, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Rick Terry’s Jewelry Design, Gay Street, Knoxville, December 2012

You have to give the Market at Union and Gay credit for trying, but “Merry Jolly?” I’m not sure but what they may want to work a little harder on the messaging next year. Or maybe I just don’t get it, like I didn’t get Urban Bar and Grill, yesterday. The Coolato Gelato display isn’t exactly in their window, but I thought they deserved a spot for doing a great job. Rick Terry’s window is very pretty, but I had a hard time photographing it because of the reflections, so this doesn’t come close to doing it justice.

Christmas Window Displays, Trio, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Trio, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Steamboat, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Steamboat, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Rococo, Gay Street, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Rococo, Gay Street, Knoxville, December 2012

Of these three, I have to give the nod to Rococo. Courtney has her own sense of style and this reflects it. Love it or hate it, most everything at Rococo makes a statement.

Christmas Window Displays, Bliss Home, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Bliss Home, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Bliss, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Bliss, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Bliss, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Bliss, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012

I like the funky angels in the first window, which is Bliss Home. The displays across Market Square in Bliss, also owned by Scott Schimmel and Lisa Sorensen, are also good, as usual. I really do appreciate people who work to keep their windows attractive year-round. I’m so not made that way, that I enjoy seeing the work of people who are inclined in that direction.

Christmas Window Displays, Fizz, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Fizz, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Fizz, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Fizz, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Earth to Old City, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Earth to Old City, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Earth to Old City, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Earth to Old City, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2012

These are two stores with consistently great windows. Urban Woman spends a good bit of time in Fizz and I usually wait outside, so I see their window displays pretty regularly and they are well done. Earth to Old City is also consistently attractive. I have to say I might have given the nod to them for this beautiful window display. I’ll even go with the Christmas dragon which seems to work in a very odd sort of way.

 

Christmas Window Displays, Nothing Too Fancy, Union Avenue, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Nothing Too Fancy, Union Avenue, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Casual Pint, Union Avenue, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Casual Pint, Union Avenue, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Casual Pint, Union Avenue, Knoxville, December 2012
Christmas Window Displays, Casual Pint, Union Avenue, Knoxville, December 2012

I’ll end with these from Union Avenue. Nothing Too Fancy simply incorporated a couple of Christmas items from their seemingly bottomless pit of nostalgic accouterments. My family actually had that same Santa Claus in our yard many years ago. It could be ours. No sign of the carolers made in the same style, though. I like the way Casual Pint used the beams to re-imagine them as a Christmas tree. I also liked giving their employees a little face-time on the door window.

I’ll end with a semi-random thought on employees of these businesses. They work hard to make our city the great place it is. Thank them – or give them an extra tip at Christmas. I noticed Sunday that both Casual Pint and Suttree’s closed so they could have a party for their workers and I think that absolutely rocks!