The long awaited opening of Frothy Monkey in the Kress Building at 419 South Gay Street has finally come. The announcement of their pending occupancy was made over a year ago and sometimes progress on the space seemed slow. That changed in recent weeks and the construction rapidly produced an appealing place with outdoor seating, interior first floor seating and mezzanine seating for those who prefer.
The Nashville-based eatery has continued expansion in the ensuing year, moving from six to eight locations since this one was first announced. They opened a location in Birmingham two months ago and that was their recent focus. They also did have some delays in shipment of equipment and construction. Brittney Russler, Director of Restaurants and Hospitality is in town helping open the new location. She said, “Everything’s a little slower with the pandemic.”
She also explained that while they are open, it is still a soft opening and they are still working toward full steam. For example, they are awaiting delivery of furniture and the store has not been decorated as it will be. As of the end of last week they were continuing to wait for their liquor license, as well.
The story currently has limited hours and is closed Monday and Tuesday, open Wednesday through Friday 7:00 am to 9:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday 7:00 am to 3:00 pm. Brittney said their stores all operate seven days a week from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm and that will be the case here as soon as they are ready.
She said that soon Knoxville can expect an all-day café offering “beer, wine, cocktails, and a great coffee program. We welcome campers that come in an sit around for a while, but also if you want to grab a quick lunch and get out, we can do that, as well.” She said there will be personalized details for the location, but much will be the same from one to the other. She personally handles wine selections, though they vary a bit between locations.
They also continue to hire.