Late last Thursday night Frothy Monkey announced it would soon close its location at 419 South Gay Street. The final day of service was given as May 7, this Wednesday. As announced here, the restaurant opened in the former Kress Building in August of 2022, just less than three years ago. The popular regional restaurant became the first business to occupy the space in about a decade.
The press release cited “potential property ownership changes on the horizon and growing momentum in other neighborhoods.” It went on to say the company would “refocus on the neighborhoods where Frothy Monkey is best positioned for long-term success.”
In the release, Jenn Sheets, Partner and Head of Marketing and Communications said, “Knoxville welcomed us with open arms. We’re incredibly grateful for the relationships, memories, and moments we’ve shared here. While it’s hard to say goodbye, we’re proud of what we built and thankful to have been part of this amazing community.”
I reached out to Ms. Sheets for a bit more information, asking particularly about the implication that this restaurant has not met expectations. She said the group has nine cafes and they periodically evaluate them all. The other locations performed better and seemed to have “more traction for the future.” She expressed her appreciation for Knoxville, saying “Everyone has been great from the neighbors to Thomas (Boyd, the owner of the building), and the city. She said they had been warmly welcomed.
Curious about the sale of the building, I contacted Thomas who confirmed that his intention is to sell the building. He has an interested party, but nothing has been signed and there likely will not be any movement on that front until at least September. It does appear that if this sale goes through, the new owners would have different plans for the space currently occupied by Frothy Monkey, hence the uncertainty they referenced in their statement.
He said he was excited to bring Frothy Monkey to Knoxville after having enjoyed their other locations and regrets it did not work out better for them. He said they were great tenants and he wished them well.
The upshot is that for the short to mid-term, that spaces, sadly, will once again be empty.
Meanwhile, Frothy Monkey is open today through Wednesday and they are offering Happy Hour type deals on Wednesday from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, calling it their “Last Call Happy Hour Celebration.” You’ll still find their other locations in Nashville, Chattanooga, and elsewhere and you can pick their coffee at Whole Foods, Fresh Market, and Kroger.
El Tarasco Closes
It was less than a year ago that I reported that El Tarasco had opened at 145 South Gay Street. It got me a little excited, to be honest, with real Mexican food served up at a very reasonable price. Unfortunately, the place is now cleaned out, empty, and dark. I have no information as to what might have caused the sudden closure. Original information indicated the location might be used for an Indian restaurant of some sort. Maybe the model has shifted back again?
Side Hustle Opens
Remember that cool moment when you could get a great burger at a reasonable price on the patio behind Lonesome Dove? And often you could find great local music there as well. I think it ended with the advent of the pandemic.
Well, it’s back, sort of. This iteration is called “Side Hustle,” and it features “Texas style smoked barbeque, which manager Emily Hughes tells me is “smoked on site.” She promises a “relaxing vibe,” with live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11:00 am to 11:00 pm.
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