Gone but not forgotten: Knoxville area restaurants and retailers we miss.

#2,801
#2,801
Ted said:
I never went to the Wild Wing Cafe in Farragut as it was too far to drive for me for what it was, but I did go to the one that's still open in Powell once to hear a band that a friend of mine plays in. Wasn't terribly impressed by the wings or the atmosphere. But it sure was popular for quite a while after it opened.

My favorite defunct wings places were the old, original Spicy's in the Old City, and the last location of Spicy's at 950 E. Emory Rd in Powell. I also ate a lot of wings and played a lot of trivia (on the NTN Network) 20 years ago at the long-gone Buffalo Wild Wings, on the Strip.

Here's a Flickr page about Spicy's with a bit of history. I did not know they started during the World's Fair, and that their original location was on the Strip! Does anyone remember Spicy's at the World's Fair, or know where that Strip location was?

Also, I can't find online where Spicy's was located in the Old City. Anybody know?

View attachment 595645
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I think Spicys in the old city was located in the same building (shared space) where The Melting Pot is.

Wild Boar Tavern claims to sell Spicy’s wings.
 
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#2,802
#2,802
UT_Dutchman said:
I remember the one on the strip being down the street from O'Charleys. Also Bill one of the owners of Spicys north opened Wings Express on Clinton hwy near merchants. It has the same wings and is not a bad little joint. I heard the owner of Archers had a nervous breakdown. I drive by that weird azz house with the spaceship and flamingos every day on my way to and from work.
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The Wings Express opened in 2012, according to the sign out front. I think Spicy's North was still going in 2012, so Bill must have been doing better business at Wings Express, and decided to focus on one. It's a better location than the Emory Rd. Spicy's in that strip mall.

That building that houses Wings Express is a former Long John Silver's location- it's easy to see. That whole two block area on Clinton Highway has had a lot of fast food restaurants that have gone out and been repurposed. We already talked about the former Mrs. Winner's location now being a Titlemax.

Also in that area: The building at 4816 Clinton Hwy that is now a tobacco shop used to be a Mr. Gatti's Pizza in the 1990's and 2000's. They had a fire and closed, and the building sat vacant for a while before Enterprise car rentals renovated it and used it for their location for a few years before moving down Clinton to their current location.

An old Pizza Hut at 5011 Clinton has been a number of user car lots, and is currently Alpha Motors. There are others.

An old Taco Bell at 4903 Clinton is now a Tennessee Title Loans.

Dutchman, are you seeing all that development up on the hill from UFO House? I haven't been able to find out anything about what's going on there.
 
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#2,803
#2,803
davethevol said:
I think Spicys in the old city was located in the same building (shared space) where The Melting Pot is.

Wild Boar Tavern claims to sell Spicy’s wings.
Click to expand...
I'm looking at that corner of Jackson and Central and you're right- it was in the street level part of the Melting Pot building. Spicy's was where Urban Bar Corner Cafe is located.

Also, in this screen grab pic, there was outdoor seating for Spicy's where this newer little add-on building is.

Spicy's old location.jpg
 
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#2,804
#2,804
In trying to figure out the location of Spicy's in the Old City, I came across this wonderful Old City photo piece on the Knoxnews website. Originally published in 2019, updated this September, it's a treasure trove of old and new pictures, a little bit of everything.

www.knoxnews.com

Knoxville's Old City through the years

Knoxville's Old City through the years
www.knoxnews.com
 
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#2,808
#2,808
MAD said:
What long-gone dish do you crave from time to time? Which dining spot served the menu item that transported you back to your childhood?

For me it has to be Swiss Orange Chip ice cream from Swensen’s.
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Turkey Original sandwich from Schlotzky's Deli.
 
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#2,809
#2,809
MAD said:
What long-gone dish do you crave from time to time? Which dining spot served the menu item that transported you back to your childhood?

For me it has to be Swiss Orange Chip ice cream from Swensen’s.
Click to expand...
Wedding Cake ice cream from blue bell
 
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#2,811
#2,811
MAD said:
What long-gone dish do you crave from time to time? Which dining spot served the menu item that transported you back to your childhood?

For me it has to be Swiss Orange Chip ice cream from Swensen’s.
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Patty Melt from Jerry's in West Hills.
 
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#2,812
#2,812
MAD said:
What long-gone dish do you crave from time to time? Which dining spot served the menu item that transported you back to your childhood?

For me it has to be Swiss Orange Chip ice cream from Swensen’s.
Click to expand...
Not to my childhood, but I miss Colonel's Deli off N. Forest Boulevard. It's still there, but it's more of a diner now. When I worked the counter decades ago, they had a killer deli sub selection, and I really miss making (and eating!) my pepper beef and Muenster on long white with lettuce, tomato, and onion. I can duplicate everything else but the pepper beef these days - that's not easy to find in delis any more.
 
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#2,813
#2,813
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#2,814
#2,814
MAD said:
www.wate.com

South Knoxville burger spot closing to make way for Kern’s Food Hall development

A South Knoxville favorite is closing it’s doors to make room for more development in the area.
www.wate.com www.wate.com

www.wbir.com

'Burger Boys,' a popular restaurant in South Knoxville that served variety of meals, is closing

According to a release, the restaurant closed so the new "Kerns Food Hall" could have direct access to a traffic light on the property.
www.wbir.com www.wbir.com
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Omigosh, I remember those red and white checkers. It’s near what used to be Baptist Hospital, correct?

Anyone remember what it used to be called? I left Knoxville ~2011, although I don’t remember when I last went through the itty-bitty drive-through.

I think there was an optical shop nearby with beautiful architecture (Art Deco? I sort of remember curved corners)
 
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#2,816
#2,816
Ted said:
I'm looking at that corner of Jackson and Central and you're right- it was in the street level part of the Melting Pot building. Spicy's was where Urban Bar Corner Cafe is located.

Also, in this screen grab pic, there was outdoor seating for Spicy's where this newer little add-on building is.

View attachment 595667
Click to expand...
A lot of memories in that building. Best was block parties for St. Patrick’s Day in the late 90’s.
 
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#2,820
#2,820
Ted said:
The Strip IS history. A glorious past. It no longer exists except in memory.

There will come a time when these cheaply built apartment buildings that are being thrown up left and right, not only on Cumberland Ave., but all over south Knoxville and in other parts of town, will deteriorate and be torn down. They are not going to last long and they have NO historic value. I can't imagine UT students here in 2022 looking back fondly years from now at living in these apartments with any degree of fondness.

Who knows what will replace these buildings when they are gone in 2040 or whenever. Most of us here are old enough to remember the old Strip scene, but that also means most of us won't be around for whatever comes next on Cumberland.
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Can I like my own damn post? Yea!
 
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#2,821
#2,821
Ted said:
The Wings Express opened in 2012, according to the sign out front. I think Spicy's North was still going in 2012, so Bill must have been doing better business at Wings Express, and decided to focus on one. It's a better location than the Emory Rd. Spicy's in that strip mall.

That building that houses Wings Express is a former Long John Silver's location- it's easy to see. That whole two block area on Clinton Highway has had a lot of fast food restaurants that have gone out and been repurposed. We already talked about the former Mrs. Winner's location now being a Titlemax.

Also in that area: The building at 4816 Clinton Hwy that is now a tobacco shop used to be a Mr. Gatti's Pizza in the 1990's and 2000's. They had a fire and closed, and the building sat vacant for a while before Enterprise car rentals renovated it and used it for their location for a few years before moving down Clinton to their current location.

An old Pizza Hut at 5011 Clinton has been a number of user car lots, and is currently Alpha Motors. There are others.

An old Taco Bell at 4903 Clinton is now a Tennessee Title Loans.

Dutchman, are you seeing all that development up on the hill from UFO House? I haven't been able to find out anything about what's going on there.
Click to expand...
I've been trying to keep an eye on it, first thought it might be a Smithbuilt subdivision, but now I think maybe condos/ apartments.
 
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#2,823
#2,823
MAD said:
What long-gone dish do you crave from time to time? Which dining spot served the menu item that transported you back to your childhood?

For me it has to be Swiss Orange Chip ice cream from Swensen’s.
Click to expand...
I loved Swenson's and I lived practically across the street from Swenson's and Flanagans and there was the best chocolate Sunday that I would get there, it was chocolate ice-cream with chocolate syrup and had one of those chocolate wafers that they served in them and of course whipped cream and a cherry and it was Great!!
 
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#2,824
#2,824
Vjcvette said:
I loved Swenson's and I lived practically across the street from Swenson's and Flanagans and there was the best chocolate Sunday that I would get there, it was chocolate ice-cream with chocolate syrup and had one of those chocolate wafers that they served in them and of course whipped cream and a cherry and it was Great!!
Click to expand...
I can still picture that in my mind.
 
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