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

#926
#926
Brave Volunteer said:
I live in Chattanooga. I dont know if any of these places existed in Knoxville, but here's a few that I miss...

1. Pizza Inn - Pizza Hut was always more popular, but I loved Pizza Inn too. They had a wider selection. You could get lasagna, Italian hoagies, spaghetti, etc.

2. Electronics Boutique - back in the day I used go in there and spend time looking at games, pour through game mags, and peaking at strategy guides (though that was frowned upon). I think Gamestop bought them out but I liked EB so much better.

3. Sears Surplus - I guess you could say they were an extension of Sears but they operated outside of the mall in a separate building. They mostly sold clothes and home furnishings. I loved this place because as a kid and a Raiders fan, back then it was about the only place I could find Oakland Raider merchandise. At the time the only NFL merch you could find in Chattanooga was Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, and maybe Pittsburgh Steelers.

4. Rax restaurant- They were kind of like Arby's, specializing in roast beef sandwiches. They had amazing milkshakes too!

5. Record Bar/Cats Records - These were my go to places for vinyl and cassettes back in the day!

6. Lionel Playworld - In the 70's and early 80's before Toys R Us there was Lionel. Actually before that it was called Toy City. But as a kid, this was the place to go for toys.

7. East Ridge Toy Store - Located on Ringgold Road, this was a cool toy shop! The building looked like a Castle and it had a sign with a digital clock on the front of the building that would countdown to Christmas. I bought my bionic man and bionic bigfoot action figures there!

8. Otasco - A jack of all trades kind of store. They had toys, hardware supplies, tools, lawn mowers, etc.

9. Kenny Roger's Roaster - I LOVED this place back in the day! Roasted chicken, plus they had the best corn muffins!

10. Four Square Movie Theater - Located in Red Bank right behind the Kanpai of Tokyo restaurant. This was the .99 cent theater. I saw a lot of movies here growing up!
Click to expand...
There is a Pizza Inn on Clinton Hwy near Merchants Drive.
 
#928
#928
the_great_pumpkin said:
Wasn't there one in Oak Ridge too?
Click to expand...

Yes you are correct, I was thinking three locations but could not recall.
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#929
#929
Brave Volunteer said:
I live in Chattanooga. I dont know if any of these places existed in Knoxville, but here's a few that I miss...

1. Pizza Inn - Pizza Hut was always more popular, but I loved Pizza Inn too. They had a wider selection. You could get lasagna, Italian hoagies, spaghetti, etc.

2. Electronics Boutique - back in the day I used go in there and spend time looking at games, pour through game mags, and peaking at strategy guides (though that was frowned upon). I think Gamestop bought them out but I liked EB so much better.

3. Sears Surplus - I guess you could say they were an extension of Sears but they operated outside of the mall in a separate building. They mostly sold clothes and home furnishings. I loved this place because as a kid and a Raiders fan, back then it was about the only place I could find Oakland Raider merchandise. At the time the only NFL merch you could find in Chattanooga was Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, and maybe Pittsburgh Steelers.

4. Rax restaurant- They were kind of like Arby's, specializing in roast beef sandwiches. They had amazing milkshakes too!

5. Record Bar/Cats Records - These were my go to places for vinyl and cassettes back in the day!

6. Lionel Playworld - In the 70's and early 80's before Toys R Us there was Lionel. Actually before that it was called Toy City. But as a kid, this was the place to go for toys.

7. East Ridge Toy Store - Located on Ringgold Road, this was a cool toy shop! The building looked like a Castle and it had a sign with a digital clock on the front of the building that would countdown to Christmas. I bought my bionic man and bionic bigfoot action figures there!

8. Otasco - A jack of all trades kind of store. They had toys, hardware supplies, tools, lawn mowers, etc.

9. Kenny Roger's Roaster - I LOVED this place back in the day! Roasted chicken, plus they had the best corn muffins!

10. Four Square Movie Theater - Located in Red Bank right behind the Kanpai of Tokyo restaurant. This was the .99 cent theater. I saw a lot of movies here growing up!
Click to expand...

The best I can tell there are still Rax in Kentucky. Did the Lionel store sell trains?
 
#930
#930
UT_Dutchman said:
The best I can tell there are still Rax in Kentucky. Did the Lionel store sell trains?
Click to expand...

I think it was a different Lionel, but I could be wrong. Actually I never thought about that connection.

Edit: I just looked it up. It was in fact the same company who makes the trains!
 
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#931
#931
Brave Volunteer said:
I think it was a different Lionel, but I could be wrong. Actually I never thought about that connection.

Edit: I just looked it up. It was in fact the same company who makes the trains!
Click to expand...

My parents are lucky I never knew about that place. I still have a few train sets. Somewhere.
 
#932
#932
Brave Volunteer said:
I live in Chattanooga. I dont know if any of these places existed in Knoxville, but here's a few that I miss...

1. Pizza Inn - Pizza Hut was always more popular, but I loved Pizza Inn too. They had a wider selection. You could get lasagna, Italian hoagies, spaghetti, etc.

2. Electronics Boutique - back in the day I used go in there and spend time looking at games, pour through game mags, and peaking at strategy guides (though that was frowned upon). I think Gamestop bought them out but I liked EB so much better.

3. Sears Surplus - I guess you could say they were an extension of Sears but they operated outside of the mall in a separate building. They mostly sold clothes and home furnishings. I loved this place because as a kid and a Raiders fan, back then it was about the only place I could find Oakland Raider merchandise. At the time the only NFL merch you could find in Chattanooga was Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, and maybe Pittsburgh Steelers.

4. Rax restaurant- They were kind of like Arby's, specializing in roast beef sandwiches. They had amazing milkshakes too!

5. Record Bar/Cats Records - These were my go to places for vinyl and cassettes back in the day!

6. Lionel Playworld - In the 70's and early 80's before Toys R Us there was Lionel. Actually before that it was called Toy City. But as a kid, this was the place to go for toys.

7. East Ridge Toy Store - Located on Ringgold Road, this was a cool toy shop! The building looked like a Castle and it had a sign with a digital clock on the front of the building that would countdown to Christmas. I bought my bionic man and bionic bigfoot action figures there!

8. Otasco - A jack of all trades kind of store. They had toys, hardware supplies, tools, lawn mowers, etc.

9. Kenny Roger's Roaster - I LOVED this place back in the day! Roasted chicken, plus they had the best corn muffins!

10. Four Square Movie Theater - Located in Red Bank right behind the Kanpai of Tokyo restaurant. This was the .99 cent theater. I saw a lot of movies here growing up!
Click to expand...
I grew up in Hixson.
Spent a lot of time at Record Bar at Northgate Mall.
Had a pal that worked there who we lost to pancreatic cancer.
Went to the Four Square a few times.
 
#936
#936
Brave Volunteer said:
I live in Chattanooga. I dont know if any of these places existed in Knoxville, but here's a few that I miss...

1. Pizza Inn - Pizza Hut was always more popular, but I loved Pizza Inn too. They had a wider selection. You could get lasagna, Italian hoagies, spaghetti, etc.

2. Electronics Boutique - back in the day I used go in there and spend time looking at games, pour through game mags, and peaking at strategy guides (though that was frowned upon). I think Gamestop bought them out but I liked EB so much better.

3. Sears Surplus - I guess you could say they were an extension of Sears but they operated outside of the mall in a separate building. They mostly sold clothes and home furnishings. I loved this place because as a kid and a Raiders fan, back then it was about the only place I could find Oakland Raider merchandise. At the time the only NFL merch you could find in Chattanooga was Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, and maybe Pittsburgh Steelers.

4. Rax restaurant- They were kind of like Arby's, specializing in roast beef sandwiches. They had amazing milkshakes too!

5. Record Bar/Cats Records - These were my go to places for vinyl and cassettes back in the day!

6. Lionel Playworld - In the 70's and early 80's before Toys R Us there was Lionel. Actually before that it was called Toy City. But as a kid, this was the place to go for toys.

7. East Ridge Toy Store - Located on Ringgold Road, this was a cool toy shop! The building looked like a Castle and it had a sign with a digital clock on the front of the building that would countdown to Christmas. I bought my bionic man and bionic bigfoot action figures there!

8. Otasco - A jack of all trades kind of store. They had toys, hardware supplies, tools, lawn mowers, etc.

9. Kenny Roger's Roaster - I LOVED this place back in the day! Roasted chicken, plus they had the best corn muffins!

10. Four Square Movie Theater - Located in Red Bank right behind the Kanpai of Tokyo restaurant. This was the .99 cent theater. I saw a lot of movies here growing up!
Click to expand...

Pizza Inn >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Pizza Hut. At least it was 30 - 40 years ago..

I lived a block away from a Cats Records in midtown Memphis, that was not good for my bank account.
 
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#940
#940
We used to eat at Rax down from the Farragut schools all the time. I won a couple of coloring contests there, haha. Good sandwiches, from what I remember.
 
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#941
#941
The Shoney's location at 4410 Western Avenue will close later this month after 38 years in business.

The restaurant will close on March 24.
 
#942
#942
NorCalVol67 said:
Pizza Inn >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Pizza Hut. At least it was 30 - 40 years ago..

I lived a block away from a Cats Records in midtown Memphis, that was not good for my bank account.
Click to expand...
I had a Christmas job working in the records department at Goldsmith’s on Poplar, now a Macy’s. My dad said it was like setting a fox to watch the chickens. And it was!
 
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#943
#943
Linderhof, German eatery in Farragut, to close permanently.
 
#946
#946
Shout out to:

Macino's Pizza and Grinders
Chez Liberty
Kalamata Kitchen
Mangia Pizza and More
Camelot Music, Sam Goody
The Children's Place
Service Merchandise
 
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