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

[WallyBalls]

Does anyone remember Kenny Rogers Roasters? You would walk in the door and the chicken would be spinning on a rotisserie in a wood fired oven. It was out of this world delicious!!
It was sold and all the U.S stores closed, but apparently is going gang busters in Asia. Weird. They has restaurants in Knox and Alcoa. So delicious.

ITS BAD CHICKEN!!! MESS YOU UP!

heh

 

[Tennesseefan2019]

Does anyone remember Kenny Rogers Roasters? You would walk in the door and the chicken would be spinning on a rotisserie in a wood fired oven. It was out of this world delicious!!
It was sold and all the U.S stores closed, but apparently is going gang busters in Asia. Weird. They has restaurants in Knox and Alcoa. So delicious.

That was damn good chicken

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I'm probably misremembering but I thought the original Ruby's was in a two story Victorian house at the corner of Cumberland and 22nd Ave.

It resembles a house but is now connected to the Stefano's building below that is a more commercial looking type of space fronting Cumberland Avenue. My guess is that the deck above Stefano's was added and the two buildings were stitched together. The former owner of Stefano's still owns the building(s). Rick Kuhlman might be his name. I think that the Ruby Tuesday side also had a patio enclosed by a brick wall adjacent to the alley that was later finished off as indoor space. There was some type of church or worship organization in there a month ago.

There was another house converted to a bar/restaurant about a block farther west called the Cat's Meow. The original house has been demolished and a Mrs. Winners was built on the spot iirc. There was also a Kentucky Fried Chicken somewhere in that vicinity... a gas station might have been built on that lot. Possibly at the NE corner of 23rd Street. IIRC the Cat's Meow sat on a small hill a little bit elevated above the strip. I never set foot in the Cat's Meow but I have a match book from there that my dad gave me.

I think that liquor-by-the-drink might have become legal at the same time that Ruby Tuesday and the Cat's Meow were established. Hard to believe that bars didn't exist in Knoxville 50 years ago. Maybe there was a lawful work around as private clubs (the Senator's Club on Alcoa Highway?). I don't know if hotels were exempt... Ramada Inn/Campus Inn/Sheraton/Hilton Garden were early bars in the 2 hotels on 17th Street 3 blocks apart.

 

[Boca Vol]

Does anyone remember Kenny Rogers Roasters? You would walk in the door and the chicken would be spinning on a rotisserie in a wood fired oven. It was out of this world delicious!!
It was sold and all the U.S stores closed, but apparently is going gang busters in Asia. Weird. They has restaurants in Knox and Alcoa. So delicious.

The Seinfeld gang remembers.

 

[Go aeiou]

A mall really tells you a lot about the city that it’s in. It truly is a microcosm of the entire area. Let’s use Charleston, SC for example. They do not have a mall. They’re got a historic area with shopping that includes Pottery Barn, Gucci, LV, Rolex, Omega, West Elm, as well as your typical Forever 21, Earthbound, Vans, etc.. mall stores. Kind of says, there’s money here, but there’s also college kids here.

North Charleston, however, does have a mall. The stores are a bit more urban. DTLR, Underground (literally Journey’s shoes urban store), others I’ve never heard of..you get the idea. I’m not going to make myself sound any kind of way here, but look into the crime rate of North Charleston and form your own conclusions. It’s a rough place.

West Town has a nice variety of stores, but I think Knoxville could support much better shopping. There’s plenty of money in that area and literally anything would do well. I’m surprised there’s not an IKEA. Seems like that would be a huge hit up there.

IKEA is real picky about where they put stores. The only one in TN is in Cordova. They cancelled the one to be built in Nashville. Apparently they are trying to grow their business on the internet.
As an old person almost all furniture seems like trash these days. You can do much better buying solid wood from the 50 and 60s at auctions.

 

[Boca Vol]

A mall really tells you a lot about the city that it’s in. It truly is a microcosm of the entire area. Let’s use Charleston, SC for example. They do not have a mall. They’re got a historic area with shopping that includes Pottery Barn, Gucci, LV, Rolex, Omega, West Elm, as well as your typical Forever 21, Earthbound, Vans, etc.. mall stores. Kind of says, there’s money here, but there’s also college kids here.

North Charleston, however, does have a mall. The stores are a bit more urban. DTLR, Underground (literally Journey’s shoes urban store), others I’ve never heard of..you get the idea. I’m not going to make myself sound any kind of way here, but look into the crime rate of North Charleston and form your own conclusions. It’s a rough place.

West Town has a nice variety of stores, but I think Knoxville could support much better shopping. There’s plenty of money in that area and literally anything would do well. I’m surprised there’s not an IKEA. Seems like that would be a huge hit up there.

Back in 1997 I was the Assistant GM at Northwoods Mall in N. Charleston. It wasn't as glamorous as it sounds.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

IKEA is real picky about where they put stores. The only one in TN is in Cordova. They cancelled the one to be built in Nashville. Apparently they are trying to grow their business on the internet.
As an old person almost all furniture seems like trash these days. You can do much better buying solid wood from the 50 and 60s at auctions.

Nobody wants that heavy, solid stuff anymore. My parents own a **** ton of it and I don't know what I'll be doing with it. Dad also has a Brunswick pool table that he bought from a pool hall. That thing must be 90 years old, has a slate top about 3 inches thick, and must weigh more than 3,000 pounds. The legs are solid oak and the footprints are about 18" by 18".

 

[Go aeiou]

Nobody wants that heavy, solid stuff anymore. My parents own a **** ton of it and I don't know what I'll be doing with it. Dad also has a Brunswick pool table that he bought from a pool hall. That thing must be 90 years old, has a slate top about 3 inches thick, and must weigh more than 3,000 pounds. The legs are solid oak and the footprints are about 18" by 18".

I'll take a pool table from IKEA any day.
Yep, I've had the pleasure of helping friends move those things. At least the pool table can be disassembled. Large pianos are also hel to move.
Does your father still play pool?

 

[Zues1]

It resembles a house but is now connected to the Stefano's building below that is a more commercial looking type of space fronting Cumberland Avenue. My guess is that the deck above Stefano's was added and the two buildings were stitched together. The former owner of Stefano's still owns the building(s). Rick Kuhlman might be his name. I think that the Ruby Tuesday side also had a patio enclosed by a brick wall adjacent to the alley that was later finished off as indoor space. There was some type of church or worship organization in there a month ago.

There was another house converted to a bar/restaurant about a block farther west called the Cat's Meow. The original house has been demolished and a Mrs. Winners was built on the spot iirc. There was also a Kentucky Fried Chicken somewhere in that vicinity... a gas station might have been built on that lot. Possibly at the NE corner of 23rd Street. IIRC the Cat's Meow sat on a small hill a little bit elevated above the strip. I never set foot in the Cat's Meow but I have a match book from there that my dad gave me.

I think that liquor-by-the-drink might have become legal at the same time that Ruby Tuesday and the Cat's Meow were established. Hard to believe that bars didn't exist in Knoxville 50 years ago. Maybe there was a lawful work around as private clubs (the Senator's Club on Alcoa Highway?). I don't know if hotels were exempt... Ramada Inn/Campus Inn/Sheraton/Hilton Garden were early bars in the 2 hotels on 17th Street 3 blocks apart.

Great, yep that brings back memories. The Cats Meow was the location I was thinking about. You my friend have one hell of a memory or great Google skills

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I'll take a pool table from IKEA any day.
Yep, I've had the pleasure of helping friends move those things. At least the pool table can be disassembled. Large pianos are also hel to move.
Does your father still play pool?

No, Dad pretty much just reads and watches TV these days. And Mom has a heavy piano. At least it's an upright. Pretty much have to give those things away or pay to have them hauled off.

 

[Evergrenevol]

The old Pizza Hut building was El Charro for a long time, like most of the 90s and at least the early 00s, maybe longer. Mexicali Rose was sort of across the street, but I remember it existing in the mid to late 80s at least, and I'm not sure how far into the 90s, if at all.

Mexicali Rose - Awesome Mexican food back in the ‘70s!

 

[GVF]

Are you thinking of Smoky Mtn Market?

That may be quite possible. It's been so long, the streetside view doesn't completely ring a bell, but so far they are the only non-mex joint in that stretch of Chapman that has the tamales on menu.

 

[LampVol]

It resembles a house but is now connected to the Stefano's building below that is a more commercial looking type of space fronting Cumberland Avenue. My guess is that the deck above Stefano's was added and the two buildings were stitched together. The former owner of Stefano's still owns the building(s). Rick Kuhlman might be his name. I think that the Ruby Tuesday side also had a patio enclosed by a brick wall adjacent to the alley that was later finished off as indoor space. There was some type of church or worship organization in there a month ago.

There was another house converted to a bar/restaurant about a block farther west called the Cat's Meow. The original house has been demolished and a Mrs. Winners was built on the spot iirc. There was also a Kentucky Fried Chicken somewhere in that vicinity... a gas station might have been built on that lot. Possibly at the NE corner of 23rd Street. IIRC the Cat's Meow sat on a small hill a little bit elevated above the strip. I never set foot in the Cat's Meow but I have a match book from there that my dad gave me.

I think that liquor-by-the-drink might have become legal at the same time that Ruby Tuesday and the Cat's Meow were established. Hard to believe that bars didn't exist in Knoxville 50 years ago. Maybe there was a lawful work around as private clubs (the Senator's Club on Alcoa Highway?). I don't know if hotels were exempt... Ramada Inn/Campus Inn/Sheraton/Hilton Garden were early bars in the 2 hotels on 17th Street 3 blocks apart.

I remember going to the Senator's Club for a frat party. When you paid cover charge they gave you a membership card making you a member for the night, that way they were not selling mixed drinks, just serving club members ?

 

[LampVol]

A couple of other places on Cumberland, not too far from campus some of you other old timers may remember are Jim Brady's Steakhouse and the Sound Showcase. I had a friend who was a student manager for the basketball team. His job was to show recruits a good time. He would drive them around in the university's orange and white Camaro, get them a fake ID and a date and take them to the Sound Showcase for a night on the town.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

That was damn good chicken

It was very good chicken but I went for their sweet corn muffins! Those were amazing!

 

[PandamoniumReigns]

I miss Just For Feet off Parkside. Played many a basketball games on the court behind the building.

Garcia's Mexican restaurant was a childhood favorite of mine too.

 

[PandamoniumReigns]

Irish Times

 

[JOEY'S ALL VOL !!!]

The memory of playing quarters with pitchers of hurricanes at Ivy's after the Bama game in 85' is one I'll carry to the grave.

 

[Zues1]

I miss Just For Feet off Parkside. Played many a basketball games on the court behind the building.

Garcia's Mexican restaurant was a childhood favorite of mine too.

Free popcorn

 

[pismonque]

This isn't a business, at least as I knew it, but there used to be an old abandoned mill in the woods a bit off Northshore, not far from Lakeshore. I know it was still there in the late 80s because we used to go out there at night and climb up into a little room up top and burn one or two and shoot the s***, and maybe play on the big old wheel which still turned.

We used to park on the side of the road of some residential development and walk through the woods to get there, but I can't remember where exactly. There was a small dam and a little lake there, but I'm just realizing as many times as I went there late at night, I never once saw it in daylight. Looking at Google now, maybe it was at Crystal Lake? Never knew the name of it back then. I'd have to think that mill is long gone though.

Funny, those little things you remember only vaguely that were kind of a meaningful thing in your life of a sort, once upon a time.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

This isn't a business, at least as I knew it, but there used to be an old abandoned mill in the woods a bit off Northshore, not far from Lakeshore. I know it was still there in the late 80s because we used to go out there at night and climb up into a little room up top and burn one or two and shoot the s***, and maybe play on the big old wheel which still turned.

We used to park on the side of the road of some residential development and walk through the woods to get there, but I can't remember where exactly. There was a small dam and a little lake there, but I'm just realizing as many times as I went there late at night, I never once saw it in daylight. Looking at Google now, maybe it was at Crystal Lake? Never knew the name of it back then. I'd have to think that mill is long gone though.

Funny, those little things you remember only vaguely that were kind of a meaningful thing in your life of a sort, once upon a time.

There's a waterwheel in front of Westmoreland Hills due east of Lakeshore but it's certainly not abandoned or in the woods.

Crystal Lake is a pretty good hike from Lakeshore.. a mile or two SW. Same side of Northshore, in the woods but in the back yard of several houses.

 

[pismonque]

Oh damn, I found it, it's still there. It's on the west side of Lyon's Bend Rd, just north of Turtle Point Ln. Below is a pic from Google street level. Wow, looking at it through the winter trees, it's a lot closer to the road than I remember, but I was only ever there late at night and not in winter. From there you could walk up the creek and there was a little pond. I said a little lake before but really it was just a pond.

But we used to climb up into a little attic room in the top of that thing and just hang out, drink a few, burn a few, whatever. And If you got a couple people on that wheel you could get it turning. Trouble was, once you got it going it was hard to make it stop and if you couldn't climb fast enough you'd get dumped into the muck at the bottom and who knew what else. It was all just funny back then though.

So surprised it's still standing.




Edit: @Thunder Good-Oil , do you know the story behind that old mill?

 

[MAD]

Oh damn, I found it, it's still there. It's on the west side of Lyon's Bend Rd, just north of Turtle Point Ln. Below is a pic from Google street level. Wow, looking at it through the winter trees, it's a lot closer to the road than I remember, but I was only ever there late at night and not in winter. From there you could walk up the creek and there was a little pond. I said a little lake before but really it was just a pond.

But we used to climb up into a little attic room in the top of that thing and just hang out, drink a few, burn a few, whatever. And If you got a couple people on that wheel you could get it turning. Trouble was, once you got it going it was hard to make it stop and if you couldn't climb fast enough you'd get dumped into the muck at the bottom and who knew what else. It was all just funny back then though.

So surprised it's still standing.

View attachment 260447


Edit: @Thunder Good-Oil , do you know the story behind that old mill?

Good job finding it.

 

[pismonque]

Good job finding it.

I didn’t remember driving so far off Northshore to get there, so Crystal Lake seemed like the right location but nothing else about it fit. Then I looked at an old USGS quad map and saw this pond with a dam. Quick look on Google and I’ll be damned.

I’m surprised it hasn’t been demolished for safety reasons (to protect dumbass kids like I was), which makes me wonder if there’s historical significance.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Oh damn, I found it, it's still there. It's on the west side of Lyon's Bend Rd, just north of Turtle Point Ln. Below is a pic from Google street level. Wow, looking at it through the winter trees, it's a lot closer to the road than I remember, but I was only ever there late at night and not in winter. From there you could walk up the creek and there was a little pond. I said a little lake before but really it was just a pond.

But we used to climb up into a little attic room in the top of that thing and just hang out, drink a few, burn a few, whatever. And If you got a couple people on that wheel you could get it turning. Trouble was, once you got it going it was hard to make it stop and if you couldn't climb fast enough you'd get dumped into the muck at the bottom and who knew what else. It was all just funny back then though.

So surprised it's still standing.

View attachment 260447


Edit: @Thunder Good-Oil , do you know the story behind that old mill?

Don't know about it. I'm not even sure exactly where that one is. Maybe near the sewar treatment plant? All of those creeks have old dams and wheels back in the woods. There might be a pump house or something next to Lyons Bend in front of the Haslam property. Interesting old infrastructure.