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

[Vjcvette]

Yes I remember Bundooleys which used to be Alice's Restaurant and I remember Jacaranda and their song Suite for Three Kings and also Dan and Gracie's Tavern across the street.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

And remember the Volvadore Restaurant upstairs in the Hyatt Regency and the Howard Johnsons Restaurant down from West Town Mall

There was a HoJo at the NW corner of Kingston Pike and Northshore, just east of the Esso station where KK Donuts sits today. After that there was another HoJo across from West Town Mall near Montvue Drive.

 

[Vjcvette]

Remember Robbie"s Pancake House, it was in the same building that O'Charlies is in now on Kingston Pike right across from Flanagan's,
I worked there too, lol I think between me and my roommates that we worked at almost all of the restaurants. One of my roommates
worked at the restaurant inside of the Holiday Inn, I guess that was maybe HoJo's and my other roommate worked at Red Lobster.

 

[Vjcvette]

What year did it open?

I believe East Towne Mall opened in 1984 and is on youtube

 

[Vjcvette]

I went to UT in the early 1970's, don't get back to Knoxville much, it's really grown and changed,
This thread brought back a lot of memories:
George at the Roman Room, Sam & Andys, Cumberland Tap Room, La Cantina, Varsity Inn, Shakeys Pizza, Pizza Inn, the Mother Hen food truck (parked in front of Hess Hall) One of my roommates used to bring in Brother Jack's pig burgers, too.
There was a guy named Bobby that sold newspapers on the Strip, seemed like everyone on campus knew his nam.
good ole days.

You probably remember Alice's Restaurant and Dan and Gracie's Tavern too.

 

[Vjcvette]

I guess I missed on that one. I was thinking the Quarterback when they moved to Papermill Road.

I loved Swenson's

 

[Vjcvette]

Yep, the Tiki Hut.

Remember the 'Hyatt House'? Unique downtown Knoxville hotel opened in 1972

• 

I would go there every year in the late 70's for New Years Eve

 

[Vjcvette]

Doodles?

Was it near Paper Mill, I do remember it, just not sure exactly where it was.

 

[Vjcvette]

Does anyone remember the Green stamp store on Kingston Pike?

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Was it near Paper Mill, I do remember it, just not sure exactly where it was.

No. Doodles was on the North side of Kingston Pike near Downtown West Blvd. I think that the building is still there. Might be a sushi place.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Remember Robbie"s Pancake House, it was in the same building that O'Charlies is in now on Kingston Pike right across from Flanagan's,
I worked there too, lol I think between me and my roommates that we worked at almost all of the restaurants. One of my roommates
worked at the restaurant inside of the Holiday Inn, I guess that was maybe HoJo's and my other roommate worked at Red Lobster.

I could be wrong, but I think that Robbie's was in a different building. I'm thinking that O'Charley's might have demolished the Robbie's building and put up their own. There was a country bar built in that area in the early 1980s... possibly called Sam Houston's. That building might have become the Blockbuster video store. Not sure though. The country bar was 2 stories with balconies looking down over a small center stage iirc (I think that Flanagan's had a similar configuration (but it was on the opposite (south) side of KP).

I'm more confident that there was not a Howard Johnson's inside of a Holiday Inn. They were competing motels. The Holiday Inn on Papermill (now a Red Roof) did have a restaurant. It became a mini Pizza Hut before it was discontinued being used as a restaurant. No idea how the space is being used today in the Red Roof.

I think that the HoJo's at Kingston Pike/Northshore could have had a HJ motel behind it, but the properties ultimately ended up separate. The motel was possibly a Family Inn at some point. Had a bar called Caddie's (and other things thru the years). The HoJo's lot became a new Esso/Exxon station. The original Esso was a block
to the west on the KKD lot.

There was a different Family Inn near Robbie's/O'Chaley's/DT West. The newer Howard Jihnson's was across from WT Mall. And Jerry's Restaurant was just to the west. There was also a Circuit City built in that area before it moved to Peter's Road. The first Circuit City was in a tiny building just east of IHOP in front of Deane Hill (west of McDonald's).

 

[feathersax]

It may have been mentioned earlier, but we liked Alberti' s on Kingston Pike. Great Italian food.

 

[Vjcvette]

I could be wrong, but I think that Robbie's was in a different building. I'm thinking that O'Charley's might have demolished the Robbie's building and put up their own. There was a country bar built in that area in the early 1980s... possibly called Sam Houston's. That building might have become the Blockbuster video store. Not sure though. The country bar was 2 stories with balconies looking down over a small center stage iirc (I think that Flanagan's had a similar configuration (but it was on the opposite (south) side of KP).

I'm more confident that there was not a Howard Johnson's inside of a Holiday Inn. They were competing motels. The Holiday Inn on Papermill (now a Red Roof) did have a restaurant. It became a mini Pizza Hut before it was discontinued being used as a restaurant. No idea how the space is being used today in the Red Roof.

I think that the HoJo's at Kingston Pike/Northshore could have had a HJ motel behind it, but the properties ultimately ended up separate. The motel was possibly a Family Inn at some point. Had a bar called Caddie's (and other things thru the years). The HoJo's lot became a new Esso/Exxon station. The original Esso was a block
to the west on the KKD lot.

There was a different Family Inn near Robbie's/O'Chaley's/DT West. The newer Howard Jihnson's was across from WT Mall. And Jerry's Restaurant was just to the west. There was also a Circuit City built in that area before it moved to Peter's Road. The first Circuit City was in a tiny building just east of IHOP in front of Deane Hill (west of McDonald's).

I said Holiday Inn, but I really meant to say Howard Johnson's, sorry about that.

 

[Vjcvette]

Sears at West Town is demolished.
Bet a lot of you spent time in this department store.
Rumor is Tesla May open a location here.

Before Sears was completed in 1971
View attachment 261246

Sears shoe department 1973
View attachment 261247

Restaurant inside Sears 1973
View attachment 261248

Appliance center 1983
View attachment 261249

View attachment 261251View attachment 261252

Bye Bye
View attachment 261253View attachment 261254

I remember the arcade in West Town and I got a high score on one of the pinball machines and they put your name on them back then when you reached a high score lol.

 

[Vjcvette]

I could be wrong, but I think that Robbie's was in a different building. I'm thinking that O'Charley's might have demolished the Robbie's building and put up their own. There was a country bar built in that area in the early 1980s... possibly called Sam Houston's. That building might have become the Blockbuster video store. Not sure though. The country bar was 2 stories with balconies looking down over a small center stage iirc (I think that Flanagan's had a similar configuration (but it was on the opposite (south) side of KP).

I'm more confident that there was not a Howard Johnson's inside of a Holiday Inn. They were competing motels. The Holiday Inn on Papermill (now a Red Roof) did have a restaurant. It became a mini Pizza Hut before it was discontinued being used as a restaurant. No idea how the space is being used today in the Red Roof.

I think that the HoJo's at Kingston Pike/Northshore could have had a HJ motel behind it, but the properties ultimately ended up separate. The motel was possibly a Family Inn at some point. Had a bar called Caddie's (and other things thru the years). The HoJo's lot became a new Esso/Exxon station. The original Esso was a block
to the west on the KKD lot.

There was a different Family Inn near Robbie's/O'Chaley's/DT West. The newer Howard Jihnson's was across from WT Mall. And Jerry's Restaurant was just to the west. There was also a Circuit City built in that area before it moved to Peter's Road. The first Circuit City was in a tiny building just east of IHOP in front of Deane Hill (west of McDonald's).

I said Holiday Inn, but I really meant to say Howard Johnson's, sorry about that.

You probably remember Alice's Restaurant and Dan and Gracie's Tavern too.

I remember the fellow that sold newspapers

 

[Vjcvette]

I could be wrong, but I think that Robbie's was in a different building. I'm thinking that O'Charley's might have demolished the Robbie's building and put up their own. There was a country bar built in that area in the early 1980s... possibly called Sam Houston's. That building might have become the Blockbuster video store. Not sure though. The country bar was 2 stories with balconies looking down over a small center stage iirc (I think that Flanagan's had a similar configuration (but it was on the opposite (south) side of KP).

I'm more confident that there was not a Howard Johnson's inside of a Holiday Inn. They were competing motels. The Holiday Inn on Papermill (now a Red Roof) did have a restaurant. It became a mini Pizza Hut before it was discontinued being used as a restaurant. No idea how the space is being used today in the Red Roof.

I think that the HoJo's at Kingston Pike/Northshore could have had a HJ motel behind it, but the properties ultimately ended up separate. The motel was possibly a Family Inn at some point. Had a bar called Caddie's (and other things thru the years). The HoJo's lot became a new Esso/Exxon station. The original Esso was a block
to the west on the KKD lot.

There was a different Family Inn near Robbie's/O'Chaley's/DT West. The newer Howard Jihnson's was across from WT Mall. And Jerry's Restaurant was just to the west. There was also a Circuit City built in that area before it moved to Peter's Road. The first Circuit City was in a tiny building just east of IHOP in front of Deane Hill (west of McDonald's).

And I think it was the Kingston Four Theater right there on Kingston Pike down from Robbies Pancake House, I saw the Rocky Horror Picture show there in 77.

 

[kiddiedoc]

I remember the arcade in West Town and I got a high score on one of the pinball machines and they put your name on them back then when you reached a high score lol.

I had a couple of birthday parties there and at the Food Court

 

[Vjcvette]

Was reading the Ruby Tuesday thread and it brought back a lot of memories so thought it would be fun to start a thread listing places that have closed that we miss and might have some cool nostalgic stories you want to share.

Pictures of 70's Restaurants in Knoxville Do you remember these closed Knoxville restaurants?

 

[Vjcvette]

I could be wrong, but I think that Robbie's was in a different building. I'm thinking that O'Charley's might have demolished the Robbie's building and put up their own. There was a country bar built in that area in the early 1980s... possibly called Sam Houston's. That building might have become the Blockbuster video store. Not sure though. The country bar was 2 stories with balconies looking down over a small center stage iirc (I think that Flanagan's had a similar configuration (but it was on the opposite (south) side of KP).

I'm more confident that there was not a Howard Johnson's inside of a Holiday Inn. They were competing motels. The Holiday Inn on Papermill (now a Red Roof) did have a restaurant. It became a mini Pizza Hut before it was discontinued being used as a restaurant. No idea how the space is being used today in the Red Roof.

I think that the HoJo's at Kingston Pike/Northshore could have had a HJ motel behind it, but the properties ultimately ended up separate. The motel was possibly a Family Inn at some point. Had a bar called Caddie's (and other things thru the years). The HoJo's lot became a new Esso/Exxon station. The original Esso was a block
to the west on the KKD lot.

There was a different Family Inn near Robbie's/O'Chaley's/DT West. The newer Howard Jihnson's was across from WT Mall. And Jerry's Restaurant was just to the west. There was also a Circuit City built in that area before it moved to Peter's Road. The first Circuit City was in a tiny building just east of IHOP in front of Deane Hill (west of McDonald's).

Its sometimes hard for me to remember all of these places 43 years later, but they are starting to come back now, Smugglers Inn is one that I was thinking of off of Paper Mill, and then I also worked at the Sheraton West on
Cedar Bluff which is now still the Holiday Inn I guess.

 

[Vjcvette]

Bingo, that's it, it was called Orange Bowl. Great memory.

Loved Orange Julius and there was a place where you could get pizza slices a little further down on the right and
my Mother and I were eating there one day and actually met Marjorie Isom from Channel 10 news.

 

[MAD]

Loved Orange Julius and there was a place where you could get pizza slices a little further down on the right and
my Mother and I were eating there one day and actually met Marjorie Isom from Channel 10 news.

Sounds like you grew up in Knoxville the same time as I did.

 

[Vjcvette]

There was a HoJo at the NW corner of Kingston Pike and Northshore, just east of the Esso station where KK Donuts sits today. After that there was another HoJo across from West Town Mall near Montvue Drive.

What was the name of the Bar at the Howard Johnsons, or did it even have a name?

 

[Vjcvette]

Sounds like you grew up in Knoxville the same time as I did.

I lived in Knoxville from 1975 to 1979, my grandparents lived on Dean Hill Drive and when my Dad retired out of the Navy
in 1975 I stayed in Knoxville until 1979, then I moved and went to college, but when I lived in Knoxville me and my roommates
worked in every restaurant I think lol

 

[Vjcvette]

Sounds like you grew up in Knoxville the same time as I did.

Remember the clothing store in West Town called the "Merry Go Round", I had a friend that worked there and I did
visit that store in the mall when I would go there.

 

[Roustabout]

Remember the clothing store in West Town called the "Merry Go Round", I had a friend that worked there and I did
visit that store in the mall when I would go there.

That’s where you got those parachute pants!