2011 Business Review: What We Lost Downtown

In this, the second year I've written Stuck Inside of Knoxville, the pace of change continues to be breath-taking. It's sometimes hard to see as events happen, alterations are made, new faces emerge and old ones fade. In retrospect, however, a simple listing of business losses, changes and additions highlights the intense comings and goings in this relatively small patch of earth. Today we'll look at what has been lost. I doubt my memory and limited time for research will prove exhaustive, so you'll have to note in the comments additional closures I failed to recall as I wrote this.

Arby's on Gay Street closed December 30, 2010

Two closures happened just before the end of 2009, but together with another early closing, they felt like the beginning to the new year, and they were big in different ways. The closure of Arby's on Gay Street on December 30 was troubling both because of its long tenure in that location and because the location is so prime. The fact that this centrally located corner continues to be vacant a year later is troubling.

Regas closed December 31, 2010 after Ninety Years

The next day, after ninety years at the same location at the other end of Gay Street, downtown institution Regas closed its doors for a final time. Just days into the new year an emblem of downtown's resurgence, the S and W announced it was closed "until further notice." Further notice never came and three major landmark businesses were gone.

It was a pretty staggering beginning, maybe enough to make one wonder if the momentum downtown had faltered or the recession was finally asserting itself in an area that had seemed largely immune to its effects. There was enough bad news through the rest of the year that, when viewed alone, seems to support that question.

Patrick Sullivan's in the Old City Closed in June 2011

If we had known, for example, at the beginning of the year that the two most visible buildings in the Old City would be empty by summer, no doubt it would have seemed the apocalypse was certainly upon us and indeed, that's just what happened - the emptiness, that is, not the apocalypse: Manhattan's had closed the previous summer and still sat empty when Patrick Sullivan's announced its closure at the beginning of the summer. One of the first buildings rehabilitated by Christopher Kendrick in the long march that has been the return of Knoxville's downtown, it had been Patrick Sullivan's for eighteen years and was previously the lovingly remembered Annie's. With that closure the central corner in the Old City featured two empty businesses.

Notice of Night Owl's closure, December 2011

The Old City would also see the departure of the Fortunate Traveler for the Turkey Creek Public Market. In the last days of the year - and I haven't seen this mentioned elsewhere - Night Owl in the Old City also closed its doors for the final time. Just a couple of blocks up the hill, the 100 Block also saw losses. Nama vacated, Unarmed Merchants cast their lot with the aforementioned Turkey Creek Public Market and late in the year, Eleven, a women's clothing store announced its closure as well.

1 Market Square sits empty, 2011

Market Square Kitchen closed April 2011

Meanwhile, Market Square was no stranger to losses during 2011. 2 Market Square was placed on the Market, leading Reruns to vacate and across at 1 Market Square, in a surprising development, long-term restaurant Market Square Kitchen closed. This meant that three corners of Market Square were vacant. It came very close to being four had Blue Coast Burrito not opened the previous month. For the jewel of downtown re-development to have three of four corners empty did not seem like a good sign. In a related development (to 1 Market Square), the Hotel Oliver, in the same building, closed for renovations. Black Market also closed on Market Square.

Ace High Tattoo closed December 31, 2011

Another closure I haven't seen reported elsewhere: As of the last day of the year, Ace High Tattoo on Clinch Avenue closed it's doors for the last time. We're told Kimberly Clark is leaving downtown as is the Revenue Recovery Corporation which employs over one hundred people in the Mechanics Bank and Trust Building on Gay Street.

Revenue Recovery Corp. announces departure, Dec. 2011

It doesn't look good. By my count that is fourteen businesses closing or announcing that they are moving and it isn't just the fact that businesses closed, it's the major brand names we lost. Take into account the prime locations losing businesses and that some still sit empty and it is disconcerting. So, do we all need to rush to escape the city before the rest of the sky falls? 


Not so fast. Tomorrow I'll look at businesses that adapted this year and become stronger as a result.

Black Market Closes, Crass Couture Opens on Market Square

We lost an old neighbor and immediately gained a new one at 23 Market Square on August 19. Unlike other transitions downtown which have resulted in a temporary vacancy before a new tenant could be found or could re-design the space to their needs, this transition happened almost seamlessly. I'm thinking it was more like a hand-off than your usual closure and opening.

I never found much occasion to enter Black Market after welcoming them to the neighborhood because I was very clearly not their demographic. Crass Couture is so cool I'm not sure I'm worthy to even mention them in my blog. If I understand what they are doing, which is not an insignificant question, I believe the idea is to take vintage clothing and re-purpose or slightly re-design it.

You'll have to check out the designs for yourself, but suffice to say Urban Guy will probably stick to the uniform that has served him quite well from sometime far back into the previous century. I'll leave it to you hipsters to check out the too-cool-for-Urban-Guy fashions. Here's wishing them the best.

"You Will Wind Up Peaking Through Her Keyhole Down upon Your Knees"

The Entrance to Black Market is Prepared Before Opening

Often that's the case. We're so interested in the next new thing to open downtown that we strain to see through cracks in the windows or doorways in anticipation of what might be inside. In the last few months, there have been some significant closures downtown such as Manhattan's, Ten Thousand Villages and Vagabondia. These usually make the news and the commenters on local media websites predict doom and gloom for the city. Of course, when new places open they predict doom and gloom for those businesses, as well, so I guess some people are just going to see the dark clouds between the silver lining every time. For the rest of us, new businesses bring excitement as we see the neighborhood growing more vibrant with each step. There are a number of new ventures in the works, but today I'll note some that have started in the first half of this year.

Morelock Music is a cool addition to Gay Street. Matt Morelock has long been a downtown fixture and had temporary quarters a few doors down, but has now moved into his permanent home at 411 S. Gay Street. They sell new and used musical instruments, give lessons, repair instruments and even have men's hats and vintage clothes. For all the musicians downtown, it's a godsend to have picks, strings and capos readily available and it's also a hub for itinerant musicians moving around the area.

Black Market provides a great source of affordable, funky clothes for women - and a few things for men. It opened in the last week and is already getting rave reviews and lots of business.

Aisle Nine promised to be the long awaited grocery store for downtown. That appears to be a bit of a stretch. One would be hard-pressed to survive by purchasing groceries at Aisle Nine. Still, it isn't an unwelcome addition to the mix of retail downtown. It seems to me more like a convenience store with a very good selection of beer. As a convenience store, it isn't bad to add another. The closest one is The General Store on Gay Street and that's a long hike from the Old City for a beer and a bag of chips. I wish them well, but I've stopped holding my breath for them to be the grocery store we'd like to see. Their web site looks good, but, if you look closely, they are hyping an event from May and I promise you, the pictures of deli meat and vegetables they have posted were not taken in that store. If they get better, I'll be the first to shout, "Hosanna."

Rala opened on Union Street just after the beginning of June in a store front that had been empty. Significantly, it is just three doors down from Reruns, which like Rala is owned and operated by Nanci Solomon. The concepts are similar. Reruns features used women's clothing and Rala features used art. Both are very tastefully done and the average customer wouldn't know the items had been previously owned. Reruns has been successful for years and here's hoping the same for Rala.

Swagger opened this spring on Market Square after moving from Bearden. This is the business that took the place of Ten Thousand Villages, which closed after a successful run when the operators decided to do other things. Swagger moved in immediately and manager Ricky Hopkins (pictured, right) says all is going well. The store sells "limited-edition, re-created, old-school athletic shoes starting at around $90." That's according to Metropulse. I couldn't make up a line like that, but I hope they do well. Stop in and meet Ricky. He's a fun guy to talk to. And check out those shoes!

There are other businesses which promise to open later, but this is a pretty good start on a good year. I'll write more on the others in coming months.