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

#2,106
#2,106
Jack Sharp passed away on May 7. He was the owner of Sharp's Drugs at 2630 Broadway for over 50 years. He was also Knoxville's vice-mayor for 28. Here's his obit.

After he closed the drugstore, the location was the home of Drumheller's, then vacant for a long time, then had several nightclubs of somewhat ill repute, and now a barber school of some sort.

Who remembers Sharp's Drugs?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MAD
#2,112
#2,112
mad4vols said:
Who remembers when the Knoxville airport looked like this prior to 1974?
View attachment 453990
Click to expand...


It seems weird now but my dad used to take my 2 brothers and I to the old airport just to watch planes take off and land. I remember we watched from an upper observation floor. We were fascinated watching the propellers start and stop, planes taking off and landing,, the different types of planes. Certainly no worse of a time waste than playing on your cell phone..
 
  • Like
Reactions: UT_Dutchman, Ernest T. Vol, Ted and 5 others
#2,113
#2,113
OldandStillaVol said:
It seems weird now but my dad used to take my 2 brothers and I to the old airport just to watch planes take off and land. I remember we watched from an upper observation floor. We were fascinated watching the propellers start and stop, planes taking off and landing,, the different types of planes. Certainly no worse of a time waste than playing on your cell phone..
Click to expand...

Airports were so much fun back in the day. I used to go there and watch planes, as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WallyBalls, UT_Dutchman, Ernest T. Vol and 4 others
#2,117
#2,117
Tin Man said:
I really want a Bowl Special from The Torch restaurant - a bowl of the soup of the day with a grilled cheese sandwich. In the ‘70s, The Torch was at the corner of 17th and Cumberland.
Click to expand...

Do you have a picture of the restaurant? Please share if you do.
 
Last edited:
#2,119
#2,119
What was the late night bbq place in the ‘70s that served a “chicken sandwich” which consisted of a bone-in piece of barbecued chicken between two pieces of white bread?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vjcvette
#2,121
#2,121
Tin Man said:
What was the late night bbq place in the ‘70s that served a “chicken sandwich” which consisted of a bone-in piece of barbecued chicken between two pieces of white bread?
Click to expand...
It started as Brother Jacks on University Ave. and then Dixon's BBQ on Magnolia
watch for it about 45 seconds in
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Boca Vol
#2,123
#2,123
ArdentVol said:
when i was at west in late 60s, the shoney's not far from scenic drive and the ice skating (ice chalet ?t nearby strip mall were frequent hangouts(
Click to expand...

Ah, Shoney's at 5220 Kingston Pike. After Shoney's closed that location, it was the home of Parker Brothers Hardware for many years. Then Parker moved over to Forest Park Boulevard on the end of the strip mall where Earth Fare used to be, and became Elder's Ace Hardware.

The old Shoney's was then torn down to make room for an Aldi's store. Nothing nostalgic about an Aldi's.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VolInNorthCack, Boca Vol and MAD
#2,124
#2,124
Thunder Good-Oil said:
Shakey’s was across from where The Gallery Shopping Center (Chili’s) is located. In the building that has been multiple bars. Ray’s ESG was one of them. It’s on the right heading west on Kingston Pike. The building is still there and has been for lease for quite a while. Qdoba and Mooyah’s are slightly east of the old Shakey’s location.
Click to expand...

I was through West Hills today and saw that the old Shakey's building at 7355 Kingston, the one we were talking about last year, most recently "The Alley", has been torn down- just this week. I was through there earlier this month.

Made me reflect that with current real estate prices in Knoxville, any building that sits vacant on Kingston Pike for any length of time is probably going to be torn down.

The Alley closed sometime in fall, 2015. There were a couple signs saying something new was coming soon, but financing must have fallen through each time. I'm amazed that that building was vacant for over six years.

I'm really afraid for the old Naples Restaurant building at 5550 Kingston. It's been vacant for several years now, Bob and Becky Luper having closed the business in July 2019.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: VolInNorthCack, Boca Vol and MAD
#2,125
#2,125
The Strip in the 1970's
1970s-Cumberland-Ave.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boca Vol, EasternVol, Ernest T. Vol and 3 others
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top