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

[Vjcvette]

Misaki restaurant is now closed and boarded up. It's at 8207 Kingston Pike. I remember going there for sushi and hibachi in the early 2000's. There was little said about their closing in the Knoxville media.

They were one of the few restaurants who actually posted a closing notice on their website. Classy. They had closed in January 2022, but the boarding-up has happened recently.

Update: It would be great to hear the history of this building. Anyone know? How far back does it go?

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I believe that restaurant in the 70's was the "Brass Rail"

 

[EasternVol]

Things change. You cannot tell what the quality is based on the picture, although I would be surprised if it's very good if for students who might be the worst tenants imaginable.
FWIW, I started seeing that look in European cities about 10+ years ago.

You see it a lot in SEA too. The quality is usually low.

 

[DrRosenRosen]

Where was the original Mexicali Rose restaurant? (edit: A search in this thread revealed it was on Bearden Hill.)

Here is a saved pic I have of the New Mexicali Rose on Papermill, some years after it had closed in the early 00's and the sign had been vandalized. Terrific restaurant.

The two Mexicali Roses were owned by Carmen Delarosa Kurth, who passed away in 2014 at age 91. Here's her obit. In it, the statement is made that the original Mexicali Rose opened in the location of the Orange Tee and was the first Mexican restaurant in Knoxville!

The New Mexicali Rose had the misfortune of an adult book/toy store opening in the space you see to the right of the restaurant. This adult store proved quite controversial for having a large XXX video section. It attracted a bad enough crowd that the Rose patrons did not feel safe going to the restaurant, which led to a decline in business and the family's decision to close. Carmen was also getting up in her 80's at that point.

Can't imagine the owners using racial slurs on a live WBIR broadcast helped the place. Don't think it lasted much longer after that.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I believe that restaurant in the 70's was the "Brass Rail"

Around 1975 it was Doodles.

 

[Vjcvette]

Around 1975 it was Doodles.

Yes I remember Doodles also, but I was thinking that Doodles was up around Paper Mill somewhere
and that restaurant used to be the Brass Rail, but that is many years ago, so I could be remembering
it all wrong....

 

[pismonque]

Yes I remember Doodles also, but I was thinking that Doodles was up around Paper Mill somewhere
and that restaurant used to be the Brass Rail, but that is many years ago, so I could be remembering
it all wrong....

No, that's right where Doodles was, just west of Downtown West Blvd, I used to go there a lot in the late 80s. It wasn't really the hot happening scene so it was a great place to go with a group of friends to just hang out, hit the dance floor a bit, maybe shoot some pool, throw some darts and make noise. In other words, not really a pickup joint like Rumors or a cheesefest like Michael's Cow Palace.

In the mid-80s there was a Steak & Ale nearby on the other side of KP so you could dinner up and pregame a bit before dancing if you wanted.

 

[Big Orange#1]

It’s about halfway unrecognizable already. This huge project will wipe out the rest of the western end of Cumberland Avenue. Stefano’s, the original Ruby Tuesday, the Last Lap and the Library block - all will vanish with this huge, cookie cutter, cheap project. The Strip is gone. Victim of corporatism. Capitalism would give Mom and Pop businesses a chance.

UT is renting the entire Holiday Inn Express on Papermill Road for the academic year.

There might be fewer freshman commuter students than in prior years. They might even require freshmen to live on campus.

UT has torn down and divested large residential housing structures and communities. Married student and graduate student housing on Sutherland Avenue is now ball fields. Andy Holt Apartments was demolished. Morrell Hall was demolished. Strong Hall and Humes Hall were demolished and replaced. I would assume that Greve, Massey, Dunford, Reese, and N/S Carrick are next. Hess was renovated so maybe it will make it through to another generation. Hopefully Melrose can be preserved for historical reasons, but I’m not holding my breath.

It’s sad that student housing and Covenant Health have consumed Fort Sanders and The Strip, but that’s progress I guess. It was a slow, decades long death that began when the drinking age was raised to 21.

Hopefully the baseball stadium developments don’t destroy the Old City.

Rest In Peace Cumberland Avenue.

October 1978:


View attachment 482851

Thanks Reagan

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Yes I remember Doodles also, but I was thinking that Doodles was up around Paper Mill somewhere
and that restaurant used to be the Brass Rail, but that is many years ago, so I could be remembering
it all wrong....

Desperadoes was on Papermill. And many other clubs in the same spot. Bombay Bicycle Club might have been one of the later versions. It was a country dance club around 1980. It was a Chinese buffet shortly before permanently closing. Also The Quarterback relocated from The Strip to Papermill about a quarter mile west of Desperadoes.

Doodles could have been something else originally. I didn’t get out that far very often before 1975. Jolly Ox was across the street and a quarter mile west. They changed the name to Steak and Ale when the local government allowed alcohol in the name.

Liquor by the drink was a game changer in the early to mid 1970s. I think that places had to be “private” clubs before that law changed. The Senators Club on Alcoa Highway for example.

Flanagan’s opened around 1973 across KP from Doodles.

 

[the_todd]

Ive asked before, but I’ll ask again: how the hell do you all remember this stuff? I have trouble remembering what i had for dinner 2 days ago, let alone something from 30 plus yrs ago

 

[Go aeiou]

Ive asked before, but I’ll ask again: how the hell do you all remember this stuff? I have trouble remembering what i had for dinner 2 days ago, let alone something from 30 plus yrs ago

Ha, CRS!
Wait till you hit 70. Your question will be, "what did I have for dinner tonight"?

 

[davethevol]

Misaki restaurant is now closed and boarded up. It's at 8207 Kingston Pike. I remember going there for sushi and hibachi in the early 2000's. There was little said about their closing in the Knoxville media.

They were one of the few restaurants who actually posted a closing notice on their website. Classy. They had closed in January 2022, but the boarding-up has happened recently.

Update: It would be great to hear the history of this building. Anyone know? How far back does it go?

View attachment 512985

That’s sad. I met the owner a few times and he’s a really good guy. I hate that for him. They had the best hibachi and that’s where I first tried sushi.

 

[MAD]

Ive asked before, but I’ll ask again: how the hell do you all remember this stuff? I have trouble remembering what i had for dinner 2 days ago, let alone something from 30 plus yrs ago

I can’t speak for the group, but I realized how @Thunder Good-Oil retains all his knowledge when I saw him with his girl recently.

 

[Vjcvette]

Desperadoes was on Papermill. And many other clubs in the same spot. Bombay Bicycle Club might have been one of the later versions. It was a country dance club around 1980. It was a Chinese buffet shortly before permanently closing. Also The Quarterback relocated from The Strip to Papermill about a quarter mile west of Desperadoes.

Doodles could have been something else originally. I didn’t get out that far very often before 1975. Jolly Ox was across the street and a quarter mile west. They changed the name to Steak and Ale when the local government allowed alcohol in the name.

Liquor by the drink was a game changer in the early to mid 1970s. I think that places had to be “private” clubs before that law changed. The Senators Club on Alcoa Highway for example.

Flanagan’s opened around 1973 across KP from Doodles.

Yes I had a friend that worked at Steak and Ale and I spent many nights at Flanagan's...

 

[Vjcvette]

I can’t speak for the group, but I realized how @Thunder Good-Oil retains all his knowledge when I saw him with his girl recently.

lolololololol.....That is Great!!

 

[anbailey76]

I miss the Tap Room on Cumberland.

 

[2EastTnVols]

I miss the Tap Room on Cumberland.

Drank MANY beers in that place!

 

[Vjcvette]

I miss the 70's and my friends...

 

[Ted]

Desperadoes was on Papermill. And many other clubs in the same spot. Bombay Bicycle Club might have been one of the later versions.

Earlier this month, I thought I would get on here and ask about Bombay Bicycle Club, but TGO beat me to it!

BBC was at 6300 Papermill on the corner of Papermill and Old Weisgarber. It was open what, about 5 years in the mid-late 90's? You could see it from I-40.

The building is long demolished now. The lot sat vacant for a number of years and is now the site of the offices of Knoxville Association of Realtors.

My web search didn't turn up anything useful. There is a band called Bombay Bicycle Club, and a small national chain of restaurants by the same name, but nothing about the Club we're talking about. Did any of you party there?

 

[Ted]

Stefanos Pizza closes original Cumberland Avenue location after 45 years

Sad. This is only progress if you are Core Knoxville Cumberland LLC and are going to profit hugely., or if you are a student who is able to get into one of these and live reasonably near campus.

Otherwise, there is nothing good about forcing established, beloved businesses like Stefano's out for this damned student housing.

UT needs to cap enrollment if the students can't find housing. UT, along with the City, is destroying the strip and more and more areas around downtown where these monster, ugly, mostly 5-over-1 buildings are taking over. It could be that the current UT system president has something to do with all this.

If you do Facebook, stop by Stefano's page there and read the outraged comments people are making!

 

[davethevol]

Stefanos Pizza closes original Cumberland Avenue location after 45 years

I wasn’t a big fan of their food, but it was definitely a staple of the strip. I’m sad to see it go. The strip’s identity is about to be gone completely.

 

[MAD]

Stefanos Pizza closes original Cumberland Avenue location after 45 years

That was a great video, thanks for sharing.

 

[Ted]

It was definitely a staple of the strip. I’m sad to see it go. The strip’s identity is about to be gone completely.

Truth.

 

[EasternVol]

Stefanos Pizza closes original Cumberland Avenue location after 45 years

Sad. This is only progress if you are Core Knoxville Cumberland LLC and are going to profit hugely., or if you are a student who is able to get into one of these and live reasonably near campus.

Otherwise, there is nothing good about forcing established, beloved businesses like Stefano's out for this damned student housing.

UT needs to cap enrollment if the students can't find housing. UT, along with the City, is destroying the strip and more and more areas around downtown where these monster, ugly, mostly 5-over-1 buildings are taking over.

If you do Facebook, stop by Stefano's page there and read the outraged comments people are making!

Why is UT getting out of the dormitory business? Who benefits by forcing more students off-campus?

 

[pismonque]

Why is UT getting out of the dormitory business? Who benefits by forcing more students off-campus?

I may be the least qualified person on this board to answer that but...

They unload all maintenance, insurance and rebuilding costs while creating space for more revenue-generating academic facilities within a finite campus footprint. And because all this new student housing is within walkable distance, they're not really "off-campus".

But again, I'm just speckelatin' on a hyprophesis.

 

[MAD]