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

Weavers Cafeteria. My memory is probably lying to me, but it was the best place in Knoxville.

My Grandfather would take me there to eat every time we went to a game. God, I miss that man.
 
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Back in late sixties there was a meat and three place out on Alcoa hwy called Pioneer House. On Sunday my dorm friends and I would go out there to eat. One of the waitresses said John Majors would eat there when he played in the fifties.
They recently cleared that property for development.
 
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Weavers Cafeteria. My memory is probably lying to me, but it was the best place in Knoxville.

My Grandfather would take me there to eat every time we went to a game. God, I miss that man.
I remember weavers funeral home but not cafeteria?
Where are you thinking?
Sure you aren’t thinking Ramsey’s?
 
I remember weavers funeral home but not cafeteria?
Where are you thinking?
Sure you aren’t thinking Ramsey’s?
I recall two Weaver's Cafeteria locations. Corner of Magnolia and Prosser. Broadway just across from the post office.
 
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I remember weavers funeral home but not cafeteria?
Where are you thinking?
Sure you aren’t thinking Ramsey’s?
It was out where Magnolia turns to Rutledge Pike. Just before you turn to go to the zoo, by the fairgrounds.

Last time I looked, it was a pawn shop or something.
 
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Service Merchandise. Pick up your ticket and then go over to the side where they slide you your purchase on rollers.

When I was a kid, the Christmas Season did not officially begin until we received two items in the mail; the Swiss Colony catalogue and the Service Merchandise catalogue! My sister and I used to pour through those catalogues, circling what toys and treats we wanted for Christmas! Ahhh great memories!
 
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I live in Chattanooga. I dont know if any of these places existed in Knoxville, but here's a few that I miss...

1. Pizza Inn - Pizza Hut was always more popular, but I loved Pizza Inn too. They had a wider selection. You could get lasagna, Italian hoagies, spaghetti, etc.

2. Electronics Boutique - back in the day I used go in there and spend time looking at games, pour through game mags, and peaking at strategy guides (though that was frowned upon). I think Gamestop bought them out but I liked EB so much better.

3. Sears Surplus - I guess you could say they were an extension of Sears but they operated outside of the mall in a separate building. They mostly sold clothes and home furnishings. I loved this place because as a kid and a Raiders fan, back then it was about the only place I could find Oakland Raider merchandise. At the time the only NFL merch you could find in Chattanooga was Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, and maybe Pittsburgh Steelers.

4. Rax restaurant- They were kind of like Arby's, specializing in roast beef sandwiches. They had amazing milkshakes too!

5. Record Bar/Cats Records - These were my go to places for vinyl and cassettes back in the day!

6. Lionel Playworld - In the 70's and early 80's before Toys R Us there was Lionel. Actually before that it was called Toy City. But as a kid, this was the place to go for toys.

7. East Ridge Toy Store - Located on Ringgold Road, this was a cool toy shop! The building looked like a Castle and it had a sign with a digital clock on the front of the building that would countdown to Christmas. I bought my bionic man and bionic bigfoot action figures there!

8. Otasco - A jack of all trades kind of store. They had toys, hardware supplies, tools, lawn mowers, etc.

9. Kenny Roger's Roaster - I LOVED this place back in the day! Roasted chicken, plus they had the best corn muffins!

10. Four Square Movie Theater - Located in Red Bank right behind the Kanpai of Tokyo restaurant. This was the .99 cent theater. I saw a lot of movies here growing up!
 
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I live in Chattanooga. I dont know if any of these places existed in Knoxville, but here's a few that I miss...

1. Pizza Inn - Pizza Hut was always more popular, but I loved Pizza Inn too. They had a wider selection. You could get lasagna, Italian hoagies, spaghetti, etc.

2. Electronics Boutique - back in the day I used go in there and spend time looking at games, pour through game mags, and peaking at strategy guides (though that was frowned upon). I think Gamestop bought them out but I liked EB so much better.

3. Sears Surplus - I guess you could say they were an extension of Sears but they operated outside of the mall in a separate building. They mostly sold clothes and home furnishings. I loved this place because as a kid and a Raiders fan, back then it was about the only place I could find Oakland Raider merchandise. At the time the only NFL merch you could find in Chattanooga was Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, and maybe Pittsburgh Steelers.

4. Rax restaurant- They were kind of like Arby's, specializing in roast beef sandwiches. They had amazing milkshakes too!

5. Record Bar/Cats Records - These were my go to places for vinyl and cassettes back in the day!

6. Lionel Playworld - In the 70's and early 80's before Toys R Us there was Lionel. Actually before that it was called Toy City. But as a kid, this was the place to go for toys.

7. East Ridge Toy Store - Located on Ringgold Road, this was a cool toy shop! The building looked like a Castle and it had a sign with a digital clock on the front of the building that would countdown to Christmas. I bought my bionic man and bionic bigfoot action figures there!

8. Otasco - A jack of all trades kind of store. They had toys, hardware supplies, tools, lawn mowers, etc.

9. Kenny Roger's Roaster - I LOVED this place back in the day! Roasted chicken, plus they had the best corn muffins!

10. Four Square Movie Theater - Located in Red Bank right behind the Kanpai of Tokyo restaurant. This was the .99 cent theater. I saw a lot of movies here growing up!

There was a Cats Records on Kingston Pike. I bought a lot of vinyl there. My college age daughters now listen to my records.
 
"There was another cafeteria we went to on Sunday's after church. Seems like it was on or near the UT campus, in or near a Masonic / Shriner's building? (big logo on the side of the building). The cafeteria was on the bottom (basement) floor. Good food. Anybody know what it was?"

Ramsey's. You could park in their lot on game day's for $10.00 and use that ticket as a $9.00 voucher in the cafeteria. Best deal on campus.
 
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