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

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Anybody remember Tommy Bartlett's Water Circus?

Remembering the Lost Tommy Bartlett’s Water Circus Act in Pigeon Forge

Tommy Bartlett's Water Circus in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is a gone but not forgotten attraction. It featured incredible stunts by talented performers across a man-made lake. There was even a water-skiing clown and a Helicopter Trapeze Act. Ultimately, it closed in the 80s, but parts of the...

www.thesmokies.com

 

[pismonque]

My wife was always grossed out by the oily film of sweat, sunscreen and other various oils that topped the water at Ogle's (or any water park, to be fair). She always referred to the park as Ogle's Tarpits.

 

[Vjcvette]

Regas is GOAT'd. My family's go-to for every holiday, for decades. Still hard to believe it simply doesn't exist any longer. TON of memories there.

Ali Baba's - best falafel in town!

Time out Deli on Kingston Pike was my very first job in the 70's.

 

[Vjcvette]

Gatlinburg in the 70's

 

[orangebloodgmc]

Gatlinburg ... my wife and I went there on our honeymoon at the very end of 1982. It was as fancy as we could afford coming from Maryville/Knoxville.

 

[QuarterSawnVol]

Just took the whole fam including three kids to the smokies. The Gatlinburg strip is even more populated than the last time I was there. We enjoyed Anakeesta, Dollywood, driving through Wears Valley and Cades Cove

 

[Vjcvette]

 

[MAD]

Aerial photograph of west boundary at Preston and Bell Street

November 1972


Today

 

[MAD]

 

[MAD]

 

[Vjcvette]

 

[MAD]

Closed in 1970

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

View attachment 764750
Closed in 1970

Demolished a few years later. And the Esso station moved across Weisgarber to the HoJo spot before changing the name to Exxon. Then Krispy Kreme went into the old Esso spot (Charlie Nutzell’s service station).

I only learned a couple of years ago that Esso stood for SO. Standard Oil.

 

[@1RBFjr]

View attachment 764750
Closed in 1970

Bank at that address now.

 

[Orangesmokey]

Copper Cellar.... it's not gone but I went this past Sunday for brunch for my mom's birthday. First time I have been in a while. I don't live in Knoxville so I don't really have the opportunity to go too often but man... what in the world happened to that place. The food was meh at best and of course it was expensive. Anyone else have the same or similar experience lately?

I know they closed the location on Cumberland (which is the original right?)

 

[Ted]

Online rumors have it that WBIR's parent company, TEGNA, is being acquired by Nexstar, parent company of WATE. If this goes through, other rumors have it that Nexstar will combine WATE and WBIR and downsize and consolidate both stations' staffs. A possibility is that WBIR will buy out or early-retire the higher-paid anchors, so it may be the end of the era of John, Robin and Todd.

I'd sure hate to see it happen.

 

[Tin Man]

Copper Cellar.... it's not gone but I went this past Sunday for brunch for my mom's birthday. First time I have been in a while. I don't live in Knoxville so I don't really have the opportunity to go too often but man... what in the world happened to that place. The food was meh at best and of course it was expensive. Anyone else have the same or similar experience lately?

I know they closed the location on Cumberland (which is the original right?)

Yes, the original Copper Cellar was on Cumberland. There was a door at street level, and stairs leading down into the restaurant. I worked there in the 70s. At some point since then, Copper Cellar Corp acquired the space above and expanded the restaurant at street level. That location is now gone.

Copper Cellar West is still operating on Kingston Pike. I’ve not eaten at a Copper Cellar for 20 years. I cannot speak to their fare these days.