Three new concepts are taking over the former Alice in Appalachia space on Market Square, bringing breakfast, Dutch fries and classic cocktails to a downtown Knoxville storefront that has sat vacant for eight months.
A classic American bar called Herald's plans to open this fall alongside Berty Rose, a modern Southern breakfast and lunch restaurant. A light on the front of the building at 18 Market Square will signal when customers can order from the third concept, a walk-up Dutch fry shop named The Royal Spud.
Owner Sam Norman spent more than a decade in the tech world, traveling so frequently that it seemed every meal came from a restaurant. Spending nearly every week in a different city, he developed a palate for great food and welcoming atmospheres.
"What's happening right now is people are designing beautiful spaces, but the food doesn't quite match the design, the aesthetic," Norman told Knox News. "It needs to serve all those things."
Herald's, which is taking over Alice in Appalachia's 750-square-foot bar area, will have a food menu to go along with its classic cocktails. The bar is named after his father and grandfather, while Berty Rose is a family name from his business partner, Brooke Phillips.
Phillips is helping develop the Southern restaurant in the former retail side of Alice in Appalachia, also 750 square feet. Berty Rose will have a walk-up coffee bar, made-to-order breakfast options and gourmet sandwiches for lunch. A few nights each week, it will transform into Berty's At Night, serving small plates and shareable entrees.
"We don't want to be everything to everyone," Norman said. "We want to be who we are, and hopefully that will attract people to come experience that."
The Royal Spud will serve a variety of Dutch fries, which are double fried for extra crispiness and topped with parmesan or cheddar. Customers can add their choice of signature sauce on top, and the fries will be available at the other businesses when the light is on.
Norman has recruited chefs from New York to run the kitchens at all three concepts. The goal, he said, is to "be great, but focused."
Alice in Appalachia closed its Market Square location in December 2025, with plans to move around the corner. The retail portion of the business has reopened at 413 S. Gay St., but the bar is still undergoing renovations.
Knox News reporter Joanna Hayes covers restaurants and retail for the business growth and development team. Email: joanna.hayes@knoxnews.com; Instagram: @knoxeat65. Sign up for Joanna's Eat65 email newsletter to get the latest drink and dining news, as well as restaurant recommendations, at knoxnews.com/newsletters.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Market Square getting all-in-one bar, fry shop and Southern breakfast spot | Exclusive
