The same three numbers seemed to follow Brian Coakley, Scott Campbell and Collin Stover around town: 808.
With a shared love for live music, the trio used more than a decade of industry experience to open The 808 as Knoxville's newest venue.
The venue is at 808 Sevier Ave. in South Knoxville, but the partners' story began years earlier at a downtown building with a familiar address: 808 State St.
They initially named the venue after its first home, but losing the lease in late 2024 forced the group to rethink its business plan. The stars somehow aligned, Coakley said, and a new opportunity emerged at 808 Sevier Ave. that let them keep the name.
"I don't know how that happened, but the universe smiled upon us," he said.
Located just one block away
from Honeybee Coffee Co., The 808 will host its first show this weekend when High Step Society takes the stage at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. The 5,000-square-foot building is formerly home to the Drunk Church, a ministry serving people recovering from addiction.
Concerts are booked through the end of December, with Big Something, Marcy Playground and Paul Oakenfold with The Crystal Method among the artists scheduled to perform.
The room can hold 440 people, a capacity Coakley said is "the total sweet spot" for the type of venue Knoxville needs.
"It gives us the opportunity to make the numbers work for bigger touring artists," he said.
The partners secured the Sevier Avenue space in 2025 and spent the last year-and-a-half renovating the building. When it came time to build out the venue, Coakley said, "just the walls" were left.
Now, the stage is built, the lights are hung, and the sound system is ready. All that's left is for Knoxville's music fans to fill the room.
Visit 808knox.com to view the concert calendar and purchase tickets for upcoming events.
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.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Sevier Avenue's new 808 venue hits the 'sweet spot' for Knoxville concerts
