A community grocery store inspired by Trader Joe's and a new music venue that's already booking acts through the end of the year are poised to build on Sevier Avenue's transformation this fall.
More than a year and a half into a $19.2 million project to improve Sevier Avenue with a roundabout and new sidewalks, Old Sevier Market is ready to fill a long-discussed South Knoxville grocery gap as The 808 prepares to shake up Knoxville's entertainment scene.
Old Sevier Market is set to open Oct. 10 inside the same building as Redbud Kitchen and Hi-Wire Brewing at 906 Sevier Ave., the market announced on Instagram. Chris Morton, an owner of nearby Alliance Brewing Company and South Coast Pizza, is leading the charge and has multiple partners on board,
he previously told Knox News.
Morton said he is borrowing from the Trader Joe's playbook to transform the 4,500-square-foot space into a South Knoxville hub stocked with a little bit of everything but only a limited selection of brands.
"Having only one selection of items makes it a lot easier," he previously told Knox News. "We want to have healthier food for you at the same price."
Plans shared with Knox News included 11 aisles for groceries, along with a patio, bike rack and dog park on the back side of the building to establish the market as a "jumping off point" for exploring Sevier Avenue.
The store will have reserved parking spots in the lot shared with other businesses in the building, including Fly by Night, one of USA TODAY's Bars of the Year. The bar's creative cocktails and dance nights have helped energize a street that was much quieter and largely residential just a decade ago, before a handful of businesses began laying the foundation for what Sevier Avenue has become.
The 808 will turn up the volume when the music and entertainment venue opens at the former Drunk Church at 808 Sevier Ave., a block away from Honeybee Coffee Co. The venue has not announced an opening date, but its websitelists a number of artists scheduled to perform beginning in October.
The first show on the calendar is High Step Society at 8 p.m. Oct. 2, and concerts are booked through the end of December. Other artists scheduled to perform include Big Something, Marcy Playground and Paul Oakenfold with The Crystal Method.
The 808's mission, according to its Instagram, is to be "one of Knoxville's most genre-inclusive live music homes − a stage that belongs to every sound and every person that loves it."
Sevier Avenue also is set to welcome Buffleheads, a duck-themed bar with duckpin bowling inside the former Everything Mushrooms building. An opening date for the new bar from Market Square business owner Scott West has not been announced.
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: Sevier Avenue ready to add groceries, concerts and new energy this fall
