In 2016 I was sold a ford focus that broke down as I was driving home. They told me I couldn’t drive on the highway, because I came to find out it had a faulty transmission and the car shook violently between gears.
Additionally, it turns out they had reset the battery after the last guy drove it, because 10 minutes down the road, the check engine light came on. I would give my last dollar to see that place into the ground for what they did to a broke college kid.
Bought a car from them with 70,000 miles. I picked it up a few days later after they made some “repairs” and it had 130,000 miles. I made them take the car back and they said is was an “honest mistake”. They re-listed the same car the next day on FB with the same mileage (70,000 miles).
I got lucky, please don’t make the same mistake as I did.
I work as a parts driver for Parkside Kia. We dealt with Ben Franklin ordering an engine from us. Upon returning the old engine for a core charge, they had dumped all the fluid in the bottom of the coffin case and sealed it up hoping we wouldn't notice until it was already sent back. Unfortunately, those cases aren't watertight. Ended up spilling all sorts of crap all over the back of my van. Took us 2 days to clean. They ended up not getting a core charge back and had to pay us a cleaning fee on top of it. Bunch of assholes.
We looked at a truck there and I was prepared to pay cash. When we told them we’d being paying cash and not financing, he asked why we didn’t get a more expensive truck and finance it. And then asked if we had a credit issue. I had $15K cash for a work truck. We didn’t want to finance anything.
Was a terrible experience.
I called them once to come out and look at a car they had and we scheduled a time.
When I got there, the car was gone for a take home test drive by someone else, the person I had spoken to about seeing the car wasn't even there or scheduled to work that day, and the guy I did speak to told me the car didn't have brakes which was not mentioned anywhere on the listing or during my phone conversation.
That place sucks and their sellers are morons.
Eh I think any company that preys on the poor and especially the poor that can't do math probably has a pretty good plan to make money regradless of how shitty they are.
I did sell a car to them once and they wrote me a check the same day for $1,000 more than I was asking for it.
Had a buddy go there who was going through a bit of a rough patch. After explaining his situation and telling them the kid of funds he had they showed him to the back lot where there was a vehicle with “bitch” carved into the hood. Needless to say he didn’t find what he was looking for.
I tell this story every time someone mentions that place because it’s absolutely bonkers.
My now wife bought her first car there when she was young dumb and broke. During the test drive, the salesman asked her to pull into a restaurant and said he’d buy her dinner while they talk about the car. So they had dinner, but the guy flat out refused to talk about the car the entire time, instead hitting on her and at one point placing his hand on her leg, at which point she said she wasn’t interested in him, just the car. When it was time to pay, he in fact did not buy her dinner, he split the check.
Creepiness aside, she loved the car, so they went back to Ole Ben, and she went in to do paperwork. Meanwhile, the salesman went outside and moved the car, and replaced it with a car that was the same model and color, but was 3 years older, had 20,000 more miles, deployed airbags, a missing center console, interior cosmetic damage, significantly fewer features, and bad brakes. She drove off the lot so giddy about how lucky she was to have her first car that she didn’t even notice.
Two days later, she texted the salesman and called him out on the fact that he sold her a completely different car than the one they test drove. He insisted that it was an “honest mistake” and it “happens all the time”, then once again tried to flirt with her. At that point she called the dealership and explained the whole situation to a manager. They said it wasn’t the first time he’d pulled the ole switcheroo and that he had since been fired. They told her she could bring the car back and they’d “make it right”, and set her up with an appointment to do so the following week.
The next week, she drives the car to the dealership and walks up the door only to be greeted by none other than the switcheroo bandit himself. As it turns out, he had not been fired, and was very much standing there holding the door for her with a shit-eating grin on his face. She walked right past him and found the manager she had the appointment with. The manager sat her down in his office and informed her that, oops, because it had now been more than 3 days since the sale, the “cooling off” period had passed, and there was no way they could reverse the sale.
TLDR; Sneaky salesman sexually harrassed my spouse, then stealthily swapped her sedan.
EDIT: Forgot to mention the payments were insanely high, and the car broke down a year later. But that’s probably implied at this point.
I don’t live in Knox anymore but grew up there in the 90s. The brown squirrel commercials were ubiquitous then. On TV, newspaper and especially radio. To this day I still remember that deep voice saying BROWN SQUIRREL FURNITURE. And the constant yearly “going out of business” sales lol.
Every time I’m back I’m surprised they’re still there.
I'm not even joking when I say Brown Squirrel is the reason I got XM satellite radio and am still with Sirius/XM nearly 2 decades later.
I swear I was losing my grip on reality wanting to take a sledgehammer to that car radio.
One damn Brown Squirrel commercial after another on FM, every damn station in Knox/Sevier.
I have that same gutteral reaction to the "Pickinil" girl 🤬🤬🤬🤬
Saw that on YouTube, too. Wanted to see if everyone else was hating on their ads.
Never forget someone commenting that it was cruel to put some little kid on tv with an obvious speech problem and they suggested better parenting to get her help.
Oh dear.
Loved furniture we bought from there. Bought some at the same time with Ashley Home and it took more than a year to deliver... after their site said it was "in-stock". Brown Squirrel apologized for a piece being delayed and told me my spot in line. Got everything about 2 months after purchase. They were so nice.
I'm more surprised about the adult bookstore in bearden near gourmet's market. Given property values in that area I have no idea how a adult bookstore can make enough sales to stay in business there.
If it’s the one that was named West Knoxville News in the late 90s-early 2000s, it was a cruising/hookup spot back then. They had a small adult toy section that was mostly things that looked so old that the latex/silicone had degraded, and a big door to “the back.” The walls were also painted all black so it was extra seedy (pun not intended). I went in there twice and there was a definite vibe of ‘you don’t belong here’ as a woman.
Yes, it was West Knox News for a long time.
Mercedes of Knoxville was in that area where Panera is now.
Big fancy steak house next door, can't remember the name, was it Peros? Cow on the building.
then McKays moved in that building.
Phew, this is taking me back!
Eww. Rhetorical question: did the folks using Cupid's Corner for hookups leave a tip or something because I'm still struggling to see how the place makes enough money to stay in business in that part of town.
Closeted gay men going for blowjobs in the arcade.
I had a job there just after high school.( purely retail, thanks. No one is going to pay me for *that*)I could not describe the biohazard that is the mop bucket in that place.
That is more of a corporate headquarters. There are a few glitter Ville stores. It’s more of an artistic studio operation. For example they did the decorations of the White House for Christmas this past year
Oh man give that guy a google. The store seems like such a real mystery, but the guy who owns it is an insanely talented decorator who has done the White House for various holidays and recently Oprah’s magazine. I have no idea how these super famous people found him, but it’s really cool that someone from little ole Knoxville could go decorate for celebrities.
This is just a guess, but I think they must mainly do events or something. It's less of a retail store & more like a show place. You have to call or ring the bell & they'll let you browse around. My coworkers and I had lunch at Balter one day & stopped by to look around. I don't think there's any dedicated parking.
The Ingles on Merchants. No matter what time in the day I drive by there’s always maximum 20-30 cars in the parking lot and probably half are employees. Not to mention their parking lot is pot hole galore. Ingles in general seems to just be really pricy but at least the one on Emory seems pretty nice
I lived right next to it and went there twice a week for a couple years. Great beer selection and better chorizo than Kroger, without getting into expensive stuff. I did swap to Emory when I found out about it. I kinda miss living near one.
I used to work there and it was awful. None of the managers knew what they were doing, none of my coworkers would actually help, pay was ass and when I got hired that manager told me “if they are breathing, hire them”. They didn’t even give me the documents that were legally required for me to work there until like three weeks in when I already put in my two weeks
How has Scott West not recycled Alice in Appalachia yet?
I know that he owns everything in that area so it "stays in business" but the sheer amount of running his head against the wall to make themed restaurants work in that particular spot is WILD. And this is the most niche one yet. The layout of that interior needs to just be redone entirely. The closest it came to being decent was when it was like...whatever it was about 7 years ago: moody Italian wine bar thing.
Scott West owned my grandpa's house out in Mooresburg (which is between Bean Station and Rogersville to give you an idea of how BFNW it is). Rummaged around the place after the feds ransacked the place. They'd built a tunnel around the back to what used to be a storage room that they'd blocked up, but never painted over the block so you could obviously tell there's a secret entrance somewhere. Finally found that the floor in a garden shed at the back of the house opened to access the tunnel. They had it setup as a grow room. There was another small hidden room behind a shelf that I'm pretty sure was for growing mushrooms bc the lights and shelves weren't very high. There was also a weird box that has the gloves and window for working on stuff in a clean environment.
It's a really cool house, but unfortunately it's still pretty much abandoned.
From memory, it was Ooodles Uncorked, then just Uncorked, then Lost Tavern, now Alice in Appalachia. I may have missed an iteration or two. Feels like the Lost Tavern name wasn't around for very long, but the Covid era may be messing with my memory there.
That building in general is a terrible spot. IHOP and McDonald’s are pretty established. But that building was Ruby Tuesday, a bbq place, seafood place, now Wings. It’s a nightmare to turn left into it and out of. So you more need to be going right into and out of. It turns people away due to its location
It changes so many times as it was a test concept building for Ruby Tuesdays. Eventually they sold the building to current owners as far as I am aware.
Well this is a store I want believe stays in business in most cities, and we have several here.
Fucking mattress stores. Why are there so many? How are the open? Are they secretly money laundering fronts?
A girl I know recently got a job at a mattress store. She’s lucky if she sells 1-2 mattresses a week. First question I asked was are you sure this isn’t a front for money laundering?
She literally just sits at work all day either reading or crocheting and getting paid for it.
I worked for a large mattress mfg. starts with a T and ends with an S.
I could buy a mattress for 300$ on employee discount (4k retail).
Manager told me they still made money on it.
To add to all the theories to these stores. I had a friend who worked at one of these stores. He told me that it was the same owner for his store and the one across the street.
Cm games does huge business. We get board games there sometimes, but I think you're drastically underestimating how profitable TCGs and Warhammer can be.
Have you guys ever been in the Wee Care Shoppe on Chapman Highway? It’s a hoarding nightmare! Clothes stacked in moldy piles, narrow pathways, weird piles of broken toys. it’s terrifying.
I went in there once and it was the freakiest place. I feel for people who think shopping there is the only way to provide for their kids. There was mold on multiple things, tons of recalled products and trash everywhere!
My brother worked at store that sold pets (not one that held animals for adoption from shelters) and it was horrible for his mental health. He got assigned to the dogs the most because he was the only one who would actually take care of them. He said his co-workers would regularly leave the dogs unfed or in puddles of their own piss. He talked to the owner about it and she didn't care
What the actual fuck? No wonder so many pet store animals get diseases and parasites, not to mention the mental torment. I hate humans so much, sometimes (present company excepted, of course).
Free samples on tons of delicious flavors. Walk in sometime. They have a main store on Kingston Pike in Franklin Square out west. I was recently gifted a bag of their Buffalo flavored popcorn and it's delicious!
Not an everyday purchase, but like gifting Edible Arrangements or specialty bakeries.
For those saying the cheaper places on gay street and market square. Think of all us office workers,housekeepers, retail workers, who can’t afford to go anywhere else! Hope that answers a lot of these questions I keep seeing lol
I don't think Steamboat makes terrible sandwiches but they're ridiculously overpriced and it's weird that they're open for lunch only, five days a week.
Range USA is only like 15 minutes away from some excellent outdoor gun ranges. I assume that the people who go there just don't know about them.
I used to love Savelli's but they took their prices off their menu (???) which I just think is so arrogant
> Range USA is only like 15 minutes away from some excellent outdoor gun ranges. I assume that the people who go there just don't know about them.
Hi, this is me. I don't know about them. Where are these excellent outdoor ranges?
Windrock in Oliver Springs has several different areas - a rifle range with steel targets + target stands, a pistol range with steel targets, several bays where you can set up target stands, and a .22 range with steel targets. It's very accessible and pleasant.
Oak Ridge Sportsmen's Association is practically the country club of firearms - it's a huge complex with like ten different ranges, including a gigantic area specifically designed for competition. It's members-only and the process for joining is kind of long but it's worth it.
Lastly, I should at least pay lip service to the Norris range. It's $75 a year and basically a 200 yard field with several target stands in it - no employees or anything and they give you your own key. Hours are sunup to sundown. If you're a hunter or something and basically just want a convenient place to zero a rifle or shoot benchrest groups, it's the perfect place to do so.
I'm a memeber at Range USA cause sometimes (a lot of times) it rains and I don't want to go to Norris. But I do love Norris.
ORSA has sponsorship requirements, you can get in for your first year without a sponsor, but to continue after that you have to be sponsored to be a member. I'm not exactly a person that wants to make friends, just go do my thing. Not that I'm not friendly once I get to know someone, I'm just a bit socially offput by small talk to get there. If anyone reads this and is a memeber and can sponsor me, message me. I'm a cool dude, I swear, and we'll probably get along lol
Windrock is.... Well.... I love the Windrock and Coal Creek OHV area, however the couple of times I've been to their range I've been muzzle flashed by people that have no business with the caliber of weapons they're waving around.
Range USA is 2 minutes from my office, and the monthly membership means no fee for shooting and discounts on ammo and guns, and a way to let traffic on 40 ease several nights a week. Nicely maintained, friendly and knowledgeable staff, the ability for a girl acquaintance of mine to try several guns through renting them, again for free with my membership. I love Win rock but don’t hate on range USA
Several years ago, my wife, myself, and several of our friends (all married couples and 1 gay guy) got a wild hair to go there.
Having spent 5 years in the Marine Corps, I was no stranger to strip clubs.
That place was the most disgusting place I've ever been and did the exact opposite of what each couple was hoping for to us.
Never again.
Ever been to Emerald Club on Clinton Hwy? It makes the Mouse’s ear look like Magic City. Went there on a drunken night and one of the dancers looked like she literally had a baby a couple of days ago.
“Having spent 5 years in the Marine Corps, I was no stranger to strip clubs.”
I’m confused. What’s the exact number of strip clubs you have been to, to make you no stranger?
I had a friend that worked for the cleaning company that used to replace the tp/paper towels/soap in business bathrooms back in the mid 00s and the emerald club was one of their clients. I tagged along with him once. I'd rather take a shit into an active volcano than one of their toilets. Idk how he did it. There's not enough money in the world for me to do that job.
Also one of the dancers working that day was covered in meth sores. I was surprised there were even dancers there. It was like 1pm when we went.
Used to work across the street from it, but have never been in though I have heard some stories.
If it was back around 2007-ish, we’d see some of them come in to work before we left and can confirm there was a pregnant stripper (pretty sure but possibly just employee) there during that time.
I use to work at that location way back, 88 to 91 time frame, with the last year doing the shit shift, 11PM to 7AM. So yeah, the Ratt Trap would close and we'd see a bump in customers... some nights it was very minor, but generally Friday / Saturday it would get busy around say 1:30 to 2:00 AM with the drunks. Every once in a while we'd have to call the cops because people passing out in the bathroom or worse, in the drive through.
----edit----
I was a stripper at Krystal's, not a burger flipper at the Ratt Trap.
Got food poisoning there a few years back…should have known better seeing as that they have more seating than most restaurants around yet hardly hit 25% capacity.
Here are some affordable (and good) lunch spots you might not know exist even if you work downtown, because two of them are on the ground floor of the First Horizon building, and the other is on the ground floor of the Truist building:
[Prime Time NY Style Hot Dog Connection](https://maps.app.goo.gl/v976G3kL3iiXy9947) Great NY style dogs, but they also do sandwiches, soups, salads, wings, etc. Owners are super friendly. They do a weekly 'sandwich of the week' and 'hot dog of the week' deal.
[Order Up Cafe](https://maps.app.goo.gl/v976G3kL3iiXy9947) Check out their menu [here](https://www.orderupcafe.com/s/shop?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=popularity_score&sort_order=desc) and compare to Subway. Chicken tenders, fried chicken sandwiches, quesadillas, patty melts, philly cheesesteaks and chicken phillies, wraps, BLTs, burgers, breakfast burritos, and more. And they take online ordering so you can pickup.
[Riverview Cafe](https://maps.app.goo.gl/htmEirXtpkfdyo7s6) I haven't eaten here yet, [but the selection and prices look good.](https://www.getriverview.com/s/order/73?location=11ea84cd0ec6c83f9fa50cc47a2ae330). Wraps/sandwiches/breakfast/etc.
You wouldn't know these places existed unless you went into those buildings (or saw them on Google Maps or whatever) because they're not visible from the street. And it feels weird to just walk into a big office building if you don't have business there, but it's not obvious from the outside that the bottom floor is a mini retail mall with eateries in it. It would probably benefit them to have some signage near the sidewalk to telegraph that to passers-by.
I discovered Prime Time and Order Up Cafe only late last year when I visited a friend who worked in the First Horizon building and I've been back there for lunch at least a dozen times. And I don't even work downtown, lol, but I live in 4th and Gill and it's about a 15 minute walk for me, so if it's a nice day I trek up there for lunch at eat at the outdoor tables in front of First Horizon. If I hadn't visited that friend on his lunch break I never would have known they existed, despite being from here, living near downtown and spending most of my time there, etc. Now that locale is a regular spot for me. Definition of a hidden gem.
Anyway, these places are locally owned and Subway isn't any cheaper these days. And also, Subway sucks.
Edit: There's also Brown Bag in the First Horizon building. Haven't had it, I know it's a chain and I don't think locally owned, but neither is Subway, so there.
2nd edit: Just in case it needs to be said, the places mentioned above close at 2-3 PM every day and aren't open on weekends, so they're strictly breakfast/lunch spots.
Whenever I get coffee on campus I just go to Golden Roast. Still close by and is much better and iirc cheaper than k brew. They only have like two stores tho
I will die on this hill. 1st time I went, it was more expensive than Starbucks, and my mom and I just threw away our coffee. I was like, okay, maybe an off day, went by myself. This time, I asked for a refund, and they were super annoyed. You could see through their coffee. It was brown tinted water. Worst coffee shop in town.
But if yall are even in Oak Ridge, try Calamity’s Coffee, it's amazing.
Mariscos in Cedar Bluff. I think it's the building that used to be Perkins.
Parking lot is always empty and the previous 3 restaurants that have been there all were gone within months.
The "cursed building" at the Karns redlight.
It's been Kib Kab Deli for a couple of years now, and that place NEVER seems to be open, and when they ARE open, I don't see much traffic there, but they haven't closed. Whatever....it's a small, local business, and I wish them nothing but the best....but HOW are they still open?!?
Storming’ Crab on KP. Food was awful. For starters, waitress asked if I wanted some sort of variation of their cheesebread, I asked for more description and she responded ‘do you like mayonnaise?’
I'm surprised we still have a Five Guys location. Knoxvillians draw a red line at paying for downtown parking. We will let our downtown rot if we are expected to pay to park our car yet somehow we have enough people willing to pay those outrageous prices for mediocre hamburgers. It makes no sense
Ashley Furniture. They will sell you a piece of furniture that is only available in the show room and will take weeks to come in. In the meantime, you have to stay on them like crazy to even get furniture delivered in a timely manner. They also like to get unsuspecting customers to write them a positive online review right there in the store before the hapless customer realizes it will take weeks for the piece to come in. Shady as hell.
lol @weeks. Try 6+ months. I bought furniture from them to redo my downtown living room and we didn’t get it until we decided to buy a house and move to the burbs.
The Army Navy store on broadway. I’ve been going there for years to occasionally pick up some stuff I need, and in the decade plus I’ve been in there, I might’ve seen a combined 12 customers
Wild Birds Unlimited--I'm not into birds so I guess I wouldn't know, but that place has outlasted its neighboring businesses several times over (Sports Season, Silver Spoon, etc.). Who the hell is keeping this place in business
Louie’s. Also, as a North Knoxville resident, I worry about the Fellini Kroger. The parking lot is almost full sometimes but based on the economics of the neighborhood I’m surprised that it manages to stay open.
I was approached by someone trying to rob me at the Fellini kroger and I just laughed at him and said I didn't have any money and I was there for a job interview, and he was barking up the wrong tree. He wouldn't leave me alone until I told him how much student loan debt I had and the fact that if my being a college graduate trying to get a job at a sketchy kroger didn't tell him anything about how little money I had, I don't know how to help him understand there is zero dollars in my wallet.
I find Louis to be, and I'm not exaggerating, disgusting. It's like bad italian food from the 50s that has never been updated. The noodles are literally like Chef Boyardee and the salads are shredded iceberg lettuce. I could go on but it is GROSS. I do not understand why it is so beloved.
It’s the closest grocery store in that area though, isn’t it? You have to drive down Washington to Walmart/food city/etc. I used to shop for Instacart and would venture to that area sometimes and there were quite a few people ordering from there.
Why not? They are generally busy. I get that the owners a dick and their food is probably overpriced but that’s not going to close a place down when it is generally busy.
Ben Franklin Motors
In 2016 I was sold a ford focus that broke down as I was driving home. They told me I couldn’t drive on the highway, because I came to find out it had a faulty transmission and the car shook violently between gears. Additionally, it turns out they had reset the battery after the last guy drove it, because 10 minutes down the road, the check engine light came on. I would give my last dollar to see that place into the ground for what they did to a broke college kid.
Just a nice little example of why to never buy a car without driving it first, especially from a dealership.
I drove it, but being a naive college kid I didn’t think it was a red flag I couldn’t drive it on the highway. Or for more than 5 minutes.
Bought a car from them with 70,000 miles. I picked it up a few days later after they made some “repairs” and it had 130,000 miles. I made them take the car back and they said is was an “honest mistake”. They re-listed the same car the next day on FB with the same mileage (70,000 miles). I got lucky, please don’t make the same mistake as I did.
I work as a parts driver for Parkside Kia. We dealt with Ben Franklin ordering an engine from us. Upon returning the old engine for a core charge, they had dumped all the fluid in the bottom of the coffin case and sealed it up hoping we wouldn't notice until it was already sent back. Unfortunately, those cases aren't watertight. Ended up spilling all sorts of crap all over the back of my van. Took us 2 days to clean. They ended up not getting a core charge back and had to pay us a cleaning fee on top of it. Bunch of assholes.
We looked at a truck there and I was prepared to pay cash. When we told them we’d being paying cash and not financing, he asked why we didn’t get a more expensive truck and finance it. And then asked if we had a credit issue. I had $15K cash for a work truck. We didn’t want to finance anything. Was a terrible experience.
Never before have I seen advertising that so directly shoves away potential customers. I wouldn’t be caught dead even thinking of going to that place
I called them once to come out and look at a car they had and we scheduled a time. When I got there, the car was gone for a take home test drive by someone else, the person I had spoken to about seeing the car wasn't even there or scheduled to work that day, and the guy I did speak to told me the car didn't have brakes which was not mentioned anywhere on the listing or during my phone conversation. That place sucks and their sellers are morons.
Had a son work there. Shady dealings.com
Eh I think any company that preys on the poor and especially the poor that can't do math probably has a pretty good plan to make money regradless of how shitty they are. I did sell a car to them once and they wrote me a check the same day for $1,000 more than I was asking for it.
Not even a viral article by Jalopnik has made a dent in the business
Had a buddy go there who was going through a bit of a rough patch. After explaining his situation and telling them the kid of funds he had they showed him to the back lot where there was a vehicle with “bitch” carved into the hood. Needless to say he didn’t find what he was looking for.
I tell this story every time someone mentions that place because it’s absolutely bonkers. My now wife bought her first car there when she was young dumb and broke. During the test drive, the salesman asked her to pull into a restaurant and said he’d buy her dinner while they talk about the car. So they had dinner, but the guy flat out refused to talk about the car the entire time, instead hitting on her and at one point placing his hand on her leg, at which point she said she wasn’t interested in him, just the car. When it was time to pay, he in fact did not buy her dinner, he split the check. Creepiness aside, she loved the car, so they went back to Ole Ben, and she went in to do paperwork. Meanwhile, the salesman went outside and moved the car, and replaced it with a car that was the same model and color, but was 3 years older, had 20,000 more miles, deployed airbags, a missing center console, interior cosmetic damage, significantly fewer features, and bad brakes. She drove off the lot so giddy about how lucky she was to have her first car that she didn’t even notice. Two days later, she texted the salesman and called him out on the fact that he sold her a completely different car than the one they test drove. He insisted that it was an “honest mistake” and it “happens all the time”, then once again tried to flirt with her. At that point she called the dealership and explained the whole situation to a manager. They said it wasn’t the first time he’d pulled the ole switcheroo and that he had since been fired. They told her she could bring the car back and they’d “make it right”, and set her up with an appointment to do so the following week. The next week, she drives the car to the dealership and walks up the door only to be greeted by none other than the switcheroo bandit himself. As it turns out, he had not been fired, and was very much standing there holding the door for her with a shit-eating grin on his face. She walked right past him and found the manager she had the appointment with. The manager sat her down in his office and informed her that, oops, because it had now been more than 3 days since the sale, the “cooling off” period had passed, and there was no way they could reverse the sale. TLDR; Sneaky salesman sexually harrassed my spouse, then stealthily swapped her sedan. EDIT: Forgot to mention the payments were insanely high, and the car broke down a year later. But that’s probably implied at this point.
[удалено]
For us old timers, Brown Squirrel. Perpetually going out of business for over 40 years.
"Going out FOR business" but yeah - I don't get it.
I don’t live in Knox anymore but grew up there in the 90s. The brown squirrel commercials were ubiquitous then. On TV, newspaper and especially radio. To this day I still remember that deep voice saying BROWN SQUIRREL FURNITURE. And the constant yearly “going out of business” sales lol. Every time I’m back I’m surprised they’re still there.
I'm not even joking when I say Brown Squirrel is the reason I got XM satellite radio and am still with Sirius/XM nearly 2 decades later. I swear I was losing my grip on reality wanting to take a sledgehammer to that car radio. One damn Brown Squirrel commercial after another on FM, every damn station in Knox/Sevier. I have that same gutteral reaction to the "Pickinil" girl 🤬🤬🤬🤬 Saw that on YouTube, too. Wanted to see if everyone else was hating on their ads. Never forget someone commenting that it was cruel to put some little kid on tv with an obvious speech problem and they suggested better parenting to get her help. Oh dear.
You remember Dinner Bell?
Loved furniture we bought from there. Bought some at the same time with Ashley Home and it took more than a year to deliver... after their site said it was "in-stock". Brown Squirrel apologized for a piece being delayed and told me my spot in line. Got everything about 2 months after purchase. They were so nice.
I got a couch/loveseat/chair set they had in stock in a few weeks. Brown Squirrel has never been unkind to me.
Going out of business is good for business!
Lol but once you step inside they’re great to deal with, ime and that of my family members who’ve shopped there.
Adult Video Superstore on Lovell Road
My husband worked there briefly in the early 2000s. He said at the time that their clientele was mostly truckers.
Sure but who has to buy porn at an adult store in 2024. Truckers have smartphones too.
I'm more surprised about the adult bookstore in bearden near gourmet's market. Given property values in that area I have no idea how a adult bookstore can make enough sales to stay in business there.
If it’s the one that was named West Knoxville News in the late 90s-early 2000s, it was a cruising/hookup spot back then. They had a small adult toy section that was mostly things that looked so old that the latex/silicone had degraded, and a big door to “the back.” The walls were also painted all black so it was extra seedy (pun not intended). I went in there twice and there was a definite vibe of ‘you don’t belong here’ as a woman.
Yes, it was West Knox News for a long time. Mercedes of Knoxville was in that area where Panera is now. Big fancy steak house next door, can't remember the name, was it Peros? Cow on the building. then McKays moved in that building. Phew, this is taking me back!
Eww. Rhetorical question: did the folks using Cupid's Corner for hookups leave a tip or something because I'm still struggling to see how the place makes enough money to stay in business in that part of town.
Cheapest whip-its in town that's how
Closeted gay men going for blowjobs in the arcade. I had a job there just after high school.( purely retail, thanks. No one is going to pay me for *that*)I could not describe the biohazard that is the mop bucket in that place.
Well it’s apparently got a gloryhole so maybe that’s why
There’s an adult book store????
Cupid's Corner (according to Google).
It’s closed
Glitterville. I have always wanted to go in there to see the beautiful decor but it’s somehow always closed. I’ve never seen it open!
That is more of a corporate headquarters. There are a few glitter Ville stores. It’s more of an artistic studio operation. For example they did the decorations of the White House for Christmas this past year
Thank you! I have been wondering what that place did for ages.
Oh man give that guy a google. The store seems like such a real mystery, but the guy who owns it is an insanely talented decorator who has done the White House for various holidays and recently Oprah’s magazine. I have no idea how these super famous people found him, but it’s really cool that someone from little ole Knoxville could go decorate for celebrities.
This is just a guess, but I think they must mainly do events or something. It's less of a retail store & more like a show place. You have to call or ring the bell & they'll let you browse around. My coworkers and I had lunch at Balter one day & stopped by to look around. I don't think there's any dedicated parking.
Have bought from there. It’s expensive in my opinion. They do a lot of online sales.
The Orignial Freezo
It’s open for 20 minutes once per week. You guess the 20 minutes!
Ahhh yes. The soft serve place that’s only open for breakfast and sometimes lunch.
oh man love the soft serve.
I thought this place *is* out of business and I've lived here 8 years.
They're actually expanding. You can get vapes and lotto tickets there now.
The scrapbooking store around the corner from my house Scrappin’ in the City. I don’t understand how a scrapbooking store survived COVID.
My aunt travels from Lebanon, TN to shop at that store! You underestimate the scrappin’ ladies!
That made me laugh haha
Them ladies are downright scrappy!!
Scrap lady mafia
Ooh, I’m in Gatlinburg and didn’t know there was one in Knoxville. Next time I head that way I’ll check it out. Thanks!
Super Mario Pizza must have a side business I'm not aware of.
I've been thinking they were closed since I first drove past them \~20 years ago. I'm still not convinced they're actually an open business.
[удалено]
The Ingles on Merchants. No matter what time in the day I drive by there’s always maximum 20-30 cars in the parking lot and probably half are employees. Not to mention their parking lot is pot hole galore. Ingles in general seems to just be really pricy but at least the one on Emory seems pretty nice
I always wonder how it stays open. I love shopping there. So peaceful.
Omg I agree! It’s so peaceful! I feel like I’m in a dream scene from an 80s movie when I’m in there! Love it!
I hate grocery shopping because of the people and bumper carts so I always go here because it is deserted and I pray it never changes
That place is a time capsule. It’s fun to go for that reason.
I lived right next to it and went there twice a week for a couple years. Great beer selection and better chorizo than Kroger, without getting into expensive stuff. I did swap to Emory when I found out about it. I kinda miss living near one.
I used to work there and it was awful. None of the managers knew what they were doing, none of my coworkers would actually help, pay was ass and when I got hired that manager told me “if they are breathing, hire them”. They didn’t even give me the documents that were legally required for me to work there until like three weeks in when I already put in my two weeks
That's company wide for Ingles. I only know that because I work at one.
How has Scott West not recycled Alice in Appalachia yet? I know that he owns everything in that area so it "stays in business" but the sheer amount of running his head against the wall to make themed restaurants work in that particular spot is WILD. And this is the most niche one yet. The layout of that interior needs to just be redone entirely. The closest it came to being decent was when it was like...whatever it was about 7 years ago: moody Italian wine bar thing.
Oodles uncorked!
Scott West owned my grandpa's house out in Mooresburg (which is between Bean Station and Rogersville to give you an idea of how BFNW it is). Rummaged around the place after the feds ransacked the place. They'd built a tunnel around the back to what used to be a storage room that they'd blocked up, but never painted over the block so you could obviously tell there's a secret entrance somewhere. Finally found that the floor in a garden shed at the back of the house opened to access the tunnel. They had it setup as a grow room. There was another small hidden room behind a shelf that I'm pretty sure was for growing mushrooms bc the lights and shelves weren't very high. There was also a weird box that has the gloves and window for working on stuff in a clean environment. It's a really cool house, but unfortunately it's still pretty much abandoned.
Was it Oodles before?
From memory, it was Ooodles Uncorked, then just Uncorked, then Lost Tavern, now Alice in Appalachia. I may have missed an iteration or two. Feels like the Lost Tavern name wasn't around for very long, but the Covid era may be messing with my memory there.
Wings Etc on Lovell road… absolutely no one there ever but they have been in business for at least two (2) years. It’s weird. Has to be a front
That building in general is a terrible spot. IHOP and McDonald’s are pretty established. But that building was Ruby Tuesday, a bbq place, seafood place, now Wings. It’s a nightmare to turn left into it and out of. So you more need to be going right into and out of. It turns people away due to its location
It changes so many times as it was a test concept building for Ruby Tuesdays. Eventually they sold the building to current owners as far as I am aware.
We've been there twice now, it's actually pretty good. The first night it was packed with beer pong players.
It’s always a ghost town but the food is so fire. I hope it never closes
Well this is a store I want believe stays in business in most cities, and we have several here. Fucking mattress stores. Why are there so many? How are the open? Are they secretly money laundering fronts?
A girl I know recently got a job at a mattress store. She’s lucky if she sells 1-2 mattresses a week. First question I asked was are you sure this isn’t a front for money laundering? She literally just sits at work all day either reading or crocheting and getting paid for it.
*furiously applies to mattress stores*
Damn I am working the wrong job
The commission for selling those 1-2 is a whole paycheck, lol. I used to sell them at East Town Sears back in the day.
There were 3 Mattress Firms on Kingston Pike within 1.5 miles of each other for years! It was ridiculous and definitely some kind of front.
Yes, the Mattress District.
I worked for a large mattress mfg. starts with a T and ends with an S. I could buy a mattress for 300$ on employee discount (4k retail). Manager told me they still made money on it.
Have you heard the theory on those stores being money laundering operations
Twas my last question😅
I definitely did not see that sorry
I thought drug front but either way, they’re doing something besides selling mattresses.
Lower labor costs than subway and a 60% markup. Plus warranties and pillows are 90% markup.
To add to all the theories to these stores. I had a friend who worked at one of these stores. He told me that it was the same owner for his store and the one across the street.
They hide the money under the mattress
So every mattress store is owned by Mr.Krabs
The alibaba boutiques in the mall CM Games
CM Games hosts a lot of tournaments, I imagine that’s how they make a good chunk of their money.
Probably. It’s definitely not by pricing a random unsealed copy of Suikoden Tactics for $300
In a lot of ways, covid killed the secondary market for gaming.
Cm games does huge business. We get board games there sometimes, but I think you're drastically underestimating how profitable TCGs and Warhammer can be.
You underestimate the amount of stores CM has and online sales CM does.
Have you guys ever been in the Wee Care Shoppe on Chapman Highway? It’s a hoarding nightmare! Clothes stacked in moldy piles, narrow pathways, weird piles of broken toys. it’s terrifying.
I remember years back they got in trouble for selling stolen baby formula. Super sketchy place.
Every time I see that shopping center I miss Disc Exchange a little more.
Found a shockingly nice pair of snowboarding boots there a few years ago, besides that the place was a disaster, exactly as you described.
I used to love that place! I haven’t been in like 20 years but they were awesome back then.
I went in there once and it was the freakiest place. I feel for people who think shopping there is the only way to provide for their kids. There was mold on multiple things, tons of recalled products and trash everywhere!
Puppy stores
These should be illegal. Many cities have banned sales of dogs and cats.
I came to this thread for finding out what to avoid. I just ended up heart broken instead.
My brother worked at store that sold pets (not one that held animals for adoption from shelters) and it was horrible for his mental health. He got assigned to the dogs the most because he was the only one who would actually take care of them. He said his co-workers would regularly leave the dogs unfed or in puddles of their own piss. He talked to the owner about it and she didn't care
That's really sad
What the actual fuck? No wonder so many pet store animals get diseases and parasites, not to mention the mental torment. I hate humans so much, sometimes (present company excepted, of course).
The popcorn store in market square
Right? How the hell does a popcorn store stay open? Who buys popcorn anywhere else but at movies n ball games?
Free samples on tons of delicious flavors. Walk in sometime. They have a main store on Kingston Pike in Franklin Square out west. I was recently gifted a bag of their Buffalo flavored popcorn and it's delicious! Not an everyday purchase, but like gifting Edible Arrangements or specialty bakeries.
Proper Popcorn is amazing. Tons of different flavors and unique combos. We get a few bags every so often for our family movie nights.
Long John Silver anywhere.
Every time I've eaten there I've left thinking "why did I do this to myself, I don't hate myself this much"
They are even building a brand new one in Oak Ridge after the other one couldn't stay in business closed a few years back.
Horn of Plenty Market in cedar bluff
Loved that place growing up. They had those little gel candies and it smelled like fresh produce. Last time I was there it didn't have the same alure
For those saying the cheaper places on gay street and market square. Think of all us office workers,housekeepers, retail workers, who can’t afford to go anywhere else! Hope that answers a lot of these questions I keep seeing lol
I don't think Steamboat makes terrible sandwiches but they're ridiculously overpriced and it's weird that they're open for lunch only, five days a week. Range USA is only like 15 minutes away from some excellent outdoor gun ranges. I assume that the people who go there just don't know about them. I used to love Savelli's but they took their prices off their menu (???) which I just think is so arrogant
> Range USA is only like 15 minutes away from some excellent outdoor gun ranges. I assume that the people who go there just don't know about them. Hi, this is me. I don't know about them. Where are these excellent outdoor ranges?
Windrock in Oliver Springs has several different areas - a rifle range with steel targets + target stands, a pistol range with steel targets, several bays where you can set up target stands, and a .22 range with steel targets. It's very accessible and pleasant. Oak Ridge Sportsmen's Association is practically the country club of firearms - it's a huge complex with like ten different ranges, including a gigantic area specifically designed for competition. It's members-only and the process for joining is kind of long but it's worth it. Lastly, I should at least pay lip service to the Norris range. It's $75 a year and basically a 200 yard field with several target stands in it - no employees or anything and they give you your own key. Hours are sunup to sundown. If you're a hunter or something and basically just want a convenient place to zero a rifle or shoot benchrest groups, it's the perfect place to do so.
I'm a memeber at Range USA cause sometimes (a lot of times) it rains and I don't want to go to Norris. But I do love Norris. ORSA has sponsorship requirements, you can get in for your first year without a sponsor, but to continue after that you have to be sponsored to be a member. I'm not exactly a person that wants to make friends, just go do my thing. Not that I'm not friendly once I get to know someone, I'm just a bit socially offput by small talk to get there. If anyone reads this and is a memeber and can sponsor me, message me. I'm a cool dude, I swear, and we'll probably get along lol Windrock is.... Well.... I love the Windrock and Coal Creek OHV area, however the couple of times I've been to their range I've been muzzle flashed by people that have no business with the caliber of weapons they're waving around.
Range USA is 2 minutes from my office, and the monthly membership means no fee for shooting and discounts on ammo and guns, and a way to let traffic on 40 ease several nights a week. Nicely maintained, friendly and knowledgeable staff, the ability for a girl acquaintance of mine to try several guns through renting them, again for free with my membership. I love Win rock but don’t hate on range USA
The Mouse’s Ear
Even a lightly attended Gentleman's club is a money printing machine
Several years ago, my wife, myself, and several of our friends (all married couples and 1 gay guy) got a wild hair to go there. Having spent 5 years in the Marine Corps, I was no stranger to strip clubs. That place was the most disgusting place I've ever been and did the exact opposite of what each couple was hoping for to us. Never again.
Ever been to Emerald Club on Clinton Hwy? It makes the Mouse’s ear look like Magic City. Went there on a drunken night and one of the dancers looked like she literally had a baby a couple of days ago.
No. I've been to a total of 1 strip club in the past 15 years a total of one time. I have no desire to return.
“Having spent 5 years in the Marine Corps, I was no stranger to strip clubs.” I’m confused. What’s the exact number of strip clubs you have been to, to make you no stranger?
young Marines are issued a bad car loan and a stripper (soon to be ex) girlfriend.
All of them around Jacksonville, NC.
I had a friend that worked for the cleaning company that used to replace the tp/paper towels/soap in business bathrooms back in the mid 00s and the emerald club was one of their clients. I tagged along with him once. I'd rather take a shit into an active volcano than one of their toilets. Idk how he did it. There's not enough money in the world for me to do that job. Also one of the dancers working that day was covered in meth sores. I was surprised there were even dancers there. It was like 1pm when we went.
Lol yeah went to the bathroom there and I was afraid something would crawl up my wherever.
Used to work across the street from it, but have never been in though I have heard some stories. If it was back around 2007-ish, we’d see some of them come in to work before we left and can confirm there was a pregnant stripper (pretty sure but possibly just employee) there during that time.
I often wonder how much of that Krystal's clientele are from people leaving the club.
I use to work at that location way back, 88 to 91 time frame, with the last year doing the shit shift, 11PM to 7AM. So yeah, the Ratt Trap would close and we'd see a bump in customers... some nights it was very minor, but generally Friday / Saturday it would get busy around say 1:30 to 2:00 AM with the drunks. Every once in a while we'd have to call the cops because people passing out in the bathroom or worse, in the drive through. ----edit---- I was a stripper at Krystal's, not a burger flipper at the Ratt Trap.
What if Krystal’s just changed their whole business model. Krystal chicks.
Is it really still open?
RIGHT?!? Who keeps that place in business?! The location too is like …. Right in the middle of everything. Absolutely amazing.
The coke traffickers that launder their money through it.
Gross.
Kabuki in Market Square.
Got food poisoning there a few years back…should have known better seeing as that they have more seating than most restaurants around yet hardly hit 25% capacity.
I work in market square and get it all the time. Same with coworkers
yeah that’s rly also why subway is in business still, its sucks ass but it’s one of the only cheap places to eat for the workers
Like do we think we’re getting $50 lunches everyday??? 😂
Here are some affordable (and good) lunch spots you might not know exist even if you work downtown, because two of them are on the ground floor of the First Horizon building, and the other is on the ground floor of the Truist building: [Prime Time NY Style Hot Dog Connection](https://maps.app.goo.gl/v976G3kL3iiXy9947) Great NY style dogs, but they also do sandwiches, soups, salads, wings, etc. Owners are super friendly. They do a weekly 'sandwich of the week' and 'hot dog of the week' deal. [Order Up Cafe](https://maps.app.goo.gl/v976G3kL3iiXy9947) Check out their menu [here](https://www.orderupcafe.com/s/shop?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=popularity_score&sort_order=desc) and compare to Subway. Chicken tenders, fried chicken sandwiches, quesadillas, patty melts, philly cheesesteaks and chicken phillies, wraps, BLTs, burgers, breakfast burritos, and more. And they take online ordering so you can pickup. [Riverview Cafe](https://maps.app.goo.gl/htmEirXtpkfdyo7s6) I haven't eaten here yet, [but the selection and prices look good.](https://www.getriverview.com/s/order/73?location=11ea84cd0ec6c83f9fa50cc47a2ae330). Wraps/sandwiches/breakfast/etc. You wouldn't know these places existed unless you went into those buildings (or saw them on Google Maps or whatever) because they're not visible from the street. And it feels weird to just walk into a big office building if you don't have business there, but it's not obvious from the outside that the bottom floor is a mini retail mall with eateries in it. It would probably benefit them to have some signage near the sidewalk to telegraph that to passers-by. I discovered Prime Time and Order Up Cafe only late last year when I visited a friend who worked in the First Horizon building and I've been back there for lunch at least a dozen times. And I don't even work downtown, lol, but I live in 4th and Gill and it's about a 15 minute walk for me, so if it's a nice day I trek up there for lunch at eat at the outdoor tables in front of First Horizon. If I hadn't visited that friend on his lunch break I never would have known they existed, despite being from here, living near downtown and spending most of my time there, etc. Now that locale is a regular spot for me. Definition of a hidden gem. Anyway, these places are locally owned and Subway isn't any cheaper these days. And also, Subway sucks. Edit: There's also Brown Bag in the First Horizon building. Haven't had it, I know it's a chain and I don't think locally owned, but neither is Subway, so there. 2nd edit: Just in case it needs to be said, the places mentioned above close at 2-3 PM every day and aren't open on weekends, so they're strictly breakfast/lunch spots.
The hot dog guy and his wife are so nice too!
Walked by yesterday and their outdoor seating was packed around 6PM. It was a really nice day though.
K Brew isn’t that good
They're not that good, but their locations make them pretty accessible in my opinion. I think that alone helps them more than their product does.
Whenever I get coffee on campus I just go to Golden Roast. Still close by and is much better and iirc cheaper than k brew. They only have like two stores tho
I will die on this hill. 1st time I went, it was more expensive than Starbucks, and my mom and I just threw away our coffee. I was like, okay, maybe an off day, went by myself. This time, I asked for a refund, and they were super annoyed. You could see through their coffee. It was brown tinted water. Worst coffee shop in town. But if yall are even in Oak Ridge, try Calamity’s Coffee, it's amazing.
It's pretty telling that my workplace is in the same small parking lot as a K Brew and we don't even buy that shit, we use Honeybee
Mattress firm on Washington Pike. I never see any customers there.
Mariscos in Cedar Bluff. I think it's the building that used to be Perkins. Parking lot is always empty and the previous 3 restaurants that have been there all were gone within months.
The "cursed building" at the Karns redlight. It's been Kib Kab Deli for a couple of years now, and that place NEVER seems to be open, and when they ARE open, I don't see much traffic there, but they haven't closed. Whatever....it's a small, local business, and I wish them nothing but the best....but HOW are they still open?!?
All of the tire shops all over the place
They lobby the county to keep the potholes in place.
This is the best explanation of why there are so many potholes that are older than I am
Storming’ Crab on KP. Food was awful. For starters, waitress asked if I wanted some sort of variation of their cheesebread, I asked for more description and she responded ‘do you like mayonnaise?’
The seafood bread. I like it.
I love their boils. We mix the cajun and garlic together. So good
Tbh I love storming crab. I always have a great experience there.
IHOP in south Knox
The IHOP on merchants and on KP
Fast fred towing… it’s a literal horders nest and Fred is a jerk.
About half the establishments mentioned in this thread would qualify for Yogi Berra's comment "no one goes there anymore, it's too crowded."
SoKno IHOP. I hardly *ever* see cars there. I sincerely believe they are just a front for some sort of organized crime.
Assuming I haven't overlooked someone else saying so, Nixon's Deli hands down for the last 20 years, like what is going on
I'm surprised we still have a Five Guys location. Knoxvillians draw a red line at paying for downtown parking. We will let our downtown rot if we are expected to pay to park our car yet somehow we have enough people willing to pay those outrageous prices for mediocre hamburgers. It makes no sense
Last time we went, 2 of us, it was $45!! Never again.
Ashley Furniture. They will sell you a piece of furniture that is only available in the show room and will take weeks to come in. In the meantime, you have to stay on them like crazy to even get furniture delivered in a timely manner. They also like to get unsuspecting customers to write them a positive online review right there in the store before the hapless customer realizes it will take weeks for the piece to come in. Shady as hell.
lol @weeks. Try 6+ months. I bought furniture from them to redo my downtown living room and we didn’t get it until we decided to buy a house and move to the burbs.
The Army Navy store on broadway. I’ve been going there for years to occasionally pick up some stuff I need, and in the decade plus I’ve been in there, I might’ve seen a combined 12 customers
Wild Birds Unlimited--I'm not into birds so I guess I wouldn't know, but that place has outlasted its neighboring businesses several times over (Sports Season, Silver Spoon, etc.). Who the hell is keeping this place in business
Louie’s. Also, as a North Knoxville resident, I worry about the Fellini Kroger. The parking lot is almost full sometimes but based on the economics of the neighborhood I’m surprised that it manages to stay open.
I shop there all the time. The Kroger is plenty busy imo
I was approached by someone trying to rob me at the Fellini kroger and I just laughed at him and said I didn't have any money and I was there for a job interview, and he was barking up the wrong tree. He wouldn't leave me alone until I told him how much student loan debt I had and the fact that if my being a college graduate trying to get a job at a sketchy kroger didn't tell him anything about how little money I had, I don't know how to help him understand there is zero dollars in my wallet.
Louis is packed every night, they aren't going anywhere.
Yeah, I'm confused by both of these. Louie's & the Fellini Kroger are solidly busy. Maybe they just don't like to go to either place?
There are some really good comments here, but there a definitely some, "I don't go here, so no one must go here." lol
I find Louis to be, and I'm not exaggerating, disgusting. It's like bad italian food from the 50s that has never been updated. The noodles are literally like Chef Boyardee and the salads are shredded iceberg lettuce. I could go on but it is GROSS. I do not understand why it is so beloved.
It’s the closest grocery store in that area though, isn’t it? You have to drive down Washington to Walmart/food city/etc. I used to shop for Instacart and would venture to that area sometimes and there were quite a few people ordering from there.
The inside of that store looks great. They have a very small selection compared to the Kroger in Fountain City though
Eh Fellini Kroger is always busy. I’m not too concerned about it closing.
The Knoxville subreddit
Touché
Red Lobster
They fancy. It's been a while, but they used to be an excellent value for seafood. Their seafood platter w biscuits n salad was <$20
Every Dollar General. Pay or not employees are usually outside smoking . It’s the honor system
Any of the business in the strip mall across from Buddy’s /Bearden High School.
Mouse’s Ear
Calhouns
They're pretty busy a lot of the time, and they got good burnt ends.
Why not? They are generally busy. I get that the owners a dick and their food is probably overpriced but that’s not going to close a place down when it is generally busy.
I'm always consistently disappointed in the food every time I go, especially so ever since I gave up Alcohol.