East Knoxville rumor thread (Memphis, Oak Ridge: house, neighborhood, buy)

[bfskinnerpunk]

It would be cool to have a thread that includes news and tidbits about areas of Knoxville. I've lived in Tn for a year, and bought a house in Holston Hills. It's fun to learn about the area.

So in the past week I've learned of a couple things... they aren't exactly secrets.

1. We're finally getting a modern Circuit City!... the new one is going up next to our new Target. They say it will be done in November.

2. The developers of the famed Turkey Creek shopping area are developing another version of it to the East of us. The land is bought and it's pretty much a done deal. It will be at and around the intersection of the Tennessee Smokes minor league baseball stadium where there is already a BassPro Shop.
I think this is a very interesting plan. I believe it is going to be called Pebble Creek.
a. Their is a ton of untapped traffic through that area because, I think, many pass by there on their way to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Knoxville.
b. If they build it up as spiffy as they claim, it will attract people who like the Farragut/West side, but don't want to pay the prices. This will stimulate further development. (I haven't decided, but I am thinking that this side could use some quality development) People who live, say, between Holston Hills and this new shopping area would enjoy far less traffic than Farragut and have access to the trendy shopping.
I'm hoping for a big book store so I have a place to go while my other half shops.

Hopefully, that's news to those who care for this kind of stuff!

[amyevansmom]

Please tell me you aren't pulling my leg about the shopping center by the smokies stadium! Where did you hear this???

AND....do you know......Will there be a Target??? It would make my life oh-so-complete! It is the only thing missing for me here in Sevierville. (ok, well a JoAnn,etc, too!)

[jabogitlu]

Yeah, I've seen a lot of heavy construction right on the Pigeon/Gatlin exit at the Stadium, is that what you're talking about? Also I noticed that they've widened the interstate to five lanes in the area to help with some traffic flow. It condenses pretty quickly back into 3 but it'll help, sometimes the Sevierville merge traffic is awful!

[tntornadox]

Dumplin Creek is a real reality, it is, as has been mentioned in planning as we speak. And yes, I have a relative who is a manager for Target who tells me there will be a Target in the development (Probably a Super Target), as well as 3 new stores in the plans for the Knoxville area.

This would bring Target's store count in the Metro Area to 8 stores, including 2 Supercenters.

-- Knoxville Center Mall is suffering. Tenants on the move.

Old Navy will be moving out to join the Target center soon, as well. Leaving the Sears side of the mall in a very disturbing decline. No takers for that space, as of yet. The new Old Navy should be open in the next few months.

Despite all the growth in the area, as well as all the new residents, mall occupancy has continued to fall from a high of 96% in 2000, to 84% this year, so far. Hard to figure this one out, isn't it?

-- Sears scouts for property.

And, as strange as this sounds, Sears, Roebuck has been scouting for property along Rutledge Pike to build a new, prototype store called: "Sears Grand" that would efectively replace their current store in Knoxville Center.

Sears Grand stores carry the full line of Sears' regular merchandise, plus new departments unheard from them: Grocery, Books, Health & Beauty Aids, Pharmacy, Full Electronics department, and Garden Center. These stores range from 170,000-210,000 square feet in size, on a single floor. Another departure are the 15 checkout lanes found in the front of the store.

Sears' new stores are supposed to make them more relevant to modern consumers, who are shopping less and less at the mall, and more and more at Sears' discount rivals, such as Target.

-- Best Buy?

Rumor has it that Best Buy may make its East Knoxville debut when Circuit City moves out of Knoxville Center Mall. A new store would be constructed where CCity is currently.

That is all I have for now!

[john t]

Knoxville Center Mall or "East Town" has been falling behind for quite awhile. I don't see them recruiting anything to draw the crowds back. After Sears picked up the failed pieces of K Mart, it's restructuring may prove to be real competition for Target and Walmart. Has anyone heard the song "East Town Mall" by Todd Steed and the Suns of Phere? A great song about Knoxville and the mall.

[hiknapster]

Well, this weekend, both malls were booming. Trust me on this.

I have not heard the song, john t. Where can I find it?

[JMT]

Originally Posted by john t

Knoxville Center Mall or "East Town" has been falling behind for quite awhile. I don't see them recruiting anything to draw the crowds back. After Sears picked up the failed pieces of K Mart, it's restructuring may prove to be real competition for Target and Walmart. Has anyone heard the song "East Town Mall" by Todd Steed and the Suns of Phere? A great song about Knoxville and the mall.

I'd like to hear that song by Todd Steed, too. He and I worked together on a project at U.T. a long time ago. He's incredibly bright and FUNNY. I'm sorry I lost track of him.

The problems with East Town (I still can't refer to it as Knoxville Center) aren't any different from most malls in the country. I lost my enthusiasm for enclosed malls a long time ago, and a lot of Americans have, too. It's just such an enormous hassle to go to the mall: parking is rarely convenient, they're overrun with unruly teenagers, and the stores aren't that unique anymore. I'd just as soon go to Target and get it over with.

Ideally, however, I'd MUCH rather patronize local, mom-and-pop stores in a friendly, walkable neighborhood. It's like malls have completely turned their backs on the communities they serve; they're gigantic, faceless, ugly behemoths that don't even have windows to the outside world.

The Mall of Memphis was finally torn down, and the Oak Ridge Mall is soon to be torn down (well, most of it). I would not shed any tears to see East Town disappear completely.

[gemkeeper]

You can download or preview "East Town Mall" by Todd Steed on ITunes.com.

I, for one, do like indoor malls. They feel like one stop shop for me. But, nothing can be Target for efficiency and availability. Everything and anything. Easy shopping.

[tntornadox]

Depending on what leadership comes to it in the future, Sears will either die or thrive... Sears Grand is their future, for sure. Check out this link to see what a Grand store looks like, then you tell me what you all think.

Check out NASFM - National Association of Store Fixture Manufacturers and scroll down and view the Sears Grand images.

In other news, I think Knoxville Center will come to thrive once again, it has alot of activity around it, so I don't see why it wouldn't...

[amyevansmom]

I am so freakin' excited about the Target Superstore!! You do not even understand!!! Dumplin' Creek is the project at 66 right? Where Bass Pro is? HOLY CRAP! I cannot even believe it! No more 40 min drives to get to Target for me!!!