Knoxville’s past comes with its fair share of negative publicity. In 1945, author John Gunther referred to Knoxville as “America’s ugliest city” in his travelogue “Inside USA.”
“Its main street is called Gay Street,” he said. “This seemed to me to be a misnomer. … It is one of the least orderly cities in the South.”
Years later, in 1980, the Wall Street Journal criticized the location of the 1982 World’s Fair by calling Knoxville “a scruffy little city”
Over the years, some Knoxvillians embraced the moniker as a cultural selling point, no longer an insult but a mindset rooted in local creativity and proving doubters wrong with a hands-on approach.
“The Scruffy Stuff” podcast by Knox News recently discussed whether the nickname still holds true, as Gay Street and Market Square have been revitalized with a much more clean look thanks to an influx of redevelopments and cocktail bars.
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“Scruffy” refers to a state of untidiness in its dictionary definition, but this is no longer true in Knoxville – at least in most places.
But whether you prefer the term “scruffy” or not, businesses are still capitalizing on the descriptor. Here are five nightlife destinations still embracing the scruff.
The Urban Bar & Corner Cafe
If you’re looking for a fun, offbeat place to spend an evening enjoying cheap drinks, cheap food and competitive pool games with friends, the Old City’s Urban Bar & Corner Cafe is your go-to place.
The floors are carpeted; the walls are covered in brick; and the tables are similar to the ones at pizza joints I hung out in during my college years. The walls are decorated with artwork from artists who are nearly unidentifiable, and neon beer signs emit a glow throughout the room. But all of it makes sense somehow; it’s what makes it urban, like a typical bar from any mid-2000s TV show or movie.
I will be the first to admit, the Urban Bar is not so different from many other bars in Knoxville. The space is dim and spacious; there are over 20 beers on tap; and the food (while not deserving of a Michelin star) really hits the spot after a few rounds of drinks. But there is just something about it.
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Maybe it’s the melting pot of locals who continue to come from all corners of the city week after week, despite fresher bar concepts popping up in the area in recent years. Or maybe it’s the atmosphere, as Urban Bar is one of the few remaining bars with a jukebox and indoor smoking in downtown.
To put it simply, it’s the general scruffiness that lends itself to good vibes with friends – especially those friends who insist on pairing a mixed drink with a cigarette.
But the outside is really what I enjoy. The patio is a quieter place to escape, with beautiful trees covered in Christmas lights. It’s simple, yet practical, and a great place for people watching, too.
The Pilot Light
Just across from Urban Bar in the Old City is The Pilot Light, a hole-in-the-wall venue barely noticeable amongst the hustle and bustle of nightlife lovers walking in packs to party at the nearby clubs. It wasn’t incredibly popular among my college friends when I was in school; people my age preferred to spend the night at Hanna’s or Wagon Wheel. But for me, there was nothing like perching at the bar, sipping a PBR that could only be purchased with cash while blaring guitars rattled the space and guests laughed at raunchy jokes from stand-up comedians.
The small, intimate venue resembles a friend’s shabby basement, with dim lighting, red walls, show posters and knick-knacks scattered throughout. According to Knox News, the Pilot Light served a community of musicians who created Knoxville’s more “outside of the box” sounds.
Before the pandemic, this idea rang true several nights a week, especially when the venue acted as a showcase for experimental artists during Big Ears. At The Pilot Light, there’s always something different.
Since the pandemic began, the future of The Pilot Light remains uncertain, as the windowless, intimate space makes it difficult for nightlife lovers to socially distance themselves. While I am unsure of when we will be able to return to the space, I highly suggest checking it when the time comes. According to its website, “with the promise of spring, and science, we hope to reopen soon.”
Y-Not Tavern
When you drive past Y-Not Tavern in Happy Holler, you may not think much of it. If you blink, you might even miss it. Located on Anderson Avenue, Y-Not Tavern is a small and gritty local pub that serves up simple beer and good times. The best way to describe the bar: It’s a bar … unapologetically, and nothing more.
Brick walls, a checkerboard floor, pool tables and dart boards make Y-Not a uniquely social space. Originally known as Toot’s Little Honky Tonk, Y-Not Tavern continues to embrace the spirit of a friendly, neighborhood dive.
While Gay Street recently added a karaoke bar to the nightlife mix, Y-Not is the true place to sing on Saturday nights. Grab a cheap beer in one hand and a microphone in the other, and let go of your shy side. We’re not all singers, but everyone can sing. Even if it’s not on key, I doubt anyone will care to notice.
Preservation Pub
Owned by Scott and Bernadette West, leaders of Knoxville’s “Keep Knoxville Scruffy movement,” Preservation Pub stands as a testament to Knoxville’s scruffy past and forward-thinking future.
Located in Market Square, the three-story dive bar welcomes guests with a mysterious, yet eccentric, facade, as the sounds of electric guitars and conversation flow into the square nearly every night of the week. The exterior of the bar easily sparks curiosity from passersby, with windows coated in concert posters, ribbons, string lights and a sign above a metal frame reminding guests they are in good company.
The bar, which locals will remind you is referred to as “Pres,” is a place for the scruffy and spiffy to gather. Stepping into the bar is like being transported into the mind of Scott West and Salvador Dali, with the first acting as a mind-bending fusion of historical quotes, back-alley shindigs and music-themed art installations. You’ll find hippies dancing, hipsters performing, old-timers smoking, college kids kissing and co-workers sipping in a cozy wooden booth.
What are they dancing to? Often a jam band is selected to perform, although to-be-famous acts like Cage the Elephant and Chris Stapleton rocked out on the tiny stage before they hit the big time. On special occasions, you might even find Scott taking the stage with his bass guitar.
As you move upstairs through clouds of cigarette smoke to the second floor speakeasy, you may find it hard to imagine why it’s even labeled as speakeasy at all. While some late evenings make way for a relaxing space to drink, the second floor becomes the space for thumping music and tequila shots when the sun goes down.
And on the rooftop, friends and coworkers stand beneath the Magic Beer tree on the Moonshine Roof Garden Bar. The rooftop is eclectic, with kitschy plastic flamingos, glass mosaics and plenty of beautiful greenery.
Corner Lounge
Opened in 1937 as the Dutch Grill, the Corner Lounge has a long and storied history in Knoxville. The lounge became famous for making an appearance in Cormac McCarthy’s classic novel “Suttree” and was the place where Con Hunley began his career decades ago.
After a hiatus, the neighborhood bar was resurrected in summer 2018 by friends Steve Brandon and John Harbison. Today, the small sea-green bar on Central Street is rooted in nostalgia.
Unlike fancier bar concepts in downtown Knoxville, the Corner Lounge is a simple space for good drinks and conversation. It’s about as close to a “Cheers” bar as any drinking establishment can get. There’s nothing extravagant on display, as the owners see the lounge as a tribute to the original space. And that is clear as soon as you walk through the front door.
The lounge features a performance stage, bar and art that used to hang on the walls during its heyday. As you walk to the bar, you’ll see several black-and-white photographs of the city of Knoxville. Within the first few minutes of being there, you may already feel at home as the bartenders make it a point to engage in conversation, an art that unfortunately can be hard to come by these days.
Much like Urban Bar, you’ll find a melting pot of people drinking inside, from a newer generation embracing the Corner Lounge as a new bar to older folks who enjoyed the original space embracing its comeback.
Honorable Mentions
- Suttree’s High Gravity Tavern
- Back Door Tavern
- Marie’s Olde Town Tavern
- Scruffy City Hall
- Union Jack’s English Pub
- Fort Sanders Yacht Club
- The Half Barrel
