You may have wondered if anyone would stop in at the Knoxville Visitor Center on the busy corner of Gay Street and Summit Hill Avenue, but wonder no more! Saturday, April 7 was packed with visitors — and it wasn’t even a weekday when music lovers fill the seats for the WDVX Blue Plate Special — live performances Monday through Saturday at noon!
The Coop Cafe, featuring Ms. Cock-a-Doodle’s chicken salad, greets you at the door with hot-pressed paninis, salads, and side items like black-eyed pea salad and tortellini salad with mustard dill chips!
Coop's Cafe featuring Ms. Cock-a-Doodle's Chicken Salad
Turn left to see Knoxville-branded products (mugs, candles, jellies) and locally made crafts. My very own go-everywhere suitcase will now sport an Enjoy Knoxville tag ’cause that’s exactly what I’m doing!
Just what a traveler needs: a Knoxville luggage tag!
Mugs from Knoxville Tourist Center
We ran into Tonie Hoss Hoffman who currently lives in upper New York, but returned to her Knoxville roots this weekend after 60 years, looking for her childhood residence on Natchez Avenue. The home is no longer in existence, but Tonie took time to tell Bert about her parents and show him the pictures she had stashed away for a trip down memory lane this weekend.
Tonie Hoff Huffman shows Bert pictures of her home on Natchez Avenue.
Since no one was playing at the time we were there, we took a closer look at the plates in the staging area where performers play live (Blue Plate Special – noon to 1:00 weekdays) on WDVX at 89.9 FM, and I promised I’d find time to enjoy the old-time music before going back home. (Just in case you can’t make it downtown, you can still listen to the live broadcast online or check out the Blue Plate Special Photo Archive!)
On Air: WDVX 89.9 FM
On Air: April 7, 2012
Talking to Annie White, the Assistant Manager of Visitor Services, I had a new appreciation for the Visitor Center, the Blue Plate Special, and the “good word” she hopes to spread about Knoxville events and locales that even Knoxvillians don’t know about.
Knoxville enthusiast, Annie White, Asst. Mgr. of Visitor Services
If you’re downtown, the Knoxville Visitor Center should be one of your first stops — or your last, if you want to take someone a little taste of Knoxville!
Knoxville Visitor Center hours:
Mon. – Fri.: 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sat.: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sun.: Noon to 4 p.m.