'Several' Downtown Restaurants in Knoxville Forced to Close
The rising costs associated with operating a restaurant have become too much for many business owners around the country to bear, and multiple establishments are set to close their doors this summer in one major college town.
Business can be especially hard when restaurants don't see the influx of customers throughout the entire year, and the loss in business has proven to be too much for a number of eateries in Knoxville, Tennessee.
South Press, a coffee shop that served as a welcoming space for many LGBTQ members of the local community, announced that it would be closing in late June.
Frothy Monkey, another coffee shop with multiple stores around Tennessee, closed its location on Gay Street last month.
Barbecue restaurant Sweet P's Downtown Dive is also set to close in a few weeks, and its owner says competition in the area is the reason.
'Today, there are many more places to eat in downtown Knoxville than there were when we opened a decade ago,' owner Chris Ford told NBC 10 News.
Michele Hummel, executive director of the Downtown Knoxville Alliance, says that the number of restaurants closing is not typical.
"About 5 years ago or so, I know we saw a pop of closures," Hummel said, likely pointing to restaurants forced to end business due to the pandemic.
"Typically, we'll just have one or two here and there. It's something you don't like to see."
Another restaurant owner, Zach Land, cited the rising costs of ingredients as a major factor for the rise in closures.
"A case of eggs was $20 six months ago. Now they're $70,' Land said. He owns the Asian restaurant Landing House in South Knoxville, which recently closed after eight years.
'Chicken and beef and everything, it's all gone up. The margins on restaurants are so slim to begin with, and they get slimmer every time something goes up.'
The list of restaurants in Knoxville that are either set to close or have already done so includes coffee shop Golden Roast and tapas restaurant Babalu.
Despite the closures, some owners are reflecting positively on the memories they have of the communities they served in Knoxville.
"I am so proud of the lives we've changed for the better. It has truly been a gift to be able to hold the space for you," said South Press owner Joslynn Fish.
"We have the next 29 days to make memories together, make art, laugh, and strengthen the ties that bind. I love you all so, so, so much."
'Several' Downtown Restaurants in Knoxville Forced to Close first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 3, 2025
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