Best of Knoxville 2012: Goods & Services

Best New Business

Boyd's Jig & Reel

Boyd’s Jig & Reel
When Manhattan’s suddenly vacated its longtime Old City corner location, it created some worry over the district’s livelihood, which has seen its ups and downs over the decades. But husband-and-wife team Randy and Jenny Boyd came to the rescue with a stellar new venue inspired by their visit to the Taybank Pub in Dunkeld, Scotland. With its kilt-wearing servers, traditional music, and Scottish pub fare (get a stovie!), Boyd’s Jig & Reel is another one-of-a-kind attraction for the Old City and downtown. (C.T.)
Runners Up: Crush, Marble City Brewing Company, The Well

Bliss

Best Gift Shop

Best Clothing Boutique

Bliss
A trip to the mall is a lesson in depressing, mundane conformity. It’s hard to stand out in the crowd in this town, but Bliss makes it possible to bring the funk. Their selection of ultra-cute dresses, skirts, shirts, and jeans share little in common but a sense of stylish whimsy, surely a reflection of owners Lisa and Scott unique vision. Add to that an array of the best accessories in town (headbands, bags, scarfs, and to-die-for jewelry), and you can put together an ensemble that would turn heads anywhere. Look like a million bucks, in other words, for much, much less. (H.D.)
Best Gift Shop Runners Up: Earth To Old City, Green Earth Emporium, The Southern Market
Best Clothing Boutique Runners Up: Altar’d State, Crush, Planet Xchange

Best Antiques Store

Nostalgia
Runners Up: Bearden Antique Mall, Chintzy Rose, Dutch Valley Antiques

Best Jewelry Store

Markman’s Diamonds and Fine Jewelry
Runners Up: Bliss, Fizz, Lamon Jewelers

Best Bookstore

McKay Used Books, CDs, Movies & More
See Also: Best Store in Best of the Best.
Runners Up: Cedar Springs Christian Books, Central Street Books, Union Ave. Books

Best CD/Record Store

Disc Exchange
Runners Up: Lost & Found Records, McKay Used Books & CDs, Raven Records & Rarities

Best Hair Salon

Salon Visage
Runners Up: Belleza Salon and Spa, Chop Shop Hair Studio, Lox Salon

Best Nail Salon

Belleza
Runners Up: Chop Shop Hair Studio, The Nail Bar, Spa Visage

Best Foreign Foods Grocery

Sunrise Supermarket
Runners Up: Holy Land Market & Deli, International Delicacies, Oriental Super Mart

Best Green Business

Best Health Food Shop/Grocery

Three Rivers Market

Three Rivers Market
They have a huge advantage this year. The stalwart food co-op, after gracefully thriving for 30 years in a cramped old house on Broadway, last year moved into their modern new facility on Central, it offers a café and a nice view of Happy Holler. It’s the hippest supermarket in East Tennessee, with local and organic produce, meats, spices, cereals, cheeses, coffee, beer, vitamins and health supplements, unusual fruit drinks, and lots and lots of other odds and ends you’ve never even heard of. And the only one we know of with a DIY bike-repair shop. A warning: Shopping at Three Rivers will always take at least twice as long as you expect it to, because you keep running into so many interesting people to talk to. Memberships are available (you’ll probably save some money in the long run) but not required. (J.N.)
Best Green Business Runners Up: Bearden Beer Market, Market Square Farmers’ Market, Tomato Head
Best Health Food Shop/Grocery Runners Up: Aisle 9, Eddie’s Health Shoppe, Just Ripe

Best Caterer

Holly’s Eventful Dining
Runners Up: Big Fatty’s, Buddy’s BBQ, Calhoun’s Banquets & Copper Cellar Catering

Best Outdoor Sports Store

River Sports Outfitters
River Sports isn’t just a retail outlet, though it does have just about anything you need for hiking, climbing, paddling, or any combination of the three. (Or just getting through everyday life—a waterproof/breathable jacket works just as well on a bike commute as it does in the backcountry, that $200 bombproof alpine pack fits groceries and library books just as well as it does an ice-ax and crampons, and walking to the bar is kind of a hike, isn’t it?) More than all that, though, River Sports is set up to get you off your butt and out the door. The company’s website offers a catalog of introductory essays and guides and a regular schedule of classes, and the store rents bikes, tents, backpacks, and boats. Special events like movie screenings and lectures take place throughout the year. The store even has its own climbing wall. And this fall, River Sports will open an outdoor-sports boutique at Volunteer Landing as part of the city of Knoxville’s Outdoor Knoxville initiative. (M.E.)
Runners Up: Earth Traverse Outfitters, Little River Trading Co., Uncle Lem’s

Pluto Sports

Best Skate/Snowboard Shop

Pluto Sports
Runners Up: Alpine Ski Center, The Board Room

Best Adult Store

Adult Superstore
Runners Up: Cupid’s Outlet, Intimate Treasures, Romantic Escapades

Best Furniture

Bliss Home
Beautiful contemporary/traditional furniture. Hand-made and one-of-a-kind home decorations. Spectacular array of rugs, throws, and pillows. Local art. Supportive, helpful staff. Wonderful owners with excellent taste. There’s not much more to say about this perennial winner—a store that would be a “Best of” any town . They’ve got it going on, and we all know it. (H.D.)
Runners Up: Knoxville Wholesale Furniture, Nouveau Classics, O.P. Jenkins Furniture & Design

Best Thrift/Consignment Store

Goodwill Industries—Knoxville, Inc.
Runners Up: KARM Thrift Stores, Planet Xchange, Repeat Boutique

Best Convenience Store

Weigel’s
The local chain was once best known as a drive-through milk store—it started out in 1931 as a small dairy. They do still carry milk, but a lot more besides. They’re the only known local purveyors of Monkey Ice, for example. (J.N.)
Runners Up: Aisle 9, The Market, Pilot

Best Dry Cleaner

Prestige Cleaners
Runners Up: Crown Cleaners, Farragut Cleaners, US Cleaners

Best Eyewear Shop

Luttrell’s Eyewear
Luttrell’s is Bearden’s one-stop shop for frames, lenses, and prescriptions, plus sunglasses and accessories. Their motto is “Where service meets fashion.” (J.N.)
Runners Up: Andes Optical, Clancy Optical, Spex

Best Bank/Credit Union

ORNL Federal Credit Union
Runners Up: First Tennessee, Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union, Suntrust

Best Tattoo Studio

Saint Tattoo
Saint Tattoo is our perennial winner in the art of inked flesh, but this year marks an additional honor: The work of in-house artist Coopr is featured in the new book, Classic Flash 2 by Jeromey “Tilt” McCulloch, a collection of classic flash art from around the country. (C.T.)
Runners Up: Born This Way Body Arts, Synergy Tattoo, True Blue Electric Tattoo

Best Tanning Salon

Sun Tan City
Runners Up: Beach Bums, Fusion Tanning Studios, New Release Video & Tan

Best Auto Service

Fisher Tire
Runners Up: Harper Auto Square, MF Automotive, R.T. Clapp

Best Bike Shop

Greenlee’s Bicycle Shop
Runners Up: The Bike Zoo, Cedar Bluff Cycles, Tennessee Valley Bikes

Best Pet Supply Store

Agri Feed Pet Supply
Runners Up: Natural Pet Supply, Pet Supplies Plus, River Dog Bakery

Best Place to Board Your Pets

PetSafe Village
Runners Up: All Kreatures Pet Care, Butler Animal Clinic, Dream Katcher Lodge

Best In-Store Pet

Napoleon, Nostalgia
Runners Up: Bim (Downtown Wine + Spirits), Butch (The Boardroom), Max (Bearden Beer Market)

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