Long Gone Knoxville Establishments

Okay I just got to thinking recently about some of the classic restaurants, stores and dives we have had in K-town. Just on the Pike from West Town to Bearden there are a ton of lost classics. I'm going to keep adding to the list as I map out various locales from the memory (regardless if anybody reads this post are not :)) but by all means if any of these gems spark the noggan and make you think of some classics i have neglected PLEASE feel free to add!!

The first place that comes to mind just simply because I used to eat there so much with my old man is Taco Rancho on KP about a mile or so east of West Town. Man I loved that joint! The layout of the place was so unique (if memory serves me correct it was just like a big tee-pee sort of dining area with picnic-like benches outside) and the tacos, as I remember, were ten times better than the just arrived TBell. I do believe it was that vile Taco Bell in front of the former K-Mart building that put my beloved Rancho out of business! My memory is a bit hazy about when Taco Rancho officially ceased to be, but I'm thinking 1985 at the most. Oh how I long for the days of pulling into the drive-thru and getting a load of hard shells in their patented cardboard boxes. Delicious.

Moving on, right down the road from TR on the "cursed" Bearden Hill, there were two more Mexican joints that I ate at as a lad. (For the record I'm am not going to mention Darryl's as it is too well known..I'm hoping to get the ones that most people have forgotten about.) The first was Casagallardo (I'm sure that's spelled wrong) and the other, Fiesta Cantina, was right across the street. I remember the former having the more authentic south-of the-border decor and menu but I really liked, as a kid anyway, Fiesta better. The best thing about the place was the "serve-yourself" chips and salsa bar--I could never get enough. It was kind of a generic Mexican joint and I'm sure I wouldn't care much for the frijoles and enchiladas these days, but at the time it was a great place to go on weekends. Actually it was kind of a blessing in disguise when the Cantina closed its doors: we discovered El Charro across the way and how much better authentic Mexican was.

Now a bit further down the road was one of my all-time favorite pizza joints. Nestled right in a small lot either right before or after Homberg Drive was Pizza Inn. The BEST thin crust pizza I believe i have ever had. We would always go Sunday afternoon (Pop liked going betweenlunch and dinner to avoid the "church-goers") and the place would usually be pretty dead--it's like you could see the demise coming. But they had a sit-down Galaga (or was it Ms. Pac Man?) to pass the time until the pie was ready. Now the old man wasn't much of a pizza buff but he LOVED Pizza Inn. Sigh...it would be so nice to have a hot slice right now.

Okay enough about food already. Long before we had the Super Wal Mart on Walker Springs there was an arcade, a 24-hour arcade, right around the spot where the Pilot/McDonald's is today. I remember it as a seedy joint of sorts (kind of how Brunswick used to be) that had below par video games and pre-teens smoking Winstons outside. It didn't last long but I always thought the idea of a 24-hour arcade was the coolest concept ever. Not that I would ever ride my huffy up there at 2 a.m. and play P.O.W. or Double Dragon, but it's the thought that counts.

For the finale in tonight's entry I have chosen a venue that if anyone out there remebers will surely bring back some memories. Around the corner of Cedar Bluff and Middlebrook way back when we had Mountaineer Golf--a miniature golf course in the oddest of locations (I mean this was something we usually only got to do in Sevier County or on vacation). My friends and I used to love spending our summer evenings playing the two courses till the place shut off the lights. We weren't naive however, for even at the ripe old age of 10, or 11 maybe, we knew it wouldn't last. Sure the place was packed for a while but we knew the charm would wear off (I mean without tourists what do you expect? The locals to play one of two courses over and over?). I can't recall how long MG made a go of it, but it seems like those cheap pencils and score cards didn't make it but one season.

That's a wrap for tonight. I promise there will be more and hopefully someone reading this may remember some of their own West Knox hang-outs and share them. Later.