New business moves into historic Gay Street building – WVLT

August 30, 2022 News Editor

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Looking around Gay Street, you can spot new signs and ones from decades ago. New businesses are finding value in old buildings near Gay Street, Jack Neely with the Knoxville History Project said.

“After the Civil War, it established itself as a commercial center, not just for people who lived in Knoxville, but in our region. In the days before Walmart, people would travel as far away as Kentucky and North Carolina. They would get a hotel room for several days and shop at different stores,” said Neely.

He remembers visiting the Kress building as a kid. The Kress building was the home of a department store and was built in 1925. For decades, the department store was a staple on Gay Street.

“Gay Street was always the place to do the shopping for Knoxville and was impressive for that reason. They were stores to get all stuff you might need in your house and your kitchen, I think iI went into Kress’ once and twice as a kid. The Kress building was one of the first chain stores in Knoxville. Kress was distinguished for its architecture, and they made them all look special for an interesting facade,” said Neely.

The Frothy Monkey, a cafe, coffee shop, and bakery, moved into the Kress building. The architecture and the feel still look similar to the original. When visiting the new restaurant, Neely said you can imagine the thousands of people that visited the department store for decades.