North Knox

Our home in Historic North Knox

K Brew's original neighborhood, Historic North Knox (or Old North Knoxville), is a beautiful, growing district of Knoxville that has been slowly and carefully restored over the past 20 years. Here you'll find wonderful Craftsman and Victorian homes with pristine gardens and yards - go for a slow drive down Eleanor, East Oklahoma, or West Glenwood for some of the best home viewing! The people here are eclectic; some have been in Knoxville for all of their lives, while others are recent transplants to town. You'll see cyclists, joggers, and many folks walking their dogs. Another one of our favorite parts of the area is the trees; you will find some of the oldest trees in the city in this neighborhood.

Our story in Historic North Knoxville began in 2013, when we opened our first coffee shop on the corner of Broadway and Glenwood. It was a small, brick building (450 sq. ft. to be exact!) with 10 seats, and it felt like home. In 2015, we were visited by Chef Alton Brown, and he named our coffee shop one of the best in the country. In 2016, we moved right up the street, to the corner of Wells and Broadway. This time, we had 1,800 sq. ft., a former Texaco station opened in the early 1900's. At this store, we introduced our famous hammock room - a covered patio space with 10 hammock seats and green turf underneath. We added some hanging lights to give the ceiling a feeling of a starry sky - it was unlike anything seen in the city, and it was an instant hit. Now open for several years, our coffee shop in Historic North Knox continues to be a staple of the area, receiving annual awards, and proudly contributing as a local hub to the community.

Originally developed as part of the town of North Knoxville, the old neighborhood began to grow with the use of the street car in Knoxville, which made life in the suburbs feasible. That invention, combined with the rapidly increasing population after the Civil War, meant a vibrant and growing area. Knoxville eventually annexed North Knoxville in 1897, and many of the signs of the old ways of life can be seen in this neighborhood, including a few carriage houses originally used for a resident's horse and buggy. Some of the area's most sought-after sites are Barber homes, or homes designed by the architect George Barber and his son in the late 1800's and early 1900's. These homes comprise some of the finest examples of Craftsman, Bungalow and Victorian homes in the South.

Historic North Knox is known for its wide selection of local breweries, good eateries, walkable sidewalks, and beautiful parks. After grabbing coffee at K Brew, we recommend taking a drive up to Sharps Ridge for one of the best views of the Smoky Mountains and downtown Knoxville. Once it's evening, enjoy a beer at Crafty Bastard, and pizza at Pizzeria Nora. If you're packing a lunch for a trip to the mountains, we recommend Three Rivers Co-op for a great assortment of regional and organic food. The neighborhood even has its own independent movie theatre, Central Cinema, playing an eclectic mix of old and indie films. Did you love your visit to our North Knox store? Consider leaving us a five-star Google or Facebook review - it really helps K Brew thrive!