KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — If it feels like there are more restaurants, stores, and bars coming to Knoxville — it's because there are. More than 15 new businesses have opened in the area just over the summer.
"Business is really good, there is an influx of visitation. You mix that with the locals who also are getting out to shop and eat in our restaurants, tied in with the visitors staying in our hotels. Everyone is just doing really well right now," said Kim Bumpas, the president of Visit Knoxville.
Visit Knoxville says that one of the reasons why businesses in the city are seeing success is because tourism is at an all-time high.
"2022's calendar year was the best we've ever had for tourism and 2023 is beating that," said Bumpas.
STIR Knoxville, a restaurant offering oysters and cocktails in the Old City, is the newest addition. The restaurant is opening its doors on Monday. They say development downtown is also impacting business owners' decisions to open.
"Right below the Stockyard Lofts, the new baseball stadium opening up across the street. It's going to be a big generator for us and we are hoping to catch some of that momentum. And with Knoxville being a college town and has all of the sports culture, we hope to bring something unique to the area," said Andrew Houts, the bar manager at STIR.
Larger companies are also growing in Knoxville. Among them is Axle Logistics, a trucking company, which has been expanding north of downtown since opening a new headquarters on N. Central Street a couple of years ago.