(WBIR-Sevier County) Dollywood, Pigeon Forge and the Great Smoky Mountains might be your first thought when you plan a trip to Sevier County.
But what about the city of Sevierville? One organization is taking steps so that you'll give the town a second glance.
Kickstarting the revival is the Sevierville Commons Association, a non-profit group made up of volunteers.
Their biggest accomplishment yet came this week, when the city earned a Tennessee Main Street Certification.
A title that could bring grant money that would help spruce up the streets and make them more inviting.
"I expect to see residential apartments, lofts going into some of our unused upstairs spaces. I expect to see more places to eat and dine downtown," said Sevierville Commons Association President Alex Johnson.
The town boasts a more than 120-year old historic courthouse and a statue dedicated to hometown sweetheart, Dolly Parton.
However, the beauty is often lost in the empty buildings that line the street.
"When I told some of my friends we had decided to go downtown, they grinned and said that's awesome, but are you sure?" said Jennifer Dyer.
Dyer was one of the first business owners to bravely make her mark. Courthouse Donuts opened this past January in the heart of downtown.
"The area just grew on us, and we fell in love with downtown and knew that's where we needed to be," said Dyer.
In just the past few months she's witnessed the growth of her own store, but says there is a need for others to join her. Customers who visit the doughnut shop often ask where they should stop next.
"They do seek out the mom and pop shops and I think that the downtown area in Sevierville is ideal for that," said Dyer.
While the group hopes Sevierville can become a tourists destination, most importantly they want it to become a gathering place for the community.
"We just want to give them another place to come enjoy and its an authentic downtown, with a lot of history, lot of beautiful architecture," said Johnson. "They unfortunately don't realize it's there so we are just trying to open their eyes to it."
A recent change to business liquor laws could also pave the way for breweries to come to downtown Sevierville as well.
