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Happy Hollow has been a commercial center of Old North Knoxville for over 100 years. Often referred to as the "Holler," it is rich with history and its character and charm can be felt in the people and buildings. "Old-timers" still reflect on the good old days of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s when the Coster shops and Brookside Mill employed large numbers of workers living in the area. Back then, the Holler was full of life... groceries, barbers, drug stores, retailers, and yes, the bars and bootleggers who put the "happy" in the Holler. Electric street cars ferried people through the Holler on their way downtown. The area was a strong community, where everyone knew their neighbors. Rough times hit the Holler when the interstate system moved in. The interstate drew cars away from Central Street, and people started moving outward to the suburbs. As a result, the area declined in the 1970s. In recent years, the area is making a comeback. New businesses have arrived and the community is growing stronger. It's now a fun and interesting place where businesses like Tai Chi Studio and Toot's Little Honky Tonk bring diversity and variety unlike any other part of town. Neighbors walk to meet at the Time Warp Tea Room, grab a snack at the Freezo, or a sit-down dinner at Veg-O-Rama. You can get your car serviced, couch re-upholstered, or dry cleaning done. Below are some of the great businesses established in the Holler.
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Central Street in the 1920s, looking toward downtown from Scott Avenue. |