Rockford manufacturer becomes ESOP company after 36 years of family leadership
Nisus Corporation, the Rockford-based manufacturer of pest control and wood preservation products, completed its transition to a 100% employee-owned company April 30. The move, structured as an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, transferred ownership of the company from founders Bud and Pat Dietrich — who built Nisus from the ground up starting in 1990 — to […]
Historic Clover Hill Mill for Sale
Constructed in 1921. Entered into the U.S. Department of the Interior National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Still standing with original equipment. Near junction of Hwy. 411 and Tail of the Dragon. Before mechanized agriculture and modern supply chains, local grist mills were essential infrastructure. Farmers had no practical way to process their grain […]
Local Farms Aren’t Cheaper than Kroger — but the Gap is Shrinking
On May 7, Kroger on Foothills Plaza Drive charged anywhere from $7 to $12 per pound for ground beef — averaging $9.50 per pound. Jessica Waters at local farm C&C Beef charges $9 if you pay cash. And she can probably show you a picture of the cow. Rising grocery prices have not necessarily made […]
Women’s Pro Golf Tournament Coming to Green Meadows in August
Tour Vision Promotions and Green Meadow Country Club will host the Smoky Mountain Championship presented by Food City women’s golf tournament in Alcoa, Aug. 3-8. The Epson Tour is the official qualifying tour of the LPGA Tour, the world’s leading competitive destination for female professional golfers. Assistant Tournament Director Stan Norris said the tournament will […]
Maryville Martial Arts Studio Building Sold, Owner Vows No Interruption
Championship Martial Arts owner David Church said the business will remain open without interruption as staff look for their next home. The property, located at 1906 W. Broadway Ave., Maryville, was sold to Knoxville-based Tailwater Properties on March 26. Tailwater, which offers development, brokerage and real estate investment, has listed the building for lease. In […]
Leadership Blount Class of 2026 Graduates Celebrate Year-long Program Completion
Thirty-eight Blount County professionals completed Leadership Blount’s flagship program last week, capping a year of immersive community education and hands-on service projects that touched everything from suicide prevention to caregiver support to child advocacy. Founded in 1990 as a partnership between the Blount County Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Blount County, Leadership […]
Townsend Riverwalk Gearing Up for Next Development Phase
The Townsend Riverwalk and Arboretum is preparing for a new phase of development, offering an asset that could draw more visitors and families to the area. Organizers said the volunteer project is shifting from reclamation to broader community programming. They have plans for a nature learning center, outdoor library and expanded educational opportunities. “We want […]
Sandwich Shop, Bakery Bring Homemade Flavor to Foothills Mall
A Nashville-trained home cook with Sicilian roots has opened a scratch-made sandwich and artisan fudge shop to Foothills Mall. Tasha Florin and her husband Matthew opened Sandwiches and Stuff earlier this year, expanding what began as Fudge and Stuff Bakery, a vendor-event side business the couple operated at locations including the 407 Flea Market. When […]
Prisma Health Wins Rezoning for Outpatient Complex Near Royal Oaks Subdivision Homes
The Maryville City Council approved a rezoning request May 5 by Prisma Health — the corporate owner of Blount Memorial Hospital — that would allow the company to build an outpatient facility on Golf View Drive. The land affected, totaling about 16 acres, sits alongside the Royal Oaks subdivision in Maryville. If completed, the facility […]
Faith, Community Drive Greenback Coffee Shop’s Long-awaited Opening in June
After nearly five years of renovation, setbacks and unwavering faith, a Greenback man is preparing to open the Old Bank Brewhouse and Social — a coffee shop, candy store, community classroom and gathering space he describes less as a business than a ministry. Owner Jason Mingee, 52, signed the lease on the former bank building […]
Chroma Energy Completes 1.8-megawatt Solar Project in Maryville
Chroma Energy completed a 1.8-megawatt solar installation on Mint Road in Maryville in April. The project is a partnership with Silicon Ranch and supplies energy to the Maryville electrical grid. Operators say the new panels will help the Maryville Electric Department meet growing demand for electricity in the burgeoning county. The solar array located at […]
Blount County Family Revives Dormant Townsend Mini Golf Course
A Blount County family is putting the finishing touches on a revamped miniature golf course in Townsend, with plans to open Cades Cove Golf in time for the Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival and Games May 16-17. Tina and Jerry Simmerly, along with their sons Casey, 20, and Ryne, 24, have spent months renovating a course […]
A-Thai Food Truck Opens First Brick-and-Mortar Location in Maryville
A popular Thai food truck has planted roots in Blount County with its first permanent location. A-Thai opened May 1 at the Food Lion Shopping Center on Old Knoxville Highway in Maryville, occupying the space previously held by John Henry’s Soup Company. Owners Onnicha and David Dickens initially launched the business through catering in 2022 […]
Arconic Foundation Awards $625,999 to 20 East Tennessee Nonprofits
The Arconic Foundation has awarded $625,000 in grants to 20 East Tennessee nonprofit organizations, with a significant share of the funding directed to programs spanning education, environmental sustainability and human needs. Chad Birge, Arconic Tennessee Operations Director of Manufacturing, called the 2026 allocation “possibly the largest in the history of the location,” noting that all […]
Ten years in, Louisville Mercantile Owner Sylvia Davis is Just Getting Started
Sylvia Davis did not set out to open a store 10 years ago. She and her husband Barry were driving past a strip center on Topside Road in Louisville one Saturday, noticed some home goods displayed out front and pulled in out of curiosity. The shop inside was rarely open and by chance she learned […]
Pet Sitter, Pizza Maker Among Winners at Pellissippi State Pitch Competition
Kaitlyn Brantley already knew the business worked. She had been doing it for three years. What she needed was a plan to grow it — and on May 7, she pitched that plan to a panel of judges, won first place, and walked away with a $3,000 check. Brantley’s company, Kaitlyn’s Kuddles, a pet and […]
Is Your Business Protected Against Fraud?
Rick Hudolin | CBBC Bank Let me paint a quick picture for you. You come in on a Monday morning, grab your coffee, log into your business account — and something doesn’t look right. A few checks have cleared that you don’t recognize. You dig a little deeper, and now it’s not a few hundred […]
