Banking on the Mission: Tennessee Military Federal Credit Union Turns 70
The legend goes that it started from the trunk of a car. In 1956, McGhee Tyson was still an active-duty Air Force base, Blount County was largely rural, and the airmen stationed there had few options when money ran short. So a handful of them did what servicemembers have always done — they improvised. They […]
Wells Tavern Brings First Scottish Pub, Rooftop Bar to Downtown
Alice Basler has always trusted her instincts. The Maryville real estate professional once closed on a house the same day she saw it. So when she drove past a vacant building at 114 E. Broadway one evening, called a friend to get inside, and walked out 20 minutes later ready to make an offer, nobody […]
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 […]
‘Let’s Be Blount’ Podcast Bridges Old, New in Growing County
Blount County is growing fast, and with this growth comes struggles. Realtors Brett Heppner and Eric Rice didn’t just understand that growth requires understanding — they launched a multiyear podcast project to help connect newcomers to the rich history and deep sense of community that many people cherish. Since launching the Let’s Be Blount Podcast […]
One Week in the Life of a Greenback Family Working Together to Build a Popular Barbecue Food Truck Business
It’s tricky to figure out how many food trucks are operating in Blount County. However, just the city of Maryville reports more than 35 are permitted to operate within city limits. There could be many more in the county. But in 2024, when AJ Jenkins started telling his wife, Cristie, sons Jayden, 17, Caleb, 18, […]
Walland Man’s Program Gives Aggressive Dogs a Second Chance
Shane Hawkins is a successful entrepreneur, but he got there on the hardest pathway. “Well, I didn’t know any better back then, and I was just trying to get through life the best I could,” Hawkins said while sitting in the middle of a brightly painted room where a wall mural of dog pictures and […]
