The hubs and I used to live in the country. Whenever we went to the small town just north of where we lived, we would pass this beautiful old country home. It is a typical, early southern home, in the early classical revival style probably built around the mid nineteenth century. It has a wood frame, two chimneys on either side of the home, columns and a balcony.
(Yeah, I know. I’m a dork. What you read was “blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, chimneys, blah, blah, blah house.” But hang with me.)
What really made this home great, was that there was a family that took pride that they were its current caretakers, particularly at Christmas. Every Christmas it always looked like a Hallmark card. I could visualize grandparents welcoming their children and grandchildren into their warm and loving home with delicious homemade goodies just out of the oven waiting on them. They always tastefully decorated the home with natural garland and simple red bows hanging from its balcony. It always warmed my soul when I drove past this home.
It has been about two years since I had been out this way, so I was glad to see this old friend. I was looking forward to seeing how she looks. Sadly, my friend is not looking well. I don’t think anyone currently resides there. The house is looks very worn and tired. The yard has been eaten up due to the road expansion and the newly created, easy access road to the new Wal-Mart and Lowe’s that is now in her back yard. And when I say “backyard” I mean literally in the backyard. This sweet county home now looks as if it has cancer and I don’t know if it can be saved from roll-out prices. I was outraged when I saw this! I raised my fist in air and shook it like an old man, cursing at Wal-Mart & Lowe’s. How could this happen? Didn’t the community try to fight this from happening? Didn’t they care about this lovely home that was part of their community fabric? Was the buy-one-get-one-free sale on tube socks really worth it?
Slowly, my frustration subsided and as I was coming into Knoxville, I called my aunt and uncle to see what they were doing for the night. Mom and Bec had commitments that night and I wasn’t quiet ready for a night of solitary confinement. Rhonda and Eddie had just been seated for dinner and so they were going to wait for me. I was going to meet them at a restaurant that I had never been to, the S&W Grand - in downtown Knoxville.Now for those of you who aren’t familiar with Knoxville, the downtown area used to be the hub of all town activity. For almost 200 years, from the time it was settled in 1780’s until after World War II, downtown Knoxville was THE center of town. My grandfather and my mom would tell wonderful stories about going downtown to shop at JC Penney‘s and Millers, have lunch at the Blue Circle, watch a movie at the majestic “Tennessee Theater” and look at Christmas lights in the shops along Gay Street. I always longed for those days because it sounded so ideal. After WWII, people began to move further out from the downtown and into the suburbs with its modern stores and malls. Soon, the downtown area looked old, dated and anything but modern. Many restaurants had closed. The shops moved out to the suburbs. We could now go to multiplex theater for the latest movies. And the Christmas lights were nothing to come see. Not an uncommon story.
I worked downtown for several years and let me tell you, the downtown then was nothing to write home about. There was little activity going on. During the weekdays, there was people downtown, but only to work. At 5:10pm on a Friday afternoon, you would think it had turned into a ghost town. My first job after I graduated from college was giving tours at Blount Mansion. My co-workers and I would joke about the fictitious tumble weeds that would pass by because that was the only thing down there. No people were to be found, except for the occasional tourist who was shocked that nobody was down there.
I longed for the downtown to be what it once was. For people to be apart of it and for it to be a active again. During my time in downtown Knoxville, it never changed. Then the hubs and I left Knoxville and we hadn’t been back to the downtown area in years. So when Rhonda told me that they were eating downtown, I was a taken aback.
I exited off I-40 and was easily steered toward the downtown area. I made a left turn from Summit Hill Dr onto Gay Street and I was amazed at what I saw. Gay Street was filled with people, shops, lights, a new multiplex theater, and restaurants. And parking. FREE PARKING! The downtown was filled with life again. And there next to the new theater was the S&W Grand.
I had never been to the S&W. It closed in 1982, so I didn’t have to opportunity to experience this wonderful Knoxville landmark. The S&W was THE place to eat during the mid 20th century in Knoxville. The façade greeted you with a wonderful exterior than only art deco can do. When you entered the S&W, you would have been greeted by a two story restaurant with lots of open space. To the left of the entrance was a grand curved staircase that took you to the second floor dining area. At the base of the staircase, was a organ with organist to entertain you while you ate. Above the organ was a sign that read “MEET YOUR FRIENDS HERE.“ Behind the staircase was a check room for your hat and coat. Next to it, was a alcove for a special select party. The S&W served cafeteria style food, with waiters that would carry your food to your table in first or second floor dining areas.
I have memories of walking by this grand building during my time downtown. It sat empty for almost 30 years, until now.
When I walked in to the S&W Grand, I was immediately whisked back to those days that I dreamt of, but also very aware that I was in a very modern restaurant. I met my aunt and uncle and their friends at the bar, which included Stephanie Balest, co-owner of the S&W Grand.
Stephanie and her co-owner brother are from Pittsburg, PA - above the Mason-Dixon line. When her family moved to Knoxville several years ago she always had hopes to open a restaurant in the old S&W, but the downtown wasn’t ready for it. So instead, they opened the Northshore Brasserie. Few year pass by and as fate would have it, she met the man who owned the S&W.
Its not often that I meet others who share the same passion that I do for historic preservation. We are a small and dedicated tribe! But after I greeted Stephanie with the secret historic preservation handshake, I knew that I was with like people.
She shares with me that only thing that is original from the old S&W is the ceiling and floor. That’s it. Honestly, they had me fooled. It looked too accurate to be a reproduction. What I thought was wallpaper with a shell-like design was actually real shells. Real shells! A guy in Asia who made the shell wall paneling. It took over 14,000 shells!
The alcove, the "MEET YOUR FRIENDS HERE" sign, the music, the check area, the curved staircase - its all there! The staircase alone thrilled my aunt! When she was a little girl, she begged my nana to let her go up the stairs. Nana agreed but under two conditions: she could not run and she must act like a lady. Well, 1 out of 2 ain’t bad! (Kidding! I kid. She didn’t run. She walked actually)
It takes a dedicated soul to do the work that Stephanie and her partners did to resurrect of this wonderful restaurant and Knoxville landmark. Restoration demands that you to be faithful to what was, not what you would do or your personal decorating preferences. You have to seek out what did the previous caretakers did. I’m so proud to say that the S&W Grand did just that. The gathering place of my grandfather is now a gathering place for me.
I think it is within our American DNA to want that which is new, modern and particularly, convenient, in our hometowns. Too often, we travel to other cities and seek out their history but don’t have a clue about our own hometown histories. When I worked at Blount Mansion, I used to joke that I took confession from local residences. It was not uncommon to hear locals say “I’ve lived here all my life and never been here.” Sometime it takes someone with fresh set of eyes and appreciation - someone not from the area - to bring back the beauty that once was.
So to my Knoxville homies, if you haven’t been downtown lately, go. Make it a part of your life again. For those of you in other parts of the county, look and see where your history is. Run and embrace it. Make it a part of your life as well. Take some advice from the S&W Grand and “MEET YOUR FRIENDS HERE” wherever that historic "here" is in your town.
Meeting my dear friend Carrie at the S&W Grand for lunch.Oh, and for those of you needing to confess, I still hear confession every Friday afternoon from 5-7pm.
