Costco coming to Knoxville August 1, 2008 4:05 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Announcements, Economy, Of Interest, Touchy Subjects , trackbackCostco will be tearing down the old BeltsBelz Outlet Mall across from Cotton Eyed Joe off of Lovell Road and building in its location. That’s a little off the beaten path. I didn’t think Costco’s and Sam’s existed in the same markets. It’ll be interesting to see if Knoxville can support Sam’s, Walmart and two BestBuy’s in close proximity. Yes, if you haven’t heard, Turkey Creek is getting a BestBuy. Personally I cannot see the BestBuy on Town and Country Circle surviving.
Little nostalgia. I remember the BeltsBelz Outlet Mall on its last dying legs. Walking through it was almost spooky. It was like the ghost mall. Then years after it was closed, I returned to it with several scouts to help package gifts for Angel Tree children. The moldy, rotting building accentuated the somberness as an Angel Tree volunteer called out the shortages in gifts and donations. Many empty bags were left "organized" on the floor with hopes that gifts would be scrounged for those children. None-the-less, the scouts running about and feeling good that they had helped someone that day reflected echoes of the energetic activity the mall had once known in its halls and particularly in its food court (as the old food court is where the bulk of the Angel Tree activity happened).
Old haunts go to make room for new haunts. I look forward to seeing what Costco brings to Knoxville.
Update 8/13/2008: Belts corrected to Belz thanks to JMT and hiknapster on city-data.com.
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According to whom? e-mail me, silence (at) knews dot com
Email sent. To others wondering, a business owner adjacent to the Belts Outlet Mall sent out an email to its clients explaining the business would be moving due to the impending difficulty in parking that will arise during construction of the Costco.
[...] ready to build off of Lovell Road at the old Outlets Mall. Thanks to Knoxify who heard it from Doug McCaughan. Don’t forget to visit WeWantCostco to sign the petition. [...]