The Scruffy Stuff

Every Tuesday, host Ryan Wilusz and expert guests bring you the latest news happening in and around downtown Knoxville. "The Scruffy Stuff" is presented by knoxnews.com, part of the USA Today Network.

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Episodes

Is Cumberland Avenue entering a new era in Knoxville?

If "The Strip" isn't already unrecognizable to old-school Vols, just give it a couple years. Cumberland Avenue is heading in that direction, as the city's vision for a pedestrian-friendly corridor next to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville continues to evolve. Chicago-based Core Spaces has major plans to build four student housing buildings, which means some existing buildings have to go. What does that mean for the future of the Strip, from vehicle traffic to the character of Cumberland A...

Sep 12, 2022•26 min

Will the Smokies stadium live up to Randy Boyd's vision of a new downtown Knoxville?

As construction crews lay the groundwork for a new Tennessee Smokies stadium, team owner Randy Boyd's bold and ambitious vision for creating a new centerpiece of downtown Knoxville is off and running. With public hurdles behind him, Boyd joins this week's episode amidst a deluge of million-dollar property transfers around the site, which already is undergoing transformations. "The Scruffy Stuff" is presented by knoxnews.com. Want more downtown analysis? Sign up for the free weekly Urban Knoxvill...

Sep 06, 2022•37 min

How will Regal's financial woes impact Knoxville and the movie industry?

It seems like TV production gets all the attention in Knoxville, while the impact of the movie industry too often goes unnoticed. Sure, the Scruffy City isn't a top destination for actors, stunt doubles or directors of film. But when it comes to showing a movie, Knoxville-based Regal Cinemas has you covered – in a wide variety of ways. While part of this episode examines the future of the movie theater industry as a whole, Ryan and Brenna look at how Knoxville could be impacted by the struggles ...

Aug 29, 2022•27 min

What businesses and amenities does downtown Knoxville still need?

It wasn't long ago that a food hall or minor league baseball stadium seemed like wishful thinking for downtown Knoxville. But as the city continues to grow, so does its offerings. Despite downtown's fantastic features, there always is room to improve. From curated exercise experiences to unique drinking environments to more meals on wheels, Ryan and Brenna share what's on their downtown wish lists based on personal experience and chatter from those who live, work and play in the city's core. "Th...

Aug 22, 2022•21 min

Does a Smokies stadium still make sense for downtown Knoxville?

It's hard to get excited about an empty stadium site that has done nothing but close roads in recent months and that's still almost three years from completion. The good news is construction should be starting soon, and it doesn't appear like any additional taxpayer money will be going toward the project – sort of. Boyd is expected to put up a loan covering cost overruns that could be repaid by an expanded tax increment financing district, which can be as confusing as it sounds. Fortunately, we ...

Aug 15, 2022•26 min

How could Marble City Market improve under new management?

Paul and Ashley Moody have had a large impact on Marble City Market since the downtown Knoxville food hall opened in November, serving up mouth-watering smash burgers proven to get people in the door. But now, with the entire food hall under their management, Moody Foods Inc. is working to help Marble City Market regain the relevancy it had leading up to its opening. Brenna McDermott and Ryan Wilusz analyze how the Moodys can bring new life to Marble City Market, and how they can use their succe...

Aug 08, 2022•28 min

Which downtown projects will change downtown most before 2023?

The downtown Knoxville stadium project might be moving slower than some people had hoped for, and the same could be said for the city's second food hall planned south of the river. But don't get hung up on delays or what's missing. Plenty of projects planned for 2022 will be ready before the year wraps up in five months, and "The Scruffy Stuff" couldn't be more excited. Silas Sloan joins Ryan Wilusz to talk about some of the most anticipated developments, events and businesses still to come in 2...

Aug 01, 2022•26 min

What’s the best downtown Knoxville business logo, from bars to fine dining?

A sharp logo could be the difference between someone opening the door to a downtown Knoxville business or just walking past. And what makes a good logo — color schemes, readability and style – also can be what makes for a bad one. Logos should capture the personality of a business. But when a local brewery looks corporate or a classy restaurant looks casual – that might be confusing for customers. Ryan Wilusz and Brenna McDermott of Knox News cast their votes for best downtown logos across multi...

Jul 25, 2022•35 min

Do Knoxville newcomers love or loathe our scruffy little city?

Within roughly the past six months, Knox News has welcomed aboard public safety reporter Liz Kellar, growth and development reporter Silas Sloan, trending news reporter Devarrick Turner and investigative reporter Anila Yoganathan. Coming from as far as Alaska and as close as North Carolina, these Knoxville newcomers have seen their expectations blown away since exploring the city in more depth. This week's episode invites each new reporter to share their prior perspective of the city, their init...

Jul 18, 2022•33 min

Should Knoxville further regulate indoor smoking at bars?

While bars across Tennessee could soon see their cigarette-friendly rules go up in smoke, the city of Knoxville does not plan to act on a new state law allowing local governments to place additional bans on smoking indoors. Brenna and Ryan discuss the new law and how allowing indoor smoking can impact downtown Knoxville bars and their customers, from Preservation Pub to Urban Bar & Corner Cafe. "The Scruffy Stuff" is presented by knoxnews.com.

Jul 12, 2022•21 min

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