It's Friday May 30th, day 29 of our 2025 summer adventure. Tim, Debbie, Gary, Sheryl, Charlie and I headed to the largest TN flea market, Great Smokies Flea Market. Their booths are located indoors. It was a rainy morning, so it was the perfect day to browse in comfort. There are literally hundreds of different retailers on site, selling an enormous selection of items. From clearance stock through to fresh produce from local farms in the area. You can buy hardware, clothing, food, pet food, furniture, second hand goods, designer brands, automotive supplies and much, much more. It was sad for us, that many of the booths were still closed when we were there at 10am on Friday! Sheryl did find a BIG hat and a few funny hats!The history is that during the nineties Charles E. Atchley, Atchley, owned a few small eateries in a Sevier county mall. The mall generated high traffic but at the expense of a high overhead. “If I could produce this same customer traffic without this huge overhead that would really be something!” Atchley thought.
Then it hit Atchley, “An indoor Flea Market – a cross between a mall and a flea market!” Although inside flea markets were rare at the time, Atchley charged ahead with the idea. The overhead for vendors would be just a small percentage compared to that at the malls. It would have to be located close to a busy interstate and a strong destination draw. Atchley found 27 plus acres of farmland in Kodak close to one of the busiest interstates in the country at exit 407 off I-40. Exit 407 leads hundreds of thousands of visitors straight to the Great Smokies National Park. The farmland was the perfect location. Originally, the market had 240 inside booths and maybe ten outside spaces. But, “The first year or so, probably 60 booths were empty!” Atchley later laughed. The market had one restroom for women and one for men, one restaurant and that was about it! In the early days the market averaged about 1000 shoppers a week-end. Today the market enjoys a yearly average of 15,000 shoppers per week-end. Over the years additional property was added, a pizzeria, several restrooms, and more square footage, an additional building, outside pavilions, paved parking and much more.
We stopped at the Apple Barn complex and walked through a few of the shops. Charlie purchased some muffins, Sheryl got a few gifts for friends and popcorn. Tim & Debbie got fritter mix, apple butter and a few other goodies! I saw this Who'ville tree and thought of our friend, Kris Miller right away!
Charlie and I got hair cuts at Great Clips. We are both happy with our cuts! Then, Sheryl and I headed to another discount retailer, we have never heard of, Hamrick's. The very first Hamrick’s was founded over 70 years ago. A family owned & operated business, our company roots date back to 1945, when Oliver and Edna Hamrick purchased a small general merchandise & grocery store. Shortly after, the Hamrick’s began searching area mills in hopes of buying and selling close-out fabrics. The rest is retail history! Today, their buyers visit New York, Las Vegas, and Atlanta every month to find the items and prices their customers want. Meanwhile, their in-house design group continues to create new, exclusive apparel, including items for several of their own private labels: Nikki, Southern Lady, Links, N Touch, and Seven Forty Two. The corporate office is now located in Gaffney, SC along with the distribution and wholesale center. Also located in Gaffney is the “old Hamrick’s store” that Mrs. Hamrick ran for many years. Today, it serves as a popular clearance center.
Gary, Sheryl, Charlie & I shared a dinner of left-overs before we decided to take a drive. We drove north to Up The Creek RV Park. It was a place where we had thought about staying, when we were making our reservations. They are currently looking for a work camper couple. Then we headed to The Island. This was a recon mission to see if it was all Charlie and I remembered. It was! We will see if the group wants to head down tomorrow or Sunday night. The Island in Pigeon Forge boasts 23 acres of entertainment in an inviting setting perfect for anyone looking to escape the everyday.
With over 80 shops, restaurants and attractions, the destination combines all things fun in a safe environment for families and friends of all ages where you can eat, shop, play and stay. They’re not your typical getaway, and the diverse selection of activities makes The Island a one-stop-shop for fun.
The Island is showcased by a 200-foot Observation Wheel and the Island Show Fountains, which are programmed to perform to light and music year-round. The Island is open 365 days a year with free parking and free admission.
There is a prehistoric adventure of epic proportions! This larger-than-life experience transports you millions of years back in time to encounter the awe-inspiring giants of prehistoric times including the Jurassic era.
Jurassic Adventure at The Island in Pigeon Forge immerses you in a world of dinosaurs, discovery and delightful adventure. There are 22 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, each with interactive elements with their realistic movements and sounds.
We did find a little piece of Florida on The Island. But Kermit was not standing on the corner, like he does in Key West!
Over 30 years ago, Kermit Carpenter began selling smoothies from a small stand in front of Papa’s Restaurant in Key West during his tenure as Papa’s bookkeeper.
His first shop opened on the corner of Elizabeth and Greene in Key West. The Pigeon Forge is his seventh location. The products for this location are created in his DeLand, Florida production facility.
The Ole Smoky Distillery at The Island is called "the Barn." The Barn has nightly bluegrass entertainment. Tonight, Firewater Junction, a bluegrass band, played on the free stage.
The band has strong traditional roots, but also has contemporary and progressive influences. The band was formed in November 2012 and has had the privilege of sharing the stage with Dierks Bentley and several other music stars. Various members of the band have been nominated for several music awards and have written songs on the bluegrass charts.
It was a cold night, once the sun started to go down. It made for a great sunset picture as we drove back to the campground.
No comments:
Post a Comment