by Will O’Brien
photos by Kate Pettit, courtesy of MoB
Editor’s note: As a member of the Manchester United Knoxville supporters’ group, which designated Merchants of Beer as its official meeting place for several years, I would like to personally thank the owners and individual staff members who created such a welcoming environment and convivial atmosphere for our organization – and especially for accommodating us for all those wintertime 7:30 a.m. matches when the sun hadn’t even risen yet. A statement posted Tuesday, Oct. 15, by an admin for the group read in part, “We love our current home, but MoB holds a special place in the history of The Knox Red Army.” -Matt Rankin
The beloved Old City craft-beer powerhouse and social haven Merchants of Beer closed its doors for the last time on October 26, 2024.
Over seven years of service, the unmistakable gleaming gem of South Central Street has established itself as a inclusive social space open to all walks of life since opening in May 2017.
As many know, the iconic stainless-steel walls that currently encapsulate Merchants of Beer have undergone many changes of ownership over the years. The space was years ago opened as a diner and was later occupied by Enterprise Rent-A-Car before being revived from vacancy by MoB.
MoB Director of Operations Bobby McCarter remembers discovering the renowned location like it was yesterday.
“I fell in love with that building about a decade ago when I was working down in the Old City, and I was just excited to have the opportunity to do something there,” he recalls.
While the establishment’s exterior serves as a landmark for Knoxvillians and travelers alike, this bar’s impact goes deeper than face value. MoB has solidified a reputation for diversity in both their craft-beer selection and clientele, and it has served the community as a multi-purpose social venue for nearly a decade.
This reputation has been the goal of MoB’s endeavors since day one, as general manager Cheyanne Davis recounts.
“Everyone’s mission was for this to be a fun place to hang out, and the location makes that really important because [the] Old City attracts all kinds of people,” she says. “Inclusivity and diversity have always been our goal here – just a fun place to have a beer no matter where you came from.”
MoB goes above and beyond when it comes to community involvement – a quality that is displayed by the bar’s dedication to expanding the social spaces available to Old City residents.
Most notably, the addition of an outdoor patio to the building’s northern face in 2019 resulted in a defining moment for MoB, as it blew open the doors of opportunity for the bar’s utility as a social hotbed. Since the expansion of the outdoor venue, MoB has experienced swaths of customers in search of a welcoming, pet-friendly hangout spot.
This second wind carried MoB through the dire times of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when the bar was finally able to reap what they sowed in terms of community outreach. When businesses shut down worldwide, the citizens of Knoxville and locals of the Old City rallied to give back to their beloved local watering hole in the form of consistent patronage.
This symbiotic relationship between MoB and the Old City is a beautiful one, as every neighborhood in America yearns for a local venue as open and engaging as this one. From diverse social events (like the first ever Knoxville Vintage Market) to the staff’s blistering knowledge of all of the 50 craft beers on tap at any given time, the silver jewel of the Old City has forever etched its place in the Knoxville bar lexicon.
This relationship has also changed the lives of those who work behind the bar, as former assistant manager and bartender Sarah Howell describes.
“This place kind of saved me,” she says. “I was going through a rough patch in my life, and I quit a job in a corporate setting, and this just kind of fell into my lap. I’ve met some amazing friends. … To me, they’re family. They’re not just friends and acquaintances; it gave me a new family in Knoxville. I’m not from here, and I have a family here because of this place.”
As the sun sets on MoB’s role as a key player in the Old City community, its owners and staff relay a message of love and gratitude to their local neighborhood and the greater Knoxville area.
“We’ve appreciated it, this wild ride,” Davis says of the experience. “[It’s been] totally wild and so much fun. We really do want people to keep supporting their local craft breweries, their local bars, their local restaurants. Everyone here will be somewhere else, and everyone here will be fine; we just don’t want people to not hang out in this area anymore.
“Spread that love to the people that are still here while they’re still here. It’s been incredible, and we are so, so, so grateful for all the people who have supported us through the years. It’s been a family here. There’s been a lot of love, a lot of tears, a lot of laughter and we are very grateful for everyone here.”
In a closing note, McCarter extends the highest gratitude to the staff and the patrons of Old City and Knoxville.
“It wouldn’t have been possible without our core group of regulars, our incredibly loyal staff and the support from the Old City,” he says. “They really kept the doors open and made it an exciting and fun place to go to.”
To commemorate the glorious legacy that MoB will leave behind, it is important to value the businesses and venues that remain in our Scruffy City. In their honor and to celebrate the lasting impact of MoB, grab a beer with a friend and maybe take your dog for a walk.
will@blanknews.com
