One of Knoxville’s best-kept secrets lives in a fully restored train station.
Built in 1903, the Southern Railway Station on Depot Ave sits low on the downtown horizon line, flanked by the Regas building, new condominiums and the street-level music staple, Mill & Mine. With the constant construction on Depot Ave for more than two years finally drawing to a close, you might drive by the railway station and wonder, “What’s going on with that building?”
Linn Slocum, President of the Blue Slip Winery, is no stranger to the Old City. She started Blue Slip Winery from the basement beneath Lox Salon on Jackson Ave, using fruit only grown in Tennessee. Though she was already retired, Slocum always dreamed of having an urban space where people could come socialize. Her love of wine and her knack for producing it became the answer to that calling.
Around the summer of 2013, Slocum had outgrown her basement space and began looking for a bigger venue, one where she could not only serve wine but also host events and get more involved with the community.
“The building just resonated with me,” says Slocum as she points out the Tennessee marble floors once covered by carpet. As big of an undertaking the renovation became, she did not let this deter her from making the Southern Railway station the new home of Blue Slip Winery.
When Slocum and her team purchased the building in 2013, the station was being used primarily for office space. Sheetrock, extraneous interior walls and a lack of code-required sprinklers throughout were just a few of the projects at hand.
The doorway to the winery is on the lower floor of the station, with accessible parking one can only dream of in downtown Knoxville. Once a cargo and supplies entrance, Slocum has restored the doorway to match the passenger entrance on the floor above with heart pine, expansive windows and traditional yellowed glass that illuminates the front of the wine bar.
Inside, guests are greeted by original exposed brick, curated Tennessee memorabilia and a live-edge wine bar that draws you instantly to take a seat. Southern Hospitality is alive and well inside Blue Slip Winery.
Slocum was eager to provide a tasting of any wine on the menu and the tastes were spectacular. Blue Slip produces wine from Tennessee-grown fruit with authentic Tennessee flair. Some are sticky sweet, like the Rocky Top blush, while others are dry and herbaceous, like the Volunteer Vinifera.
As we talked about the history of Blue Slip’s evolution inside the Southern Railway station, Slocum explains how in 2015, laws changed that allowed wineries to serve food. Shortly after this change, the Pelican Bistro opened at the back of the building, with a full bar and a broad menu that includes small plates, handhelds, excellent entrees and unmissable weekend brunches.
Blue Slip Winery and Pelican Bistro only take up a quarter of the space at the expansive railway station. The building, which once saw thousands of passengers, is now primarily dedicated to event space. Passenger waiting areas are now massive ballrooms that host weddings and gatherings of all sizes. The ticket booth is now the perfect location for the host’s specialty cocktail or open bar. What were once segregated lounges have had their walls torn down and opened up for catering and dining.
Even the historic railway cars parked ceremoniously behind the station play a role in the vision of this revitalized Knoxville landmark. One-by-one, Slocum and her team are restoring the cars in partnership with the nonprofit that manages them, donating a portion of the proceeds when the train cars are rented for events. There’s a postal service car, a dining car; each one a time capsule of more than a hundred years of railway history.
When asked what she hopes her guests’ first impression of Blue Slip Winery and the Southern Railway station might be, Slocum just smiles.
“It’s the experience. This place is historic. There are so many stories here. So much life here. Being Knoxville’s first winery and Tennessee’s first urban winery is only part of it. We want people to experience this place because it’s special.”
You can visit Blue Slip Winery and Pelican Bistro every day except Mondays. They are located at 300 W. Depot Avenue. In addition to their beverage, food and host offerings, you can visit the Knox Food Truck Park in their parking lot, join in on yoga and Pilates classes and music events are happening all month long. Learn more at www.blueslipwinery.com
