Easily one of the most common Knoxville postcards, and the only card I have found for the Highland’s. I had no clue about it until some fellow Knoxvillians clued me in. The place is still there:
It is now Andrew Morton’s Fine Gifts. There is a strange twist to this place. Today it is a block or so off Kingston Pike or 11-70. In the old days, it was on 11-70. 11-70 went in front of it and next to Long’s and took a hard turn to cross the railroad bridge. It then went across and took another hard turn to follow Newcom back to what is now Kingston Pike.
There is also evidence that this was a change as 11-70, way way back, went straight through, down what is now Old Kingston Pike, across the railroad tracks to what is now Homberg.
Click here for the Google satellite shot to see how Kingston Pike runs to Old Kingston Pike and clearly used to not curve around as it does today.
I bought this property a few years ago, and I am now in the process of restoring the original Highlands Grill and building a new building next to it with complimentary architecture, including the concrete roof tiles. The development will be called Highlands Row. The original building was built by a man named Hutsell in the early ’30s and operated as the Highlands Grill for about 30 years. The main dining room featured heart oak floors, a huge fireplace on the north side, and cathedral ceilings. If Hutsell knew you, he would allow you to descend the stairs after dinner to go to a speakeasy that featured a dance floor, band, and last but not least bootleg whisky. His brother ran the drive-in next door. We will be leasing to upscale retail tenants from 1250-11,400 sf.