In this Knoxville Insider Issue…

🌤️ Knoxville Weather - Cloudy with a High of 57

📰 Coming Soon, A New Restaurant in Town, Chismoso Cocktails and Comida

📰 Local Father Seeks Help to Find Daughter's Sentimental Baby Blanket

🗓️ Make a Christmas Gift for your Dog at a Crafting Event Tonight - Snuffle Mat Night at Zoom Room!

🐕‍🦺 Pets: Training and Holiday Tips of the Day

📅 Upcoming December Events, including Christmas Parades

💡 We Want to Spotlight Your Business!
 

Today’s Events:

• Christmas Holiday Market: 9am - 3pm in Halls, Black Oak Plaza. This is free to attend, outdoor event.

• Crafting Event - Make Your Own Christmas Snuffle Mat for your Dog: Love to Craft? Want to get your dog a special holiday gift? Join us on Saturday, December 16th from 4pm - 6pm! Cost: $20/person. Holiday music, munchies, and hot chocolate included! This is a people-only event. Sign up here. Click ‘Schedule’ at the top, then the sign up button for this class.

• Yoga for Martial Arts: 9 am - 10 am at Warrior Heart USA, 297 Oak Ridge Turnpike Suite 400 in Oak Ridge. Cost: $20 drop-in or included in membership. More Info

Local Father Seeks Help to Find Daughter's Sentimental Baby Blanket Lost Outside Home

A Knoxville father, Joey Howell, is seeking help to find his daughter's lost baby blanket, which holds sentimental value. The blanket, along with a violin, was in a yellow and black tub taken from outside his house on December 1. The tub was left outside his house for his ex-wife to collect their children's belongings, having never encountered issues with leaving items outside before.

Howell, who shared the incident on Nextdoor, explained the blanket's significance and his daughter's intention to pass it on to her future children. The blanket was wrapped in a black garbage bag inside the tub. Howell has posted flyers and images on Facebook to aid the search. He encourages anyone with information to contact him at (615) 829-2837. More info

Coming Soon, A New Restaurant in Town, Chismoso Cocktails and Comida

Chismoso Cocktails and Comida is a new bar and restaurant set to open on Gay Street, aiming for a spring 2024 launch. It will offer a unique menu with Mexican twists on American dishes. The establishment, co-owned by Emmanuel Perez and Corbin Azambuja, is named after the Spanish word for a gossip, reflecting the social atmosphere they aim to create.

Currently, Perez and Azambuja are involved in other family-run culinary ventures. Chismoso will be located at 131 S. Gay St., a site previously occupied by Anaba Japanese Cuisine, and its opening might face delays due to permit and renovation issues.

Pet Training Tip of the Day

Tip: Be consistent with cues and signals.

Today’s Pet Training Tip of the Day is brought to you by Sharon Short of Zoom Room Knoxville-Hardin Valley.

Christmas Season with Pets Tip of the Day

Tip: During Christmas, It’s easy to get caught up in this busy time, but don’t forget to keep your pet’s routine the same as much as you can to prevent accidents or stress-related problems.

Today’s Christmas Season with Pets Tip of the Day is brought to you by Carol Logue of KT Walking Paws.

Upcoming December Events

Have an event to add? Let us know! [email protected] 

Saturday, 12/16:

• Christmas Holiday Market: 9am - 3pm in Halls, Black Oak Plaza. This is free to attend, outdoor event.

• Crafting Event - Make Your Own Christmas Snuffle Mat for your Dog: Love to Craft? Want to get your dog a special holiday gift? Join us on Saturday, December 16th from 4pm - 6pm! Cost: $20/person. Holiday music, munchies, and hot chocolate included! This is a people-only event. Sign up here. Click ‘Schedule’ at the top, then the sign up button for this class.

• Yoga for Martial Arts: 9 am - 10 am at Warrior Heart USA, 297 Oak Ridge Turnpike Suite 400 in Oak Ridge. Cost: $20 drop-in or included in membership. More Info

Monday, 12/18:

• Christmas Party at the Strike & Spare Fountain Lanes: December 18th, 5pm - 8:30pm. This party is for anyone that needs assitance during the holiday for their children (ages 0-12 will receive a gift & ages 13-16 are also invited). They will provide bowling, food & snacks. Santa Claus will be there for photo opportunities and visits. NO gifts will be given before 8pm. MUST be present to receive gift. Limited Lanes are available, call to sign up (Ricky Spiva - (865) 283-2394 or Fountain Lanes - (865) 687-4611)

• The Grand Victoria Christmas Open House: December 18th, 3pm - 8pm, 6325 Tazewell Pike. Come check out the newest venue in Knoxville, enjoying a Christmas open house and local vendors with gifts and crafts. More Info

Thursday, 12/21:

• Vienna Light Orchestra Christmas Tour: December 21st, Second Presbyterian Church, 2829 Kingston Pike, 4pm and 7pm. Cost: Varies. More Info

Multi-Date Events:

• 37th Annual Clayton Holiday Concert: December 15th, 7:30pm; December 16th, 3pm & 7:30pm; December 17th, 3pm at the Civic Auditorium. More Info

• The Best Thing About Christmas at the Bijou Theatre: December 19th & 20th, See the Christmas Spirit…Nashville Style, Doors open at 6pm, Show begins at 7pm, More Info/Get Tickets 

• Downtown Peppermint Trail: Now through 1/7/2024. More Info

• Holiday Open House at Sanctuary Day Spa & Boutique: December 16th and 17th from 9am - 5pm, 9700 Kingston Pike. Holiday food, drink, retail sales and more! Get your holiday shopping wrapped up with our free gift wrapping 🎁 & enjoy some Spa treats and door prizes at the same time! More Info

• Ice Skating in Market Square: An open-air ice rink, Now through 1/2/2024. More Info

• Santa & the Grinch: Have your photo made with Santa & the Grinch every Sunday until Christmas, 2pm - 5pm at Painting with Friends Studio, 4301 East Emory Road 1st come 1st serve. Cost: $3.00/person. More Info 

Expanding Small Business Saturday into Small Business December

As the holiday season approaches, we have a unique opportunity to transform the success of Small Business Saturday into a broader, more impactful initiative: Small Business December. This initiative is more than just a campaign; it’s a community-driven movement to support our local economy and the small businesses that are its backbone. Small businesses give our community its unique character, create jobs, and invigorate our local economy. By choosing to shop locally throughout December, we not only find unique gifts for our loved ones but also contribute to the prosperity and resilience of our neighborhood.

Our collective efforts can make a significant difference. We encourage each of you to be ambassadors for this cause. Share your local shopping experiences on social media, recommend your favorite small businesses to friends and family, and consider buying your holiday gifts from local artisans and shopkeepers. Local businesses often offer beautifully crafted, unique items that make thoughtful and memorable gifts. Remember, every purchase you make at a small business is an investment in our community’s future.

Let’s come together to make Small Business December a new tradition that supports and celebrates the heart of our community - our local businesses. It’s more than just shopping; it’s about building a stronger, more connected community. Your support can help turn a challenging year into a brighter season for our small business owners. Let’s show them how much they mean to us and make this December a month of local love and community spirit.

We Want To Spotlight Your Business!

Would you like us to spotlight your local business in front of thousands of Knoxville area residents in an upcoming issue of Knoxville Insider?

We ❤️ Local Businesses!

We know our community is brimming with businesses that have fascinating stories and big hearts. If you're a local business owner making waves, crafting unique experiences, or simply putting a smile on our faces, we want to chat with you! "Knoxville Insider" is eager to shine a light on the unsung heroes of our town. Let's collaborate and let the community know what makes your business special. Send us a message to [email protected] and let's celebrate the spirit of Knoxville together! Not a business owner, but love a local business? Tell us all about it at the email address above!