East Tennessee Residential Communities : Holrob Communities : Private Communities near Knoxville, Knox County, Blount County, Anderson County, Sevier County

As American consumers are spending more on food, fuel, and commodities and economic analysts ponder recession, East Tennessee has been spared many of the worst economic challenges. While other areas suffer job losses and business closings, Knox and its surrounding counties has fared pretty well - the Knoxville Metropolitan Area has the lowest unemployment rate in the state. One reason for this is corporate business expansions. For instance, "Green Mountain Coffee Roasters plans to open an East Knox County plant, engineering firm SAIC is moving at least 150 jobs to Oak Ridge, and VW is building a $1 billion plant in Chattanooga that will employ 2,000 workers and likely spawn feeder business in our area." From January 2007 to January 2008, the Knoxville Metropolitan Area added 5,950 jobs, with 4,040 jobs added in Knoxville alone. Knox County's unemployment rate in 2007 was down a half point from 2006 and its median household income was 108 percent of the state's median. In addition, the county's population grew by 11 percent from 2000-2007.


Photo by Suffering the Benz.

In addition to corporate expansion, the area's diversified economy has helped to insulate against economic instability. For example, expansions in health care brought 1,600 health-related jobs to the state in 2007 while providing construction companies with non-residential work. Many of those jobs are located in Knox County. Also, Oak Ridge National Laboratories, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the University of Tennessee, and local schools offer stable government jobs to many area residents. Of the various sectors, near-term growth is expected to continue in "construction, durable and nondurable goods manufacturing, wholesale/retail trade, finance/insurance/real estate and education." A 2006 breakdown of employment by sector can be found here. All of this means that the region has suffered less than many others and our local business leaders are optimistic that there will be a quick recovery once the national economy stabilizes. For more information on the economic opportunities available in the Knoxville area, submit your inquiries here.

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Across the country, many are trading in their retirement plans for new careers. Studies have shown that a growing number of Americans prefer to continue working beyond the traditional retirement age of 65: "In 2006, nearly 30% of Americans ages 65 to 69 belonged to the workforce, up from 18% in 1985, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute." In addition, a "recent survey by Thrivent Financial of adults ages 45 to 64 found that 43% overall — and nearly half of all men — plan to work full or part time in retirement." Many of these people will leverage their skills, experiences, and even hobbies into a business of their own, joining "an expanding army of workers who continue working long after they become eligible for Social Security benefits." Now why the heck would they do that? Extra income, a sense of purpose, and longer and healthier life spans top the list.


Photo by Erik Mallinson.

For many, starting a microbusiness is the answer. "A microbusiness is a small business with fewer than five employees (including the owner) and less than $35,000 in start-up costs." Most microbusinesses operate out of the owner's home and have no employees at all, the owners choosing to outsource needed services rather than hire and manage employees. Successful microbusinesses have included a wide variety of goods and services. Some examples include child care, house cleaning, delivery services, catering, web design, consulting, writing and editing.

Like any business, a significant key to success is location. Not only will a good location offer sufficient resources to help with planning and funding needs, a good location will also have a growing and diverse population, a stable economy, an affordable cost of living, and an expansive talent and customer pool. Knoxville has all of these. Ranking fifth (out of 200 competitors) on Forbes' 2007 list of Best Places for Business and Careers, Knoxville enjoys a unique mix of creative and educated citizens, low costs of business and living, high technology, low taxes, and great cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities. For a quick reference sheet offering area statistics and many other awards and achievements click here. For further inquiries submit your questions here.

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A recent post by Patrick Beeson on Knoxify inspired me share a few of my favorite non-chain Knoxville coffee shops. Knoxville certainly has its share of Starbuck's and Panera Breads - you can find a decent cup of coffee on any corner - but I prefer to support the locals whenever I can. To establish expertise: I drink it 'black and bitter,' as an ex-boyfriend says they put it in the Navy. The thing about drinking coffee black is that it really does require better quality, so my 'good cup standard' could be higher than some. You can sweeten, cream, froth, and flavor bad coffee and it becomes a completely different beverage, as another ex-boyfriend used to say. Bad coffee can get away with a lot incognito. But it's hard to find a cup of really good coffee... the kind that needs no tampering... the kind you can drink black. Knoxville offers some possibilities; I'll share some of my favorites.

Photo by jeneyepher.

Beeson gave his take on the new shop, Coffee and Chocolate, on Market Square. I stopped in about a month ago and my experience was much like Beeson's: I had a tasty cup of coffee and dessert, appreciated the urban feel, wondered about the minimal seating, but appreciated the coziness. It's a downtown shop and it gives us what we want - a solid cup of coffee; a hip place to hang out; and a respectable addition to the montage of downtown establishments. Other downtown possibilities: Old City Java or the Cafe Gourmet Coffee Shop at the Knoxville Visitor's Center.

Beeson mentioned The Golden Roast which is at the University of Tennessee campus. Because I both attended and taught at UT, I've had more coffee there than I'd like to admit. Coffee quality used to be hit and miss - weaker some days than others -but they've become more consistent in the past few years. It's a cozy college and professor hang-out with wi-fi, typically quiet, with several seating arrangements for individual and group work. Also in the campus area is Sunspot; you might as well stay for lunch while you're there. This restaurant is a Knoxville favorite with friendly service, great food, and an easy atmosphere.

Continue West on Kingston Pike to the Homberg area and you'll find Cosmo's Cafe at the Gourmet's Market. The market itself is worth the trip with specialty food and cooking items that can't be found anywhere else in town. The cafe has indoor and outdoor seating, serves sandwiches, soups, and Sunday brunch. I've been drinking Cosmo's coffee for 14 years and haven't had a bad cup yet.

Another favorite is Maple Grove Coffee on Northshore Drive (formerly Smoky Mountain Coffee). This shop roasts its beans on-site; I think it's the only coffee shop that roasts in Knoxville. The owners also own the Maple Grove Inn, a recommended bed and breakfast for out-of-towners. The atmosphere is a bit stark, more of a lunch cafe feel than a coffee shop; I've never felt the urge to hang out there. But the staff are great and the coffee more than makes up for the lack in decor. Grab a bag of beans for the house while you're there.

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KnoxNews blogger and business/property writer visited The Enclave last week.  He snapped a few shots and experienced the amenities

Cool amenities include sound-system control panels (pictured below) that let owners adjust their I-Pod, television or stereo from rooms throughout the house; open, covered or screened porches in the back; and the ability to open the community's gates remotely, using a cell phone. (Handy if you're out of town, but want to let someone in.)

For more information about The Enclave, let us know here.

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Knoxville continues to remain in the top cities in the country to conduct business.

Knoxville is again among the best cities in the country to do business, according to Forbes magazine’s 2008 rankings released Wednesday.

As we are well aware of here at Holrob Communities, the cost of living in Knoxville is among the lowest in the nation.  This and the general cost of doing business in Knoxville were chief among the reasons for this honor.

The magazine cited the region’s relatively low business costs — 14 percent below the national average — as one of Knoxville’s strengths.

Good work!

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Josh Flory brings us news of a new report naming the Knoxville metropolitan statistical area among the top mid-sized cities for businesses to expand and relocate.

The region was third in the nation among mid-sized cities in the 2007 "Mayor's Challenge" rankings sponsored by Expansion Management magazine. The rankings were released this morning, and are based on several studies published by the magazine during the past year.

The report evaluated the following categories:

• Public Schools
• College Educated Work Force
• Logistics Infrastructure
• Healthcare Expenses for Business
• Middle Class Affordability
• Taxes and Government Spending
• Reputation Among Site Location Professionals

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