Peaceful Side Brands, Benton’s team up for new Townsend cafe
Peaceful Side Brands is preparing to open Sharons’ Half Day Cafe, a new fast-casual breakfast and lunch restaurant in Townsend focused on Appalachian ingredients and local partnerships. The business is a partnership with Benton’s Bacon and Country Hams. The approximately 80-seat restaurant is expected to open Aug. 5 at 7955 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway. It […]
Local Food, Beverage Business Owners Find an Appetite for AI
In an industry where business owners contend with widely swinging input costs, demand sensitivity and labor challenges, artificial intelligence is no longer just for the larger chain businesses. Local business owners are using accessible and affordable tools to decrease risk, improve profits and create better customer experiences. Who is using it and what are they […]
Gas Prices, Slow Growth Test Blount County Tourism Outlook
Blount County has maintained an annual 5-6% jump in visitor expenditures since the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, that growth may flatten. For Blount County, where visitors generated $610.9 million in direct spending in 2024, that kind of slowdown would typically raise concern. But on the ground, tourism operators are reading the shift differently. Local experts […]