In Eckleburg's Eyes - 7/24/2008

On Wednesday, I frequented two new (to me) businesses.

I ate lunch at Ott’s Bar-B-Q. The restaurant reopened on April 22nd. It is actually a throwback. Ott’s was originally opened in 1961 by Ott and Thelma Melott. The original business closed about five years ago.

The new facility is on the same site as the original pit. It is situated near the Dixie Lee Junction at the intersection of Kingston Pike and Hobbs Road. If you are traveling from the east (as virtually anyone in Knoxville would have to be doing), it is located on the right of Kingston Pike. Ott’s was able to draw customers for years even when Farragut was a rural outpost. The barbeque was supposedly good enough to keep customers coming to what was then the outskirts of civilization.

The location is very nice with a modern jukebox and two flat screens television sets inside. The unique thing about the barbeque (for the Knoxville area) is that the sauce is vinegar based. As such, it is more runny than usual. The baked beans I got as a side were also doused with the same sauce. I honestly prefer a thicker, less oily barbeque sauce but if nothing else, this establishment did provide something unique. There was also more meat on the sandwich than at most barbeque joints.

It was reasonably priced. I paid $6.65 (tax included) for my pulled sandwich and baked beans. The restaurant also caters.

After lunch, I stopped by the new Family Book Outlet location. It is the largest business in a new shopping center right off of the Campbell Station Road exit of the Interstate.

The place is the smallest Family book Outlet that I have seen and is not worth the trip to this one unless it is most convenient to you. The store consists of about three-quarters Christian books and as always the books are reasonably priced. The selection simply pales in comparison to the other Knoxville branch on North Peters Road which itself is inferior to the Pigeon Forge franchises.

The store was especially weak in regards to biblical reference materials. The most telling fact about my visit: I bought nothing! Still, if you are traveling through Knoxville (as this is the only place off of the interstate) or if you do need a Christian book store in West Knoxville, it is worth a visit.