New business activity heats up in Farragut
From one end of the town to the other, Farragut has been experiencing a heat wave of commercial growth with new businesses and new developments moving into town.
“It’s always exciting when we have a brand new business,” Town administrator David Smoak said following the opening of a new Biddle Farm business, Nektar Juice Bar last month.
“So far this year, Farragut is averaging over two new-business certificates of occupancy a month,” he said. “Farragut is a great place for businesses to thrive.
“Between the Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce, Visit Farragut and Shop Farragut, we have a strong network dedicated to helping local businesses grow and succeed,” Smoak said.
Biddle Farms at Town Center completed its commercial phase last year, and businesses started moving in. To date, Smoak said he thinks the developer only has a couple more open spaces left.
“Both of those are in the process of being filled right now,” he added. “They’ve got tenants that are working on leases, so we’re really encouraged that this time next year, this place will be all filled up here.”
To date, Biddle Farms has Aldi, Bradley’s Gift and Home, Elle Boutique, Super Chix, Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar, Parlor Doughnuts, Nekter Juice Bar, Chase Bank, SweatHouz, Urban Nail Bar, Diamond Gallery and Covenant Health Urgent Care.
Paris Baguettes, a bakery-café franchise, is expected to open between late November and early December in Biddle. The franchise owners are a couple of University of Tennessee alumni bringing their artisan cakes, croissants, sandwiches and specialty coffees to the town center as their first East Tennessee location.
Nearby, Pinnacle at Turkey Creek has welcomed Nordstrom Rack; Curate MedAesthetics, formerly Ideal Image; and Koma Tea & Natural Handmade Desserts, among others, according to Gabi Walsh, marketing manager for Pinnacle.
“The Nordstrom Rack had a huge grand opening on June 25 and was one of the company’s biggest openings in the country,” Smoak said.
Coming soon, Degree Wellness and Noire Nail Bar are two of several companies looking to make Pinnacle their home, according to Walsh.
On the west end of town, there has been an influx of commercial activity as well.
Saturday, Sept. 12, Golf Envy, owned by Christian and Beverly Miller, cut the ribbon to celebrate its grand opening at 12756 Kingston Pike, Suite 102, in Renaissance | Farragut. Golf Envy is a 24-hour, high-tech indoor golf simulator experience.
Also, Kingston Pike Villages, a commercial development located between the former Little Joe’s Pizza and Farragut Junction apartments, consists of about 33,000 square feet.
“The retail site is 7 acres,” said Daniel Smith, the Farragut Junction/Kingston Pike Villages developer. “We have two more acres to develop.
“They could be developed as similar retail shops, or potentially built to suit for a specific users, like a restaurant or brewery,” he added.
So far, seven tenants have leased spaces, covering about 60% of the development, Smith said. “We expect roughly 12 to 14 individual tenants.
“So far construction is proceeding on time, and we are hopeful to begin delivering spaces to tenants for their individual build outs by December,” he said.
Smith expects tenants to start moving in around summer 2027.
“A few may be open by the end of spring,” he said.
While Smith could not identify the tenants, media reports indicated a Starbucks, Covenant Health primary care physician office, Pacific Dental Office and Edward Jones Investments among those leasing space.
Watt Road also will be experiencing some commercial growth with Serenade at Farragut, a Planned Convenience Commercial development at 421 Watt Road featuring 30 townhomes and about 10 businesses, including two restaurants with outdoor patio seating.
“I am very optimistic about developing this project,” said Eddie Kherani, owner of Reliance Development, LLC, the developer. “For years, local residents have hoped for a mixed-use development on North Watt Road to serve the community and save them a drive to downtown Farragut or Turkey Creek.
“Additionally, recent renovations and field additions at Bob Leonard Park make this a prime location for development,” he said. “We are hoping to attract two anchor restaurants, a coffee shop, an ice cream parlor, a nail salon, a pizzeria and a smoothie shop among others.”
Right now, “we currently have four businesses committed to leases,” Kherani said.
Further down the road, developer Steve Maddox of Maddox Companies is developing 260 acres off Watt Road as a Prosperity Crossing project, a mixed-use project as a regional sports tournament and training destination.
Located on the northeastern quadrant of the Watt Road interchange of I-40/75, the site currently is undergoing massive, active site construction and land grading.
According to Maddox Industries, it targets late 2026 for the earliest phases of development.
