Business
April 22, 2026 by Tammy Cheek
LENOIR CITY — Riverside Coffee Shop, near Farragut, can do more for its staff and clients after a Pilots volunteer group and ABA Next Steps took on a project to improve its interior and exterior spaces on Wednesday, April 8.
“We have the Pilot Company, what they call Miles of Good, and they do service projects all over the community,” said Angie Davidson with ABA Next Steps and executive director with Riverside Coffee Shop, 16239 US Highway 70, Lenoir City. “We put in an application and they chose us to come.
“We had two teams coming,” she said. “The morning team helped us do painting for our new community room, and they are pressure washing the outside.
“We have an afternoon team that’s come in, and they’re getting our community space outside — our tables put up,” Davidson said. “We’re having them focus on our community spaces inside and outside, putting in the labor for us.
“They’ve also been generous to donate all the supplies,” she added.
“ABA Next Steps is proud to partner with Pilot Company’s Miles of Good program” for the volunteer effort to “enhance Riverside Coffee Shop as a welcoming, inclusive community space,” Davidson said. “I know their goal and mission is to help in the community, where they sort of align with what’s going on.
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April 22, 2026 by Tammy Cheek
A new concept in dining came to town when Curry & Queso had its grand opening at 117 Lovell Road, beside Costco, Saturday, April, 11.
The first Indo-Mex restaurant, owned by the Patel family, fuses Indian and Latin American flavors to create a whole new experience.
“We have never heard about it,” said Narev Patel, co-founder/owner, along with his sister and brother-in-law. “The flavors go together really well. Mexican is known to have more border flavors and so is Indian food, and a lot of the spices are shared as well.”
“It turned out to be a really good combination,” he added.
On that day, “we’re giving all of our signature items for $6.99,” Patel said.
“Previously, we actually owned Roll-Em-Up Taquitos — that used to be on the same spot,” Patel said.
However, “that was a franchise that wasn’t really working for us, so we shut it down and thought of our own concept,” he said. “We love Indian food — we’re Indian — and we love Mexican food as well, so we were just experimenting at home, combining the two, and it turned out really good.
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April 22, 2026 by Tammy Cheek
Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce members recently had an opportunity to see the behind-the-scenes action of Topgolf during the Chamber’s inaugural How It’s Made Tour at Topgolf, 11400 Outlet Drive, Friday March 27.
FWKCC president/CEO Julie Blaylock credited the Chamber’s board and education committee, chaired by Brenda Huckaby, for initiating and making the event happen.
They’ve already planned the next How It’s Made event for 10 a.m. Friday, June 26, at Daylen Products Inc., 11110 Gilbert Drive, Knoxville.
“One a quarter, that’s our goal,” Blaylock said. “I’m super excited to be at Topgolf today.”
At Topgolf, Aaron Gicking, director of sales, said the business has been in Farragut for six years.
“This is my second venue,” he said. “I opened it back in 2022. I couldn’t be happier.
“Topgolf was established back in 2000 … the idea was from two gentlemen from the [United Kingdom],” Gicking said. “Oddly enough, it took 20 years before a venue actually opened in the UK.”
Besides the United States, it now has venues across the world, such as the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, and China, among others.
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