The Brookside is downtown Knoxville’s most elegant venue located on Central Street in the heart of Happy Holler. Offering a completely different aesthetic than its sister venue across the street, The Relix, The Brookside is a modern and elegant event space perfect for all types of events.
The Brookside is proud to provide a large main hall that allows for wedding receptions of up to 300 guests or standing room only events with up to 400. With two floors, you can begin your event on the main floor and then escort your guests to the downstairs lounge as the upstairs is being transformed for another part of the evening.
The space is characterized by stately elegance & classic design. The Grand Ballroom features a bold, coffered ceiling with shimmering chandeliers above shining Appalachian hickory floors. Silvery sconces adorn pilasters which ring the space with dramatic DMX-controlled up lighting.
Overlooking Central Street, The Front Patio wraps the Ballroom with 8' full-glass doors which open under deep, protective overhangs where DMX-controlled down lighting allows the patio to be washed in color-coordinated light.
ABOUT THE BROOKSIDE
- Ideal for seated events, including ceremonies with receptions, with 300 guests, or standing room only events with 400 guests.
- 2 floors which allow for ample space for guests to use and move freely in
- The Lower Lounge features polished concrete floors with shimmering bistro lighting for a cocktail hour, intimate dinner, or staging for productions.
- The secluded Bridal Suite is the perfect spot for getting prepared for the big day which includes a 5 station Beauty Bar, Gown Display, and luxurious ensuite bath.
- The Gentlemen's Quarters feature a rich leather sofa, comfortable chairs and a flat screen TV with a private access door.
- A catering kitchen provides the space and resources to produce a first-class event.
- Front patio with 8 ft. full-glass doors
- View overlooking Central St
Features
Modern, elegant, charming
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"The owners of The Brookside are incredibly accommodating and the staff could not have been nicer. Every guest was blown away by the location and the space and said that it was the best wedding reception they had ever been to! Everything was better than we could have even imagined. I highly recommend The Brookside!
“This venue is just what downtown Knoxville needed - a large elegant space for the modern bride that can be personalized to her style.”
The BROOKSIDE Story
The Brookside's elegance is in contrast to its gritty Industrial namesake, the Brookside Mills, where locals worked producing textiles down the hill by Second Creek from 1885 to 1956. Up the hill on highway 25 between the Mill and Old North Knoxville, Happy Holler was the commercial heart of the area by day, and by night... well, it was Happy… very happy…Notoriously happy.
After the Mill closed and 275 came through, the area fell into decline. With the loss of employment and traffic, businesses and respectable restaurants closed, and once grand homes were broken up into low-income apartments. Absentee landlords neglected properties while draining the last dollars from the area. And in Happy Holler, there was "a bar on every corner and a few in between" where locals tried to fill the emptiness with bourbon and white lightning.
For 50 years there was little investment, public or private, in the area... and, believe it or not, that was a good thing. Turns out the lack of "progress" meant that most homes and commercial buildings were saved from the wrecking ball.
In May of 2004 local architect Daniel Schuh, who had recently returned to Knoxville from his native Charleston, came across a home for sale in Old North Knoxville - A beautiful 1895 Queen Anne which had been divided into 3 apartments.
Having grown up in Charleston, Mr. Schuh realized the value and potential for not only this home, but for the area. He moved into the Queen Anne and started restoring the most neglected homes in the neighborhood and advocating for North Knoxville.
When the commercial center on the 1200 block of N Central St in the heart of Happy Holler came up for sale in 2007, he couldn't let the iconic piece of Knoxville history get away. With 5 buildings, dating from 1915 to 1935, the history was captivating and the character of the spaces could not be reproduced... although it took some vision at the time. The oldest building, which started its life as CI Vest Dry Goods, now houses Relix which Mr. Schuh started in 2009.
In 2017, Mr. Schuh had his eyes on the commercial property on the opposite side of the block as he needed more space due to the growth of the events business. Similarly neglected, the block had last seen investment in the 70’s when the Knoxville Institute of Hair Design was built by Jack Rodgers.The business did well until Jacks passing, resulting in the schools closure. With the school gone, the parcel became available.
Mr. Schuh set to the grand task of transforming the facility into the Brookside event hall and the former Epps Motor Repair into a restaurant. The Brookside opened in January of 2020 with the restaurant due to be completed shortly, having been delayed, like most of life, by the pandemic.
Today, the Old North Knoxville neighborhood and the commercial area - which has now been designated a National Historic District - are returning to their bustling roots, planted in the 1900's.
Known for its thriving nightlife and colorful characters, Happy Holler's long tradition of serving the community continues today.
ElevAted Elegance
