RWB Jam to promote West End
Inaugural Red, White & Blues Jam presented by SouthEast Bank will serve as a showcase event for 23 West End Avenue businesses.
While featuring five different bands on a rotating basis during the six-hour event, 4 to 10 p.m., Friday, July 8, the Jam is a unique chance to be entertained, refreshed by tasty treats and cold beverages and all the while taking advantage of “in-store specials or discounts” at all 20 businesses, said Stephen F. Krempasky, executive director of Shop Farragut/Farragut Business Alliance that is putting on the event.
Krempasky said the Fest is unique among other Shop Farragut community-business events in that, beyond giving out samples, West End Shopping Center businesses “can just go ahead and make a sale.
“Bring people in and let them enjoy the entertainment, but we want them to be able to buy things, too,” he added.
The 23 West End businesses are McEntire & Mayes Interiors, Buddy’s Bar-B-Q, Fruition Cafe, Subway, Don Delfi’s Family Restaurant, Clean Eatz, Farmers Insurance, EXIT Realty, Edward Jones Investments, Goodwill, Salon 1551, Heidi’s Gym, Aurora Pools & Spas, DW Designs, 9 Round Kickboxing, West End Barber Shop, Studio 135, College Hunks Moving, Spero, Honeybee Coffee, Echelon Bike Shop, East Tennessee Spine & Sport and Dance Center West.
“This is a good way for Farragut to get to know the center,” said Linda McEntire, president/interior designer of McEntire & Mayes Interiors, 151 West End Ave, who is co-owner of the business with daughter, Melissa Mayes.
“Many of us here right now are practically new. We’ve all been here just a few months.
“There’s a nice mix of retail establishments” in the Center, she added. “There’s the hair salon, there’s the credit union, there’s us, there’s restaurants, there’s something for the kids in Heidi’s Gym. There’s such a wide variety now of services and retail.
“It’s kind of fun to walk down our sidewalks and peek in and see what each of us has. Everyone
has renovated their spaces and wants to show off what we have to offer.”
McEntire said she’s confident West End Shopping Center can become “a town within the Town with retail and services on all sides of the street.
“We are doing a sidewalk sale,” she added. “We’ll be selling things that one would use for entertaining. … It is going to feature wine and craft beer accessories. Just fun, happy glasses with silly sayings, some vintage accessories.”
On a personal level, ‘We’ve all gotten to know each other really well,” McEntire said.
For example, a given West End shop owner or employee on the way to lunch “might be walking down to McDonald’s and they pop in to say ‘hi’ and introduce themselves,” McEntire said.
Five area bands will entertain the public starting with Terra Plane Drifters at 4 p.m.; James Seaton Quartet, 5 p.m.; CrawDaddy Jones, 6 p.m.; Mystic Rhythm Tribe, 7 p.m.; Few Miles On, 8:30 p.m., and Finale Jam, “Mystic Miles” at 9:45 p.m.
A “giant” tent measuring 40 feet wide and 60 feet long, with seating and tables for up to 150, “will be located in the parking lot in front of Exit Realty,” Krempasky said. “That’s where the stage will be.”
The tent would serve a dual purpose: “in case it’s blistering hot or if it rains,” Krempasky said. “But we want people to go into the stores between the music. The stores will be air conditioned.”
While some West End businesses also will feature sidewalk sales, “Others will have tents over in the parking lot” adjacent to the big tent and stage, Krempasky said.
“The team at EXIT [Realty] will be providing VIP seating for veterans and their spouses on a first-come, first-serve basis while providing beverages and snacks as well as air-conditioned viewing of this event, [which] is free to the public,” an EXIT press release stated.
Krempasky said Echelon Bikes had tentative plans for “a little bicycle course so people can try out the bikes. … We’re planning to close off part of the boulevard.
“Goodwill will be doing face painting for families and kids.”
Other Farragut area businesses sponsoring tents include CH Interiors, Health Markets, SILO Cigars, Smart Home Fix and UPS Store®.
