Come and see ‘What’s Out West’
Want to know “What’s Out West” while enjoying an adult beverage, food samples, door prizes and meet and greets with local elected officials? Shop Farragut/Farragut Business Alliance and Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce officials are counting on it, and providing the indoor venue to boot.
Both organizations have been working together for several months on next week’s first-ever W.O.W. Pop-up Business Expo 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, in the former Stein Mart location in Village Green Shopping Center.
More than 90 businesses, organizations and politicos had reserved booth space as of last Friday, April 8, including AAA East Tennessee, Knoxville Academy of Music, Elevation Arts and Fitness, Junk Galaxy, Rotary Club of Farragut, Sir Goony’s, Town of Farragut, Turkey Creek Land Partners and The Dog Wizard.
Additionally, a cash bar will be offered by Admiral’s Pub and Water into Wine, along with food samplings from the Euphoric Cheese Shop, Longhorn Steakhouse, Texas Roadhouse and Zaxby’s among others.
Both Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs and Farragut Mayor Ron Williams will be attending, along with radio personality Hallerin Hilton Hill, who will be broadcasting live from the event.
W.O.W. has been almost two years in development.
“After COVID, we wanted to do something to get new residents out, as well as
help break out of the ‘stay at home’ patterns that had set in, because of the pandemic,” Shop Farragut Executive Director Steve Krempasky explained. “People need to meet our local businesses, and business owners, but they need to meet each other, too.”
“The big thing people need to know is that this is a really fantastic networking opportunity for business professionals, new residents and existing community members and residents,” FWKCC President/CEO Julie Blaylock added. “I think people will be very surprised to see how much growth and change there has been over the last couple of years.”
Jennifer Ullian, owner of ActFast CPR, is one of the newer businesses being showcased.
“We are looking forward to meeting potential customers and letting them know about our mobile CPR business,” Ullian said of the opportunity. “We can provide CPR and First Aid training at their site, on their schedule.
“The W.O.W. expo is a great way for businesses and customers alike to make local connections.”
Also participating is The Dog Wizard.
“We are a balanced dog training company that understands that every dog is different and we have to mold our training to the dog that’s in front of us,” owner/lead trainer Trent Steele said. “We work alongside and in Concord Veterinary Hospital in Farragut [and offer] free evaluations to discuss options, such as Borden trains, private lessons, and group lessons.
“We are also active in the dockdiving community, which puts on Dog Daze at Village Green.”
Blaylock said booth sign-ups “have gone really well. Our sponsors and booth vendors are all just very excited for the opportunity that is being provided through this Expo, which has never been done before in Farragut.
“We have never spotlighted businesses out west like this.”
Kiley Parker, director of marketing for Turkey Creek, said “as East Tennessee’s most expansive retail, dining, office and residential development situated in West Knoxville, we really wanted to be part of the Expo, and I have encouraged all of our more than 200 partners to take part, too.”
While the booth deadline has closed, contact Blaylock at 865-675-7057 for information about any last-minute booth availability.
Advance tickets are $5 each, and may be purchased on the FWKCC website, www.farragutchamber.com, or in person at its offices, located at 11826 Kingston Pike, Suite 110.
A limited number of tickets are also being given away by radio station WFIV 105.3 FM to listeners.
Presenting sponsor for W.O.W. is TDS Telecom. Additional sponsors include Centriworks, Engel & Volkers, Embroidery Boutique, First Horizon, Knox Fox Real Estate, Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union, Tennessee State Bank, TNBank, Ultimate Healthcare Solutions, UT Federal Credit Union, Water into Wine, M&M Productions, farragutpress/WFIV, NewsTalk 98.7, B97.5 and ViaMedia.
