Jay Brandon, Frussie's Deli co-owner, celebrates at Tuesday's 722 S. Gay Street ribbon-cutting.
Great to officially welcome Jay and Courtney Brandon, owners of Frussie's Deli, to the downtown restaurant scene!
The Brandons on Tuesday celebrated their grand re-opening with a ribbon-cutting, celebrating 30 years in business - but only recently at their present location, 722 S. Gay St.
“It takes a special kind of crazy person to come make bread every morning,” Jay Brandon says. He learned the art of bread-baking from his mentor and friend, the late James W. Dicks, who opened Frussie’s Deli in Gatlinburg in 1986 as a “sandwich speakeasy.” The deli moved in 1996 to South Knoxville, and now, it's an anchor on the 700 block of South Gay Street.
Why is it named "Frussie's"? James Dicks liked to keep frogs as pets. One was particularly fussy, the story goes. A fussy frog. Frussie.
Learn more about the deli by visiting www.frussies.com.
Meanwhile, Patricia Robledo, the City of Knoxville’s Business Liaison, told the gathering Tuesday that the $1.5 million Streetscape project in the 700 block is right on schedule. That block of Gay Street should reopen in June. And when that happens, the broken sidewalks and rough intersection medallions will be a thing of the past. There will be improved on-street parking, smooth new sidewalks and safer pedestrian crossings.
Did you know that Frussie’s and the other businesses in the 700 block will be ecological trend-setters? That’s right. This new block is the first in the City that will use pervious pavers and new cutting-edge tree root boxes, called Silva Cells, that will help the new bosque elms and everclear elms being planted grow healthy and strong.
So, on behalf of the City – congratulations, Frussie's, on 30 years and a warm welcome to Gay Street!
Frussie's owners bake 11 different types of bread from scratch daily - yum!
Welcome to downtown Knoxville, Frussie's Deli!