Country Store Blog Series-- Pratt's Country Store

Rudbeckia for sale at Pratt's

Country Store Blog Series-- 

Pratt's Country Store in Fountain City, TN

1st in series

Saturday August 15, 2020

Dana Koogler solo

Pix are here

Take you a drive out to north Knox and visit Pratt's Country Store.

   I recently tried something I've never done before.  I polled the participants in the Cumberland Plateau Facebook group I formed to see what they'd like me to consider writing about on my blog.  They came up with some marvelous suggestions.   One of which was the idea for a blog series on historic country stores.   I credit Mr. Gary Clendenon with this fine topic suggestion.   I don't know anyone who doesn't like country stores whether they like history or not.  

The first in the series will be the first one I was able to get to.... Pratt's in Fountain City.  It is not in the Cumberland Plateau, but I'm including it anyhow.

I generally don't put out of the area material on there, but I guess it wouldn't hurt once in awhile.     I got a couple other out of the area suggestions which I may look into as well.  

    Pratt's History

   I know the area we now call Fountain City was once called Smithwood.  I also know that it is a very old, well established community in the Knoxville area.
I am not a hundred percent sure, but I believe there was a grocery store already there called Smithwood Grocery.   The Pratt brothers came to work there and in time bought out the store.   It was established in 1922 as Pratt Brothers Market and has been owned and run by the family since that time.    Charles Pratt & Opal Pratt bought out the interest and took it over  thus it became "Pratt's Market". Mr. Pratt had a new building constructed shortly after he took over.
It was a full service grocery store like you seldom see today.  A grocery and meat market complete with credit lines offered and delivery service! Mr. Charles Pratt passed in 1946.    The Pratt children and helped their mother keep the store running.    Sometime in the 1970s-80s three of the Pratt boys took it over. Bill, C.L. and Ralph Pratt.   Today it is primarily run by Ralph and Perry Pratt.  I met Perry the day I last visited. 

   

    Imagine a world today where you went to Kroger or Wal-Mart and they'd 

• Babysit your kids
• Loan you their truck
• Deliver your groceries to your house
• Let you pay for your groceries on a credit line
• Reward you for paying your bill off each month with free bag of hard candy
• Pay your utility bill if you were broke
• Cash your checks free of charge
• Give you a lift to the bus 
• Take your kids to school
• What if Wal-Mart or Kroger bought all they could of their produce and meats from local area farmers?  

   Above: I am like a magpie. I love colors and shiny things.  How the front of Pratt's store lures me to buy plants and flowers and c'mon in?! 
 
   We don't find that in our franchise stores of today.  Today in Pratt's you have a rarity in that it is a small, well established family owned and operated store. They don't do all of these things anymore, but they are among the most civic minded families in the area.  They believe in and continue the strong legacy of a marvelous customer service.  Perry Pratt came out to my jeep in the pouring rain with me holding an umbrella.  He is such a total gentleman he would not leave me until both my groceries and myself were safely settled in my vehicle.

I'm sure that there are some lovely people working in those bigger stores, but you just don't find that everywhere.   

Above: They have moved from Spring and Summer flowers to the new garden season of Septweener.... Autumn isn't here yet, but we got another couple hot months to go.  Look at those floral plantings!

Below: my favorite one.. of all of them

Coleus, ivy, sweet potato vine, red millet, angelonia, marigolds, persian shield!

 

   Perry Pratt was named Fountain City's man of the year in 2017.  I think Ralph and he both got that award possibly more than once!  This family has three generations involved and a fourth one stepping in if I understand correctly!   I have taken lots of photos of the wonderful produce, flowers, meats, and foods in their store.   A great outing for a family or an individual would be to make an outing to Pratt's store and take a walk around Fountain City's lake and fountain. Feed the ducks. Get some exercise. Enjoy the scenic beauty of the park setting.  Take along your fishing pole and fish in the lake.   Maybe afterwards go by Litton's across the way and have supper or dessert!   Just a drive through the streets and neighborhoods is eye candy.  One neat, beautiful craftsman style home after another!    

Above: another view across the hanging baskets and floral plant and flower baskets.

       Future trips to this neighborhood I want to eat at Litton's and take a walk through nearby Savage Gardens. I have visited the one out in Rocky Top, but not the one in town.  I am a country girl for sure, but Fountain City is my favorite area of greater Knoxville.   Perhaps the strong sense of community and history are what make it seem more rural than urban.  

        

        

Above: they still have Summer flowers and they sell some mighty cute bird houses
Below: A very Tennessee thing.. purple pole beans are nice for flowering also!



Below: A bronze form of Rudbeckia! 

             

Below: spider plants, house plants like mother in law's tounge, aloe, and ornamental peppers!

Below: If you don't need a bird house.. maybe you could buy a bat house?



Below:  Pratt's sells a luscious selection of hand pies from Dutch Maid Delights of Greeneville TN.  I bought apple and cherry.  The cherry was my favorite, but those are only a few of the flavors!



Below: Fresh Grainger County tomatoes




Above: Peaches N Cream for sale and next to it.. Silver Queen white corn.
I had to get a dozen ears.

Below:  Amish rolls of cow butter. Salted and unsalted.  I love real butter. I had to get a roll to go with that fresh corn.



Below:  Fresh local baked breads! Regular white bread, salt risen and sourdough.
Made by Mountain View Bakery in Chuckey, TN.



Below: old timey Sauerkraut from Spring Valley Farm.



Above:  An assortment of farm fresh eggs.  I had to buy me a dozen Green Valley Farms cage free eggs.
Below:  fresh cantaloupes and in the corner.. a stack of Pratt's Country Store t shirts. $10 each.  I got a tea towel that says Pratt's. I wish I'd gotten a t shirt. Now I'll HAVE to go back.




above: just one small selection of the variety of Sweetwater Farms Cheeses they sell.  Made right here in Sweetwater, TN in the factory.


Above: Benton's bacon cured right here in Madisonville, TN.  It isn't that far for me to drive to Benton's to buy it, but I can't get all the other good stuff there besides meats! Below they even sell cracklins!  I've seldom seen those anymore.




  I hope looking at all these fine foods and flowers has made you hungry.
I hope it makes you want to drive to Fountain City to Pratt's.

It is located in Fountain City TN
at 3100 Tazewell Pike  Knoxville.
Easy to spot on the corner!

   Once I left Pratt's I drove 1 mile over into town to the Fountain City Lake and Park.  The fountain was what I mainly wanted to see.  It is along Broadway Hwy 441.... on the corner of Cedar and N. Broadway.


above: the historic and beautiful fountain that gives Fountain City its name!
Below: lots of ducks swimming in the lake's blue waters.


Below: Two cute little kids enjoy the ducks and the scenery of the lake with their family.



Last of all... some music about Country Stores by Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

Things I remember about the country stores of my childhood
The deli was cloth boloney and cheddar cheese that had to be sliced for you.
Barrels of Salt fish in Winter.
Onions hanging up on ropes.  Penny candy behind the counter.  The smell of country ham.  The smell of the old style ice filled coolers of bottled soft drinks.