Bradley Essentials

ESSENTIAL Bradley Bradley

Grocery stores offer readymade fare

Big style at The Small Town Girl Boutique

Upgrades to Cleveland’s parks delight

ESSENTIAL Bradley Bradley

Summer 2023

Our Communities. Our People. Our Stories.

PUBLISHER EDITOR

GRAPHICS/DESIGN CONTRIBUTORS

Joyce Taylor

Autumn Hughes

Trena Bailey

Patty Hawkins

Carrie Pettit

Autumn Hughes

Allen Mincey

Tim Siniard

Mike and Annabel Webb

From the Editor

Here we are, in the thick of summer.

How are you beating the heat? Staying hydrated and seeking refuge indoors?

ADVERTISING

Kathy Payne

Kimberly Pike

Bradley Essential can help you avoid the sticky humidity by offering a journey into the community — all within these pages.

CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION

Jason Hackett

Bradley Essential is an award-winning publication of and distributed quarterly by the Cleveland Daily Banner, a division of Paxton Media Group. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored for retrieval by any means without written consent from the publisher. Bradley Essential is not responsibile for unsolicited materials and the publisher accepts no responsibility for the contents or accuracy of claims in any advertisement in any issue. Bradley Essential is not responsible for errors, omissions or changes in information. The opinions of contributing writers do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine and its publisher.

Our mission is to promote Bradley County and the surrounding area and to showcase its many attributes. We welcome ideas and suggestions for future editions of the magazine. Just send us a brief note via email.

© 2023 Cleveland Daily Banner

Bradley Essential P.O. Box 3600

Cleveland TN 37311 423-472-5041

EMAIL: Editor@BradleyEssential.com

Check out the Explore feature focusing on Cleveland’s parks, several of which have undergone upgrades. Map out your next playground visit from the comfort of your airconditioned home!

The Style Scene article takes readers on a tour of The Small Town Girl Boutique in Downtown Cleveland, and you can get a taste of Local Flavor reading about the ready-made food offerings at local grocery stores.

As always, check out the Garden Guide for tips from Bradley County Master Gardeners Mike and Annabel Webb, the Social Calendar for a preview of upcoming events, and Community Spotlight photos — just to see if we snapped your photo that one time you did venture out this summer!

Autumn Hughes, Editor

On the Cover

A music fan at a Friday Festival gets into the groove during the Dexter Thomas Band’s performance.

Photo by ALLEN MINCEY

Bradley Essential is offering its readers a chance to win a $50 gift card to The Small Town Girl Boutique. One lucky winner will be chosen. Visit ClevelandBanner.com/Bradley-Essential and fill out the entry form between July 27-Aug. 18. The winner will be announced in the Cleveland Daily

and its social media postings on Thursday,

‘Find the Cherokee Chieftain’

F

or the Spring 2023 issue of Bradley Essential, the Cherokee Chieftain icon was on Page 16, hidden on the spout of the watering can.

The image you’re looking for is a version of the one shown at left. It could be larger or smaller than this, and it could be in black and white or any color. If you find it, email us at Editor@BradleyEssential.com with the page number where it’s located. Include your name, address, phone number and email address. One entry per person. Two winners will be chosen from a random drawing of correct entries on May 19, and each will receive a $25 prize.

Note that the icon we hide will not appear on the front or back covers, or inside front and back covers of the magazine, and will not be placed in any advertisements. Good luck!

Grocery stores offer ready-made fare

Selections range from fresh produce to hot wings, sushi

By Allen Mincey

With new restaurants popping up in the local area frequently, some may find it hard to make a choice on what type of cuisine to enjoy on any given day. Many have found a variety of choices at their neighborhood grocery stores.

Publix, Cooke’s Food Store and Piggly Wiggly all serve meals throughout the day, as does Food City. In the case of Food City, upcoming expansion at the Ocoee Crossing store will enhance the variety already seen at that location.

“We’re looking at about another 10,000 square feet put onto the store,” said Eric Hozouri, store manager. “The additional space is primarily going to be just our food service department and expanded produce department.”

Food City presently has a wide variety of foods at its store at Ocoee Crossing. The Food City location on McGrady Drive also has a food service department, but not to the extent of its northern sibling.

Presently, Food City has a fresh bar which is primarily a salad and fruit bar. With the expansion, a more complete hot bar will be available, as will other new features.

With the expansion of Food City’s Ocoee Crossing location, more and more shoppers will be able to not only get their groceries, but sit and enjoy a great ready-made meal.

“With the expansion, we are going to actually rebuild the food service department,” Hozouri said. “We’re going to have fresh pizza every day, [and] we are going to have a sushi bar in the food service department. We are going to have a wok station and have an Asian hot bar every day, and an expanded hot bar.

“We will have an in-store smoker

where we will have smoked meats every day. We will have our bakery, and we will have a Starbucks as you walk into the store.”

Hozouri said the Ocoee Crossing site currently has some tables set up for folks to enjoy their meal on site. That will also expand.

“Our café is going to be expanding,” he said. “It will be a 45- to 50-person seating area along with a fireplace and TV. So we will have an official area where you can sit and eat.”

Food City at Ocoee Crossing also features breakfast, something that Hozouri

Contributed photos

It’s very convenient … you come in and pick up something to eat, and do your shopping too.

Eric Hozouri

The various food bars at Food City in Ocoee Crossing include, clockwise from top left, breakfast, hot bar, salad and fruit bar, and fresh bar.

said he is very familiar with.

“Every day I am coming in and grabbing a biscuit, or biscuit and gravy, or an omelet,” he smiled.

What makes the food service at Food City, or any grocery store that features such a service, is the ease in doing several tasks on one trip.

“It’s very convenient … you come in and pick up something to eat, and do your shopping too,” Hozouri said. “And, with the expansion, you are going to get a little bit of just about everything.”

Included in the expansion will also be a wing bar and a soup bar, which Hozouri said will feature up to five different choices. The soup would go well with

any of the huge variety of snack packs and sandwiches also available at the store.

Hozouri, who has been with Food City since 2014, and at the Ocoee Crossing location since 2015, said the food service department has been well received.

“It’s very popular. It is actually our fastest growing department over the last several years,” he noted. “People are looking for convenience, and are looking for getting variety and coming to one place.”

The expansion of the Ocoee Crossing store is just one of the many local projects involving Food City. Not only did the company purchase the Cooke’s

family of stores [Cooke’s Food Store and Pharmacy, and five Fresh n’ Low locations], but a groundbreaking was held in late June for two new sites — on Georgetown Road/State Route 60 just outside Cleveland, and in Ocoee.

“Our goal is to have the grand opening [at the Ocoee Crossing expansion] sometime before Christmas,” Hozouri said. “We’re pushing for that, and are hopeful that we will be able to accomplish that.”

Food City’s parent company, Abingdon, Tennessee based K-VA-T Food Stores, operates 140 retail stores throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, north Georgia, Alabama, and East Tennessee. n

Style Scene Big fashion ideas from

Find your fun side at Cleveland’s The Small Town Girl Boutique

By Autumn Hughes

Amid a flurry of ruffles and a sprinkle of sparkle, Stephanie Haynie’s dreams of running her own business are coming true.

Haynie owns The Small Town Girl Boutique and Rouge Beauty Lounge and Salon, both in Downtown Cleveland.

She opened the boutique in 2015 on Central Avenue downtown, expanding on her salon, which opened in 2011. She brought both businesses to the same location — 170 First St. NE — in January.

Haynie said it has been a blessing to bring both businesses under one roof. The new location has also seen an increase in foot traffic for the boutique.

“It’s worked out great bringing them together,” Haynie said.

As a youngster, Haynie said she started playing with hair at 3 years old. An appreciation for fun, stylish clothing came afterward.

“I love fashion,” she said, adding she developed that love into opening a boutique.

The boutique carries multiple brands, including Charlie B, Shu Shop, Beach and KanCan.

“Everything else we buy it as we like it,” Haynie said.

Haynie grew up on a farm in Calhoun, raising and showing dairy cattle. She graduated from McMinn County High School and attended Cleveland State Community College. These days, Cleveland is home.

In the early 2010s, Haynie was working part-time in Nashville when a car accident led to extensive rehabilitation and the eventual end to her weekly commutes.

“It was too much going back and

forth,” she explained.

Haynie and her mother, Vickie McCamish, who still lives on the family farm, are partners in the business. Part of the fun is shopping together for merchandise for the boutique.

“We just kind of collectively go and decide if we like it,” she said.

And when it comes to choosing items, “I say all the time it’s like gambling” hoping that the clothes and accessories they like will strike the same chord with

customers, Haynie said.

The boutique recently was chosen as the Boutiques category winner in the Cleveland Daily Banner’s Reader’s Choice Awards.

Haynie’s team includes Tanya Burr, Makenna Baker and Gabrielle Turner, who promote the boutique through social media, “and I can just do hair,” she said.

Haynie’s son, 4-year-old Warner, is a regular visitor to the shop.

a small town girl

It’s worked out great bringing them together.

Stephanie Haynie, speaking about her boutique and salon

Photos by AUTUMN HUGHES

Stephanie Haynie organizes a display at her shop, The Small Town Girl Boutique in Downtown Cleveland. The boutique shares space with Haynie’s other business enterprise, Rouge Beauty Lounge and Salon.

“He loves coming in here to visit with the girls,” she said.

The Small Town Girl Boutique offers styles for all ages, and for sizes extra-small to 3X.

“We try to stay more on the trendier side,” Haynie said.

In addition to clothing, accessories and shoes, the shop offers gift-wrapping service at the holiday season, when the boutique offers more gift items.

Haynie said she is already buying fall

fashions to stock the boutique, and at the end of August will transition from summer into game day styles.

“Everything in here will be orange,” she joked, “and at Labor Day it will turn to full fall.”

The Small Town Girl Boutique is at 170 First St. NE, in Downtown Cleveland. It is open from 1:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Colorful accessories are among the highlights at the boutique.

For information, call (423) 339-8811 or visit Facebook.com/TheSmallTownGirlCleveland n

Cleveland’s parks delight

Facilities upgrades bring smiles to young and young-at-heart

By Tim Siniard

Blythe-Oldfield Park

Blythe-Oldfield Park, renovated in 2017, is in the Blythe-Oldfield community. It is adjacent to the Blythe Family Support Center and includes a playground, a basketball court and a community pavilion.

The address is 1075 Blythe Ave.

A

Cleveland

The City of Cleveland has been on a mission to revitalize its many public parks, transforming them into sites featuring modern playground facilities where youngsters can zoom across a zip line or splash in a bubbling brook.

The city has also added two new parks during the past three years, with Avery Johnson Park and Taylor Spring Park joining the area’s existing public spaces.

Mosby Park

Cleveland’s most recently renovated park, Mosby Park, located in the city’s College Hill area, features a new playground, basketball court, landscaping, sidewalks and a community pavilion perfect for picnics or as a setting for live music.

The new playground also has a zip line.

Tinsley Park

The sprawling 44-acre park, located off of Keith Street, features four softball fields, a playground, a skate park, a dog park, walking trails and an Olympic-size swimming pool.

Its newest addition is the Tony Cavett Tennis Center, which has seven tennis courts, restrooms, a pavilion and seven pickleball courts.

The address is 4031 Keith St. NW.

Avery Johnson Park

Named for Cleveland Vice Mayor Avery Johnson, Cleveland’s newest park is adjacent to Blythe-Bower Elementary School.

City of Cleveland has added two new parks during the past three years.

And for those wanting to beat the heat, the park also has a large swimming pool and a splash park.

The park is at 150 Shepherd St. NW.

Deer Park

Renovated in 2019, Deer Park is “located in the heart of Cleveland’s historic residential district,” according to the city’s website, and offers a large play area with zip lines, a pavilion and a natural water feature resembling a small stream.

During the renovation, playground equipment and a climbing wall were installed.

The address is 475 17th St. NW.

The large greenspace has a regulation-size soccer field, a dog park for both large and small dogs, as well as a large pavilion for social events.

The address is 260 Foster Lane.

Fletcher Park

Located off Tennessee Nursery Road, Fletcher Park is a 70-acre, densely wooded site offering two miles of walking trails, a gazebo, an ADA fishing pier, a Japanese garden and pavilions.

The address is 1575 Tennessee Nursery Road NW.

Taylor Spring Park

The site of a water source that played a pivotal role in attracting settlers to the area during the early 19th century, Taylor Spring Park opened in 2020.

Daily Banner file photos

sidewalk winds past a replica stream house at Taylor Spring Park, which opened in 2020.

Tinsley Park’s newest addition is the Tony Cavett Tennis Center, which has seven tennis courts, restrooms, a pavilion and seven pickleball courts.

A boy enjoys Deer Park’s zip line during the park’s re-grand opening ceremony in 2019.

The

The small park, ideal for a quiet picnic or as a relaxing place to enjoy some outdoor time during lunch breaks, is named for Andrew Taylor, Cleveland’s first settler, who owned much of what

is now downtown Cleveland from 1819 until the 1840s.

The park offers a water feature and a replica stream house, “which would have served the family’s home approximately

700 feet away near the intersection of Worth Street NW and Central Avenue NW,” according to the City of Cleveland’s website.

The address is 285 First St. NW.

Photo by TIM SINIARD

Two youngsters try out Mosby Park’s new basketball court during a re-grand opening on Monday, July 10.

Greenway Park

Located on Raider Drive and next to the Cleveland/ Bradley Greenway — which stretches more than four miles throughout the city — Greenway Park has a playground, a pavilion, an event stage and ample greenspace.

The park is located on Raider Drive, across from Cleveland High School.

Johnston Park

Johnston Park is located next to Inman Street’s historic Cherokee Hotel, which the City of Cleveland is currently renovating to serve as a new municipal building. The park features a gazebo for public use, and plans to rehabilitate the space are underway.

First Street Square

Situated in downtown Cleveland’s Five Points area, First Street Square offers parking and open space for downtown events. A life-size statue of Cleveland’s namesake, Revolutionary War hero Col. Benjamin Cleveland, who fought with General George Washington at the Battle of Kings Mountain, also looks out onto the grounds.

The park is adjacent to many downtown restaurants and shops.

For reservations of Cleveland’s park facilities, call the City of Cleveland Parks and Recreation department at 423-479-6370 or visit ClevelandTN.gov/636/Parks-Recreation n

It’s question & answer time

What plant and/or yard concerns do you have?

By Mike and Annabel Webb

By this time of the year your gardens should be well established and now you are dealing with the daily chores of weeding, controlling pests, making sure the garden is getting enough water, and finally harvesting the “fruits of your labor.”

But along the way, there may be questions you have, such as: is that bug a good one or a bad bug? Why are the leaves on my vegetable turning yellow? What are those spots on the leaves of my squash plant, and many more.

You can research the questions on the internet, and get many opinions, but which one is applicable for the gardens of our area? Part of the Bradley County Master Gardners’ service to the residents of Bradley County is to help with gardening and yard questions you may have. Residents may:

• Call the Bradley County Extension office at 423-728-7001

• Log on to https://bradley.tennessee.edu/bradley-county-plant-clinic/

• Scan the QR code at right

• Visit the office at 2373 Parker St., at the PIE Innovation Center and present your flower/yard/vegetable/or weed issue.

The UT Extension Office will connect you with a member of Bradley County Master Gardeners’ Plant Clinic. A member of the Plant Clinic will contact you directly and help answer your questions.

Importance of having a soil test

One way to ensure that your garden will thrive is to have the soil tested. Have you completed a soil test lately? If not, now is a great time to visit the Extension Office and pick up a soil test kit. The kit includes a bag for you to gather soil from various areas of your garden, instructions to complete based on your specific plan for the garden, and how to return the test kit. You will then receive a report that gives you suggestions on improving the soil for your specific plan. The Extension Office staff can also answer questions regarding the soil test results.

What about preserving your harvest?

Once your produce is harvested, what do you do with the abundance you have?

We all love our fresh vegetables as they come in. Nothing else is much better than fried squash and okra, a hot ear of corn, juicy tomatoes straight from the vine or a bunch of green beans cooked in the Insta Pot. But what do you do when you have more than you can eat or share? There is a hidden gem available for Bradley County residents: the Bradley County Cannery, located next to the Farmers Market on Peerless Road.

The cannery is operated by the staff of the Bradley County Extension Office, they offer expert advice and instructions on canning and preserving vegetables, fruits and making jelly.

To take advantage of this service, call the Extension Office at 423-7287001 and schedule an appointment.

And, do not miss visiting the Farmers Market at 3120 Peerless Road NW. Local farmers and producers provide fresh fruits, vegetables and even meat and other food products to the local community. The market is open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 7 a.m. until noon, or until they run out of product. So, stop by early and often. You can visit their Facebook page at Bradley County Farmers Market. n

The Bradley County Extension Office is located at 2373 Parker St. NE, in Downtown Cleveland. For more information, call (423) 728-7001.

Editor’s Note: Mike and Annabel Webb are Bradley County Master Gardeners. For more information about that organization, contact the Bradley County UT Extension Office or learn more online at www.BradleyCountyMasterGardeners.org

Part of the Bradley County Master Gardeners’ service to the residents of Bradley County is to help with gardening and yard questions you may have.

Social Calendar July

28

Join Terra Running Company for the final leg of the 2nd Annual Summer Sizzler 5K Race Series. Held on the last Friday of May, June and July from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., this one-ofa-kind series of 5Ks celebrates summer, racing and Cleveland. Held on the Cleveland-Bradley County Greenway, each race includes a family-friendly 1 mile fun run/walk, lots of music, sun, fun and surprises. Each 5K is $30 and each 1-mile is $10. All 5ks will be chip-timed, fast and flat with Summer Sizzler Swag for all finishers. www.TerraRunning.com

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Summer Music

Weekends at Rock City Gardens continue through Labor Day Weekend.

Enjoy the music of a variety of artists. Comfort yourself in the oldtimey music of Matt Downer.

Enjoy the fun sounds from the Highbeams, Amber Carrington, and Kofi. Tickets are $29.95 for adults and $19.95 for children ages 3-12. Timed-entry reservations are recommended, as dates can sell out. Days and hours vary.

www.SeeRockCity.com

August 3

Get your crew together for Ladies Night at High Point Climbing and Fitness, and cheer each other on as you climb. Hosted from 4 to 8 p.m. every Thursday, it is free to all members; ladies receive 40% off day passes after 4 p.m. www.HighPointClimbing.com 3

Market at the Mill is open every Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. under the big shade trees at the Old Woolen Mill. Market at the Mill has fresh produce, fruits, food, arts and crafts. All farmers and vendors welcome at no charge. Event is held rain or shine.

www.VisitClevelandTN.com

17

History Happy Hour

at the Museum & Cultural Center at 5ive Points focuses on World War II sunken ships, with discussion by Paul Mayer, who has spent his career researching, discovering and recovering sunken ships as lead research for Vulcan. He served with the Petrel crew for some of their most amazing discoveries. He’s a master diver, photographer, researcher, submarine, and ROV pilot. The Petrel crew has been featured in numerous documentaries on National Geographic, History Channel, and even PBS for the USS Indianapolis find. Most recently, his team was featured in a series of eight episodes of “The Lost Ships.” History Happy Hour is at 6:30 p.m. at the Museum Center. Tickets are $5.

www.MuseumCenter.org

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The 2023 MainStreet Cruise-In season is underway. The popular car show attracts an average of more than 500 classic cars and special interest vehicles to Cleveland’s downtown. Cruise-ins are held the fourth Saturday of each month, April to October, 1 to 6 p.m. There is no entry fee to exhibit a vehicle or attend the cruise-in and it is open to all vehicles — antique, classic, muscle, street rods and special interest. Upcoming cruise-in dates are Sept. 23 and Oct. 28.

www.MainStreetCruisers.org 29

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture hosts its Fall Gardeners’ Festival at Plateau AgResearch and Education Center (320 Experiment Station Road, Crossville). The festival has 15 scheduled presentations. UT Gardens, Crossville, in collaboration with UT Extension Master Gardeners will host the day-long event, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT, with registration beginning at 8 a.m., for those not pre-registered. Mark Windham, UT professor emeritus of plant pathology, will discuss rose rosette disease. Admission is free and food is available for puchase. Online registration is encouraged but not required. tiny.utk.edu/3olHE

The International Cowpea Festival & Cook-off returns for its 11th year, to Charleston. Kicking off at 10 a.m., the event will include a cook-off focusing on cowpea recipes. A marketplace will feature arts and crafts, produce and other items for sale. The festival is a non-profit event with all proceeds going to support the operations of the Hiwassee River Heritage Center. www.CowpeaFestival.com

14

Learn the secrets of the “Secret City” with Oak Ridge historian Ray Smith at History Happy Hour. Oak Ridge was essential in the Manhattan Project, enriching the uranium to create the first atomic weapons. Learn about the people and the place

that played a vital role in ending World War II. History Happy Hour is at 6:30 p.m. at the Museum & Cultural Center at 5ive Points. Tickets are $5. www.MuseumCenter.org

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The Cleveland Daily Banner hosts its Fifty-Five + Senior Expo, providing attendees with financial advice, senior care services and fitness options for active lifestyles. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Museum & Cultural Center at 5ive Points. There is no charge for admission or parking. www.ClevelandBanner.com

October

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Karis Community Health’s Halloween Costume Ball is a fundraiser for the organization. The night will feature dinner, drinks and dancing, as well as a silent and live auction and costume contest, from 7 to 11 p.m. Individual tickets are $150 each; corporate and table sponsorships range from $250 to $5,000. Attire is formal/black tie, costume optional. www.KarisHealth.org

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The Cleveland Apple Festival is a family event that is held each fall in historic Downtown Cleveland. This annual festival offers an arts and crafts show, live music, food booths, pony rides, entertainment, children’s activities and much more. All children’s activities are free to children 12 and under, including pony rides. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday. The Cleveland Apple Festival is a 501(c) (3) public charity that donates all net proceeds to other nonprofit organizations in the Cleveland area.

www.ClevelandAppleFestival.org

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Enjoy music, food, candy, a costume contest, bounce houses and tons of Mars candy on Treat Street during Cleveland’s annual Downtown Halloween Block Party There’s free fun for all ages!

www.MainStreetCleveland.com

Community Spotlight Friday Festivals

Lindsey and Andrew Kimball of September

Song entertained a large crowd at the third of five Friday Festivals this year at First Street Square in Downtown Cleveland.

The Jimmy Buffett tribute band Ula had the hundreds attending the first of this year’s Friday Festivals singing along with some parrothead tunes. The band helped get the festivals kicked off in a great way.

Scenic City Sound came up from Chattanooga to perform at this year’s Friday Festivals at First Street Square. The band was one of five to entertain at the park in June, with one — the Dexter Thomas Band — having its performance moved to the first Friday in July due to inclement weather. Also performing this year was Seth David Coley & the Rabbit Valley Boys.

Photos by ALLEN MINCEY

Community Spotlight

Bradley Essential Spring 2023 Contest Winners

Additional copies of Bradley Essential are available here:

Burgess Feed, Benton

Charleston Post Office

Cleveland Bradley County Public Library

Crye-Leike, Realtors

Cleveland Daily Banner

Cooke’s Food Stores

Crawford’s Pharmacy

Farmhouse Restaurant

Fresh-N-Low, Georgetown

Fresh-N-Low, Highway 64 & 411

Fresh-N-Low, Spring Place

Gondolier, Keith Street

Photos by AUTUMN HUGHES

Tammie Shuford was the winner in the reader contest for the Bradley Essential Spring 2023 issue. She received a $50 gift card to The Bird’s Nest.

Sharon Lupo was a winner in the “Find the Cherokee Chieftain” contest for the Bradley Essential Spring 2023 issue. She received a $25 prize.

Editor’s Note: Todd Van Dyke was also a $25 prize winner in the “Find the Cherokee Chieftain” contest for the Bradley Essential Spring 2023 issue.

Harry’s, Tasso & Stuart

Kangaroo, Ocoee

Las Margaritas, 25th Street

Museum & Cultural Center at 5ive Points

Piggly Wiggly, Charleston

Posey Gun & Pawn, Colony Square

Riverside Spirits, Benton