Historic mill to house restaurants, retail shops, coffeehouse
Edley’s Bar-B-Que, Mean Mug Coffeehouse, Blue Ridge Fly Fishing to anchor North Shore’s Signal Mill
Mean Mug Coffeehouse, Edley’s Bar-B-Que and Blue Ridge Fly Fishing will open this summer in North Chattanooga in the same building as Food Works, a restaurant that’s been there more than a decade. They’re moving into Signal Mill, an old, brick knitting mill at 205 Manufacturers Road next door to the Whole Foods-anchored 2 North Shore shopping center.
Signal Mill used to be an antiques mall called the Knitting Mill. The property was purchased in July of last year for $3.55 million by The Woodbery Group, which will spend $8 million upgrading the 60,000-square-foot, brick, two-and-a-half-story structure.
Woodbery expects the new tenants’ businesses to be up and running by late summer.
Known for it smoky barbecue, Edley’s Bar-B-Que is a “meat-and-three” Nashville-based restaurant that will feature an eclectic indoor dining space as well as a large patio area.
“I grew up not far from Chattanooga and have always had great respect for the city,” Will Newman, who co-founded Edley’s Bar-B-Que with his wife Catharine, said in statement. “As we searched for the right spot, the unique atmosphere of the North Shore felt like a good fit for Edley’s.”
David Woodbery, president of The Woodbery Group, said he hopes to have a grand opening event for the renovated Signal Mill in late May or early June.
“We’re excited about this,” he said. “They’re great tenants.”
The Woodbery Group is still in negotiations with other retail and office tenants, Woodbery said.
“The property sells itself, because it’s such a unique and beautiful building,” he said. “People instantly see what a great space it is.
Signal Mill will be the second location for Mean Mug Coffeehouse, which hopes to replicate its success at 114 W. Main St. It features an extensive breakfast menu served all day and panini sandwiches. It’s got “slow bar,” or pour-over coffee that takes a while to make — or drip coffee that’s a lot faster.
“We can get you in and out the door, if you’re stopping for coffee on the way to work,” said Matt Lewis, who co-owns Mean Mug with Monica Smith. He likes the new space.
“It was already kind of a well-known landmark, if you will. I feel like we’ll capitalize on that,” said Lewis, who also is a partner in a local restaurant group, El Guapos, that includes Hair of the Dog, Terminal Brewhouse, the Honest Pint and Beast + Barrel.
Another new tenant in Signal Mill is Blue Ridge Fly Fishing, based in Blue Ridge, Ga.
“We joined with some well-known local pros to provide the best in customer experience as anglers prepare to hit the water,” Jeff Turner, owner of the fly fishing shop, said in a statement. “With helpful suggestions, great directions and
the ability to test your fly-casting capabilities right on our front lawn, Blue Ridge Fly Fishing can assist in turning anyone into a seasoned angler.”
Signal Mill will continue to house the Food Works restaurant, which opened in 2006. “We’ve been on the North Shore for more than 10 years,” said chef and partner Troy Sutton. “We’ve experienced a recession and lots of traffic detours, but our customers keep coming back to a menu that has been tested over time.”
Woodbery also touted a new path as another plus to Signal Mill. “We’re working with our neighbors at Fletcher Bright Company to build a pathway from their new project on Cherokee Boulevard to our building that will connect to Renaissance Park and on to the river,” he said.
Contact staff writer Tim Omarzu at tomarzu @timesfreepress.com or www.facebook.com/MeetsForBusiness or on Twitter @meetforbusiness or 423-757-6651.