Best New Business
Bliss
There’s always a buzz of anticipation in the final weeks leading up to the opening of a new business. Curious potential shoppers peek into the windows and wait eagerly for the moment customers are welcome inside. Those of us who work near Market Square were skeptical of Bliss. The space formerly occupied by the late, great Lula restaurant would need to be something special in order to deserve its place in the vivid royal purple storefront. If we had high expectations, Bliss has met and exceeded them. Co-owners Lisa Sorensen and Scott Schimmel have done more than add a creative and progressive gift shop and selection of home décor to our shopping options; they have contributed a positive tone and attitude to downtown Knoxville. Always an essential stop during the First Friday events, the shop is like a cool and comfy uptown loft—part gallery, part graphic design extravaganza. The lively and eclectic selection of jewelry, picture frames, tableware, candles and their holders, magnets, furniture and other objets de art makes for great browsing on your lunch break. And if you’re gift-shopping, you’re bound to find something nifty, cool or pretty amid the stylish selection that seems culled from the pages of Pottery Barn, Real Simple and ReadyMade. For those of us not keen on driving all over town for multiple gifts, one-stop shopping with a great selection is a major perk. Even better is the reasonable range of prices geared toward young professionals with expensive taste but not gobs of cash. The store is currently expanding backwards to allow more room for furniture, and their items are always changing to match the season or introduce new artists and designers. While some stores want to dazzle you with the weirdest items possible, direct from the West Coast—things that would never fit into your home aesthetic—Bliss imparts the sense of a smart fashion advisor who you might not always agree with but who would never lead you astray.