Summer in Blount County is shaping up to be busy in all the right ways, as Townsend and nearby communities prepare for a wave of new small businesses and hospitality projects. A long-quiet mini golf course is getting a fresh lease on life, while new eateries, including a frontier-inspired cafe and a restaurant partnership tied to local bacon makers, are aiming for soft openings. Economic boosters say Maryville and Alcoa are also attracting fresh investment, a sign that the county’s small-business scene is steadily building momentum.
Family Rebuilds Cades Cove Golf
A Blount County family has brought a dormant miniature golf course in Townsend back from the sidelines, reopening it under the name Cades Cove Golf. The course features playful Smokies-themed holes with nods to local wildlife and folklore, and the owners describe the renovation as a shared family effort to revive the site. According to Blount County Business News, they hope to have the course ready in time for the surge of summer visitors.
Sharons' Half Day Cafe And A New Restaurant Partnership
Townsend’s dining lineup is also set to expand with Sharons' Half Day Cafe, a tribute to Sharon Benton and Sharon Oldham that the owners say will combine pioneer-style breakfast dishes with a farm-to-table approach. The team brought in Chef Jeff Carter to help shape the menu, and organizers say the cafe is planning to open later this summer. As reported by WBIR, Benton’s Bacon and Oldham Hospitality are also partnering on a separate restaurant near a local taproom.
Near The Peaceful Side Taproom
The new restaurant is expected to be located near Peaceful Side Social, giving hikers and visitors a convenient dinner option after a day in the Smokies. With its family-friendly beer garden and steady stream of customers, the taproom is seen as a natural neighbor for fresh food concepts that aim to serve both tourists and locals.
What Local Leaders Are Saying
Economic development officials say these openings reflect a broader wave of new ventures and expansions across Blount County, with Maryville and Alcoa singled out as recent hotspots. The Blount Partnership has highlighted the county’s latest business wins and investments as evidence that the local economy is picking up speed. The organization also points to workforce and small-business support programs designed to help new operations hire, stay open, and grow as visitor numbers rebound.
Owners say most of the projects are planning soft openings over the summer, with exact dates still in flux and menus likely to shift with the seasons. Updates are expected as the doors unlock, the grills heat up, and those “opening soon” signs finally come down.
