Last year, coffee shop Mahalo made the decision to open another location in downtown Knoxville. A soft launch took place back in December and has led to regular hours Monday through Saturday. They feature Flour Head Bakery pastries and a food menu from Simpl on Sevier.
Mahalo knew they wanted to open a second shop, but didnât know where. They considered locations in Sevierville, West and South Knoxville, but eventually, the doors were opened to downtown.
Sean Parrish, former owner of now closed coffee shop Pearl on Union, asked if Trevor Bayne, Mahaloâs owner, would take over the building. Business was slow due to the pandemic and needed another shop like Mahalo to jump start the space.