A Look Inside: Cool Beans Bar & Grill 25 Years Later

It was a cold December evening, and the clock had just struck midnight which meant two things: I was officially 21 years old, and it was my chance to walk into Cool Beans Bar and Grill for the first time. As a student at UT, you hear story after story of the goings on inside campus’ most famous bar, and you wait for the day you can experience it first hand. 

When you first walk into Cool Beans, you’ll notice something, as I did: it isn’t the fanciest, most lavish bar you’ve ever been inside of, but it certainly has character. The walls are adorned with neon signs and dart boards, the ceilings are decorated with an assortment of posters, statues, and even stuffed animals. The sound of pool balls slamming into pockets and liquor pouring into cups fills the room as you saunter up to the bar to order your drink. And, almost immediately, it feels like home. 

Fast forward to present day, and I have now worked at Cool Beans for nearly three years. For the workers and regulars at The Bean – as it is affectionately known – the bar has provided something for us that most other bars can’t: a safe space, a family away from your own, a place where you can drop your worries at the door, and, of course, some good, cheap drinks. 

While many things on Cumberland Avenue and Knoxville have changed, Cool Beans still stands as a stoic reminder that some things are forever. The bar first opened its doors in the year 2000, and now we are preparing to celebrate its 25th birthday, and we have some pretty exciting plans!

Despite its long tenure and main-stay status, Cool Beans hasn’t changed much in its 25 years. “Honestly nothing has changed except a few physical things. Even though we’ve updated the place, we’ve never strayed away from the original vibe: a college bar with a graduate feel that accepts everybody of all kinds,” said Howie, the owner of Cool Beans. Howie, the loudest and kindest man I have ever met, has owned Cool Beans since it first opened. “Initially, the plan was for me to move to Knoxville, open Cool Beans, and move on to other places and open other bars. Plans changed a bit and now I’ve owned Cool Beans for a quarter-century of my life, and, while I never intended for it to be my legacy, I’m proud that it is,” Howie told me.

For the bartenders and staff at Cool Beans, the bar is more than just a place to make money. “I was doing lots of things before I was here, and then by chance I started barbacking at the Bean, and I haven’t looked back since. I’ll be here until the very end,” said Wes, a staple at Cool Beans, who’s been serving up drinks with a kind smile and signature echoing laugh for five years. “I like what I do, and I love where I do it. I’m happy to come in for every shift. Lots of people make money, but hate their job and thank God I’m not one of them. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to be a die-hard Vol fan and work at the Bean.”

Levi, my good friend who has also been a bartender at Cool Beans for nearly five years, first started at the bar as a bouncer, and now has worked himself all the way up to manager. “I love the money, but I’ve stayed for the friends and for the memories,” Levi told me. “Over five years, I’ve done just about everything there is to do here. But, one thing that has always stayed the same is family. Everyone that works here is a family.”

The workers at the Bean aren’t the only people keeping the bar afloat. Rob and Sherry, two Cool Beans regulars, have been coming to the bar since the first week it opened. “Cool Beans is the mothership,” Sherry said to me with a mischievous smile. She and her husband, Rob, sat at the bar on Wednesday and told me how the bar has evolved over its long tenure, and, more importantly, how it has stayed the same. “Cool Beans is an adaptable dive bar,” they told me, “and we feel just as loved when we come in now as we did when it first opened.”

While the essence of Cool Beans has remained the same over its 25 years, the bar is always innovating and always expanding, physically and aesthetically. “Our most recent renovation included adding a jumbotron to our patio which has proven to be one of the best spots to watch the Vols kick some ass on any given day! Plus, we have some pretty big plans in the works for Cool Beans that we can hopefully share with our patrons before next football season,” Brandon, the Bean’s general manager told me. Brandon has been the unsung hero of the bar’s success for over a decade. Much like his coworkers, Brandon did a little bit of everything all over Knoxville before finding his way to Cool Beans. “I wore a suit and tie for my job interview to be a bouncer, and I still haven’t heard the end of it,” Brandon said. “After landing the bouncer gig, I worked my way up to barback, then bartender, and now general manager. But, over my time here, one thing I have always loved about this bar is that we keep true to who we are. We provide quick and excellent service and there is always a good time to be had. All roads lead to Cool Beans!”

As far as the 25th birthday celebration goes, Brandon laid out a pretty exciting schedule: “We will have specials all week starting Monday and running until our actual birthday on Sunday! We will have some live music by Josh Bruce following Trivia on Tuesday, Wes Bailey from Moon Taxi will be performing with his trio band on Wednesday night, DJ Steve will have a set happening right after Singo on Thursday, and then a rowdy weekend! Also, a $25 tab will get you a Cool Beans birthday t-shirt!”
After talking with my friends and coworkers about the bar I call home, I sat in Cool Beans, amongst the glow of neon signs and the excited voices of Knoxvillians awaiting summer — and with it, patio weather — thinking back to that first night I spent in this bar. How did my 21st birthday end? Your guess is as good as mine, although I do remember biting a bartender’s bicep (hi, Sam <3). But, while reflecting on that first night and these past three years, I am overcome with only one feeling: gratitude. Gratitude for this old bar, for its workers, and the memories I’ve made here. Whether it’s hosting countless trivia nights, taking my graduation pictures here, or even ordaining the only wedding to have taken place inside this hallowed place, this bar has given more to me than I could ever give to it. 

So, come by and say hi sometime! You’ll surely be greeted with a warm smile, a cold beer, and an unshakeable feeling that you’ll definitely be back soon. Our 25th birthday celebration will be a week-long, fun-filled extravaganza starting on February 10th. Come celebrate with us, and make some memories!