Shopping in Sevierville

At Country Bear Factory, youngsters bring plush bears to life in a process both imaginative and official enough to merit a birth certificate. Each certificate commemorates the day visitors brought their stuffed buddies—who can tower up to 16 inches tall—into the world, complete with customized outfits. The factory celebrates not only the birth of each bear, but human youngsters’ birthdays, with hostess-led celebrations where littl'uns caper about with balloon animals and prepare for the witness-protection program with face painters.

More than 20 local artisans gather to display their handmade wares at Knoxville Soap, Candle, & Gifts. Their all-natural, bar- or ball-shaped soaps are fully biodegradable and made in Tennessee. Handmade candles give off sweet scents such as cupcake, brownie, and chocolate cake, recreating the smells of a baker's warm kitchen or nightly bath in leftover batter. Upon request, staffers can wrap these and other gifts—such as earrings, necklaces, and scarves—in complimentary wrapping paper any day of the year.

Every day, people bring clothes into Planet Xchange, and every day, they turn away almost 1,000 garments, approving an average of only 200 garments a day to ensure their inventory remains fresh and stylish. They carry fashions for men and women, from brands such as Nike, Hollister, and The North Face. Their racks drip with premium denims, tops, pants, and outwear, as well as fashionable accessories and bags from brands such as Michael Kors.

The riders and technicians at Harper's Bike Shop love bicycles, and their love for riding is matched only by the joy they get from helping other cyclists. For 50 years, Harper’s has outfitted riders for the pathways, streets, and mountain trails around Knoxville. The crew helps riders find bikes to suit their riding needs, and perform custom bicycle-fitting services to ensure a great match. In addition, the crew repairs and rebuilds ailing cycles with a complete list of services that includes adjusting brakes, truing wheels, cleaning drivetrains, overhauling suspensions, and kicking some sense into tires.

For more than 20 years, the knowledgeable staff members at World Futon have helped pair customers with compact, easily assembled futons crafted from hardwood, metal, and logs. The showroom boasts storable futons and accouterments such as thick-foam mattresses, canvas covers, and unwanted houseguests, and the sleep emporium assists shoppers in erecting newly purchased items with an assembly help page. Bunk beds and bed frames stretch out for fold-free dozing, and solid wood nightstands and dressers teach pet woodpeckers lessons in restraint.

Olde Time Fabric Shop is the dream of retired English teacher and publisher Rebecca Carroll, who has spent the last 50 years sewing dresses, vibrant Halloween costumes, and—most recently—Victorian-inspired riding suits and wedding dresses. The proud grandmother caters to sewers both seasoned and new, stocking shelves with the latest sewing implements, notions, and patterns, but told the Knoxville News Sentinel that old-fashioned customer service is the shop's priority. While larger chain stores often force customers to wait in long lines, give their orders through song, or purchase a minimum yardage of fabric, Carroll's crew keeps wait times as short as possible and is happy to make cuts as small as an eighth of a yard to suit customers’ needs.

Color-coded lines of custom-made fabrics, apparel fabrics, and quilting cottons share shelving space with UT designs waiting to be turned into fan-appropriate items. The shop also hosts regular guest instructors, who guide students through rotating projects that can include the creation of fabric crocheted baskets or a quilted interpretation of Jackson Pollock's Full Fathom Five.