MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Maryville is growing, welcoming more neighbors and more businesses every day. And as it grows, city leaders are hoping to expand and strengthen its downtown area.
They conducted an eight-month study on what the city needed most. As part of the study, they collect survey responses from the community. Those responses highlighted neighbors' requests for a central gathering spot, and for more shopping and dining options that incorporate the area's natural landscape.
"There has been a lot of changes to the area," said Chris Moon, who has lived in Maryville for around 35 years and works at Two Doors Down. "Downtown Maryville area, that's your largest area for growth, expansion, entertainment."
He works in the city's hospitality industry, and he said business is booming.
"There's more growth going in hospitality than there is staffing and hospitality. That's, I think, the biggest hurdle," he said.
In March 2023, consultants discussed some of Maryville's demographics during a presentation on city upgrades. In that presentation, data showed downtown residents skewed young — around 30% of them were Generation Z. They also noted the area has more than 280 businesses and around 7,400 people either work in the city, or adjacent to the downtown area.
"There's not a lot that keeps the younger adults plugged in," said David Bills, who works in Maryville. "We have Maryville College in our backyard, and I think we lose a lot of those kids to bigger cities."
He helps manage five restaurants across Maryville and said he believes the key to helping the city thrive is retaining a younger population. The city plans to focus on improving land use, public spaces, public art, mobility and economic development to manage its growth.
"We're really in tune with nature. You're starting to see more and more businesses face the Greenbelt to try to encourage people to use that part of the city," said Bills.