Likely the 1950s busiest street; 4 gas stations, 4 eateries and more

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – At one time, North Tennessee Avenue was what is now I-75, the north-south route. If you were traveling from Ohio to Florida, you came down North Tennessee Avenue. North Indiana Avenue was the truck route.

In the 1950s, North Tennessee Avenue was probably the busiest street in town during that time period. Fox Cafe, also the bus stop for many years, was owned and operated by Joe Fox. Next door was Smith and Russell Grocery then the Western Auto owned by Bill Thompson and next was E.G. Davis Grocery. At one time North Tennessee Avenue had three grocery stores, a jewelry shop and sports store, hardware, two dime stores, four gas stations, the local newspaper, a dry cleaners, four restaurants/cafes, two pool rooms, a flower shop, shoe store, shoe repair shop, photography-art studio, a bakery, Studebaker car dealership, motel, theatre, a tv repair shop, tow service and body shop, machine shop, furniture store, moving and storage company, pawn shop, eye doctor, a barber shop, beauty shop and more. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 07/01/2021-6AM)