Old College Inn Moving

Yesterday's post about the change of ownership at the Pie Wagon in Nashville reminded me to write about the Old College Inn in Knoxville, which has been in the same location on the Cumberland Avenue strip since before I attended the University of Tennessee in the late '80's and early 90's. Most all of the restaurants on the strip now are chain stores, and OCI is one of the few places left near campus with local flavor.

OCI has existed in one form or another since 1939, and my dad, who was born only two years before the restaurant began serving UT students, frequented the place when he was a student in the 1950's. He continued to enjoy OCI, particularly their mettwurst and beans, and he took us when we were kids and later as adults. Although I suppose I understand the business considerations, I was saddened to hear that OCI is changing locations after all these years. It will remain on Cumberland Avenue, but it is moving east. I suspect parking for lunch will now be next to impossible.