KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Mayo Garden Center, a Knoxville landmark for nearly 150 years, has begun its final sale as the business prepares to close permanently.
Owner Elizabeth Cox said the store has served as East Tennessee’s destination for outdoor and gardening needs for more than a century, drawing customers from across the region.
Cox said the decision to close came after the business landscape changed and no family member was available to carry the store into a sixth generation.
She added the wave of community response following the announcement was unexpected.
“You know, you get up, you go to work, you do the best you can, and a lot of times you don’t think about the fact that you’ve affected other people,” Cox said. “But it’s been very, very nice to hear the great stories from our customers.”
Customers said Mayo was more than a retail stop. Knoxville resident Ileen Cheek described it as a first resource for gardening needs.
“It’s kind of a first place to stop to look for something, and if they don’t have it, then you start exploring around other places,” Cheek said. “But if you’re in the middle of gardening and you need something, this is your spot.”
Tobi Raynehart, who drove from Kodak to shop at Mayo, said the closure echoes a loss her family experienced before.
“Before your time, there was Mannick’s out in Halls and we watched it close,” Raynehart said. “My dad and her dad dealt with this, then my dad dealt with Mayo’s.”
LaFollette resident Terry Chaniott said simply: “I’m going to miss it.”
Cox said the closure is bittersweet but that she is ready to move forward.
“Truly, we’ve been selling fun,” Cox said. “We’ve been selling everything that makes you happy, from gardening to outdoor living, and we’ve had a blast doing it.”
The liquidation sale will continue until the shelves are empty, with no set end date. All proceeds from the sale will go to employees as severance pay.
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