"I expect the beginning to be innocuous and quiet. The real use of DORA is going to happen when big events are occurring, be they at Neyland Stadium or downtown or on Market Square, when people are visiting Market Square in large groups."
Scott West said that in late July, right after Inside of Knoxville reported that the first weekend of Market Square's Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area went by with almost no fuss. The reporter walked over on a Sunday afternoon after oysters at The Brass Pearl, bought a beer in a stickered cup, and found the square so quiet that there wasn't much to do with it except wander.
About six weeks later, Tennessee played its first home game of the season. Ruby Sunshine staff told WBIR they sold about $500 in DORA drinks that Saturday. Jodene Goyett, a server and bartender there, explained where those sales came from: "Especially for people that are waiting for a table or just walking around the square, they can still get a drink while they're not eating in here yet. So it's drinks that we wouldn't have sold otherwise."
Taken together, those two reports explain the zone. It earns its keep when there's overflow, like a line for a table, a group that wants to split up, or an hour to fill before kickoff. A slow Sunday afternoon gives it nothing to do. That puts the real test of the Market Square pilot in the next eight weeks, as Neyland Saturdays run into the holiday season.
The Rules Make More Sense on a Busy Day
Knoxville launched the pilot on July 24 after years of debate, and Knox News called it a "summertime experiment." Most of the rules seem fussy on a quiet afternoon. On a crowded one they make sense, because each one is about keeping drinks traceable to a single seller.
- Buy from a participating business. Look for the small blue-and-white sign outside, about 4 inches square, that reads "DORA drinks sold here. Please drink responsibly." Only businesses that already sell alcohol can sign up.
- Take it in a marked container. Drinks have to be in a can or a clear cup with a participating business's DORA sticker. Inside of Knoxville reported the sticker came at no extra cost. The city's DORA manual caps drinks at 15% alcohol by volume, a range it says covers most wines, beers and mixed drinks, and it doesn't allow single shots.
- Stay inside the lines. The zone covers the whole Market Square plaza, bounded by Wall Avenue, Walnut Street, Strong Alley and Union Avenue, plus the sidewalks on Union and Wall. Round markers on the ground at the Wall Avenue and Union Avenue ends show where it starts. A boundary map with a QR code linking to the rules stands near the Union side.
- Finish before the garage. The city's map includes the Market Square Garage, but a sign outside it says, "Please finish your DORA beverage and recycle your cup or can before entering garage." Go by the sign.
- Watch the clock. The zone runs 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, and last call for to-go drinks is 9:30 p.m.
The rule that surprises people most is that you can't carry a drink from one business into another, even when their patios sit right next to each other, as the Wests' row of bars does. Inside of Knoxville explained that this comes from how the Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the city define premises: each patio is treated as its own space, with an invisible legal wall between it and the next one. The DORA rules didn't create it. Your cup can go anywhere on the plaza, just not into the bar next door.
The Seller List Grew When the Crowds Came
At launch the pilot allowed beer only. The city's announcement didn't name the participating businesses. Reporters confirmed The Tomato Head, the four West family bars (Tommy Trent's, Scruffy City Hall, Preservation Pub and Bernadette's) and Fred's Around the Corner at 421 Union Ave. Fred's could join only because the zone reaches the Union Avenue sidewalk. Owner Zack Roskop said, "Any opportunity to increase your revenue, no matter how small it is, is a positive."
Not every restaurant planned to sign up. In July, Inside of Knoxville's informal survey of the square found some owners worried about liability if they served someone one drink too many. Others worried that people walking in and out without eating would change the feel of the dining room.
By the first home game in September, WBIR reported that DORA drinks could include wine and mixed drinks as well as beer. That report also showed Ruby Sunshine and Soccer Taco pouring. "We have definitely given a lot of DORA drinks out," said Alma Herrera, a server and shift lead at Soccer Taco.
Retail stands to gain too. Paula West, owner of Earth to Old City, described the kind of visit the zone makes easier: "When you're traveling and you've got a group of people, some are wanting to shop, some are wanting to drink. It's nice for them to be able to walk with you and carry a beverage." That's another case of the zone working best with a crowd that has more than one plan.
The Fall Dates That Will Test It
Goyett expects "a whole new round of people that are coming here before the tailgate or just before the game too." These are the downtown dates still ahead this fall, as of early October 2026:
- Saturday, Oct. 17: Tennessee hosts Alabama at Neyland Stadium.
- Saturday, Oct. 31: The Market Square Farmers Market holds its last Saturday of the peak season, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. That evening, Trick or Treat on the Square runs from 5 to 8 p.m. on Market Square and Union Avenue.
- November: The farmers market moves to winter hours, Saturdays only from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the Wednesday market closes until spring.
- Saturday, Nov. 7: Tennessee hosts Kentucky.
- Saturday, Nov. 21: Tennessee hosts LSU.
- Friday, Nov. 27: The Regal Celebration of Lights fills Krutch Park Extension, Market Square and Market Street from 5:15 to 9 p.m., with the tree lighting at 6 p.m. Holidays on Ice opens on Market Square the same day and runs through Jan. 3, 2027.
Every one of these falls within the zone's 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. hours. Back in July, the Inside of Knoxville reporter wrote that she wouldn't mind a "go-mosa" while browsing the farmers market. That was a wish when she wrote it, and none of the sources describe how individual event organizers will handle DORA drinks. Check the posted signs on the day.
The Storefronts Around the Plaza Are Changing Too
As drinks became portable this summer, two storefronts on the square were changing hands. Myrtle's Chicken + Beer at 13 Market Square closed after its last Sunday service in late July. The owner called it a business decision and said he hoped the next tenant would bring a different concept. As of early October, no reporting has named a new tenant.
Across the plaza, 18 Market Square sat empty for eight months after Alice in Appalachia closed there in December 2025. Its retail side has since reopened at 413 S. Gay St. Owner Sam Norman is splitting the old space into three concepts:
- Harold's, a classic American bar with a food menu, in the 750-square-foot former bar area.
- Bertie Rose, a Southern breakfast and lunch spot with a walk-up coffee bar, made-to-order breakfast and sandwiches. A few nights a week it becomes Bertie's At Night, with small plates.
- The Royal Spud, a walk-up Dutch fry window. A light on the front of the building will show when it's open, and its fries will be available at the other two concepts while the light is on.
Harold's is planned for this fall. As of early October, none of the three had been reported open.
A Second Zone at the Stadium, and Talk of Gay Street
The Market Square pilot has company. In May, City Council approved a permanent DORA around Covenant Health Park, at the same meeting where it approved the Market Square zone. Iron Forge Brewing Company opened at the stadium on June 4. In late July it was the only outward-facing bar in the stadium district and was still waiting on its DORA permit. As of Inside of Knoxville's Sept. 8 report, Knox-Quila Cantina and Jonathan's Grille were both still on the way, and neither had been reported open.
Some Market Square businesses told WBIR they hope a successful pilot leads to a larger zone that reaches other parts of downtown, including Gay Street. The city's July 2026 manual lists Market Square and the stadium as the two DORA locations and says participating businesses renew each year after the end of 2026. No end date, extension or council review for the Market Square pilot has been published as of early October. The game days and holiday crowds through Jan. 3 are the busiest stretch it will see before then.
If you own a home near Market Square and want to know how changes like the DORA, the new storefronts at 18 Market Square and the stadium district could affect your corner of downtown, Nancy Keith follows these details block by block. Schedule a free consultation, and we'll talk through what's changing near you.
