I may have a bit of an obsession with coffee and coffee shops. When planning my move from Athens to Knoxville, one of my biggest worries was that the shops just wouldn’t compare.
Jacks quickly became Kelsi and my go-to shop. It did provide a really cool atmosphere, but the coffee wasn’t my favorite. It still holds a special place as it’s where Kelsi and I would meet frequently.
As I was preparing to move, a coffee shop walking distance from Kelsi’s apartment was opening. It would be a few months before we went for the first time, but this is the place that would feel like home. This is the place that didn’t make me miss where I had left. It is a place where Kelsi and I spent many mornings getting to know each other and growing to love one another. It is a place that will always be very special. It is also a place where we would meet to of the most special people we have met in Knoxville, Shea and Murph. The shop that these two created was so special. It felt like our Cheers. You walked in and even if you didn’t know the people in there, they all felt familiar…properly because we had seen them a hundred times. Shea created something so special that will be everlasting for us.
A month or so ago Shea moved on from Partial, and I sit in what is now the Waiting Room. It still has the Partial layout some of the staff (shout out Simeon), but also feels very different. I don’t love that Shea and Partial aren’t in this space anymore (he is still alive and hopefully we’re still friends), but it’s still a place that feels like home. And for that I am very thankful. The walls are a different shade, the menu has different options, but many of the people are the same. It feels good.
I will forever be thankful to Shea for creating this space. I am glad that he has was able to leave the space on his own terms, and I am relieved and excited that good things are being done with the space. There are some really cool and unique coffee offerings, and I am excited to see this place grow. So if you’re in Knoxville, check out the Waiting Room. The coffee is quite delicious.
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