Through the Looking Glass Archives

Storm the Grove will help young musicians, Grove Theater

Posted at 10:54 am September 12, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Storm the Grove will help young musicians and raise money for the historic Grove Theater on Friday.

It’s a spoof of Area 51. Organizers said you can fly out to Nevada in hopes of seeing an alienâ€”or save money, “storm the grove,” and be the alien you want to see. You are welcome to come dressed as your favorite space alien. There will be a cash prize for the best costume, organizers said.

Storm the Grove will spotlight Tennessee bands (musical earthlings): Zack Miles, Chloe Kimes, Nightly, and Drive Thru Therapy. One band is from Nashville, two from Knoxville, and one is based in Oak Ridge.

[Read more…]

Arts festival in Jackson Square on Saturday

Posted at 11:27 am August 10, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Mad Hatter’s Arts Festival in Jackson Square on Saturday will feature arts and crafts vendors, poetry, music, food, dancers, authors, and interactive arts stations.

The free festival, the first of its kind, is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s presented by Through the Looking Glass Antiques and Collectibles in Jackson Square.

A Jabberwocky Poetry Slam is scheduled at Razzleberry’s Ice Cream Lab and Kitchen from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. An open mic will start at 2 p.m. for walk-ins who didn’t sign up for the family-friendly event but want to perform.

Sixteen local songwriters will perform original acoustic music all day, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the square. There will also be musicians playing cover songs at the festival,Â said Linda Johnston of Through the Looking Glass.

At noon, the Oak Ridge Civic Ballet dancers will perform in the square. [Read more…]

Vehicle crashes into Jackson Square businesses

Posted at 12:42 pm August 23, 2017
By John Huotari 4 Comments

A vehicle crashed into two businesses in Jackson Square on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017, causing interior and exterior damage, authorities said. (Photo by Daniel Powers)

A vehicle crashed into two businesses in Jackson Square on Sunday, causing interior and exterior damage, authorities said.

The single-vehicle crash was reported at about 1:20 p.m. Sunday, August 20.

The Oak Ridge Police Department said the crashÂ injured the driver, who was taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge for treatment.

“The extent of their injuries is unknown,” the City of Oak Ridge said in a statement Wednesday. “No other injuries were reported.”

The two damaged businesses are Through the Looking Glass and All About U Hair Salon. [Read more…]

Arts & Antiques in Jackson Square on Saturday features cars, chalk art, movie, book exchange

Posted at 11:18 am August 23, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Arts and Antiques in Jackson Square on Saturday will feature vintage and antique cars, chalk art and crafts, arts and antiques, food and the Oak Ridge Farmers Market, storytellers and authors, andÂ a book exchange and the movie “The Pagemaster.”

There are two separate rounds of activities. Both will be in Jackson Square in central Oak Ridge.

The first round of activities, Arts and Antiques in the Square, is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. It will feature the Fast ‘N Classy Car Club, which is bringing vintage, antique, and new cars that are “fast and classy.”

Also as part of the activities, Jackson Square merchants have partnered with the Oak Ridge Rotary Club to promote the upcoming Street Chalk Festival. Sponsors and artists can come and register for that festival in advance on Saturday, said Linda Johnston, owner of Through the Looking Glass in Jackson Square. Artists will be doing chalk art in the square on Saturday, Johnston said.

Arts and Antiques will also include arts and crafts vendors, the Oak Ridge Farmers Market in the parking lot on the north side of Broadway Avenue, the Jackson Square shops, and food, including funnel cake, Johnston said. [Read more…]

Frustration increases, Council not pleased as Jackson Square work stretches into fall

Posted at 9:08 pm August 11, 2015
By John Huotari 8 Comments

Oak Ridge municipal staff members and Mayor Warren Gooch met with Jackson Square merchants at Razzleberry’s Ice Cream Lab and Kitchen on Wednesday, July 29, to discuss the $1 million parking lot renovation, which is not yet finished but could be “substantially complete” by Sept. 15. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

One merchant said heâ€™s lost more than $100,000 in sales. Another said she had to close her business. And a third has posted signs that express frustration with the pace of construction at Jackson Square.

At one time, there was hope that the $1 million parking lot renovation at Jackson Square would be complete by the Lavender Festival in mid-June. But that didnâ€™t happen. Now, the latest construction schedule estimates that it will be â€œsubstantially completeâ€ by September 15â€”in time for Taste of Anderson Countyâ€”but not finished until the end of October.

Officials have said the primary delay has been with the interactive fountain that will be installed in the center of Jackson Square. It still hasnâ€™t arrived, and officials have said it could take four weeks to install. On Monday, the contractor and her attorney said the fountain could arrive in Oak Ridge on Wednesday.

Even business owners who had an optimistic outlook earlier have lost their patience with the project, which is mostly funded with a state grant. Their primary frustrations: The work has taken much longer than expected, the schedule keeps getting extended, and there have been too many days when, they say, theyâ€™ve seen no signs of work. In the meantime, the parking lot in front of their stores was closed for months, and they believe that the construction fencing and orange barrels drove away some potential customers.

â€œWhy canâ€™t they finish this?â€ asked Jonathan Goldstein of The String Workshop.

â€œWeâ€™ve been nice long enough,â€ said Dean Russell, owner of Deanâ€™s Restaurant and Bakery.

â€œI think our frustration is how many days weâ€™ve seen nothing happening as our customer base declines,â€ said Steve Seivers, who has a law practice in the square, the cityâ€™s original town center.

On Monday, the Oak Ridge City Council joined the chorus of frustration. [Read more…]