New downtown venue The Corner BP wisely keeps it simple

matt ward/special to knoxville.com Dave Taylor, Jennifer Webster and Kelly Sorrell, from left, enjoy some drinks at The Corner BP.

Out at the Corner BP

I have ventured to the far corners of Knox County writing this Nightlife Column since I started doing so in August 2011.

I have avoided downtown for the most part since most of the bars there had been covered by the former writer of this column, Greg Wood.

However, I was turning on Jackson Avenue from Broadway the other day and couldn't help but notice a new bar I had yet to check out. Yes! I was going to keep the streak alive. So far as of this publication's printing, I have covered 24 venues in a row that had not been covered. As I have alluded to previously, this obsession with my "covering new places" streak is probably going to land me in some bar I don't make it out of alive. But that wasn't a worry with The Corner BP.

Just a few short years ago The Corner BP (which now stands for Beer Pub) was a gas station. It later became a rental car lot. Walking into it on a Saturday night, I was blown away with how many folks were in the place. From nearby condo owners to bearded hipsters, BP was alive with conversation and drinks. It was "Billy's" birthday and folks were very vocal about it shouting to one another, fully immersed in the occasion as they hovered over plates of cupcakes on the picnic tables along the garage doors.

The parking lot is small (picture the parking lot of a corner city gas station). The awning out front where the gas pumps used to reside is lined with picnic tables and roped off with wire (that I nearly walked into haphazardly). There was a sign next to the door as you left indicating that it was still not part of their liquor permit for folks to drink on the "patio" area yet.

In true fashion, however, I didn't see that sign and headed out the door to shoot some video with camera in one hand and beer in the other. I was quickly ushered back inside. As I entered the place, a small lobby-style foyer contained a "Golden Tee" arcade game and also the sole unisex bathroom.

The ceilings were high and the floors concrete, so conversation was amplified about the room. A large fan blew warm air from near the entrance making the room temps quite comfortable. Three large garage doors remained looking as if they could open during the summer allowing the breeze to blow in easily. At the back of the room a pool table was stationed under one of the only lights in the room. Behind the bar a single TV and a few beer signs were the only other furnishings. On that single TV was hockey.

I was served up a beer from a bearded man behind the bar who I soon found out was the bar's owner, Trey Epperson. He welcomed me to his place and slid the cold pint my way. I milled around for a little while before it was time to go. It was a busy night as I had to do multiple articles back to back, since I was leaving for a comedy tour the next week.

The Beer Pub embraces simplicity. No gimmicks, no pumping dance music, no big beer company banners; just a bar, some seating and a jukebox that played a song every 15 minutes or so.

If you are looking for a good neighborhood bar to call your own, and you happen to live near the Old City or downtown, head on down to The Corner BP and have yourself a beer or six, and enjoy the night air and conversation.

© 2012, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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