The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that Vermont-based Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. is looking to purchase a "334,000-square-foot building in the Forks of the River Industrial Park for $10.5 million" for a packaging and distribution center. The new facility will employ approx. 360 workers.
According to the article, Knoxville was chosen for its central location and access to interstates, available property, and available work force.
The company has applied for a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes), which the Knox County Industrial Development Board will review beginning Tuesday.
According to a reader familiar with the deal, this is a big win for the chamber which worked hard to land it. Green Mt. touts itself as an environmentally responsible company and a good corporate citizen. Knoxville's environmental and sustainability efforts were said to be a factor in their decision.
The reader also notes that Green Mountain's CEO, 2001 Forbes Entrepreneur of the Year Bob Stiller, has an interesting business background. This profile talks about the product of his first venture, which some readers are likely familiar with.
360 jobs from Green Mtn? Right on. Stiller is a class act. Natural fit for Knoxville too with the JFG legacy. Note: I was always a JDiamondB man myself...
True happiness is knowing you are a hypocrite. -- Ivor Cutler
Submitted by Knox Dead Head (not verified) on Fri, 2008/06/06 - 6:53am.
Hey this is so cool. Thanks for the news flash. Maybe they will hire me. E-Z Wider. Man, blast from the past. I love the stuff on their web page. Neat to have a progressive company for Knoxtown. Hippies can do some powerful business.
Submitted by Factchecker on Fri, 2008/06/06 - 7:11am.
Knoxville's environmental and sustainability efforts were said to be a factor in their decision.
Huh? Seriously, this is nice, but they must mean recent efforts such as those by our good Dr. Lyons's department. That's pretty much all there is to Knoxville and green, other than foliage.
A complete line of sliced luncheon mats, bacon, ham, chili, sloppy joe, Three Pig Wieners, Touchdown Beef Franks, Quikstart Wieners, Ole Timer Sausage, Lay's Bologna and lard will be available.
Anywho, I think this is the coffee sold at the Western Plaza Ben & Jerry's. Never tried it, though. Starbucks is too close by.
Submitted by Bill Lyons on Fri, 2008/06/06 - 11:01am.
Huh? Seriously, this is nice, but they must mean recent efforts such as those by our good Dr. Lyons's department. That's pretty much all there is to Knoxville and green, other than foliage.
Factchecker, they made a number of trips here to meet with the chamber, mayors, and other folks and checking out the community and the area. On at least two trips they spent a good bit of time with Madeleine Weil and others from KUB and TVA specifically to discuss environmental efforts, including the work of the city's enery and sustainablity task force and the Solar Cities designation. Link... As their website indicates, Link... this company is very serious about environmental responsibility. Assuming all works out, and it appears it will, Green Mountain Coffee will be a very good addition to our community.
Submitted by Stick Thrower on Fri, 2008/06/06 - 7:22am.
It's interesting that Stiller started out in Waitsfield, VT. That's the home of SmallDog.com, the best little Macintosh (mostly) retailer in the world and probably the only place you can buy RAM, a dog collar, and donate to Planned Parenthood at the same time.
Submitted by Factchecker on Fri, 2008/06/06 - 11:47am.
On at least two trips they spent a good bit of time with Madeleine Weil and others from KUB and TVA specifically to discuss environmental efforts, including the work of the city's enery and sustainablity task force and the Solar Cities designation.
Yes, that is how I would have guessed it transpired and I wasn't impugning the green reputation of the firm. It is a good thing and your department is to be congratulated on the deal. Thanks for your continued good works, including greening our town!
I was only referring to Knoxville's historic enviro stewardship (and almost total lack thereof up to now). Things can only get better and I'm real glad to see it being pushed along by you and the rest of the city administration. Better late than never, and again I am grateful to see it happening. (One of my self-appointed jobs here is to prod along with guilt and sarcasm.)
Seriously, thanks for filling us in on the details too.
Submitted by redmondkr on Fri, 2008/06/06 - 12:27pm.
I would hate to live close to that thing with all that coffee scent polluting the air. Putting a Krispy Kreme shop nearby would surely be the final straw.
What does this say about the need for the Midway Industrial Park? Those quasi-governmental, semi-socialist TDC recruiters were sure the only way to get jobs in Knox Co was with a brand-new facility a stone's throw from I-40. Apparently an already industrialized area two or three stone's throws from I-40 is good enough for some corporations.
360 jobs from Green Mtn? Right on. Stiller is a class act. Natural fit for Knoxville too with the JFG legacy. Note: I was always a JDiamondB man myself...
True happiness is knowing you are a hypocrite. -- Ivor Cutler
Hey this is so cool. Thanks for the news flash. Maybe they will hire me. E-Z Wider. Man, blast from the past. I love the stuff on their web page. Neat to have a progressive company for Knoxtown. Hippies can do some powerful business.
Huh? Seriously, this is nice, but they must mean recent efforts such as those by our good Dr. Lyons's department. That's pretty much all there is to Knoxville and green, other than foliage.
Now, this is more like the K-burg I know:
Anywho, I think this is the coffee sold at the Western Plaza Ben & Jerry's. Never tried it, though. Starbucks is too close by.
Factchecker, they made a number of trips here to meet with the chamber, mayors, and other folks and checking out the community and the area. On at least two trips they spent a good bit of time with Madeleine Weil and others from KUB and TVA specifically to discuss environmental efforts, including the work of the city's enery and sustainablity task force and the Solar Cities designation. Link... As their website indicates, Link... this company is very serious about environmental responsibility. Assuming all works out, and it appears it will, Green Mountain Coffee will be a very good addition to our community.
And more good coffee is always a good thing.
It's interesting that Stiller started out in Waitsfield, VT. That's the home of SmallDog.com, the best little Macintosh (mostly) retailer in the world and probably the only place you can buy RAM, a dog collar, and donate to Planned Parenthood at the same time.
Just down the road from Ben & Jerry's!
Can we hope for a factory outlet too?
ZigZag and OCB, purist stuff.
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson
Yes, that is how I would have guessed it transpired and I wasn't impugning the green reputation of the firm. It is a good thing and your department is to be congratulated on the deal. Thanks for your continued good works, including greening our town!
I was only referring to Knoxville's historic enviro stewardship (and almost total lack thereof up to now). Things can only get better and I'm real glad to see it being pushed along by you and the rest of the city administration. Better late than never, and again I am grateful to see it happening. (One of my self-appointed jobs here is to prod along with guilt and sarcasm.)
Seriously, thanks for filling us in on the details too.
You bet! (slurp)
I would hate to live close to that thing with all that coffee scent polluting the air. Putting a Krispy Kreme shop nearby would surely be the final straw.
Visit us at
The Home
I miss the coffee scent polluting the air downtown since JFG moved out.
It smelled like Knoxville. It smelled nice.
~m.
What does this say about the need for the Midway Industrial Park? Those quasi-governmental, semi-socialist TDC recruiters were sure the only way to get jobs in Knox Co was with a brand-new facility a stone's throw from I-40. Apparently an already industrialized area two or three stone's throws from I-40 is good enough for some corporations.
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