Who owns the fading JFG sign, and will its lights ever be fixed? | Know Your Knox

Ryan Wilusz, Knoxville News Sentinel
·3 min read

Bright lights that once welcomed people to South Knoxville from Gay Street have flickered and faded on the JFG Coffee sign, leaving Knoxvillians with questions about who's responsible for maintaining the iconic structure and what will happen to it.

There's no need to be left in the dark as the bulbs go out. Know Your Knox has your answer to "who," though the future of the sign is uncertain.

Reily Foods Company, which acquired JFG in 1965, owns the sign and leases the land from nearby Kerbela Shriners. Jeff Gamble, senior engineering manager for Reily Foods, told Knox News his company also maintains it.

Gamble, himself, has been handling upkeep for roughly 20 years.

"I get calls from everybody in town it seems like sometimes," Gamble said about the declining sign, which seems to have a new burned-out bulb every time you drive by.

Two reasons why the JFG sign has not been fixed in South Knoxville

The JFG sign in South Knoxville, which moved to its current location on Sevier Avenue in 2012, has routinely lost its shine as bulbs and neon lights have faded out over time. Reily Foods, which owns JFG and leases the land, plans to refurbish the sign but is first waiting to see if the property gets sold.
The JFG sign in South Knoxville, which moved to its current location on Sevier Avenue in 2012, has routinely lost its shine as bulbs and neon lights have faded out over time. Reily Foods, which owns JFG and leases the land, plans to refurbish the sign but is first waiting to see if the property gets sold.

There are two reasons Gamble has held off on refurbishing the sign, located on the hill on the 400 block of Sevier Avenue. One, it's costly: Around $10,000 to replace the nonfunctioning lights and for other repair work.

Gamble said Reily Foods paid about $100,000 years ago to have the sign refurbished and run power to its new location, where it's been since 2012. It used to stand nearer the southern edge of the Gay Street Bridge.

The second reason: Kerbela Shriners could end up selling its prominent property on the hill at 315 Mimosa Ave.

Will Waugh, potentate for the Shriners, told Knox News the group has never advertised the building for sale but started getting offers last October. There probably have been 15 offers total, he said, and "we've got a very large offer on it right now."

While Waugh did not confirm a sale is happening, Gamble would rather play it safe before investing major money in a refurbishment.

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If a sale happens, Gamble said, Reily Foods would work with the new property owners to try to continue the lease.

Another JFG sign in downtown Knoxville in need of repairs

If for some reason the new property owners do not want to keep the sign, it might be the end of the road for this icon.

"It's a rather costly endeavor to take all that down and then find a home for it because you have to do all of the foundation work in order to support the structure," Gamble said.

As for now, Reily Foods is continuing to pay utilities for the sign.

Gamble is working with the new owners of the JFG Building in the Old City to make sure Knoxville's other iconic coffee sign continues to shine above downtown. That sign also is in need of repair work, he said.

The JFG Building was purchased in 2021 by Will Sims and Thomas Boyd.

"There used to be more (JFG signs) scattered around the South," Gamble said. "Those are the two signs that are left remaining."

Know Your Knox answers your burning questions about life in Knoxville. Want your question answered? Email knowyourknox@knoxnews.com.

Ryan Wilusz is a downtown growth and development reporter. Phone 865-317-5138. Email ryan.wilusz@knoxnews.com. Instagram @knoxscruff. 

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Who owns JFG sign near Gay Street Bridge, and will it be fixed?