Driving from Boone, if you stay on US 421 (King Street) and head west, you will end up in Mountain City. The road curves north on the way there. You will lose cell phone reception near Tater Hill, but it will come back once you pass it. Once you cross the state line, you will see fireworks stores. Yes, for all you pyromaniacs, fireworks are legal in Tennessee. Right there in Trade, TN there is a diner type restaurant called Sharpie's. Google maps says it has closed down. I don't know if that is accurate information. I was there not too long ago. If it's open, its worth a stop for breakfast. They also have/had lunch and dinner, but I only ate breakfast there. From the parking lot, you can see the fireworks stores and sign that denotes the state line. Its a very nice view looking back toward NC.
Keep going through Trade, and eventually you will pass the the businesses that lead into Mountain City. Roan Valley Auction , Big Loui's, Parkdale Mills, the old glove factory, quirky little antique and thrift shops, a fancy dancy golf course community, and of course a Dollar General. Is it just me, or is Dollar General EVERYWHERE? Roan Creek runs beside the road for a while. Other typical small town business are along the way: the community hospital, pharmacy, places that are named after their owners, like "Fred's Store". Somewhere along the way, US 421 is named Shady St. Surely that was in reference to shade trees, but it could be taken a different way. Eventually, you will see the downtown area.
Turn down Main Street and park. Take a walk around. I love these small towns. Each one has its own feel. They all have some of the same standard businesses, but they all have unique personalities. Look around in the shops. Do some window shopping. Appreciate the old brick buildings. Find out why there is an empty chair in front of the municipal building. Take a stroll through the neighborhoods. There is a sign for a coffee shop, but we could never find the shop. Check out the Army Surplus and Sporting Goods store. The building has some weird metal facade and some metal "sculptures' of pistols on it. In case you are in the market for a toy tractor , they advertise that they sell farm toys.
Browse the consignment/antique store diagonally across the street from the Army Surplus store. I believe it is in the old Muse Hardware building. The ladies that run it are awesome. We were strolling down the sidewalk with our giant dog, and the ladies appeared at the doorway. They shouted across the street for us the bring the dog over so they could see her. It turns out that the store serves as a fundraiser for animal rescue. These ladies run a rescue mission and place dogs with new families. They are trying to raise money for better facilities. As a result, the store is dog friendly. They welcomed me to bring the pooch in and look around. Sadly, in a place labeled "antique store', I found items that I remember from my childhood. Dang, I'm OLD!
Once you have worked up an appetite, visit the the Tributary Restaurant for lunch. There are various eateries downtown, but this one looked the most inviting. Small town pizza places far removed from big cities are usually disappointing so we skipped them. We all know that I like a little adventure and don't mind a good dive, but none of them grabbed me. The Tributary looked like the best option. We were so pleased that we chose it. The decor is warm and friendly. There is a fake outside of a house that blocks off a large party room. The rest of the tables are outside of that, so it looks like you just might be eating on the porch, even though you are inside. Yeah, that description was a little confusing. The soup and salad bar looked very good. Ingredients looked fresh, and soup looked homemade. They wisely placed that near the front window, giving the clear message that they offer healthy options. I went in there with the intention of eating from the salad bar, but ended up ordering Shepherd's Pie. It was really good. All of the plates that I saw passing my table looked yummy. Our waitress was polite, friendly and competent. Overall, it was a very nice experience. I would definitely return.
After lunch, stop by one of the local auction houses. They take turns hosting Saturdays. We were fortunate enough to go the the livestock auction. Roosters, chickens, and birds were in crates stacked up as tall as my shoulders. Goats and pigs were in large fenced off areas. Farm equipment was outside. The parking lot was filled with pick up trucks. Everyone there was dressed head to toe in Carrhartt clothing. They all had rubber boots on. Even the little kids' outfits mirrored their dads. Some of the men were wearing jackets with the name of their bear hunting club on them. We stuck out big time! Everyone there obviously knew each other. Someone walked in with 3 puppies they were trying to adopt out. It didn't take 5 minutes to find homes for them. Once the auction started, the place was packed. It was fascinating to watch. As hard as I tried, half the time I couldn't tell who was bidding. They have their own little secret move to indicate that they wish to bid. The auctioneer was swift and efficient. The little kids were getting their parents to buy them hot chocolate, hot dogs, etc to stave off boredom. This is a life very different from my own. What a fun experience!
If its a hot day, you can head to Watauga Reservoir and cool off. On a pretty day, find a place to hike. Breathe in the mountain air. Relax!
Mountain City is probably not in any of your tour books, but if you are in the area and want to go off the beaten path a bit, stop in for a day. You will be glad that you did.
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