The Refindery

Love this Eclectic Store in Downtown Chattanooga!

If you’ve not visited The Refindery in Downtown Chattanooga, Tenn., recently or ever, you are missing out on one of the most eclectic shops in the Southeast! Owners Carol and Rick Ellis hear this on a daily basis, and are very proud of all their vendors and what they bring to the business that keeps customers coming back. Carol told me they have approximately 75 booths with over 45 dealers, and there’s something old and different that comes in every day.

“These shops are made up of a complementary mix of dealers whose merchandise blends and complements things within each other’s booth. They have something for everyone in everyone’s price range,” Carol said. The Refindery’s vendors are very creative – like the vendor who creates lights from old bicycle frames, or the vendor who is an artist and sells her own artwork. Another vendor has a unique piece that is a coffee bar made from an old industrial press. There’s several vendors who look for those things most of us would haul to the land field. They repurpose them, creating very different selections that everyone loves, and these go out the door fast.

The owner of their building consigned with Carson Whittaker, who works with Carol, to paint the third mural on the side of The Refindery building, just around the corner outside their door. Carson is an art graduate, and a young up-and-coming artist by her own rights. She created the design she painted in this mural as well. The front cover of this January Busy Bee issue is a photo of that art piece. Carson’s mural depicts a lady in sunglasses, who’s vision of downtown Chattanooga is reflected in the glasses. If you look closely at the sunglasses, you will see her reflection includes the Historic Walnut Street Bridge, and other historical places just blocks from The Refindery. She also painted pieces of furniture and decor located inside The Refindery at the bottom of the art mural.

Another creative vendor is a lady who takes industrial pieces such as old tools and pieces of metal, and shapes and designs them on wood and other elements representing the Chattanooga sky line. These sell very well! There’s numerous other forms of art throughout the store. You’ll find a huge variety of artist CDs and vintage records, and they have a nice selection of vintage and antique chandeliers and lamps. They’ve got very old arched windows from an early church in St Elmo area, as well as windows from University of Tennessee in Chattanooga from Race Hall that are great finds. There’s always a great selection of architectural doors, windows and hardware. Vintage clothing is another of many eclectic finds here; look for the wonderful lingerie that represents three generations, with pieces dating back to the 1920s.

Several vendors have what is called “grand millennial style” or some call it “granny chic.” It includes lots of blue and white, large florals, and things your grandmother might have used. (I think that would include what I started out with in the early 1970s, a story for another month.)

Carol said, “We have endured the pandemic of the last two years and we keep growing, and we’re not going anywhere. Our wishes for 2022 is that everyone will be healthy and happy, and we will work hard to continue serving Chattanooga and surrounding areas with unique finds, and fill their homes with those things that give them comfort and warmth and they enjoy coming home to.” The Ellises wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

By Maxine B Jones, Ocoee, Tennessee