In case you haven’t noticed, Market Square isn’t the same little corner of downtown it used to be. Over the years, it has been gradually transformed from a forsaken block-long symbol of neglect to a thriving pedestrian mall resembling a small-town main street of old—a place where families gather to dine, to shop, to play, all in a welcoming and relaxing environment.

And that’s just what restaurateur Lori Klonaris had hoped it would be when she and her husband, Jim, expanded their Tijuana Taco franchise to Market Square a few years back. The couple has since sold off the properties that comprised that local chain, but now they’re back on Market Square, tending to their newest endeavors—Café 4 and The Square Room at 4 Market Square.

This time around, Lori set about creating a restaurant concept and a menu that tied specifically into the vision set forth by the developers of the 4 Market Square project. The goal was to establish an “urban retreat”—a community-gathering place with a mission of hospitality at its core.

“We saw a vision of what it could be,” Lori says. “The businesses on Market Square are supportive of one another, which helps visitors really feel the pulse of downtown. We missed that synergy we had experienced at Tijuana Taco, so we got excited about this new project. We loved the idea of a community center in the heart of downtown, where we could open our doors and focus on hospitality and taking care of people as they travel through our city.”

Klonaris began doing research to come up with a concept that would fulfill the broader mission. After learning that Knoxville’s first bakery, Kern’s, was located on Market Square, she decided that serving freshly made desserts and pastries would be an important component. To that end, Café 4’s bakery and coffee bar serves homemade treats like cupcakes, brownies, bagels, muffins, croissants and more. Meanwhile, the smells of brewing coffee your sniffer when you step through the door.
“We wanted to recapture that nostalgic feeling of buying baked goods downtown,” she says. Also key to the concept was establishing a space where people could simply sit and relax with a homemade dessert or a cup of coffee and power up their laptops for both business and pleasure. The Klonarises achieved that goal by building a mezzanine-level coffeehouse seating area above the bakery.

Of course, Café 4 also offers a full-service menu featuring what Klonaris calls “comfort foods with a twist,” many of which are Southern favorites with an upscale spin for more sophisticated palates. Meanwhile, live entertainment is served up courtesy of The Square Room, a 300-seat venue that showcases some of the city’s and region’s best up-and-coming musical talent. The hall hosts special music events on a regular basis and is also rented out to the public for functions like weddings, receptions, reunions and business events.
“It all revolves around the community,” says Klonaris.