This photo taken in 1912 shows the railyards next to the former baggage depot. | Photo provided by the Chattanooga Public Library’s Local History and Genealogy Department
What do burgers, a baggage station, and the late 1800s all have in common? Urban Stack.
Today, we’re diving into the history behind one of the oldest standing buildings in Chattanooga, which is now the home to one of the city’s most beloved burger joints, Urban Stack.
The building was built in 1870 and served as the Alabama and Chattanooga Railway Baggage Depot. As Chattanooga grew to be a major hub for industrial + passenger railway services in the South, a bigger terminal was needed — enter: The construction of Terminal Station in 1906.
The baggage depot became an engineering building for the railroad, and later sat empty for several years before Cornerstones Inc. (now Preserve Chattanooga) acquired the space from the city to be saved and renovated.
The building was purchased by Monen Family Restaurant Group to house Urban Stack, which opened its doors in 2011. You’ll still find the original cobblestones outside of its doors + the brick arches inside the establishment.
Page-Turners on the Patio | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | The Greenhouse by Oddstory | Free+, RSVP | Bring your current read to this low-pressure book club to enjoy cocktails, brews, and reading time (with the option to socialize).
Thursday, Jan. 16
Mon Rovîa | 8 p.m. | Barrelhouse Ballroom | $26+ | See this artist known for his songs “Big Love Ahead” + “City on a Hill” take the stage in the Scenic City.
Friday, Jan. 17
“Layers & Textures” | 6-8 p.m. | River Gallery | Free | Enjoy the opening reception of this exhibit featuring the work of ceramist Lynette Hesser + photographer Mark Boughton.
Saturday, Jan. 18
Pruning for Greatness 101 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Crabtree Farms | $50 | Learn the art of pruning your trees and shrubs with this hands-on workshop — bring a packed lunch.
Bicycle Maintenance Workshop | 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | Two Bikes Chattanooga | Free | Go over bike maintenance tips with Outdoor Chattanooga to get you ready to hit the road.
Otherworldly Affair: Intuitive Arts Market | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Bud’s Creative Arts Center, Hixson | $5+ | Shop from local vendors while enjoying other experiences like aura photography, tarot readings, and flash tattoos.
Missing this musical would be a big mistake. Big. Huge. ⭐
Presented by Tivoli Theatre Foundation
Did you know: The movie’s original director helped bring the stage adaptation to life. | Photos courtesy of Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade
Are you ready to fall in love all over again?
“Pretty Woman: The Musical” is stepping into the spotlight next Friday, Jan. 24, for three days of dazzling dancing, stunning sets, and all-original songs at Memorial Auditorium.
Based on the beloved Hollywood rags-to-riches romance (Julia Roberts makes us cry every time), and brought to life by two-time Tony Award®-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell, this Broadway musical production promises nonstop humor + heart.
Garbage + recycling collection scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20 will be collected as normal. The city’s collection facilities and landfill will be closed in observance of Martin King Jr. Day and will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
Number
556,958. That’s how many passengers the Chattanooga Airport had in 2024, setting a new all-time enplanement record. This was a 14.17% increase from 2023, following the recruitment of new flights and rebuilding of services following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Edu
Chattanooga Future Fund — a Chattanooga 2.0 initiative that will provide every kindergarten + middle school student in Hamilton County $100 to go into a college and career savings account — will launch on Thursday, Jan. 23. RSVP to attend from 10 to 11 a.m. at Red Bank Middle School.
Health
Parkridge Health System recently opened its Mental Health Therapy Center on Spring Creek Road, expanding its patients’ access to mental health services. Notably, the center provides individual, family, and group-based therapy + evaluations and treatment plans.
History
Calling all history buffs. Beginning Monday, Jan. 27, you’ll be able to see an ivory comb that dates back to 1700 B.C. on display at Southern Adventist University. The artifact was excavated by archaeologists in 2016 + will be available to see for free through Friday, May 2. (WDEF)
Outdoors
Outdoor Chattanooga will host a series of free winter workshops on Thursday evenings in January and February. Learn from local experts about topics like demystifying mushrooms, incorporating outdoor learning, introduction to caving, and more. See the full calendar of events to sign up.
Biz
Red Bank-based Folk Flowers & Provisions shared in an Instagram post that they will not return for the 2025 market season. The folks behind the business shared they will be pursuing other ventures, including selling handcrafted stained glass art at local markets and events.
Job
Ready to get connected with the best local talent in 2025? We created our community job board just for you. Give it a try by posting your first listing for free.
Category
Outdoors
🌱 Winter gardening must-do’s
You can pick up seed + plant starter materials at Urban Horticulture Supply. | Photo by NOOGAtoday
Be-leaf it or not, January is a good time to start gardening. Now is the time to shop for seeds, do some routine maintenance, and even sow certain plants.
🌱 Spring for seeds
Peruse seed catalogs and grab those springtime favorites that are so popular they tend to sell out come the thaw. We’re talking seeds like snap peas, radishes, specialty lettuces, and heirloom tomatoes. You can also get your wishlist going for the spring planting of fall bulbs like hostas, gladiolas, and dahlias.
Check out these local spots to nab your favorites:
While you’re at the nursery, grab some seeds that you can plant right now (or, at least, very soon). Use this tool to calculate when to sow some of these early-season crops:
Bananagrams. The award-winning family game is travel-friendly + perfect for all ages. Bonus: Add a little chaos to family game night when you try the party edition that features 14 new tiles with challenges and hijinks.
For my fellow pastry lovers — Velo Coffee Roasters has added house-baked goods to the menu. I’m particularly looking forward to trying out the rosemary parmesan scone + apricot oat pecan muffin.
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