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 a baggage depot and a burger joint have in common? You’re about to find out. We’re digging into the history behind one of Chattanooga’s oldest buildings, now home to a little place calledUrban Stack.
Built in 1870, the building on West 13th Street first served as the baggage depot for the Alabama & Chattanooga Railroad. It was later renamed the Alabama Great Southern Railroad Co. and became a Southern Railway subsidiary.
As Chattanooga grew into a major industrial and passenger railway hub, Southern Railway needed to accommodate. This led to the construction of Terminal Station in 1906 — better known today as the Chattanooga Choo Choo, which is currently for sale again.
Make sure you check out the original cobblestone before you walk into Urban Stack.
Photo by NOOGAtoday
The baggage depot 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 later purchased by Monen Family Restaurant Group to house Urban Stack, which opened its doors in 2011.
Less than 20% of seats remain for “Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert” this Saturday, Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Auditorium. The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera will perform John Williams’ iconic score live alongside the film. Sell out, it could — act now, you should. Grab tickets online.
Mansion Monday
Need more space? This 7,332-sqft East Brainerd home has lots of it. The photos remind us of a blank canvas just waiting to be painted. With five bedrooms and six bathrooms, it’s perfect for hosting — and there are three fireplaces to keep your guests cozy.
Job
Manifesting a new job for 2026? Let us help. Our Job Board has 240,000+ active listings across industries like healthcare, education, manufacturing, and information technology. Search open jobs now.
Finance
The Internal Revenue Service will start processing 2025 tax returns today. Once you get around to it, the IRS has some tips to make the process as smooth as possible.If you get some money back, Chattanooga’s best lunch deals are a way to celebrate.
Fun Fact
Cows might be smarter than we thought. A Swiss Brown cow named Veronika has been seen using a stick to scratch her back — reportedly the first time cattle have shown they can use tools. See if you can teach the animal in your life some new tricks at one of Chattanooga’s dog-friendly spots. (BBC)
Coming Soon
The Lunar New Year is coming up, with the Year of the Fire Horse starting on Tuesday, Feb. 17, representing movement, change, and opportunity. We’ll have plenty of happenings in our newsletters as we approach the occasion — our events calendar is already full of ideas.
Listen
Remember when almost every artist would release live albums? Streaming has drastically changed our access to live music, but we can still reminisce on the best examples from history. An album is good, but the real thing is better — as you’ll discover at Chattanooga’s music venues. (The Guardian)
Fact or Fiction
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Featured Deal
Looking for a pilates, yoga, or fitness studio that gets you moving in 2026? Get one month free of ClassPass and build your perfect workout routine — balance weight lifting with meditation, or HIIT with hot yoga, all under one membership. Hurry, offer available for a limited time only.*
The Buy
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Chattanooga hit its record low temperature during a winter storm in January 1985. How cold did it get?
The answer is -10°F, and 41% of readers got it right. Chattanooga has hit that record low three different times according to the National Weather Service: Jan. 21, 1985, Jan. 31, 1966, and Feb. 13, 1899.
So even though today’s high won’t even get above freezing, at least it’s not -10°F.
The Wrap
The Wrap
If you haven’t made it out to Ice on the Landing yet, you only have a few more chances. The rink will be open for skating this Thursday, Jan. 29 from 3:30 to 6 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 31 from 5:30 to 11 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 1 from 3:30 to 9 p.m.
If those hours seem kind of random — it’s because the rink is working around Chattanooga’s annual Skillet Curling Championship, which happens at the First Horizon Pavilion on the same days.
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