In 1981, local officials renamed what was then East Ninth Street MLK Boulevard after civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Before it was just MLK Boulevard, though, the neighborhood was known as “Big Nine,” where a variety of Black-owned retail shops, offices, and entertainment venues were clustered + thrived on the strip. Back then, it was the center of a nightclub district similar to Memphis’ Beale Street. Since 1994, the community has been listed on the National Register as an area of great historical significance as the only cohesive area left that is historically associated with Chattanooga’s African-American population.
Now, Chattanooga’s largest mural – and one of the top five largest murals in the country – is located on MLK Blvd., where inspiration for the mural came from. In fact, everyone featured in the mural is a real person who was photographed in the former Big Nine neighborhood. The mural explores the themes of race and how the old + new are balanced within a city block. The neighborhood also features the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, which originally opened in 1997 as Bessie Smith Hall + the Chattanooga African-American Museum. The Museum is currently undergoing major renovations to better tell the story of African-Americans in Chattanooga, which you can read more about here.
Visit the Martin Luther King District
If you need help navigating the changing district, we’ve got you covered.
Where to eat
🍴 Champy’s | 526 E. MLK Blvd. | Fried chicken southern restaurant with live music
🍴 Memo’s Grill | 430 E. MLK Blvd. | American-style food known with a popular “chopped wiener plate”
🍴 Uncle Larry’s Restaurant | 736 E. MLK Blvd. | Family-owned restaurant known for its “fish so good it will smack you”
🍴 The Bitter Alibi | 825 Houston St. | A pub with two patios, brunch, burgers, cocktails + more
🍴 Chatt Smoke House | 416 E. MLK Blvd | Classic smoked meats + sides restaurants
🍴 G’s Detroit Sausages | 611 E. MLK Blvd. | Detroit-style hot dog + sausage joint with plenty of sides
🍴 Mr. Burrito | 517 E. MLK Blvd. | Authentic Mexican burritos + tacos
🍴 Lil Mama’s Chicago-style Hoagie | 818 Georgia Ave. | Chicago-style hoagy restaurant with a bright + bold 90s concept
Where to drink
🍺 Hutton and Smith Brewing Co. | 431 E. MLK Blvd. | Local brewing company with twenty beers on tap
🍺 The Fix Lounge | 825 Houston St. | It’s part of The Bitter Alibi, which is also a good place to drink
🍺 OddStory Brewing Co. | 336 E. MLK Blvd. | Serves a variety of beers named from elements of folklore, history, or mythology
🍺 Barley Chattanooga | 235 E. MLK Blvd. | Has 64 constantly rotating taps + local and international brews and ciders, draft wine, and cocktails
🍺 Proof Bar and Incubator | 422 E. MLK Blvd. | Food + beverage incubator with rotating restaurant and craft cocktail concepts
🍺 The Honest Pint | 35 Patten Pkwy. | Relaxed Irish pub with darts, pool, and live music
Where to play
🎵 JJ’s Bohemia | 231 E. MLK Blvd. | Unique dive bar + music venue
🕹️ The Coin-Op | 233 E. MLK Blvd. | Arcade, bar, and taco joint
🏫 UTC | 615 McCallie Ave. | Located just up the road from E. MLK, UTC’s campus often features a number of sports, music, and academic events.
Where to learn
📚 Bessie Smith Cultural Center | 200 E. MLK Blvd. | African-American history museum + events center (currently, the center is temporarily closed for renovations)
Where to shop
🛍️ Cause Cloth | 301 E. MLK Blvd. | Upscale consignment shop + boutique
🛍️ Grass Roots | 301 E. MLK Blvd. | CBD, Hemp, holistic shop
🛍️ Kankus | 301 E. MLK Blvd. | Bodega-type convenience store
🛍️ Ria’s Mart | E. MLK Blvd. | Recently-opened bodega-type convenience store, no address online yet
Where to mural-hop
🖌️ We will not be satisfied until | 300 E. MLK Blvd. | Meg Saligman, Hollie Berry, Anier Fernandez, Anna Carll, Rondell Crier, Mercedes Llanos, and Shaun LaRose
🖌️ I have a dream | 231 E. MLK Blvd. | E-Man + local youth
🖌️ Martin Luther King Jr. | 734 E. MLK Blvd. | Kevin Bate
🖌️ Bessie Smith | 500 E. MLK Blvd. | Kevin Bate
🖌️ Robert | 500 E. MLK Blvd. | Kevin Bate
🖌️ Intergalactic Time Traveler | 431 E. MLK Blvd. | The Artist SEVEN
Bonus: Soon, nine new murals painted by local artists will appear in the former Big Nine neighborhood to highlight the neighborhood + street’s legacy. Learn more about the project here.