Knoxville is a really happening city! I'm in Atlanta so it's about 3 hrs away. I've got friends up there & I can tell you every time I go up there I want to move there!
Lots of 'nightlife' & eating & it is totally a sports town so this is a good fit. Though I think the idea of expanding to sportsbars is genius. It adds a totally new dimension to their brand & will invite a huge pile of money & a totally different crowd of investors.
And when people go to a sportsbar they will spend on avg between $20-$60 / person as opposed to $5 in a cafe!