A final piece of the J.C. Penney building renovation started in 2013, The Maple Room at Maple Hall is one of downtown Knoxville’s hidden gems. The Maple Room sits above Maple Hall bowling alley and hosts guests to a fun evening of games, drinks, and eats. The space offers a novel lounge where guests can comfortably socialize or play classic board games with a group of friends. In addition to the traditional sized household classics, the space also incorporates over-sized board games on the lounge wall, encouraging group play and doubling as interesting graphics for the space. Through the design and arrangement of seating, The Maple Room creates a commutative space where guests feel invited to stay for the evening, or comfortably wait for their lane to open downstairs at Maple Hall.
Adding to The Maple Room’s speakeasy-like charm is the space’s modest entries. The Maple Room is only accessible through a back staircase within Maple Hall or from the back promenade of the Gay Street buildings. Once inside, the finishes throughout the interior highlight the beauty of the historic building, while connecting back to the interior of Maple Hall.
Photography by Alyssa Nealon at nvelop AP.