Historic Knoxville Chapel Becomes Faith Retail Store

Developers and retailers in Knoxville see a historic site reused for local faith-based goods after a planned drive-thru was dropped.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Historic Knoxville Chapel Becomes Faith Retail Store

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Saint Clare Collective opened a faith-centered retail store and gift shop in a historic 1880s chapel at 5902 Kingston Pike in Bearden, Knoxville, after the site was previously slated for a Taco Bell that will not be built there. The store sells religious and nonreligious goods and is located in a building subject to archaeological review tied to potential unmarked graves.

Why it matters

The reuse of the chapel shows how historic properties with restricted redevelopment paths can shift toward local retail when a planned chain project falls through. Operators in the area should note that the site required an archaeological investigation before any site-disturbance permits could be issued, which adds time and constraints to changes at sensitive properties.

The 1880s chapel at 5902 Kingston Pike opened as a retail site on November 1, two years after the Paraclete Catholic book and gift store closed in 2024. The property was purchased by Tony Cappiello in 2017 and placed for sale in 2024 with a requirement that the building be moved or relocated.

The players

Saint Clare Collective

A faith-centered retail business operating a gift shop that sells religious and nonreligious merchandise, including local maker goods.

Taco Bell

A quick-service restaurant chain that pursued plans for a drive-thru location on the chapel property before those plans were dropped.

The details

Allie Fleming and family and friends renovated the chapel, reusing original church pews and bookshelves as fixtures in the retail space. Saint Clare Collective sells religious items such as books, crosses, rosaries, nativities, Advent wreaths, and devotional candles alongside nonreligious goods including home décor, women's clothing, jewelry, Vols merchandise, toys, vintage pieces, and work by local makers. The store is positioned to meet demand for faith-based keepsakes for occasions like baptisms and weddings.

2017: Tony Cappiello purchased the property intending to preserve and rent the church.
2024: The Paraclete Catholic book and gift store closed, and the chapel was placed for sale with a relocation requirement.
2025: Taco Bell pursued plans for a drive-thru restaurant on the property.
November 1, 2026: Saint Clare Collective held its grand opening.

Market Landscape

The Saint Clare opening follows the Paraclete Catholic book and gift store's 2024 closure, which left a gap in faith-based retail locally. The chapel site also illustrates how a planned fast-food development was displaced by a retail reuse of an existing historic building.

Operators leasing or buying historic property in Knoxville should expect that redevelopment can be constrained by archaeological review requirements, which may add time before permits are issued. Retailers in faith-based and gift categories should note the demand signal from the Paraclete closing and the new store's focus on baptisms, weddings, and other keepsake occasions.

The takeaway

Historic properties with unresolved burial or site-disturbance concerns can carry permitting delays that affect any future use, so buyers should confirm archaeological requirements early with local authorities. Owners of specialty retail should track whether gaps left by closed competitors create durable demand for their category.