The Mountain Mall is an indoor shopping center set along the Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg. Easy to miss, but a must-visit favorite for many, you’ll find this mall standing proud with its classic mountain cabin aesthetic at traffic light just along from Ripley’s Aquarium.
What you won’t find are any chain stores here, just locally owned shops and eateries with a unique feel all their own. With its six staggered floor levels, the mall layout has a rather distinctive feel as well. The setup encourages you to meander through the floors, looking for whatever might catch your eye at each visit.
Image courtesy of the Gatlinburg Mountain Mall
Shops
The shops sell practically every item under the sun while keeping a focus on local artisan goods. Handmade jewelry, leather goods, crafts, quilts, artwork, and other handcrafted items await your arrival.
For handcrafted necklaces, rings, and everything in between, just stop by Lavis Jewelry, The Jewel Box, or KC’s $5 Bling. Want natural stones and other geological marvels? The Natural History Store is calling your name.
There are also shops with sports collectibles, toys, music, magic tricks, movies, and Smoky Mountain souvenirs galore. You can even stop by Paws & Claws Pet Fashion to get your pet done up in fancy outfits with the toys to match.
The sky is the limit in what you can find as you shop around. Just don’t forget to stop by Papaw’s Sweet Tooth for old-school candies, pickled eggs, jam, and other classic goodies. Aunt Mahalia’s Candies is a great place to go for sweet treats as well.
Eateries
If you start feeling a bit peckish, you won’t have to go far to find good eats and equally tasty drinks. The Tennessee Cider Company, for example, offers hard ciders on tap plus blackberry dessert wine and honey mango mead. They even provide free tastings, so you can sample three ciders before deciding just what to get.
When you want something a bit more filling, New York Pizza & Pasta is the way to go. Their New York style pizza is out-of-this-world delicious, and they happily serve it by the slice. Plus, they have calzones, subs, and sandwiches if you prefer. Just make sure that you treat yourself to a taste of their freshly made pasta, too, so you get to enjoy all the best flavors in one visit.
Experience
All day long, Appalachian mountain tunes flow through the air inside this mall, serving as the soundtrack for your shopping and dining adventures. All the songs come from talented local musicians to add to the local feel of the shopping experience.
When you need a break from all the walking, you can stop by the two indoor water fountains for a quick rest. One of the fountains stands at a stunning 30 feet tall, which produces natural waterfall sounds that pair beautifully with the music.
While doing that, take a moment to check out the authentic mountain life gear nearby, including huge bear trap, moonshine still, and millstones. The mountain decor is well worth admiring as well, down to the whiskey barrel garbage cans.
Although The Mountain Mall came to be in 1978, its humble start began much earlier with the creation of Ogle’s General Store. That iconic shop opened in 1850 and then moved to the mall’s current location in 1910. The mall grew from there, eventually becoming the shopping center marvel you see today.
As a nod to the rich history of the location, the Ogle family still has their 1934 Ford Model A delivery truck on display. Along with the bear statues outside, this truck makes for an excellent spot for a souvenir photo to commemorate your visit.
Useful Information
The Mountain Mall
611 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Tel: 865-436-5935
Web: gatlinburgmountainmall.com
