A look at the past of Maryville College’s new downtown center

The new Maryville College Downtown Center opened this year on Sept. 23. Located in the renovated J&K Building at East Church Avenue and Court Street, this center is dedicated to the college’s new Hospitality and Regional Identity (HRI) program and the Fermentation Sciences minor. 

The building is intended to be a space for students, faculty and the community to engage, with facilities like a commercial teaching kitchen, fermentation lab and event spaces designed for both academic and public use.

The Maryville College Downtown Center now occupies a building with a unique historical background, tied to a family-run grocery store that served the Maryville community for many years.

Dr. Angela Sebby, a professor in the HRI program, has expressed excitement about the center’s impact on students and the community. She described it as “a total game-changer” that offers students hands-on learning experiences beyond a traditional classroom, particularly in an area as dynamic as tourism, which she noted is the world’s second-largest industry. Sebby envisions space as a vibrant hub for both educational activities and community events, from storytelling gatherings to career forums​.

“It gives us the opportunity to make a connection with the community,” Sebby said. “Given where the building is located and its history with Maryville, it’s the perfect place to set up a community center for everyone to come and enjoy.”

Historically, this is not Maryville College’s first venture into a downtown area. Founded as the Southern and Western Theological Seminary in 1819, Maryville College originally occupied downtown Maryville until moving to its current site in 1870. 

The extensive renovations to the Downtown Center by Joseph Construction reflect both modern educational needs and the building’s historical significance, including the preservation of the original J&K Grocery sign painted along the Church Street retaining wall.

The new facility includes collaborative spaces, and areas for public lectures, performances, and community events. The center is intended to house continuing education programs and facilitate partnerships between the college and local businesses, nonprofits and residents. It represents both the college’s investment in Maryville’s future and a preservation of its past.

“This commitment to downtown revitalization strengthens our relationship with the community,” said Greg McClain, a Maryville City manager. “We are dedicated to advancing Maryville College’s mission to educate both local and foreign students from around the globe.”

The Downtown Center promises to be a space where both the college and the local community can come together for learning from the past while shaping the future.