McBroom's Closet Book Shop | Former Staff Launch Co-op

A Local Response to Retail Closure

When the long-standing Knoxville institution McKay’s shut its doors in May 2026, many residents feared a void in the city’s cultural life. The closure followed a property sale to developer Nick Patel for $4.2 million, an event that left the store’s future uncertain. But a dedicated group of former staff members is moving to ensure that the community still has a space for trade and discovery. More than a dozen former employees have joined forces to launch a new venture called McBroom’s Closet.

This new store aims to carry the torch of local used-book culture. The organizers plan to stock a variety of items beyond books, including movies, records, various gadgets, and decorative objects. The group is currently in the active stages of fundraising to secure a permanent location. To build momentum, they have scheduled a presence at the Knoxville Punk Rock Flea Market this coming Saturday.

Community-Focused Business Model

The project draws its structure from broader industry practices. The founders have explicitly looked toward worker-owned cooperatives for guidance. They hope to establish a shop that prioritizes local access over rapid expansion. The team behind McBroom’s Closet states their mission is to keep money in the hands of the people who run the shop and provide a space where future generations can find resources for reading.

This approach reflects a desire to anchor the business in the local economy. By involving the community in their fundraising efforts, the organizers hope to create an institution that feels like a shared asset. The store’s name itself acts as a nod to the local history of the staff who have been fixtures in the Knoxville retail scene for years. They have documented their progress and vision on their official website, inviting the public to support their specific goals.

The Context of the McKay’s Shutdown

The departure of McKay’s from the Knoxville market was not without controversy. The store had been an fixture for 40 years before its doors locked in May 2026. Shortly before the shutdown, the employees at the Knoxville location had successfully voted to unionize. They sought representation through the Communications Workers of America, citing grievances related to low pay and poor working conditions.

Following the union vote, the sudden closure prompted accusations of retaliatory action. Representatives of the union argued that the property sale was a tactical move to dissolve the workforce rather than a standard real estate transaction. While other McKay’s branches in cities like Nashville, Chattanooga, and Winston-Salem remain in operation, the Knoxville location’s exit left a significant gap in the local market. The development team remains active in the local area, though no formal plans for the vacant site have been released by the new owners. The initiative taken by these former employees is a direct response to this landscape, demonstrating how local workers are reclaiming the space left behind by large-scale commercial shifts.