With Knoxville not being a “ski city” such as Denver, there is not a wide variety of places to get gear or tuneups. There are still a couple select places to get ready for the mountain.
Alpine Ski Center
Alpine Ski Center is the top dog of ski shops in the Knoxville area. Located right off of Kingston Pike and just a block up from West Town Mall, Alpine is never out of reach. As their website claims, they are indeed the number one ski shop in Knoxville, let alone the Southeast. There are several Alpine locations such as: Johnson City (TN), Banner Elk (NC), and Beech Mountain (NC). Banner Elk and Beech Mountain are both home to a ski resort, but if you live in Knoxville and want to be ready to go once you get to the resort, Alpine Ski Center of Knoxville is the way to go.
What They Offer:
Alpine is unique in that you can buy, tuneup, and rent skis all in one place. No other ski shop in the Knoxville area offers those services. They have a wide variety of skis, boots, and bindings so you can be unique on the mountain. They carry top ski jacket and pant brands such as North Face, Burton, Vans, and Oakley. They even have a special Oakley case with all the latest goggles.
Staff/Services:
The staff is always very helpful and patient at Alpine Ski Center. If you are just now starting out, they are willing to go the extra mile to make sure you get the right set of gear to become a pro fast! The staff at Alpine is very knowledgeable and usually ski or snowboard themselves. The can mount bindings, wax skis, and trim the edges for sharper turns on the slopes.
All in all, if you want a one stop ski shop in Knoxville, Alpine Ski Center has everything to be ready for a solid ski session.
REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.)
REI is a very well-known outdoor store that is spread out all over the country. REI can offer a skier name-brand jackets, pants, gloves, and thermal gear. REI does not, however, offer any sort of ski specific tune ups and does not sell skis, ski boots, or bindings. With a big name company, you pay the big price. The ski gear at REI is fairly expensive, but not much higher than Alpine’s prices.
Knox Slopes 