Gatlinburg’s Carousel Mall was struck by a fire in December 2007.

reposted from http://www.themountainpress.com

GATLINBURG — Brownlee and Kelley Reagan, owners of Reagan Resort Properties, announced Tuesday their plans to open Carousel Gardens — originally Carousel Mall — in March 2010.

Carousel Mall, located at the corner of the Parkway in Gatlinburg and Highway 321, opened in the mid 1960s and housed arts and crafts shops, a restaurant, the Polly Burgin Dress Shop and Jim Gray Gallery. A December 2007 fire damaged one business and destroyed the Jim Gray Gallery, an art fixture in the community since the 1970s.

At the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce’s Business During Hours Tuesday morning at the Carousel Mall, the Reagans announced their desire to “bring the heart of Gatlinburg home.”

“We have listened to the artists, and we’re giving them what they want,” Brownlee said.

Carousel Gardens will feature six new businesses that aim to inspire and reflect the early days of Gatlinburg. They include The Shops at Carousel Gardens, which will include a garden setting with 76 shops offering antiques, furnishings, crafts and accessories inspired by local traditions of the Smoky Mountains (with rental of booth space); Sweetpea’s Cafe & Antique Lounge — which is currently Desserts and More, located in The Village — offering the restaurant’s same menu with additional items, along with local artwork and antiques; Lulu’s Cookie Gallery, featuring homemade cookies, smoothies, coffee and more; Smoky Mountain Babies and Tots, the children’S shop currently located in The Village, featuring fine gifts, clothes and toys; Sounds of the Smokies, offering hand-crafted musical instruments and entertainment; and the Gatlinburg Heritage Museum, featuring a glimpse into the life of one family — Gatlinburg settlers Timothy Reagan and John Henegar Reagan, first postmaster general of the Confederacy — along with interactive exhibits that transport visitors back to the earliest days of the city.

“This is something we’ve been dreaming of for years,” said Jami Lee Weathers, Carousel Gardens project manager. “We look forward to developing many new traditions.”

Rachel Gibson, curator of the Gatlinburg Heritage Museum and co-owner of Lulu’s Cookie Gallery, told attendees they were looking for more artifacts for the museum.

“We know those items — be it photos or a thimble — are out there,” she said. “They don’t have to donated. They can be sent to us on loan.”

Brownlee Reagan, a Gatlinburg native, has been involved in numerous areas of the community over the years, including serving as Sevier County commissioner, justice of the peace, Gatlinburg Mayor and Vice-Mayor, charter member and chairman of the board for Tennessee State Bank, Gatlinburg City Council member and Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce board member.

For more information, visit www.ShopsAtCarouselGardens.com.

By ELLEN BROWN, Staff Writer

ebrown@themountainpress.com

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