When folks in the Choto area get the hankering for a fast, delicious breakfast or a scrumptious sandwich for lunch but don’t want to drive into town to satisfy the craving, then they need look no further than Joey’s Sandwich Shop in the Markets At Choto. Specializing in breakfast food, sandwiches, wraps, artisan buns, bagels, salads, a few sweet treats, and even locally roasted coffee, Joey’s is the place to enjoy a high-quality, quick meal with friendly hometown service.
Owner/operator Joey Natour has been in the family-owned restaurant business for well over a decade. His parents opened Pete’s Restaurant & Coffee Shop in downtown Knoxville in 1986 (which they operated until selling in July 2024), and his uncle is the proprietor of Sami’s Café in West Knoxville. When you ask Joey how the dream of his own sandwich shop was born, his answer is simply: “12 years of hard labor behind a grill.”
With all those years of knowledge, Joey knew it would be a waste to throw it all away. So, he decided that if he was going to stay in the business, he would create a concept to modernize and simplify breakfast and lunch. He then set out to find an ideal location that he felt had a big need for it. Enter Markets At Choto.
“I looked at lots of different spots and then toured the Markets At Choto,” Joey said. “I live close by and thought to myself, ‘This is perfect.’ I’m not interested in multiple locations. I want to focus on this one and get to know the people here. I wanted to find a place where I could remember people’s names and faces. I found this place and fell in love with it right away.”
Joey’s Sandwich Shop offers a fast casual restaurant atmosphere, meaning they offer quick service and higher-quality food than fast food but without the full service of a casual dining restaurant. It’s family-owned and operated, furthering a commitment to a community-oriented feel. For Joey, the Markets At Choto provides the perfect scene for his shop to potentially become a favorite neighborhood spot…which is his ultimate goal.
Joey’s Sandwich Shop is due to open in Spring of 2025. Website and phone will come live soon and we hope you will visit this wonderful new addition to Markets at Choto soon after!
