Sevierville

Sevierville. Sevierville's First Woman Merchant. , Victoria Mall once known as Wade's Department Store, was constructed in two phases. Prior to 1900, the portion facing Court Avenue was built by Andy Love to house Love's Butcher Shop. Later, J.T. Trotter owned and operated a hardware store at this location. , After a huge fire destroyed most of the building's interior, Trotter conveyed his interest to Bart and Frank Murphy who completely renovated the building and opened a department store along with W.S. Murphy and Bill Cox in 1911. The rear portion of the building was added in 1920., During the Great Depression the structure was sold to Dwight R. Wade Sr., who founded Wade's Department Store in 1929. He had been operating the business three doors south. Soon afterwards, his mother, Victoria Atchley Wade, joined him and worded there six days a week for 40 years. Her daughter, Anna, and brother, Sanders Atchley, also partnered in the venture. , Victoria Wade was a woman ahead of her time. She was an independent and strong-willed woman, divorcee, single mother, and competitive businesswoman. She began her career working in a Sevierville department store and later became a partner in the Corner Store. In 1921, she built a two-story boarding house on Joy Street. Her entrepreneurial spirit maximized its occupancy to help her defer the cost of college for both her children. , Her unique sense of humor appeared in custom-made signs, hand written by long-time employee, Jimmy Turner, throughout Wade's Department Store. Clever slogans such as "Cannon Towels: For the Whole Damp Family," hung above the towels. Over the counter where the "falsies" were displayed was a sign that proclaimed, "We Fix Flats." Another sign on the wall of the upstairs restroom read, "Haste Makes Waste.", For more than 60 years Victorie Wade greeted customers in downtown Sevierville and remained active in sales, until just prior to her death in 1969 at the age of 91 Wade's Department Store operated as a family business until it was sold in 1971., In 1971, Dwight Wade, Sr. sold the business to Draper and Darwin. The building was sold at public auction and acquired by Dwight Wade's four sons. The structure was totally renovated in 1985 and named Victoria Mall in honor of Victoria Atchley Wade. Dwight Wade Sr. maintained an office in Victoria Mall until his death in 2008 at age 101.