Our Story

South Press is an eco-friendly, locally sourced, coffee & tea house with the purpose to provide safe community space in the Knoxville area. South Press thrives through community support which enables them to host several outreach programs that run parallel to our business. It’s simple at South Press, we just treat people the way we want to be treated, with hospitality for all. 

East Tennessee native and owner, Joslynn Fish, opened South Press in 2020 after losing her job to the pandemic. South Press was originally an 800 square foot space in the ground level of the old Parkway Hotel and they opened their doors September of 2020. By January 2021 they also absorbed a neighboring space to extend capacity before growing into the current Chapman Highway location in July of 2021, creating a 2800 square foot of coffee sharing, community building, artist celebrating, social, sober, queer-centric, community space. Joslynn says she hopes to the leave the world better than she found it and knows that we could all use a little kindness and grace.

Joslynn does her best to extend that grace and hospitality to everyone. Growing up in the rural Appalachia and being undeniably queer presented a unique set of challenges for her. That’s what makes South Press so special. It is meant to hold space for those who have been marginalized. It is a place to come and be loved for who you are. It is a space that affirms that you being authentic is worthy of celebrating, South Press is a space where you belong.