By A.J. Kaufman, Managing Editor
The recognizable Bristol TN/VA Chamber of Commerce building is receiving a long-overdue makeover. The downtown facility, which straddles the crossroads of Tennessee and Virginia, added new windows in mid-October as the first part of a large capital process.
For more than a century, Chamber resources have been mission-focused, rather than on modernizing the aesthetics of the structure where Volunteer Parkway and Commonwealth Avenue meet State Street. The plan, per leadership, now is to freshen up the interior and exterior to showcase a more vibrant “welcoming center” of commerce for both businesses and visitors. The former bank building will also renovate its lobby, and a mural will be painted on the southside.
The Chamber proudly boasts one of the five 5-star accredited Chambers of Commerce in Tennessee and one of fewer than 200 in the United States. They currently count 520 members.
Chris Lee, former Chief Operating Officer with Bill Gatton Automotive, and chairman of several boards, leads efforts for the first capital campaign in decades. He says it will take time, and they’re seeking $1 million for the entire remodel.
“In this one little town, the entrepreneurial spirit that’s come out of here has been unbelievable,” Lee told the Business Journal. “The business community needs us to look as good as they do. The Chamber does a great job advocating for businesses in this community.”
Bristol Chamber President & CEO Beth Rhinehart says businesses have been incredibly supportive over time by investing to help the Chamber pay off its mortgage many years ago and assisted financially with upkeep, like a roof and HVAC. These efforts have helped avoid campaigns in the past, like the current one. For example, the building’s exterior was painted and assorted landscaping work was completed last year.
“We wanted to maintain a true business environment but also have that tourism aspect that we see coming into our doors every single day,” Rhinehart explained to the Business Journal.
Shari Brown, the 2025 Bristol Chamber of Commerce Chair of the Board, is seeking help from the community and Chamber members.
“Our membership has made significant investment in their own facilities, and as the years have gone by, our focus has been on serving that membership rather than making similar updates,” Brown, who is also Business Development Director for J.A. Street & Associates, told the Business Journal. “As we look at the building, there are some things that are functionally obsolete.”
She specifically noted easier access to the front door for the public is important to be part of this facelift.
“The building is used by not just the Chamber but by the community for meetings,” Brown explained. “We need the building to be as modern, as aesthetically pleasing, as functional and welcoming as it can be for the membership and community to use it to its fullest.”
More of the exterior plan is to remove colonial columns, add the aforementioned murals, resurface the parking lot and install additional fences. Other interior plans include reconfiguring the current large executive offices into smaller ones.
The price tag was reached, considering this is the only time this will occur in the next 25 years, so they are relying on the business community — across a roughly 50-mile radius — to answer the call.
“Times have changed dramatically in terms of how you communicate within offices and how you deliver programs,” Rhinehart added. “That needs to match the interior space and the functionality of how we all work together. That’s another factor.”
She says one place the Chamber has invested in is technology to ensure they have the technology that allows them to deliver programs in the most professional and efficient way.
They will utilize Bristol-based BurWil Construction.
“We’ve been careful, we’ve been frugal, and we’ve tried to get all the use we can out of this location,” Brown added. “We’ve gone up and used the space upstairs rather than come out where we can’t, just to preserve the footprint.”
A general timeline is to raise the money by next summer but due to how certain budgets are set up, they may need to split into two separate years.
The first conversations about renovations began more than five years ago, with more serious discussions occurring during the past 18 months, per Lee.
