Our Gatlinburg Story

Both Susie’s and Steve’s parents honeymooned in Gatlinburg in the 1950s, as their families’ introduction to the magic of these mountains. 

Steve’s family then adopted Gatlinburg as their home-away-from-home as they traveled here from Lakeland, Florida for most every vacation during Steve’s childhood and teenage years. They always stayed downtown, giving Steve easy access to, daily, explore every inch of the Parkway, and beyond. 

When Steve was 13, his parents bought a home in Gatlinburg, where Steve would continue to spend Spring break, Christmas break, and their summer vacation. In the summer after Ninth Grade, Steve’s dad invited a Lakeland friend, who was vacationing in Maggie Valley, for a day of golf and then dinner in Gatlinburg. The golfing buddy also brought his family along, including his daughter…Susie! And in less than a year, those two teenagers began dating, and married soon after they both graduated from The University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Steve’s love for the mountains and his die-hard support of the Vols led him to UT in the first place, and Susie joined him there as a Sophomore. 

Susie and Steve, and their three children, vacationed at the family’s Gatlinburg home multiple times each year. And, naturally, they all three also graduated from UT…all the way from central Florida. 

In 2008, Susie and Steve bought the family’s Gatlinburg home from his parents – yes, the very home where Steve first met Susie, 35 years prior. The couple moved permanently to Gatlinburg in 2018, and opened the bookshop in 2022. They can’t wait to turn the page to discover what adventures The Next Chapter will bring.