Burrville Antiques awarded for breathing new life into 1909 building
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Don and Donna Raines, owners of Burrville Antiques at 355 Market St. in Clinton, are the winners of a 2025 Knox Heritage Preservation Award for their efforts in restoring and preserving the former Wender’s Dry Goods building. - G. Chambers Williams III
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Renovation of this historic building at 355 Market St. in downtown Clinton, built in 1909 to serve as Wender’s Dry Goods, has earned a historic preservation award for owners Don and Donna Raines, owners of Burrville Antiques. - G. Chambers Williams III
Don and Donna Raines, owners of Burrville Antiques at 355 Market St. in downtown Clinton, last week were presented a Knox Heritage award for their restoration of the historic building housing their business.
Constructed in 1909, the two-story building was originally the home of Wender’s Dry Goods, said Don Raines, who bought the structure with his wife to move their business into from its previous location across the street at 360 Market.
“The Wenders family lived upstairs and raised seven children in this building,” Raines told The Courier News.
“We bought it in 2007 and renovated it, and moved our business from where it had been across the street since 2000,” he said.
Knox Heritage, based in Knoxville, describes itself on its website (knoxheritage.org) as “a community of preservationists focused on advocacy, education, investment, and engagement.”
“We are passionate about our heritage and serve as guardians to the places that make Knoxville a dynamic and thriving place to live, work, and visit,” it says.
The website also notes:
“Knox Heritage was formed in 1974 by community members when the Bijou Theatre was at risk of being turned into a parking lot. In the decades since, community support has continued to advance Knox Heritage’s mission to protect Knoxville’s unique character for future generations by preserving, restoring, and transforming historically significant structures and places.”
Besides its preservation efforts in the Knoxville area, Knox Heritage supports such work in 16 East Tennessee counties, and gives annual “East Tennessee Preservation Awards” to many who work to preserve historic properties in the area.
“Nationally, May is recognized as Preservation Month and is a great opportunity to celebrate the diverse and unique heritage of our country’s cities and states,” the group says.
“Our 2025 East Tennessee Preservation Awards will highlight some of our region’s historic place-savers who pour their time, energy, and resources into protecting places for future generations.”
This year’s awards ceremony was held last Thursday evening at the Emporium at 100 S. Gay St. in Knoxville.
