While the national economy might be clawing its way out of the recession, Knoxville is seeing quite a few "coming soon" and "now open" signs hanging across town.

In the last two years, Knoxville has been given national recognition as a great city for entrepreneurs and companies by publications such as Forbes, Southern Business & Development and Business Facilities.

Knoxville was named a "Top 5 Metro for Economic Growth Potential" by Business Facilities in 2010. Southern Business & Development ranked the city sixth in "Top Ten Mid-Markets of the Decade."

According to Forbes, Knoxville ranked No. 56 in the magazine's 2010 "Best Places for Business and Careers" list. While this is a fall from its 2007 rank at No. 5, it has not deterred companies from taking on Knoxville as a new enterprise.

Downtown Knoxville has experienced business growth in the last year, adding a few grocery stores, a few nightclubs and even a bookstore.

Michele Hummel, director of the Central Business Improvement District (CBID), explained that downtown Knoxville's business growth is part of a national trend of centralization.

"In downtown Knoxville, there has been a push to move towards the inner city," she said. "When the economy went into a recession, downtown Knoxville was able to hold its own."

While Hummel notes that a majority of businesses in downtown Knoxville are restaurants, she adds that CBID is working hard to add diversity to the downtown landscape.

"It has been our strategic plan to diversify downtown Knoxville with different kinds of businesses," she said. "We have about 72 restaurant businesses, but we're really pushing for more non-restaurant retail."

"We've seen an increase in restaurants and retail downtown," she said. "Approximately 10 businesses have opened or are in the process of opening downtown this year."

The Old City in particular has seen an influx of new business. On Central Street, the new Scottish pub Jig and Reel is offering Knoxville a taste of Scotland with haggis at the old Manhattan's location.

Just up the street is the Old City Entertainment Venue, a wine bar and restaurant that opened in March.

NV Nightclub, the newest spot for Knoxville nightlife located on Jackson Avenue, opened a few weeks ago in the same building where Blue Cats once operated.

Duane Carleo, owner of Old City nightclubs including Southbound and NV Nightclub, said opening a business in the old Blue Cats location was an easy decision for his company, Carleo Entertainment.

"The courtyard on this property is huge, and it has a very unique look," he said. "The property had already operated as a night club before, so the startup costs were essentially cut in half."

Even the Market Square area is in the process of getting a new restaurant. Local restaurant company Ruby Tuesday is in works with Lime Fresh Mexican Grill to open a franchise location in the future. Market Square is still enjoying the newest addition to the block, Blue Coast Burrito, which opened in March.

The metro may not be lacking in its choice of burger joints, but that's not stopping Mooyah Burgers from trying to win over the city in its new West Knoxville location.

According to FastCasual.com, the burgers, shakes and fries eatery ranked No. 1 in the website's 2009 "Movers and Shakers" list.

Both small- and big-name grocery stores are making headlines in Knoxville this year. West Knoxville is buzzing about two grocery store chains coming in the next few years. Publix announced this spring that it would debut in Knoxville at the Northshore Town Center in the summer of 2012.

Whole Foods threw its name in the mix by announcing a store in the shopping center located at Papermill Drive and Kingston Pike. However, Knoxvillians will have to wait longer for Whole Foods. It is not slated to open until 2013.

Farragut is also getting some publicity with the announcement in May that Costco, a wholesale club similar to Sam's Club, is moving into the neighborhood at the intersection of Lovell Road and Kingston Pike.

Downtown Knoxville, which only a couple years prior had lacked a grocery store in the area, now can boast three grocery stores. Aisle Nine, located on South Central Street and which offers online grocery shopping delivered to customers via bicycle, was the first to open a grocery store in the downtown area last year. Others soon followed.

The Market, a grocery store in Maryville, announced in June that it will open a new location on Gay Street. The new grocery store, called The Market at Union & Gay, is scheduled to be open later this month.

Even North Knoxville is bustling with new business, with Marco's Pizza set to open in Fountain City and Don Jose's Mexican Grill already open in the Gibbs area.

Marco's Pizza is also opening a location on Middlebrook Pike. According to the website, Marco's Pizza is opening 60 new locations this year.

A small local business called Twister's Shakes and Sundaes, located on Tazewell Pike in Gibbs, is expanding by opening a new location on Washington Pike near Knoxville Center Mall. Twister's serves up shakes and sundaes, as well as classic American fare, such as barbecue and burgers. Owned and operated by the Miller family, Twister's opened in 2007, and its success in the community has prompted the owners to expand Twisters to a second location in North Knoxville.

Not all the businesses that are coming to Knoxville are new to residents. Some businesses, such as local clothing retailer Goody's, are reopening their doors after closing during the recession.

Goody's Family Clothing, which closed its doors in 2009, recently posted a sign near its former Halls location on Norris Freeway, saying it was reopening Aug. 31. This will be the first Goody's location in Knoxville to reopen, though other Goody's have reopened in nearby Maryville and Jefferson City.

While new business is a good sign for the local economy, Knoxville has not been immune to business closures.

Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q on Lovell Road closed this spring, and the S&W restaurant on Gay Street, a renovation of the old cafeteria by the same name, abruptly closed in January. The S&W was only open for a year before it shut down.

Carleo said Knoxville is a great city to open up shop and is not surprised that the city is growing in popularity.

"Knoxville is a good place to start up a business," he said. "And I think people are taking notice."