‘We always stop off here’: Ooltewah Whistlestop restaurant attracts quilters seeking specialty fabrics at Chattanooga Quilts in Ooltewah, TN

Chattanooga Quilts on Main Street in Ooltewah attracts quilters from near and far.

Donna Florom and Debbie Hearl drove 50 miles from Madisonville to Ooltewah, Tennessee, seeking a special block of fabric to commemorate the nation’s 250^th anniversary.

As part of an I-75 Quilt Qrawl, winding its way through eastern Tennessee this week, the two women stopped by Main Street to visit Chattanooga Quilts, one of nine locations from Knoxville to Ringold drawing quilting enthusiasts.

As part of the journey, Florom and Hearl dined at Ooltewah Whistlestop, a popular restaurant in Ooltewah, TN just a few blocks from the quilt shop, which has become their custom when exploring the area on quilting excursions.

“We actually drove by one of the first times we did it, and we said, ‘Hey, that looks like a cute place for lunch,’ and it’s been our go to ever since,” said Florom, who along with her travel companion drives to the quilt shop two to three times a year. Hearl added, “We always stop off here.”

The two women sat at a booth in the railroad-themed Ooltewah restaurant as trains rumbled by, the sun beaming through the windows as they ordered comfort food. Florom chose the Good Golly Miss Molly Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Hearl the Chattanooga Choo Choo Chicken Salad.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Debbie Hearl and Donna Florom, of Madisonville, Tenessee, enjoy comfort food at Ooltewah Whistlestop while on Main Street for the I-75 Quilt Qrawl.

But the two customers aren’t the only road travelers taking advantage of Whistlestop’s proximity to a popular quilt store. Phyllis Boyd, of Shelbyville, Tennessee, recently booked a reservation for a party of 12 that will be visiting the area on a quilt shopping trip next week.

“This is over a two-hour trip for us, and there isn’t a lot between our two destinations,” she wrote in an email to the restaurant. “Your establishment sounded delightful and was our choice.”

Kim Thomas, owner of Chattanooga Quilts, said the I-75 Quilt Qrawl – also called a “shop hop” – is organized twice a year by a group of quilt stores, each of which has designed a unique block of fabric that customers collect to assemble into a quilt. Each customer carries a passport listing all locations, which is stamped at each stop.

“We’ve also created something to go at the bottom of their quilts,” Thomas said, pointing to a “1776 to 2026” design displayed on a table. “If they want to date them for the sesquicentennial, they can do that.”

Quilters can win a basket or gift card at each shop. If they hit all nine locations, they can turn their passports in and enter a drawing to compete for three baskets.

The event ends on Friday, but according to Thomas, quilting trips are year-round and always bringing people to Ooltewah and greater Chattanooga area. She is already preparing for a big event coming up this summer, called the “All Kentucky & Tennessee Shop Hop.”

“There are 75 shops involved between Kentucky and Tennessee,” she said. “It lasts all of July and all of August, so people will be traveling to our area.”

LEFT: Kim Thomas, owner of Chattanooga Quilts in Ooltewah, serves customers in town for the I-75 Quil Qrawl. Her shop is one of nine across eastern Tennessee drawing quilt enthusiasts this week.

RIGHT: Quilting enthusiasts flock to Ooltewah this week to add this star block, available at Chattanooga Quilts on Main Street, to their collection in commemoration of the nation's 250th anniversary.

Planning a visit to Ooltewah and the Chattanooga area? Check out our guide to things to do in Ooltewah or explore more local dining options near Chattanooga.