Who should Chattanooga know about?

Noog Weekly features local business owners — the people behind shops, trades, service companies, studios, restaurants, makers, and weird little businesses that make the city better.

1. We verify the fitWe look for real local operators, not generic PR pitches or paid placements.
2. We research the storyOwner background, neighborhood context, useful lessons, and why readers should care.
3. We ask before publishingIf it moves forward, Noog Weekly reaches out for a proper interview — nominations are not automatic features.

A strong nomination names the business, gives one specific reason they matter locally, and includes a link we can verify. If the form is unavailable, email [email protected] with the same details.

What makes a good Noog Weekly fit?

Use this quick check before submitting. It keeps nominations useful and helps the next interview clear editorial QA faster.

  • Real Chattanooga operator: founder, owner, manager, maker, or team with a local presence readers can visit, hire, or learn from.
  • Specific story hook: opening, expansion, long-running neighborhood role, unusual craft, comeback, hard lesson, or community impact.
  • Verifiable detail: website, social page, address, press link, menu, booking page, or another public source that confirms the business exists.
  • Reader usefulness: a clear reason another local owner or customer would care beyond “they are nice people.”

We use nominations to choose future features. This does not subscribe you unless you separately join the newsletter.

What happens after you nominate?

Noog Weekly treats nominations as editorial leads, not automatic placements. Here is the review path before any business earns a feature.

  1. Receipt check: the business name, local presence, and link are checked first so incomplete nominations do not clog the interview queue.
  2. Story screen: the team looks for a concrete owner lesson, community angle, operating decision, or timely reason readers would care now.
  3. Follow-up only if useful: if the fit is strong, Noog Weekly may contact the nominator or owner for details before scheduling an interview.
  4. No promised publication date: a nomination can be saved for later, passed on, or held until the story clears editorial QA.
Good nominations include the owner name, a specific reason, and a link where we can verify the business.
We especially want under-covered local operators: trades, makers, service businesses, food, retail, wellness, and neighborhood institutions.
Want examples of the finished product? Start with Chattanooga Whiskey, Hutton & Smith, or Velo Coffee Roasters.