KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Petro’s Chili and Chips will close its Market Square location Friday, ending a six-year run in downtown Knoxville.

The restaurant, which started during the World’s Fair, said the costs to keep running became too high for the business to sustain.

Chief Operating Officer Alex Widmer said the rent nearly tripled when they looked at signing a new lease, prompting the company to explore other options.

“I think we probably could have negotiated lower rent, but I do believe it would have increased so much that we probably just still couldn’t innovate the majority of our business to make up that expense increase,” Widmer said.

Max Tyrrell, who often visits the downtown location for lunch, said he was disappointed by the closure.

“This is only one of two places that y

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