The Phoenix Conversions Story: From Van Conversions to Knoxville's Truck Accessory Superstore

Every shop has a starting point. For Phoenix Conversions, that starting point was a 2,500 square foot space on North Central in Knoxville in 1987. Today the business operates a 70,000 square foot showroom and install shop on Casey Drive, serving truck owners, SUV drivers and commercial fleets from across Tennessee.

Here is how that happened, told through the milestones that shaped the company.

1987: A van conversion shop on North Central

Phoenix Conversions was founded in 1987 by owner Scott Hayse with partner George Vaughan. The company began in a 2,500 square foot space on North Central in Knoxville, and its focus was van conversions.

Van conversions were a big part of the custom vehicle world at the time. Conversion work meant taking a stock van and building it into something more comfortable, more useful or better suited to how the owner wanted to travel. That kind of work demands careful craftsmanship, an eye for fit and finish, and an understanding of how a vehicle is put together.

Growing into trucks and SUVs

As the company grew, its work expanded from van conversions into custom packages for trucks and SUVs. That shift followed what drivers wanted. Pickups and SUVs were becoming everyday vehicles for more and more people, and owners wanted ways to make them their own, whether that meant a better look, more capability or more utility.

The skills built on conversion work carried over naturally: planning a build around the owner, choosing parts that work together and installing them with care.

Adding commercial upfitting

The next major chapter was commercial upfitting. Businesses rely on work trucks and vans every day, and those vehicles need to be built for the job, with storage, racks and bodies suited to each trade. Phoenix Conversions grew into that work, and today commercial upfitting is one of its core categories, with brands like Adrian Steel, Ranger Design, Reading and CM.

Today: a 70,000 square foot showroom and install shop

From that first 2,500 square foot space, Phoenix Conversions now operates a 70,000 square foot showroom and install shop at 5915 Casey Drive, Knoxville, TN 37909. The location sits right off I-40 at Exit 383, next door to Witt Lumber and near Middlebrook Pike and Weisgarber Road.

Under one roof, the business covers five main categories:

• Commercial Upfitting for work trucks and vans.
• Accessories, including lift kits and leveling, steel bumpers and grilles, and LED light bars and auxiliary lighting.
• Towing setups.
• Bed Liner, with Patriot Liner spray-in bedliners.
• Wheels & Tires, including Falken and Nitto tires.

Other brands on the floor include ADD Offroad (Addictive Desert Designs), Air Lift Performance and AMP Research.

Serving drivers from across Tennessee

What started as a local Knoxville shop now draws customers from across the state, including Knoxville, Maryville, Oak Ridge, the Smokies, the Tri-Cities, Chattanooga and Nashville. Because so many customers travel to the shop, the team encourages out-of-town drivers to call ahead so parts can be confirmed and installs can be set up before they arrive.

Making upgrades more accessible

Phoenix Conversions also offers ways to spread out the cost of upgrades. Promotional financing is available through Synchrony, and lease-to-own is available through Snap, which requires no credit and covers up to $5,000. Snap is not available in Minnesota, New Jersey or Wisconsin.

What the story means for customers

The thread running from 1987 to today is simple: the company kept growing into the work its customers needed, from van conversions to truck and SUV packages to commercial upfitting. The shop's tagline sums up the standard it aims for: "When it has to be the best."

Visit Phoenix Conversions in Knoxville

Whether you want a spray-in bedliner, a towing setup, a lift and new tires, or a fleet of upfitted work vans, Phoenix Conversions is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, at 5915 Casey Drive in Knoxville. Call 865-670-4060, email esales@phoenixconversions.com, or request a quote to start your project.

Frequently asked questions

When was Phoenix Conversions founded?

Phoenix Conversions was founded in 1987 in Knoxville, Tennessee, by owner Scott Hayse with partner George Vaughan.

What did Phoenix Conversions originally do?

The company started in a 2,500 square foot space on North Central in Knoxville, focused on van conversions, before growing into truck and SUV custom packages and then commercial upfitting.

Where is Phoenix Conversions located today?

At 5915 Casey Drive, Knoxville, TN 37909, in a 70,000 square foot showroom and install shop right off I-40 at Exit 383, next door to Witt Lumber.