Big business news to start the lunchtime blog post. The Memphis Business Journal reports that a group of local businessmen have the winning bid to buy One Commerce Square, the 30-story building at Main and Monroe. Their top priority will be to sign Pinnacle Airlines to a long-term lease.
South of Beale will have its first birthday party this Saturday. There will be $1 Ghost River beer from 4 to 6 PM, and there will also be complimentary appetizers. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.
Number 10 Main Apartments is taking steps to make things more convenient for the many law students who are moving in. They’ve installed wireless Internet in the lobby, and students can go to their website to arrange study groups.
The Majestic Grille will present Arts Night at AutoZone Park Monday, August 16. Dugout seats will be available for $13 (reduced from $16 regular price) and proceeds will benefit the Majestic’s arts partners: ArtsMemphis, Ballet Memphis, the Blues Foundation, Opera Memphis, Memphis Music Foundation, the Orpheum, and the School of Music at the University of Memphis. Please note that you must purchase tickets through Redbirds Group Sales to qualify for donated proceeds. Call Jason Mott at 901-722-0251 or e-mail jason.mott@memphisredbirds.com to purchase your tickets.
I heard that City Market signed a construction contract this week to get things started on the ground floor of Radio Center Flats, northeast corner of Main and Union. Soon we’ll have a neighborhood market at that very prominent corner of Downtown. Also, Iberiabank is looking to install an ATM on the Union-facing side of that building.
A How-to of the Day of interest to Downtown Memphians: How to get rid of pigeons.
Grill 83 is hosting a wine dinner next Tuesday, August 10. It will be a 3-course prix fixe dinner created by executive chef Chris Windsor, featuring wines from Spain. Courses include a Frisse salad with chorizo sausage, Manchego cheese, chickpea croutons, poached egg and sherry dressing; Serrano-wrapped ahi tuna with grilled leaks, white beans and Romesco sauce; and an apple and rosemary tart with local honey ice cream. $59 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. Call 901-333-1224 or visit their website to make reservations.
Something interesting I saw this morning: OpenAppMkt, which bypasses the Apple Store to install web-based apps directly on your iPhone.
Memphis in May has announced that Belgium will be the 2011 honored country. I would’ve prefered Romania, but, okay. Will be fun to see what Belgium-themed design the BBQ team comes up with for the booth next year.
The trivia team added another $25 to our stash with a second-place finish last night. Man, was it uncomfortable… the Saucer was unusually crowded for a Tuesday night, and the A/C was not designed to keep up with heat indicies in the 110s. My eyes were watering badly from the cigarette smoke, and we had people bumping and getting in the way. Nevertheless, that won’t stop me from going back to the Saucer tonight…
… which is the beginning of my vacation! Off Thursday and Friday. There will be plenty of posts, but I’ll be back on my irregular posting schedule for the next 4 days. Time to count down the minutes until 5:00!