Relatively short post this Friday lunchtime…
Off work this afternoon and looking for something to do Downtown? Myla Smith will sing at the Brass Door from 3:00 to 4:30 PM today.
Flyer publisher Bruce VanWyngarden wrote an editorial about Bass Pro moving into the Pyramid. I agree 100% with what he wrote. This is not just some store that will draw a bunch of rednecks; it will be a huge tourist attraction that will draw millions of people a year to Memphis. It will lead to the revitalization of the Pinch district. It will also mean jobs, both in the renovation of the Pyramid, and people working at Bass Pro once it’s ready to open. I’ll admit, when I first heard about Bass Pro, I was extremely skeptical, but I’ve since become convinced that Bass Pro is good for Downtown and for Memphis. Give it a chance everyone!
Also in the Flyer: Big changes are coming to the French Fort neighborhood. That’s the neighborhood around the Metal Museum, just south of Crump. The roundabout to be built at I-55/Crump/Riverside will increase traffic into the neighborhood, as will opening the Harahan Bridge to pedestrian and bike traffic. Great news: There will be a connector trail underneath the I-55 bridge connecting the Harahan bridge to the French Fort neighborhood. That is huge. Previously, if I wanted to walk or bike to the Metal Museum from the Downtown core, I had to take Florida Street south a quarter-mile past Crump and turn on Wisconsin. The new path sounds like it will be a lot more direct and lot less scary after dark.
I’ll be at South Main Trolley Night tonight after work. Be sure to come to the empty lot next to the former Harry’s Detour… local resident Gloria Maloney will face Chef Michael Patrick in a cook-off. You can get samples and be the judge. Free samples? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.
Time to grab some lunch, finish the work week, and get ready for tonight.