Monday update: More on the two women targeting men at Downtown bars

EDIT Tuesday 10 AM: Oops forgot to hit Publish yesterday. Check back for a Tuesday update post in a few hours. We now have photos of all the robbers described below.

My blog’s readership drops off by about 40% on the weekends, so I want to repeat a paragraph of a safety alert I made in yesterday’s post. After communicating with some people I am becoming increasingly alarmed and concerned about this.

I am again hearing stories of two women targeting men at bars in the Downtown core (neighborhood bars, not Beale Street, although they may go there too). Both women are African-American, and the one who does the approaching is about 5’8″, lighter skinned, straight long blond hair, very nicely dressed. The other one is 5’3″ to 5’4″, dark hair, darker skinned, a bit heavyset. Their male accomplice wears a shirt that is about two sizes too large and untucked, perfect for hiding a gun. He generally remains outside, but will come in the bar for a minute to give the women more money to buy drinks or when they want to point out a target to him.

I also posted this to Facebook. These women and/or their accomplice have now been identified as having been seen in or around the following bars in the past year:

  • Blind Bear
  • Bardog
  • Flying Saucer
  • Local Downtown
  • Printer’s Alley

You’ll notice that some of my very favorite homes-away-from-home appear on this list. In no way am I saying, don’t go to these places. In fact, when I meet tourists and I ask them where to go, the Bear and Bardog are usually the first two places I tell them. If they mention being into beer, I send them to the Saucer. I want to see all these businesses do well and prosper. I am not trying to hurt their businesses by mentioning them here. I am pointing out a problem that is hurting their businesses.

So, I have a request to bar owners, managers, and bartenders. I know it can get busy at times and you cannot control every little thing that happens in your bar. But, to the extent that you can identify them and know who they are, PLEASE STOP SERVING THEM. In restaurants in Tennessee (and technically all the places I listed are licensed as restaurants except maybe Printer’s) you can refuse service to anyone, without reason. If we can take away the spaces in which these people operate, that may convince them that Downtown is not the most convenient neighborhood in which to run their scams.

Also, bar owners that employ doormen: If a man comes in with an untucked shirt a size or two too large, why not asked to see his waistband? That’s not discrimination, that’s protecting your patrons from someone who may be trying to bring a gun in your business.

I have a photo of the heavier of the two women that I am willing to share with Downtown bar owners, managers, bartenders, and servers. However, I must know you personally in order to share it with you. A friend of mine tried to take a selfie with the taller, more attractive woman recently. She refused, which is a dead giveaway that they’re up to no good and are trying to keep their identities concealed.

Again, apologies for calling out particular businesses publicly on here, but this is a case where we’ve all got to work together to eliminate evil from our neighborhood.

On a better note… I am super, super excited about tonight. A couple of months ago, one of my BBQ teammates contacted me. He said retired pro wrestler Jake “The Snake” Roberts is doing a show at the Hi-Tone – comedy, stories from the road, and Q&A. So he bought four tickets not only to the show, but the VIP meet & greet preceding it. He asked if I wanted to go. You bet I did! Jake was one of the top wrestlers of the 1980s. He would bring a burlap sack to the ring. After knocking his opponent out with his signature move, the DDT, he would open the sack and pull out a 12-foot long live snake named Damien, who he would place on his defeated opponent’s body.

There was much sadness on social media this weekend as longtime employees and regulars mourned the closing of Club 152 on Beale. Inside sources indicate 152 might be not quite as gone as we believe, that it may re-open under a different concept.

Semi-Average Joe will supply the tunes at Sunday brunch at Sunrise Memphis this coming Sunday, January 13. Music starts at 10 AM.

One of my readers asked me to let everyone know that the cleaners across from Bardog on Monroe Avenue, in the Shrine Building, is back open and they have really good people running it. Word has seemingly not got out as well as they hoped that they were back open, and they would appreciate your business.

The main library at 3030 Poplar kicks off a new series on Saturday, January 26 from 1 to 2 PM. The first presentation of the series is called Birth of the Bluff City and will explore Memphis from 1819 to 1865. Drawings, historical maps, and photographs will be used to explore Memphis as it was from the year of its founding up to the eve of the Civil War.

Also happening on the 26th – but at 4 PM so you’ll be able to do both if you choose – is a French macaron tasting at Primas Bakery & Boutique on South Main. Each ticket includes a flight of four macarons, with the flavors being Churro, Nutella, Orange Creamsicle, and Key Lime. Complimentary wine will be available for participants 21 and up. Seating is limited and tickets must be purchased in advance.

Chandler Parsons is leaving the Grizzlies indefinitely and that is just fine as far as I am concerned. He was offered a three home game stint with the Grizzlies’ G-League team the Memphis Hustle, as a way to evaluate his health and level of play since returning from injury. However, players with more than three years of NBA experience have the right to refuse such assignments, and Parsons did just that. I started to type “what a piece of work that guy is,” but it’s obvious “Chandler Parsons” and “work” do not belong in the same sentence. Compare him to Jevon Carter, who spent months driving down to Southaven to practice with the Hustle and then back to Memphis to practice with the Grizzlies. Carter is all heart, grit and grind. Parsons is all about posting #Chancun pics to social media.