Downtown has a new food delivery service built by a local entrepreneur along with the restaurants from whom food will be ordered. Chew901.com was developed by restaurants, for restaurants, to provide online ordering of food and safe delivery to the 38103 zip code. Delivery is available from
- Kooky Canuck
- Rizzo’s by Michael Patrick
- Pontotoc Lounge
- Silly Goose
- Blind Bear
- Wok’n in Memphis
- Maciel’s
- Primas Bakery + Boutique
- Curry N Jerk
Dine-in is back open at 3rd and Court Diner:
Big news!! we will open our patio and dining room at 50% capacity tomorrow. See you at 7am! 🧡💚 pic.twitter.com/hleIBnMX3M
— 3rd & Court Diner (@3rdandCourt) May 28, 2020
Last month I reported that Desiree Robinson of Cozy Corner was a finalist for the National BBQ Hall of Fame. This week it became official: She’s in.
In these uncertain times, many businesses are adopting protocols to keep employees and customers safe. To that end, IKEA is asking that customers please not masturbate in its stores.
The Blind Bear has added tater tots to their menu, with their famous Bear Rub as seasoning. Jeannette recommends asking for pepper jack cheese sauce.
Beer fans, pick up a 6-pack of Memphis Made Kitten Nap IPA this weekend at Kroger to support a good cause. Kitten Nap is their spring seasonal IPA, brewed with Calypso and Lemondrop hops for a fruity taste. With an ABV of 4.8%, it’s an IPA you can drink all day. A portion of all Kitten Nap sales at Kroger through July will go to a fund set up by Edible Memphis to provide relief to food workers affected by the pandemic.
May I suggest a place to drink that Kitten Nap, or PBR, or whatever your beer of choice is this weekend? OUTSIDE!!! Beginning tonight, the MemphisWeather.net forecast has us at a 0% chance of rain for the next five and a half days. Tomorrow: 80/60, clear sky, less humid with a north wind. Sunday: Near 80/near 60, sunny sky. Hmmm maybe I’ll take a trip south and go to the Memphis Farmers Market and then Max’s Sports Bar tomorrow.
South Main Book Juggler made a recommendation yesterday: Amelia Thorn, a novel by local author Richard J. Alley. It was just published this month. Pick up a copy at the shop at 548 S. Main.
Another book by a local author was also published this month: Secret Memphis, by my fellow blogger Holly Whitfield. Discover Memphis places you never knew existed, and the hidden stories behind the places everyone knows about. It’s a guide to the weird, wonderful, and obscure. First 100 orders get a free Secret Memphis sticker.
New bar stools at Silly Goose:
They’re comfortable, heavy, and they don’t make noise when you move them.
The Goose is taking extra precautions to keep their customers safe. They’ve added signage asking people to stay in their seats and not migrate from one part of the bar to another. The bartender tells me they are going to have “triple security” at the door this weekend to enforce a strict one-in, one-out once the place reaches its Phase 2 capacity. If you plan on coming there tonight or tomorrow night, my recommendation is that you get there an hour or two earlier than normal to avoid waiting.
Shelby County had an 8.6% positive rate for COVID-19 tests yesterday. That is not good, given that most days have seen positives in the 3-7% range. I wish they would report where those tests occurred. If a lot of the tests happened in clustered locations like correctional facilities and care facilities, than the high number could be explained. However, if those tests were of the general public, that could cause the Health Department to hit the brakes on moving to Phase 3 if that number is sustained over several days.
In other local COVID-19 news, Mayor Strickland announced that the city is partnering with the YMCA to convert eight community centers to provide free child care for essential workers.
In somewhat related news, I’ll pass on a tip I got from my hair stylist this week: If you sing one verse of “YMCA” by the Village People while you wash your hands, it approximates 20 seconds, the recommended hand-washing time by the CDC.
Ducks live better than most Memphians:
When off-duty, the ducks live in their Royal Duck Palace on the rooftop. The $200,000 structure is made of marble & glass & features a fountain with a bronze duck spitting water. It also includes a replica of the hotel where the ducks can rest with a soft, grassy “front yard.” pic.twitter.com/QFnzqDznqB
— The Peabody Memphis (@PeabodyMemphis) May 28, 2020
In news about a drake of a different feather, former DJ Drake Hall has set up his website. You can become an insider to get access to exclusive content.
Check out this video in which Kendall Haney, president of the South Main Association, talks with Jennifer Oswalt, DMC president, and Penelope Huston, vice-president of marketing and communications, about the re-opening of Downtown.
SugaShack will host an online Soulful Watch Party tonight at 7.
That’s it for today. Back tomorrow with more news.