Yesterday Flight restaurant issued a statement responding to the protests and allegations of racism and sexism at their businesses. It said, in an effort to change their company culture, they were implementing the following:
- Russ Graham will be bought out by the owners, and will no longer be an owner, employee, or affiliated with Flight and its sibling restaurants in any manner.
- A human resources firm will be brought in to evaluated policies to ensure that employees are treated properly.
- An investigation will be conducted to determine if there were violations that need to be addressed.
All of this is a good start, and giving Russ the boot was a good and necessary move. However:
- Who is going to conduct the investigation? Is it going to be internal or will an independent third parry be brought in? When and how can the public expect to be notified of the results of this investigation?
- If there were racist and sexist policies at Flight, Russ couldn’t have enforced them on his own. The managers need to be fired too.
- A personal, heartfelt public apology (not something prepared by a PR firm) from the other principal owner, Tom Powers, would be nice.
The City Council voted unanimously yesterday to ask Mayor Strickland to hold up the city contract with Flight allowing it to use city street parking for restaurant valet parking.
Congratulations to the folks at Kooky Canuck as they celebrate their 15th anniversary of being open for business today.
Got lots of opening news today! B.B. King’s blues club at Second and Beale is back in business today. Here’s the schedule for the week:
- Tonight: P.S. Blues Band 6:30
- Tomorrow: The B.B. King’s Blues Club All-Star Band 6:30
- Friday: Memphis Jones 4:30; The B.B. King’s Blues Club All-Star Band 8:00
- Saturday: Flic’s Pics Band 3:30; The B.B. King’s Blues Club All-Star Band 8:00
- Sunday: Flic’s Pics Band 2:30; P.S. Blues Band 6:30
Blue Plate Cafe on Court Square will resume operations Monday, June 22.
Max’s Sports Bar has returned to its pre-COVID-19 house arrest hours, which are
- Sunday-Thursday 4:30 PM-midnight
- Friday 4:30 PM- 3 AM
- Saturday 11 AM-3 AM
- Open early for NFL games, Memphis sporting events on TV, and other special sports events
The National Civil Rights Museum has delayed its re-opening until July 1, citing the complications that kept Shelby County in Phase 2.
Drs. Jon McCullers and Manoj Jain were special guests at the COVID-19 task force meeting to further explain the reasons for keeping the county in Phase 2. They said hospitalizations were up, and they were seeing something they had not previously seen, hospitalization of a number of COVID-19 patients in their 20s and 30s with no pre-existing health conditions. They found that alarming.
Also at the press conference, Health Department officials explained that while the 50% occupancy rule on restaurants has been lifted, what is important is that tables are spaced six feet apart.
At the Blind Bear, you can now get Hibernation Fries made with tater tots.
The City Council passed a mask ordinance yesterday by a 9-4 vote. Memphians are now required to wear a mask whenever they are in public. However, city COO Doug McGowen expects enforcement by police to be very limited, because they have more important things to worry about. Enforcement will more likely come by the city’s Code Enforcement arm visiting businesses.
Protestors are occupying City Hall, camped out beginning last night and through 9 AM this morning on the plaza outside. They have a list of five demands, including police reform, investing in training, investing in libraries, investing in education and youth, and investing in housing.
You can now buy buffalo sauce from award-winning wing team/food truck New Wing Order online.
Very sad news: Downtown marketing firm Oden will close after 49 years. They were proceeding through the pandemic, but then their largest client decided to stop funding its work.
More sad news: It’s official that Bluff City Law has been canceled by NBC.
I tried the new sweet corn flavor of Pringles, available at Downtown Walgreens.
If you like the Mexican street corn at Maciel’s, you will like these.
Major airlines are banning the serving of alcohol to encourage passengers to keep their masks on while in flight.
The Memphis Business Journal has more on the Civil Axe Throwing location coming to South Main.
The Memphis Flyer will be closed for Juneteenth this Friday. The publisher explains why – it’s a recognition of freedom, joy, and black lives.
For my poker-playing friends, a writer at stats site FiveThirtyEight explains why you’re never “due” for good cards in the game and in life.
Not Downtown, but as a fan of pro wrestling I’m going to mention it anyway: Zinnie’s is starting a pro wrestling party every Wednesday night from 6 to 10. From 7 to 9 they’ll have AEW Dynamite on. During the party hours they will have 75 cent wings and the following drink specials:
- The King – PBR and Jameson
- The American Dream – Montucky Cold Snack and Jack Daniel’s
- The Macho Man – Casamigos Blanco and White Claw
South Main Sounds will have a Turnstyles Livestream tonight 8 to 9.
That’ll do it for today. Back tomorrow with more news.