I am so very happy and excited for my friends who live in the South Main District!
Here in the core, we don’t have a big-box grocery retailer either. But between Walgreens, City Market, DGX, and convenience stores, we can mostly get by.
South Main, by comparison, has been a relative food desert, at least in the sense of buying groceries. Residents have to trolley to the core or get in the car and travel to Miss Cordelia’s, West Memphis Walmart, or the Crosstown or Midtown Kroger. True, they do have one of the most kick-ass farmers markets in the U.S., but only 5 hours a week, 7 months a year. The lack of grocery options has dragged down South Main’s walkability a bit.
Great news for South Main came yesterday, however. They’re going to have a new grocery store, called South Point Grocery, and it will be run by people who know what they’re doing. The ownership group currently operates the Cash Saver grocery chain as well as High Point Grocery.
The address on the map is 138 Webster. If you’re having trouble visualizing that on a map, Webster is the second street south of G.E. Patterson, after St. Paul. The block of Webster the grocery is on will be the block between S. Main and S. Second. The store will be small for a grocery at 8000 SF, but it will be high-end with a deli, fresh produce, and a butcher. There will be plenty of parking and a covered patio.
Peanut Shoppe fans: You’ll want to take a walk up there on your lunch break Friday, because the Planters Nutmobile will be parked outside from noon to 3. You’ll be able to go absolutely nuts with photo opportunities, and grab some snacks while you’re there.
Image courtesy plantersnutmobile.com
Tug’s Casual Grill will host the first in a series of live music in its courtyard this Thursday from 6 to 9 PM. Max Kaplan & The Magics will perform. From Tug’s email flyer:
With a captivating frontman, soulful guitar leads, and a tight rhythm section, Memphis-based Max Kaplan has an exciting and original sound harkening back to the sonic landscape of funky Motown and Stax era soul, to the guitar driven blues of the 1960’s.
Cheers to Downtown nonprofit Meritan, which has been partnering with MIFA to get COVID-19 vaccines in the arms of MIFA’s homebound Meals on Wheels clients.
Memphis River Parks Partnership will present a Virtual Design Update on Tom Lee Park this afternoon at 4:30. Studio Gang’s and SCAPE’s designers will update you on the latest plans for the park and changes to Riverside Drive. There will be a Q&A as well. RSVP here
Blind Bear folks and other friends… don’t forget to vote for Mary today so we can help get her profiled in Yoga Journal. You have until 9 PM Central Daylight Time Thursday to vote, and you can vote for her once a day.
The CA’s Jennifer Chandler has a look at what’s different inside South of Beale’s (SOB’s) new location on South Main.
A new health directive is expected to drop this week. Restrictions on dancing and live music in bars and clubs are expected to be relaxed. Buffets will return, although rules will have to be followed. Dr. Randolph indicated that more restrictions could be changed from “mandatory” to “highly recommended” in the May health directive, depending on the virus numbers. Y’all go get your shots so we can do away with the remaining restrictions! Don’t forget, it’s No Appointment Wednesday at the Pipkin Building 7 to 7 today.
You’ll want to grab a jacket as you head to work this morning. It’s considerably cooler outside than it has been. MWN predicts a high of only 62 this afternoon with gusty northeast winds.
That’s it for today. I’m going to spend another afternoon at home with my writing, so I can get out when the 80-degree weather returns. Back tomorrow with more news.