A word of advice to anyone considering moving Downtown into a large apartment community: Before you sign a lease, get on Google Reviews and sort by “Newest First.” The reason I advise you to do this is that several Downtown apartment communities have been bought by out-of-town investment companies in the past few years. They get rid of existing management (often people who live in the building themselves) and install corporate property management who have little compassion for tenants. I have reason to believe at least one apartment community may be outsourcing its maintenance management to India to lower costs (but also lowering tenant satisfaction).
Once again, a prime-time NBC series will be filmed in Memphis. The third season of Young Rock, chronicling the development of Dwayne Johnson AKA The Rock, will be filmed here September through February. An all-local crew will be hired for set construction and management.
The Rock’s father, Rocky Johnson, wrestled in Memphis when The Rock was a child, winning the prestigious Southern Heavyweight Championship in late 1976. When The Rock signed with the WWF in 1996, talent development agent Pat Patterson sent him to Memphis Wrestling to get some experience. Working under the name Flex Kavana, The Rock won a tag team championship with Brian Christopher.
Central Station Hotel is now hiring for the following positions:
- Chef de cuisine
- Sous chef
- Banquet chef
- Line cooks
- Hosts
- Servers
- Bartenders
- Backservers
Benefits associated with these positions include
- Competitive pay
- Health, vision, and dental insurance
- Opportunity for growth
- Hilton team member discounts
- Paid time off (all positions)
- 401(k) with matching
- Employee referral bonus program
Email lingold@centralstationmemphis.com to apply.
Saturday, July 16 is Ida B. Wells’ 160th birthday, and there will be a celebration of her life and the groundbreaking of Phase II of the Ida B. Wells Plaza. It’ll happen at noon Saturday at the corner of Beale Street and Ida B. Wells Street (formerly South Fourth Street) and the public is invited.
The DM reports that Big River Market, the new convenience store at 516 Tennessee, had its soft opening Monday. It has a grab & go and wine and next week it’ll have a staffed coffee bar. This week it’s open noon to 7.
This would be a great year to book a trip to Europe. For the first time in 20 years, the euro has fallen to the point that 1 euro = 1 dollar.
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating the PGA Tour for anticompetitive behavior. Banning golfers who participate in LIV events could be seen as monopolistic on the part of the PGA Tour. (I’ll make a second pro wrestling reference here: If you want to get a baseline for the government’s case against the PGA Tour, read about the investigation of the National Wrestling Alliance in the 1950s.)
Rain is passing through Memphis as I type this, and although it’s delaying my grocery run to Walgreens, I LOVE IT. Anything to help keep the temperatures in the 70s a little longer.
I want to say it again: Velvetina’s Pop Culture Trivia is the most fun bar trivia night I have ever played. She has all the little touches, including a Monty Hall suit and a game show music soundtrack in the background. Prizes are awarded per round, not just one time at the end, so you have multiple chances to win. She’s at the Blind Bear every Tuesday night at 7:30 and I believe she’s also starting to pick up other trivia night gigs around town.
StyleBlueprint looks at the best cheap eats in Memphis. Downtown is represented by Cozy Corner’s 2-bone rib plate and pork sandwich plate and Maciel’s 3-taco combo
More new images from the James Webb telescope
Today is National French Fry Day. Brass Door and Flying Saucer would be my recommendations to celebrate.
Songwriter Night returns to South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main, this Friday at 7 PM. Nia Nicholls, a country star from the UK, will perform, as will Abbye West Pates, Katie Shelton, and Dave Kellebrew.
Wyly Bigger will perform on the porch of South Point Grocery this Saturday at noon.
Cassie Bonner will play Soulin’ on the River at Fourth Bluff Park Friday at 7. There will be food trucks and a full bar, and coolers and picnic baskets are welcome.
JD Westmoreland plays Downtown Local tonight from 6 to 9.
Shar & Flamingo King play King & Union Bar/Grocery Thursday from 6 to 9.
That’s it for today. Back tomorrow with more news, unless I overheat.