Pictured above is a strawberry milkshake from the old-fashioned soda fountain in A. Schwab at 163 Beale, one of the hidden gems of Downtown Memphis. The soda fountain has been there for about a decade. I hate to admit that this was my first visit. One thing I learned from my after-work exploration of Beale yesterday is that there is a lot of unique stuff on the street that Downtowners miss out on because of the perception that “locals don’t go to Beale Street.”
The shake was $5.98 and any shake can be made into a malt for 30 cents more. From The Kitchn: What’s the difference between a malt and a milkshake?
I’m going to start a new feature on this blog highlighting some of the unique items you can find on Beale. Here’s one I found yesterday: Public Toilet Survival Kit. It’s a novelty item that is actually quite useful in a place like Memphis. The kit includes
- 1 toilet seat cover
- 2 antiseptic wipes
- 1 pair of latex-free disposable gloves
Also – I know some of my readers are big Wing Guru fans – you can get their sauces at A. Schwab. In fact, if you’re a fan of sauces in general, they have an extensive collection.
I also stopped at the candy store next to Club 152 and discovered they have Dr. Pepper-flavored cotton candy.
Self-evaluation of my first day at work:
- Overall I think I did well, considering how much information there is to process. I got the booking system pulled up and got everyone checked in and boarded for our bus tours that departed during my work hours.
- I need to work on individual sales pitches for all our tours, but especially the Memphis Mojo Tour and the Beale Street Walking Tour, both of which depart while I am working. Our tours are awesome and I need to reflect that with enthusiasm.
- I met 3 more of my co-workers: a tour guide, a bus driver, and a musician. Our tour staff is as awesome as the tours themselves. And I have 100% confidence that I will rise to their level of awesomeness once I get familiar with the job.
Alfred’s had karaoke going at 1:30 on a Monday. Never seen daytime karaoke in Memphis before. Not sure if that’s an all-the-time thing or just an Elvis Week thing.
Alfred’s has an Elvis tribute artist performing tonight snd tomorrow night.
The CA’s Jennifer Chandler has a “here’s what we know” about Memphis in May’s potential plan to move BBQ Fest out of Tom Lee Park.
The Cossitt Library is now on Instagram at @cossittlibrary. Don’t forget that the library’s Dos Hermanos Kitchen has its grand opening today.
I want to remind everyone that Downtown’s Local on Main is not affiliated with Midtown’s Local on the Square in any way – different ownership, different staff, different menus. I mention this because a video taken at the Midtown location went viral, and not in a good way, over the weekend.
Don’t forget that the Daily Memphian and WKNO host a Memphis mayoral debate tonight at 7.
The Memphis Redbirds host the Norfolk Tides tonight at 6:45 at AutoZone Park.
Mayor Jimbo from Mempho wants to implement a 4-point plan to make Downtown safer. He’s calling for Beale Street bars to close at midnight. That’ll never happen.
A police report has revealed new information about the shooting that occurred one block north of Beale, injuring 8, Sunday morning.
The Elvis candlelight vigil is tonight at Graceland.
The Trumpster and his allies face RICO charges related to alleged attempts to manipulate the Georgia results in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Prosecutors have previously used RICO to bring down top Mafia bosses including John Gotti.
That’s all for today. Looking forward to a fantastic second day at work. Back tomorrow with more news.