Month: August 2024

The CA reports the latest on Aldi’s plan to open a grocery store at 785 Union, the former Office Depot site.

Today is National Prosecco Day.

It’s also National Filet Mignon Day. The Majestic Grille would be a great place to celebrate.

The Orpheum is hiring a bartender.

Memphis Tourism (the convention & visitors bureau) is hiring a part-time receptionist.

Not a very newsy day. I’ll try again tomorrow.

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From Action News 5: City leaders make an effort to reinvigorate Downtown Memphis following numerous restaurant and bar closures  this spring and summer. WMC sent a reporter to the Blind Bear’s goodbye party last night, which was at an offsite location, and my friend DeVonte shared his thoughts.

To my readers who hang out in bars… enjoy your favorite watering hole like it’s the last time you’ll ever be in there… because it just might be.

And for heaven’s sake SPEND YOUR GIFT CARDS IMMEDIATELY… don’t wind up with 37 now-worthless bar bucks in your wallet. I speak from experience.

The FedEx St. Jude Championship (golf) is at Southwind Thursday-Sunday with the pro-am this Wednesday. Don’t feel like leaving Downtown? Don’t feel like broiling in the Memphis summer heat, which will be back tomorrow? Watch the action over a cold one at Birdie’s.

Songwriter Night returns to South Main Sounds Friday night from 7 to 9. Kata Hay, Angelina David, plus a couple more TBA.

Mark Farina DJs Saturday night at Central Station.

The Greenlaw Community Center is open and it offers a lot of services to Memphis residents. The center will be a model for future resource centers in other districts.

Food writer Jennifer Chandler recommends the matzo ball stuffed chicken at new restaurant JEM Dining in The Edge District. (DM premium article)

The preseason AP Top 25 football poll is out and the Memphis Tigers, despite being picked to win the American Athletic Conference, didn’t make the list. Memphis got 16 votes, 124 less than 25th-place Iowa.

The CA has vintage 1965 photos of Elvis at his Memphis estate Graceland.

Elvis tribute artist Bill Cherry performs at the Halloran Centre Wednesday night. There will be a meet & greet with Ginger Alden, Elvis’ girlfriend in 1976-1977, at 3:45 that afternoon.

Next door, the Orpheum will play 1925 silent movie The Phantom of the Opera, accompanied by the theater’s Wurlitzer organ, Friday night. $10 suggested donation at the door.

The Lott Carey annual session will be at the Renasant Convention Center today through Thursday.

It’s Vinyl Record Day. River City Records on the Main Street Mall is an obvious place to celebrate – but don’t miss a hidden gem, the collection of Memphis records on the second floor of dry goods store A. Schwab on Beale.

The family of a man who appeared on some of those records, Isaac Hayes, is suing the Trumpster for copyright infringement for using “Hold On I’m Coming” at rallies over a period of 2 years.

The weather is nice, so I’m taking a night off from staying at the Union Mission. Back tomorrow with more news.

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I went to Memphis Made’s new taproom in The Edge last night. It had been 7 months since I last walked through The Edge, and it was barely recognizable. That part of town is exploding with apartments, parking, and retail.

As for the taproom, you MUST see it. You enter through 16 S. Lauderdale and kinda go over under sideways down to get there. There’s a huge patio that backs up to The Ravine. The space is gorgeous and family-friendly. The Soi Number 9 truck was selling food. I had the Wonderbeer, a witbier which is a tribute to the old Wonder Bread factory.

Baptist Health Sciences University seeks an educational technologist.

Crosstown Concourse seeks a visitor services coordinator.

Short post today because my MacBook’s battery is out of juice.

Let’s start off today’s post with the weather forecast! High 88, low 66, breezy with the wind coming from the north/northeast, no chance of rain. PERFECT!

I’m staying out tonight! This plan is not set in stone, but I’m strongly considering a visit to the new Memphis Made taproom tonight 6:30ish, 7:00ish, thereabouts. If any of my readers would like to join me, come on with it! Lily Unless and the If Onlys play at 7.

Someone asked me for a list of Downtown restaurants and bars that closed this summer. Here’s what I’ve got: Longshot, The Nine Thai Sushi, Ben Yay’s (merged with Sugar Grits), 310 Beale (formerly Jerry Lee’s), and now Blind Bear. So at least 5 total. 

Since so many prime storefronts are available Downtown, allow me to get back on one of my old soapboxes: WE NEED AN INDIAN RESTAURANT DOWN HERE!

There will be a goodbye party for the Bear Sunday night at 507 Lux Lounge. Doors open at 6, DJ Tree at 9. 

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST… the New Wing Order food truck is shutting down. See their Facebook page for details. They operated a restaurant inside the Ghost River taproom but shut it down a year or two ago. They cite rising costs and unexpected expenses as reasons for the food truck’s demise.

Sunset Jazz in Court Square returns this Sunday from 6 to 8 PM, this month featuring Soul Ingredient.

From Action News 5: The City Council probes why the public is barred from renovated restrooms at Mud Island River Park.

An MPD officer shot at a charging dog at a horse carriage stable in Uptown. No people or dogs were injured.

It’s National Veep Day. 50 years ago, Vice-President Gerald Ford ascended to the presidency as Richard Nixon resigned.

Colorful Golf Hall of Famer Chi Chi Rodriguez is dead at 88.

Kids can enjoy free inflatables and face painting on the left field bluff tonight at the Redbirds vs. Gwinnett Stripers. 7:05 PM first pitch. 

ABC says Vice-President Harris and the Trumpster have agreed to debate on September 10.

UT Health Sciences Communications and Marketing seeks a graphic designer.

The Patio Porkers competition returns to Beale Street on Saturday, August 24.

Blue Christmas, a festive summer cool-down with the King of Rock and Roll, is going on at the ARRIVE Hotel on South Main through August 17.

Disco Detective, a Soulful Murder Mystery comes to the Halloran Centre Sunday, September 15.

USA vs. France for the Olympic men’s basketball gold medal will happen Saturday at 2:30 PM.

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FedExForum has been named the 35th best American sports venue out of all NBA, NFL, and MLB venues. In terms of NBA only, the Grindhouse came in 6th. 

The Redbirds will play as the Memphis Red Sox Saturday night to honor the city’s 20th-century Negro Leagues teams. There will be a ceremony prior to the first pitch, and the jerseys will be auctioned off.

Memphis River Parks Partnership plans to better connect its parks. 

From ABC 24: Blind Bear becomes latest Downtown business to close. This story was posted to Facebook and a commenter noted a couple of possible contributing factors:

• Downtown was a ghost town during May without the REAL Memphis in May Music Fest and BBQ Fest down here. That destroyed area restaurants’ most profitable month. 
• The cost of insuring a Downtown bar has skyrocketed in recent years, as much as quintupling.

Chris D’Elia’s Straight Out the Multiverse Tour comes to the Cannon Center Saturday. 

Wisconsin has flipped blue in RealClearPolitics’ No Toss-up States Electoral College projection. The Trumpster still leads with 287, but Kamala is closing in with 251. 270 are needed to win. If Kamala can flip Pennsylvania, she’s there. 

DJs A.D. and Jordan Rogers go head-to-head at tonight’s Peabody rooftop party. 6-10 PM. If you’re in VIP you get a buffet of pulled pork sliders, pulled chicken sliders, and waffle fries. Win a Mich Ultra standup golf bag. 

Check out the Memphis Flyer Burger Week burgers. Burger Week runs through the 13th. During that time, get the burgers for only $6.99. Downtown burgers include

• Sunrise Patty Melt at Sunrise Memphis
• The Classic Burger at Rock’n Dough Pizza
• World Famous Huey Burger at Huey’s
• BBQ Pulled Pork Burger at Tug’s
• Baja Burger at Loflin Yard
• The Tavern Smash at Belle Tavern

I’ve added Zelle to the list of ways you can support this blog (see footer below). I discovered it’s seamlessly integrated with my Ally Bank account; I just had to set it up. Cheers to my friend Otto for recommending Ally. Initially I was skeptical of a bank with no local branches, but Ally has been superb.

Back sometime between tomorrow and Monday with more news.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
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But it’s a big item.

There is a sign on the Blind Bear’s door that they are closed permanently. They thank their patrons for the support over the years.

I am as shocked as you probably are. At this time I have no further details I can report.

Personal note: I’ve lost the ability to post to this blog from my phone. I get an error on the WordPress app. I can still post from my MacBook, but that means I have to have it with me and be in a location where the Wi-Fi works and there is a working power outlet within 5 feet. As a result, posts may be fewer and farther between for a while.

Back tomorrow. I hope.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
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THE PICK IS IN: Minnesota governor Tim Walz is Kamala Harris’ running mate. In other election news, Kamala Harris has secured enough delegates in e-balloting to secure the Democratic nomination for president. 

The USA TODAY Coaches’ Poll is out. While the football Memphis Tigers did not crack the top 25, they got the most points of any Group of Five team. 

WREG asks, following recent closings, is Beale Street OK? Memphis Tourism’s Kevin Kane says yes, that the downturn is part of a nationwide cycle. 

Today is a good day to visit A. Schwab’s old-fashioned soda fountain on Beale. It’s National Root Beer Float Day. 

A chocolate muffin has gone viral at the Paris Olympics. 

Max Kaplan plays Live at the Tracks at Central Station Thursday evening. 

Elmwood Cemetery hosts What Lies Beneath: Tales & Secrets of the Cottage Thursday 6-8 PM. $25 includes lemonade, sangria, and small bites.

Olympic men’s basketball: USA vs. Brazil, 2:30 today, NBC.

Elvis Week starts Friday.

The Chicago White Sox have lost 21 in a row.

Soul & Spirits’ 2nd annual book fair is Saturday.

Soulin’ on the River returns to Fourth Bluff Friday 7-10 PM featuring KJ Willis.

The Drafts and Laughs comedy show comes to Memphis Made’s new taproom in The Edge Saturday evening. 

The Downtown service industry has been discussing the death of Ced, one of the neighborhood’s street people, this week. As I understand it,, Ced was not homeless; his parents dropped him off in the mornings to wander the neighborhood he loved. 

Ced would come in area restaurants and bars and ask for a water or Coke to go. He was always so polite. It’s believed he watched service industry folks he cared about as they walked to their homes and cars, ready to help if they encountered any street people not as nice as he. 

RIP Ced. We will miss you. It’s believed heat exhaustion may have caused his death. 

Today is supposed to be the last day with temps in the mid-90s and 100+ heat index for a while. I sure hope so. Back tomorrow with more news.

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Bored on a Sunday morning, I decided to take a walk around Victorian Village. Question: Why does the Village have a fascination with large, hooved mammals? An apartment complex on Adams Avenue has a statue of a horse in its courtyard. And then down the street, there’s a luxury vacation rental complex called The Moose.

In other animal news, I wrote an article on Medium this weekend suggesting that the woolly mammoth is extinct because Noah forgot to load two of them onto the ark. The timeline just about matches up.

Asian carp have invaded our river. Will we see carp on the menu at Flying Fish soon? (Make it snappy!)

Memphis 901 FC drew El Paso last night, nil-nil.

Jerry Lee Lewis’ widow explained the issue she had with the operation of his club on Beale in recent years.

Today is National White Wine Day.

Beale Street Bears speculates that Jaren Jackson Jr. could earn a $300 million extension this year. Hello, luxury tax. Worth it, though.

AutoZone seeks a digital creative marketing manager.

Gonna read the WWE SummerSlam results then pay Bardog a visit. Back tomorrow with more news.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
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The South Main Association will have its monthly South Main Social Tuesday, August 13 at National Rose Co. Come check out this new art spot at 80 W. Virginia Avenue. Complimentary hot dog bar. Drinks by Highball 901. Free for SMA members, and this month only members can bring a friend who will get in for free.

Very sad to hear of the death of MPD officer Demetrice Johnson. He was killed Downtown Friday morning in the line of duty in a car crash.

Today is International Blues Music Day. Celebrate at B.B. King’s on Beale.

It’s also National Mustard Day.

LEO Events out in The Edge seeks a creative marketing and communications specialist.

Short post today. Meeting friends for brunch.

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There will be an Edgar Allan Poe speakeasy at the New Daisy through Saturday. Quoth the raven, nevermore.

Employees of 310 Beale (formerly Jerry Lee’s) showed up yesterday to find they didn’t have a job anymore. The club has been closed and sold

ALSAC seeks a specialist in social media communication and engagement.

First Horizon seeks an intern in banking quality and productivity.

Tami Sawyer is our new General Sessions Court Clerk.

Today is International Beer Day. I recommend a PBR to celebrate.

Kids and St. Jude patients will compete in a St Jude Lemonade Stand Challenge at Grind City Brewing on Saturday.

CNBC looks at how much winning athletes in the Paris Olympics earn.

Beale Street Bears looks at winners and losers of Luke Kennard’s new contract.

Witnesse plays the Central Station Hotel Saturday night.

Saturday is College Night at Memphis 901 FC. They host El Paso Locomotive FC at 7:30.

Back tomorrow.

It’s free to read this blog, but I gratefully accept tips! 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
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