Even if you don’t play chess
I got the idea to write this post because the league that sanctions the card game bridge is having its spring national tournament Downtown this month. Many bridge players take up chess as a side hobby and I want them to be aware of the club’s existence.
But then I realized, this post has a much larger audience. You see, I’ve been going to Memphis Chess Club for about five months now, and it’s a place tourists and locals need to know about. Even ones who don’t play chess. (I don’t. There are probably 6-year-olds out there who could beat me.)
Here are 7 reasons the club has become a home to me.
Coffeehouse Vibes
Our neighborhood Starbucks doesn’t even feel like a coffeehouse. It’s inside a boutique hotel and there’s barely enough room to stand in line for a to-go order.
Not so at Memphis Chess Club. There’s plenty of room to spread out and work, play, or relax. The vibe reminds me of Central Perk from the TV show Friends. Wood tables (with inset chess boards, of course) and comfy couches are everywhere. There’s a mezzanine where you can get away from it all. Just don’t expect to run into 7’4” Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey on the mezzanine – he’d hit his head on the ceiling!
They have a full menu of coffee drinks – lattes, macchiatos, and such. Instead of small, large, grande, and venti sizes, Memphis Chess Club has pawn, knight, king, and queen.
For those who don’t drink coffee, they have a huge tub of cold drinks – Coke products (including Mexican Coke in glass bottles), Dr. Brown’s premium sodas, water, and more.
Excellent Pizza
I would put Memphis Chess Club‘s pizza in the top three downtown. They offer an 8 inch personal pizza, a 12 inch, and an 18 inch. Pizzas are named after famous chess players. My favorite is the Carlsen, white sauce based with sausage, onions, mushrooms, and lots and lots of mozzarella. The meat lover’s with sausage and pepperoni, and again lots of mozzarella, is another favorite of mine. They have offerings for vegetarians too.
The Carlsen
Veggie pizza
Open Early
It can be hard to find places open early in downtown Memphis. Most restaurants don’t open till 11.
Memphis Chess Club, however, opens at 8 Sundays and 7 the other days of the week. It’s ready to go as early as I am. There’s a small breakfast menu on weekdays and a brunch menu on Sundays.
Sweets Selection
Memphis Chess Club‘s baked goods are to die for. The chocolate chip brownies are my favorite, with the cinnamon rolls a close second. They have cookies too, and bags of M&Ms.
Groovy Crowd
Memphis Chess Club draws a crowd from nearby colleges and universities, including Southern College of Optometry and the University of Tennessee Health Sciences College. They bring their laptops and connect to MCC’s lightning fast Wi-Fi.
MCC also draws tourists from the Hotel Napoleon next door and employees from the First Horizon bank building down the street.
Full Bar
I’ve never had an alcoholic drink there, but I could – Memphis Chess Club has a full liquor bar. They also have mimosas on weekend mornings.
Memphis has a fantastic craft brewery scene and MCC has a refrigerator stocked with canned beers from local breweries.
Board Games
A rental pass for five dollars a day get you access to Memphis Chess Club’s approximately 100 board games; they have everything from Chinese checkers to Risk to Hungry Hungry Hippos. MCC is kid friendly and they have plenty of games kids love.
Where Is It?
Memphis Chess Club is at 195 Madison, just east of B.B. King Boulevard, on the ground floor of Press Box Lofts.
Phone: 901-501-3257
Website: memphischessclub.com
Back tomorrow with a regular news post.
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