Month: October 2025

The Downtown Neighborhood Association, The Lobbyist, and Old Dominick invite you to a Meal on Main Wednesday,, October 22. Literally ON Main.

It’s National Golf Day. Celebrate with a round of simulated golf at Birdie’s.

Looking for an excuse to toot in public? It’s International Toot Your Flute Day.

Ghosts are all over Downtown. Court Square has one.

Beale Street is getting a hoodoo history museum. It’ll be on the 3rd floor of A. Schwab and its grand opening is next Saturday.

Japan may run out of its most popular beer because of a ransomware attack. I’d be devastated if something similar happened to PBR.

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
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Founders Park, a new place for reflection and celebration at the National Civil Rights Museum, will have its grand opening Saturday. They will have

• a wellness zone with yoga and group fitness
• a creator zone with arts and crafts
• a youth zone with balloon art, lawn games, and book giveaways
• a connect zone with local organizations
• Voices from the Terrace featuring storytelling, cultural reflections, community drumming
• a ribbon cutting, performances, and line dancing on the main stage

Calvary Episcopal will have its annual blessing of the animals in the courtyard Saturday at 10 AM. Humans from all Downtown churches are invited to bring their pets. 102 N. Second.

Shop for Halloween at the Creepville Market going on at Flyway Brewing today noon to 6.

There will be a Grizzlies garage sale 10-3 Sunday in the FedExForum lobby. Clothing, sneakers, novelty items, pictures, posters, banners, furniture, various autographed items from numerous seasons. Free parking in the adjacent garage. Food trucks on site.

The annual Taste of the District food fest happens Tuesday 4-6 in Medical District Park. Over 40 neighborhood food, drink, and dessert vendors.

CodeCrew seeks a director of communications and marketing

Memphis loses out on a considerable number of conventions because the Sheraton Hotel is in such a shoddy state, emails indicate.

Stock&Belle is having a sale: 50% off summer merchandise.

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

You know it’s October in downtown Memphis when one of these shows up on Monroe Avenue.

You can win this 2003 Cadillac DeVille funeral hearse at Bardog’s Halloween party on Friday, October 31, but you can go ahead and buy raffle tickets now. 1 for $2, 3 for $5.

Even if you don’t want a hearse, you should still plan to attend the party to get your share of $350 in costume contest prizes.

And in fact, even if you don’t want a hearse, you should buy raffle tickets because they always offer the option of taking the cash value of the hearse. Last year I think it was $1000.

… And yes, I have the model name of the hearse right. DeVille. Cadillac didn’t re-badge its full-size car DTS until 2005.

… DTS stands for “DeVille Touring Sedan.” Would the 2005 version of this vehicle be a DTH, then?

… And if that 2005 version of that car had Four-Wheel Drive, could you say it was DTF?

… F it, let’s get on to the rest of the news…

The metal museum seeks a marketing manager and a director of finance and HR.

The CA has a look in photos at Memphis restaurants that have appeared on the Food Network.

Movie night! Catch a screening of The Wild Robot for free 5:30-7:30 this Saturday at Mud Island River Park. There will be free frozen treats while supplies last.

The Monster Market returns Oct. 10-16 to The Medicine Factory, 81 W. Virginia. “Weird art and hand-picked oddities, strange apparel, and bizarre home decor sourced from makers of all kinds.”

From Action News 5: Memphis Tourism reacts to the closure of Downtown’s Doubletree Hotel. The restaurant King & Union Bar Grocery is closing too.

As of Tuesday of this week, AOL dial-up Internet is no more.

I have no first-hand account of what the Safe Memphis Task Force did on Downtown’s streets last night. I was too tired to stay out. I checked in at the Memphis Union Mission and got 11 hours sleep, a shower, and clean clothes. For dinner they fed us chicken & rice, green beans, baked potatoes, bread, and mini-cupcakes.

Back tomorrow with a Frupdate.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Minor holiday alert: Today is National Kale Day. I recommend celebrating with a dozen Chili Cheese Pups at Krystal.

The I Love Memphis Blog hosts a happy hour at Memphis Filling Station (MFS) Thursday 4:30-6:30. Drink and food discounts, prize drawings including a Sunday Supper at JEM Fine Dining.

This Saturday is a big day at Grind City Brewing: It’s their Oktoberfest and 5th anniversary celebration. Food trucks, games, special beer releases.

Downtown Nutrition is celebrating its 1 year anniversary this week. There’s a different special each day.

Tomorrow is Theater Thursday at Loflin Yard. Watch Practical Magic and Hocus Pocus in the Coach House. Complimentary popcorn with drink purchase.

Grizz vs. ‘troit in preseason action Monday at 7 at the Grindhouse. All fans will receive a schedule magnet. Tickets TV: FanDuel Sports

Bluff City Dental is hiring a front desk worker. If interested, send your résumé to patientcare@bluffcitydental.com. Previous experience in a dental office is preferred.

Here’s a look back at the life of Memphis wrestling announcer, Lance Russell, considered by some to have been the nicest man in the business.

The Doubletree Hotel on Union Avenue is closing its doors permanently.

Also announcing its permanent closure is Mulan, the Asian bistro in Cooper-Young. It suffered $100,000 in damages due to a fire earlier this week.

A very happy birthday to Earnestine & Hazel’s bartender Dani. May she have unlimited coasters to throw and unlimited plastic/foam bullets for her orange Nerf gun. She’s back in town and works open to close today.

Again I spent ~1:30-7:30 this morning on a park bench outside Court Square’s Moxy Hotel. And again I didn’t see the National Guard. What I did notice was an greatly increased MPD presence on the Main Street Mall. A cop in a Chevy Traverse shined his brights on me to see if I’d get up off my bench and scurry away like I had something to hide. I stayed put. After a few minutes he decided I was OK and he drove off. The cops left me alone the rest of the night.

I did notice a couple of things earlier in the day yesterday, in the 4 PM hour:

• A state trooper driving through the intersection of Main and Beale. It’s unusual to see them on city streets other than interstate or U.S. or state highways.
• Two men in uniform – light blue shirts, gold badges – drove through Jefferson and Main in an unmarked white Jeep Wagoneer SUV with government plates.  I guess they were with the U.S. Marshals or one of the other federal agencies Trump sent.

This is kinda cool. I’ll be your man on the street, eyes and ears open even in the wee hours, reporting from a homeless perspective…

… as sleep permits. And I definitely cannot go another night without sleep. Plus I need a shower. So I’m gonna drop 6 bucks on the Union Mission and avail myself of their services. PRO TIP: If you check in in the afternoon, you get 20 minutes to take a shower as opposed to 15 if you wait ’til evening.

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips: 
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com