OTIS REDDING & BAR-KAYS | RETRO DINING | GREAT HOMES: SNOW LAKE | MAESTRO GILBERT Memphis • THE CITY MAGAZINE • W W W.MEMPHISMAGAZINE.COM
THE CITY MAGAZINE
VOL XLII NO 9 | D E C E M B E R 2 01 7
2017 MEMPHIAN OF THE YEAR!
USA $4.99
DOROTHY GUNTHER PUGH
Yy
Ballet Memphis’ Creative Force Brings Movement to the Company.
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DISPLAY UNTIL JANUARY 10, 2018
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THE OYSTER PERPETUAL The incarnation of the original Oyster launched in 1926 is a distinctive symbol of universal style. It doesn’t just tell time. It tells history.
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Tradition Innovation Integrity Service Excellence
Our People Make the Real Difference.
When one says Memphis Funeral Home, E. C. Daves and Paul McCarver come to mind. No wonder. Together, they have devoted 85 years of dedicated service to families who have put their trust in us. They have become the face of Memphis Funeral Home and exemplify the tenets in which we deeply believe ... Tradition, Innovation, Integrity and Service Excellence.
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The Most Trusted Name In Memphis Since 1931.
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VOL XLII NO 9 | DECEMBER 2017
Up Front 12 14 20 22 24
in the beginning on the town fine print city journal out and about
14
Features
26 Being Santa Claus
Plus: A ride on the Polar Express. ~ by jon w. sparks
34 Try a Little Tenderness
2017 MEMPHIAN OF THE YEAR!
Remembering Otis Redding and the Bar-Kays.
DOROTHY GUNTHER PUGH
~ by george larrimore
42
42 memphian of the year Dorothy Gunther Pugh
Ballet Memphis’ creative force brings movement to the company. ~ by jon w. sparks
Yy
on the cover Dorothy Gunther Pugh
PHOTOGRAPH BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT
Columns
62 great homes Snow Lake
A visitor’s view of a remarkable arts community in northern Mississippi. ~ by anne cunningham o’neill
91 local treasures
Magnificent Maestro He’s the impresario of a world-class musical clan, but Michael Gilbert is always seeking new ways to serve his native city.
~ by jackson baker
24
103 road trip
26
Returning to the Natural State A longtime visitor’s guide to Village Creek State Park.
~ by anna traverse
110 ask vance
J.B. Hunter Our trivia expert solves local mysteries of who, what, when, where, why, and why not. ~ by vance lauderdale
112 garden variety
Keeping the Spirit Alive For gardeners, the Christmas holidays arrive at a good time. ~ by christine arpe gang
115 end game
Requiem for Banana Nose
103
The greatest commentator in the history of sports entertainment has migrated to a better territory. ~ by chris davis
116 dining out
Retro Revival
34
Memphis chefs reinvent classic dishes from mid-century America. ~ by pamela denney
118 city dining
Tidbits: Libro at Laurelwood; plus the city’s most extensive dining listings.
128 last stand
Freedom of the Press The New Tri-State Defender and the legacy of Bernal Smith.
~ by jackson baker
116
Memphis (ISSN 1622-820x) is published monthly for $15 per year by Contemporary Media, Inc., P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101 © 2017. Telephone: 901-521-9000. For subscription info, please call 901-521-9000. Subscription customer service mailing address is Memphis magazine, P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. All rights reserved. • Periodicals Postage Paid at Memphis, TN. Postmasters: send address changes to Memphis, P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101.
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DECEMBER 20 17 • MEMPHISMAGA ZINE.COM • 7
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BONUS
In This Issue
GET YOUR NORMAL BACK
T OP DEN T IS T S
SPECIA L A DVERTISING SECTION
TOP DENTISTS 2017
T
his list is excerpted from the 2017 topDentists™ list, a database which includes listings for more than 125 dentists and specialists in the Memphis Metropolitan area. The Memphis area list is based on thousands of detailed evaluations of dentists and professionals by their peers. The complete database is available at usatopdentists.com. For more information call 706-364-0853; write P.O. Box 970, Augusta, GA 30903; email info@usatopdentists.com, or visit usatopdentists.com
SELECTION PROCESS
“If you had a patient in need of a dentist, which dentist would you refer them to?� This is the question we’ve asked thousands of dentists to help us determine who the topDentists should be. Dentists and specialists are asked to take into consideration years of experience, continuing education, manner with patients, use of new techniques and technologies and of course physical results. The nomination pool of dentists consists of dentists listed online with the American Dental Association, as well as dentists listed online with their local dental societies, thus allowing virtually every dentist the opportunity to participate. Dentists are also given the opportunity to nominate other dentists that they feel should be included in our list. Respondents are asked to put aside any personal bias or political motivations and to use only their knowledge of their peer’s work when evaluating the other nominees. Voters are asked to individually evaluate the practitioners on their ballot whose work they are familiar with. Once the balloting is completed, the scores are compiled and then averaged. The numerical average required for inclusion varies depending
Semmes Murphey physical therapists provide integrated therapeutic treatment to help you return to an active life style
on the average for all the nominees within the specialty and the geographic area. Borderline cases are given careful consideration by the editors. Voting characteristics and comments are taken into consideration while making decisions. Past awards a dentist has received and status in various dental academies can play a factor in our decision. Once the decisions have been finalized, the included dentists are checked against state dental boards for disciplinary actions to make sure they have an active license and are in good standing with the board. Letters of congratulations are sent to the listed dentists. Of course there are many fine dentists who are not included in this representative list. It is intended as a sampling of the great body of talent in the field of dentistry in the United States. A dentist’s inclusion on our list is based on the subjective judgments of his or her fellow dentists. While it is true that the lists may at times disproportionately reward visibility or popularity, we remain confident that our polling methodology largely corrects for any biases and that these lists continue to represent the most reliable, accurate, and useful list of dentists available anywhere.
DISCLAIMER: This list is excerpted from the 2017 topDentists™ list, which includes listings for more than 125 dentists and specialists in the Memphis Metropolitan area. For more information call 706-364-0853 or email info@usatopdentists.com or visit usatopdentists.com. topDentists has used its best efforts in assembling material for this list but does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. Copyright 2009-2017 by topDentists, Augusta, GA. All rights reserved. This list, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without permission of topDentists. No fees may be charged, directly or indirectly, for the use of the information in this list without permission. D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 73
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MEMPHIS A RE A SUPER L AW Y ERS
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Miles Mason Sr., JD, CPA
MEMPHIS AREA 2017
the annual list of
TOP LAWYERS
Husband, father and divorce lawyer. A nationally recognized speaker on divorce trial practice, forensic accounting and business valuation. Author of four books on divorce, including “The Forensic Accounting Deskbook,� published by the ABA Family Law Section, and “The Tennessee Divorce Client’s Handbook.� All four are available on Amazon. Leadership positions include past chair of the TBA Family Law Section, past president of the Christian Brothers High School Alumni Association and a fellow of the Memphis Bar Foundation. Mason began MemphisDivorce.com, a comprehensive, online resource for Tennessee divorce law, in 1996.
pages 73 - 85 Excerpted from the 2017 TopDentistsTM list, based on thousands of evaluations of dentists and professionals by their peers.
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pages 49 - 61 The annual list of the top attorneys in the Memphis area. The selection process is conducted by Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters.
Coming In February 2018 DINING GUIDE An in-depth look at the best places to eat in the Memphis area. Includes the results of our annual Readers Restaurant Poll.
APPOINTMENTS CALL: (901) 522-7700 WWW.SEMMES-MURPHEY.COM
Coming In March 2018 Memphis • THE CITY MAGA ZINE • W W W.MEMPHISMAGA ZINE.COM
hig retu hl t r an d st rip
f no
THE FACES AND PLACES ISSUE
THE CITY MAGAZINE
VOL XLI NO 1 2 | M A R C H 2 01 7
Divorce? The Rices wrote the book on divorce.
FACE S OF T HE MID-SOU T H Portraits and profiles of many of the leading businesspeople in the Mid-South.
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Rodd Bland the next generation
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of blues on beale.
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Really?
2017
FACES OF THE
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THE THEFACE FACEOF OF
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BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL SMILES SMILES CHRISTOPHER CHRISTOPHERCOOLEY, COOLEY,DDS DDS >>> >>>
When you visit the office of Dr. Christopher Cooley, you become part of a caring dental family. Along with his highly trained, professional staff, Dr. Cooley is committed to listening to your needs and providing care that works for your lifestyle. Our team believes our patients should feel informed and comfortable during every step of their dental treatment. We believe that when our patients are relaxed and happy, they maintain better oral health. Dr. Cooley takes the time necessary to constantly improve his skills and the technological capabilities of the practice. He has trained with many of the best clinicians in the country, and insists on the best materials and highest quality lab work available. Thereby, you benefit from the latest treatment techniques, including innovative advances in patient comfort, the highest-quality and longest-lasting materials, and the most aesthetically pleasing results. Dr. Cooley is a lifetime Memphian who graduated in 1976 with honors from the
University of Tennessee Knoxville, then from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in 1982. Dr. Cooley has undergone training with the Hornbrook Group and PAClive, the country’s top program for hands-on continuing education for dentists. Dr. Cooley is also a proud member of: the American Dental Association, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Tennessee Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and the Crown Council. These organizations keep Dr. Cooley abreast of developing studies in the fields of cosmetic, restorative and general dentistry. Dr. Cooley and his entire team love to volunteer their time and efforts both locally and globally taking care of patients in Memphis and Shelby Co. and on mission trips to the Dominican Republic. Dr. Cooley always welcomes new patients into his office with most referrals coming from existing, very satisfied patients. The highest compliment we receive is when our patients refer their family and friends.
7938 Wolf River Blvd., Germantown, TN 38138 | 901.754.3117 | CooleyDDS.com
SPECIAL PROMOTION
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2017
FACES OF THE
MID-SOUTH
THE FACE OF
ARCHITECTURE LOONEY RICKS KISS>>>
Transforming Memphis. Great Places. Inspiring Spaces.
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For more information on advertising or our upcoming special sections, please contact Margie Neal at margie@memphismagazine.com
8 • MEMPHISMAGA ZINE.COM • DECEMBER 20 17
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Memphis THE C IT Y MAGAZ INE
General Excellence Grand Award Winner City and Regional Magazine Association 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014 STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE SINCE 1950
&7
PUBLISHER/EDITOR kenneth neill EXECUTIVE EDITOR michael finger
Memphis Magazine’s
MANAGING EDITOR frank murtaugh
THE 2017
FACE
SENIOR EDITOR shara clark ASSOCIATE EDITOR samuel x. cicci
OF
ARTS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR anne cunningham o’neill
ORIENTAL RUGS
FOOD EDITOR pamela denney CONTRIBUTING EDITORS jackson baker, john branston,
chris davis, michael donahue, christine arpe gang, tom jones, george larrimore, vance lauderdale, jon w. sparks, anna traverse EDITORIAL INTERN julia baker
4
CREATIVE DIRECTOR brian groppe PRODUCTION OPERATIONS DIRECTOR margie neal
Happy Holidays from the Taghavi family to yours.
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR carrie beasley ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR christopher myers GRAPHIC DESIGNERS jeremiah matthews,
bryan rollins PHOTOGRAPHY justin fox burks, michael donahue,
karen pulfer focht, anna traverse
appraisals handwash/cleaning sales reweaving repairs color run restoration pet and other stain removals moth damage odor removal and much more
ILLUSTRATION chris honeysuckle ellis
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SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES joy bateman,
sloane patteson taylor ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE jacob woloshin ADVERTISING ASSISTANT roxy matthews
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Master Weaver Ali Taghavi Restoring a antique Persian Farahan rug.
published by contemporary media, inc. memphis, tn 901-521-9000 p • 901-521-0129 f subscriptions: 901-521-9000
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CONTROLLER ashley haeger DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT jeffrey a. goldberg EDITORIAL DIRECTOR bruce vanwyngarden SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR molly willmott
3554 Park Avenue, Memphis, TN • (901) 327-5033 • taghavirugs.com
This is more than a Dumpster — This is moreIt than — It is atoCommitment is aa Dumpster Commitment Recyclingto Recycling
DIGITAL MANAGER kevin lipe SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER matthew preston DISTRIBUTION MANAGER lynn sparagowski EMAIL MARKETING MANAGER britt ervin IT DIRECTOR joseph carey ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT celeste dixon RECEPTIONIST kalena mckinney
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Everyday is Earthis Day at EBOX. Areat weEBOX. on your job? Everyday Earth Day
Are we on your job? 901-850-9996
901-850-9996
member: City and Regional Magazine Association member: Circulation Verification Council
10 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7
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IN THE BEGINNING | by shara clark
Making a Difference in Memphis Five “Memphians of the Year” who have done just that.
E
arlier this decade, those of us here at Memphis who scribble for a living came up with an interesting notion. We weren’t being particularly brilliant or original; in fact, our bright new idea was something that other city magazines across America have been doing for decades.
But we did notice that, while here in town we “People see it like Lazarus raised from the have had Who’s Who lists, no one in local me- dead,” said Loeb in 2014. “If we listen to those dia had ever gone out on a limb and selected who love it and give them what they want, it a “Memphian of the Year.” We wanted to stay should be good for all of us.” And good it has clear of saluting “great Memphians” for their been, as bustling crowds can attest. lives of service and to focus instead upon honMemphis loves its Grizzlies, win or lose. oring, in our December issue annually, a local And in 2015, we honored pro basketball star personage whose impact upon our city during and Lausanne graduate Marc Gasol, Span-
Memphis HOLIDAY TABLES | 52 WEEKS OF FUN! | C’EST MAGNIFIQUE! CHEZ PHILIPPE
VOL XXXVIII NO 9 | DECEMBER 2013
2013’s MEMPHIAN OF THE YEAR!
THE CITY MAGAZINE
Memphis • THE CITY MAGAZINE • W W W.MEMPHISMAGAZINE.COM
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THE CITY MAGAZINE
´ | CRUISING FOR BURGERS | ALICE BINGHAM’S INSIDE THE P&H CAF E BINGHAM S LEGACY
VOL XXXIX NO 9 | DECEMBER 2014
HOSS HALEY: HEAVY GREAT HOMES: NEW ORLEANS SUPER METALSMITH MASTER LIVING OUT LOUD FOR THE HOLIDAYS LAWYERS
THE CITY MAGAZINE
VOL XLI NO 9 | D E C E M B E R 2 016
2014 MEMPHIAN OF THE YEAR
*7
BOB LOEB AND THE REBIRTH OF OVERTON SQUARE
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December 2013
1 2 —1 4
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December 2014
December 2015
December 2016
the calendar year just ending was arguably iard turned true-blue Memphian, who earlier our most significant. that year had been named the center of the I use the word “arguably” because we knew All-NBA First Team and an all-star-game that our staff ’s annual choices would be more starter. When summer came, Gasol was a free than a little subjective. But nothing ventured, agent but instead of moving to a “big-market nothing gained, we told ourselves. And after team,” he chose to stay where he felt right at five years, I think we’ve done a decent job of home. “At the end of the day,” he said in 2015, recognizing individuals who have truly made “the reasons [for staying] were much bigger. a difference in this city. Memphis will embrace you. If you give all you When we launched our “Memphian of the have, Memphis will take care of you.” Year” concept in December 2013, we were Last year, we chose someone else who’s conscious that our first pick needed to be been taking good care of Memphis, for more someone truly special. Happily, there is no than five decades. Attorney Charlie Newman one person more universally admired for what has helped to preserve and enhance many of he has done to bring the people of this city to- the city’s now-favorite spaces (think Overton gether than Micah Greenstein, the senior rab- Park, Shelby Farms, and the Greenline) and, bi of Temple Israel. Rabbi Micah’s dedication along with Charles McVean, was instrumento forging interfaith connections and leading tal in launching the Big River Crossing, comhumanitarian causes in this city speaks vol- pleted in 2016. Since last October, more than umes. “The longer I stay in Memphis,” Green- 200,000 pedestrians and cyclists have trekked stein said in 2013, “the more deeply I believe across the mile-long bridge connecting downwhat I always have: The world will become town Memphis to West Memphis, Arkansas. a better place, not in spite of our differences This year’s Memphian of the Year — but because of them.” Dorothy Gunther Pugh — is a woman whose In 2014, we selected native Memphian Bob service to the arts in this city stretches across Loeb for his redevelopment efforts in Overton several decades, but reached particularly Square. Loeb Properties’ purchase of 10 acres great heights in 2017, when Ballet Memphis around the corner of Madison and Cooper led moved into its brilliant new Midtown facility to a long-awaited revival of the area that was in late August. Read all about her, and the the city’s major entertainment district during dance company that has become one of our the 1970s and 1980s. By the turn of this cen- city’s treasures, on page 42. tury, however, Overton Square was a shabby Shara Clark shadow of its former self, but thanks to Loeb’s senior editor efforts, the Square’s past became its future. 12 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7
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This year choose a card that actually brings joy and peace.
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on the town
^6 with michael donahue ^6
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WHAT: Art on Fire
WHERE: Dixon Gallery and Gardens WHEN: October 21, 2017
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eather was mild this year, so guests didn’t have to hover around the fire pit as much at Art on Fire, held October 21st at The Dixon Gallery and Gardens. Coats and jackets weren’t necessary, either. The Art on Fire held in 2015 was “pretty warm, too,” said Dixon director of communications Chantal Drake. “Probably warmer than this year.” But, she said, “This is one of the milder ones.” About 1,300 people attended the event, which featured food from more than 20 vendors, live music, an auction, and the Memphis Fire Tribe. Money raised “specifically supports our education programs,” said Drake. “So, that ranges from our outreach to workshop classes and special opportunities for school groups here on-site.”
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1 Hannah Nelson, Michael Fahr, Christopher Brown, Kristin Linagen, and Cyndelle Noel Vann 2 Dustin Stokes and Ali McCommon 3 Selden and David Popwell 4 Dixon director Kevin Sharp, Erin Riordan, and Ed and Jenna Wallis 5 Caswell Lane, Megan Warden, Katie Nichols, Allison Douglas, and Dr. Joshua Douglas 6 Marci Fisher, Mary Freeman, and Tish Towns 7 Pranoop Sandhu, Avneet Cheema, Roopan Sandhu, Rahul Sonone, Pooja Sethi, and Floyd Brummett 8 Andrew Gille, Coco Sprague, and Nicole and Jeff Warren
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^6 with michael donahue ^6 WHAT: Meat Me in Memphis WHERE: The Columns WHEN: October 27, 2017
M
eat Me in Memphis celebrated its sixth anniversary October 27th at The Columns. This is the annual gala hosted by Monogram Loves Kids Foundation, featuring area chefs who prepare dishes for the party using Monogram Foods products. So, you might find King Cotton sausage or another type meat as part of the cuisine. “One year Erling Jensen served clams with King Cotton bologna,” said Monogram Foods chairman/CEO Karl Schledwitz. Erling Jensen: The Restaurant was back this year. About 700 people attended the event. “We had over 225 of our vendors from around the country and our banks and customers come in from out of town for the event o participate,” said Schledwitz. “I love showing off Memphis.” This year’s event raised more money than last year, Schledwitz said. “Last year, we did over $300,000. This year we did over $500,000 net.” Meat Me in Memphis once again featured entertainment by Sound Fuzion from the University of Memphis, as well as live and silent auctions.
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1 Reggie Taylor 2 Nick Whitaker, Chilton Simmons, and Ben Turnipseed 3 David Jones and Gary Williams 4 Jason Williams and Erin O’Leary 5 Jennifer and Davis Gordon 6 Drew Erwin, Taylor Feathers, Robby Cowan, and Logan Reid 7 Jeff Morris, Mayor Jim Strickland, and Karl Schledwitz 8 Scarlette and Kelly Price 9 Marcie James and Angela Meekins 5 8
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WHERE HOLIDAY MAGIC BEGINS
MORE THAN 70 DISTINCTIVE RETAILERS AND RESTAURANTS
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on the town
^6 with michael donahue ^6 WHAT: Memphis Food & Wine Festival WHERE: Memphis Botanic Garden WHEN: October 14, 2017
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housands of people ate, drank, and were merry on a warm October evening at the Memphis Food & Wine Festival held at Memphis Botanic Garden. “I think we were close to reaching our goal of 2,500 people,” said Nancy Kistler, one of the festival founders. Thirty-four chefs, including chefs from around the country, took part in the event. “It was to celebrate the accomplishments of Memphis dining,” Kistler said, “to alert people to the culinary scene that is here in Memphis, and also to raise funds for the FedExFamilyHouse at Le Bonheur.” Celebrated chef Guy Savoy of five restaurants in Paris and Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas headed the roster of chefs, which included Tory McPhail and Chris Lynch from the Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, and Michael Smith from Michael Smith Restaurant in Kansas City. The cuisine was diverse. “We had quail, oysters, salmon, duck, shrimp, scallops, chops, and sturgeon,” Kistler said. Entertainment was by Jack Rowell & the Royal Blues Band, the Ghost Town Blues Band, and saxophone player Pat Register.
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1 Patty and Dr. Paul Hutchison 2 Al LaRocca, Crystel Catarina, Guy Savoy, and Nancy Kistler 3 Keanna Dandridge and Erling and Jaquila Jensen 4 Valerie Hall 5 Colleen Depete and Jose Gutierrez 6 Paul Shea and Shayna Smith 7 Jami Sokolgz and Milton Howery III 8 Gerard Bertholon and Delian DiPietro 9 Alan and Susan Graf and Marc Gasol 10 Franck Oysel, Nick Scott, and David Krog 6 8
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You read him every
month in the pages of
Now VANCE LAUDERDALE
– Memphis’ premier trivia expert – tells all...
... in his latest book
Ask Vance: More Questions and Answers from Memphis Magazine’s History Expert.
B o o k Tw o MOR E Q ues tion
s and A n swer s fr om ine’s H is tory E xp er t. B y Vance Lauderdal e
Mem p h is M ag az
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Years of answers to local mysteries are compiled into this fully illustrated softcover book. Available now for $24.99! Go to memphismagazine.com or call 901.521.9000. M-F 8:30am-5:00pm.
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FINE PRINT
Going Back for Seconds Memphis gets another chance with major developments.
M
ayor Jim Strickland has offered Memphians a “menu of options” for the Fairgrounds and Mud Island and Overton Park and the riverfront and … whew! Enough. It’s good policy and good politics — how often do you look at a menu and say to the waiter, “Thanks, just a glass of water will do.” Memphis has an embarrassment of riches with all of this underused public property and land. Maybe this time we’ll get it right. So let’s take a look, starting with the Fairgrounds. Remember, the “T” in TDZ stands for Tourism, the use of other people’s money to fund a Tourism Development Zone. Sure, Memphians get to use it too, but the law must be honored. Well, a little bit anyway. The mayor says “the money would not otherwise exist without the project.” This is silly, like saying the money in your purse or wallet would not exist if you left it in there. This is also par for the course in magical thinking about TDZs. The go-slow option isn’t a bad one. The Liberty Bowl that was 90 percent empty on game days a
few years ago is now regularly at least half full, a big improvement, and it looks terrific when it’s lit up at night. The Kroc Center and Children’s Museum and the Maxine Smith STEAM school are growing nicely. That leaves the Mid-South Coliseum with its gigantic parking lot and the old Libertyland property on the southwest corner. A brewery at the Coliseum and a baseball complex have, wisely, been taken off the menu. Scores of them can already be found within 100 miles of Memphis. Indoor track and basketball play to the strength of Memphis high schools and possibly attract regional tournaments — a big concern when you’re geographically in a corner of a long skinny state. But what the Fairgrounds really needs is some nice, clean
family-friendly on-site or nearthings while watching sports and by motels. That’s the vital and cooking shows on television. Afmissing ingredient for the “T” ter all, the proven success of Mud in TDZ, and the mayor is silent Island River Park, Beale Street on this. Landing, and the convention Over at Overton Park, the center make it mandatory that successful makeover under the such a museum be built on the leadership of the Overton Park riverfront to “weave together” Conservancy got a setback with all of these attractions into an the news that the pricey and irresistible whole of smashing debt-ridden Memphis College of synergistic success. Art and the well-aged Memphis Wait. Did I say “success”? I Brooks Museum of Art are going meant something else entirely. off the menu and will be replaced I spent a few months of 2017 w ith somethi ng playing tourist in Over at Overton more appetizing, alriver cities within though exactly what half a day’s drive Park, pricey and when isn’t clear. of Memphis — and debt-ridden Anyone for monthly Nashville, LouisMemphis College indie movies at the ville, Chattanooga, Little Rock, Brooks and apartof Art and the ments and condos and Baton Rouge. well-aged Memphis at the College of I enjoyed them all Art? For the tenth and could not help Brooks Museum year in a row, the comparing them of Art are going Greensward salad to Memphis. And off the menu and is still the Overton the one way where Park Chef’s Special, Memphis and Bawill be replaced mainly because peoton Rouge and with something ple can’t stop talking other downtowns about it. on the L ower more appetizing, Downtown, Mississippi River although exactly there’s talk of an come up short is what and when aquarium, art muthis: There is nothseum, and the peing much worth isn’t clear. seeing or biking rennial favorite Mud Island makeover. An aquarium or walking to on the other side would be the biggest, coolest, of the Mississippi River. most exciting fish-based, surefire The Tennessee, Cumberland, tourist attraction in Tennessee Ohio, and Arkansas Rivers are west of Chattanooga and south less majestic but they are narrowof … well, Bass Pro Shops, which er, more predictable, and more is missing sharks and whales but amenable to recreation and those is, on the other hand, newish and killer pictures of people in kayfree. aks or walking over a pedestriEvery self-respecting city an bridge against a backdrop of needs an art museum to serve as the skyline. And unfortunately a glitzy architectural repository there isn’t much that the Big Rivfor collections of famous masterer Crossing or Mud Island or the Riverfront Development Corpopieces under glass behind velvet ration can do about it. ropes to satisfy the general pubSo, ready to order? lic’s appetite for ignoring such
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CITY JOURNAL
Ballot Boxer Linda Phillips is a game changer at the election commission.
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ike the current University of Memphis basketball coach, Linda Phillips took the helm of the Shelby County Election Commission when it badly needed a winning streak and a boost in public support. The foundering confidence resulted from serial Election Night 2016 reporting glitches that culminated with enraged candidates storming into Election Commission offices, and campaigns formally questioning the competency of the agency’s ability to count votes accurately. It was into this environment that Phillips stepped in May 2016, when she was hired as administrator of elections by the Election Commission’s five members — three Republicans and two Democrats. As county clerk in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, home of Purdue University in Lafayette, from 2003 to 2010, she coordinated elections before being elected assessor as a Republican in 2010. Phillips lost reelection in 2014, when she was upset by a young Democrat. Two years later, a former elections colleague encouraged her to apply for the job in Shelby County, Tennessee, and six months after her hire, voters were inclined to think that the
more things change, the more they stay the same. In the 2016 election, Shelby County tallies were announced at 11:30 p.m., about the time Donald Trump was declared president. After her being greeted as a breath of fresh air, election night was a sobering reminder of how high of a hill Phillips needed to climb, but election commissioners from both parties credited her for matters not being even worse. She had developed a new formula for deploying voting machines and pushed to have all early voting sites open from the first day of early voting. Local political analyst Susan Adler Thorp said: “As long as I can remember, the Shelby County Election Commission has struggled to maintain public confidence. I don’t recall an election that went smoothly without some kind of glitch. Whenever there’s a problem, even small problems and especially on Election Day, people lose confidence, so it’s been a continuing struggle
to regain and keep the public progress cannot hide the big probtrust. The Election Commission lems associated with 12-year-old in general does a good job convoting machines whose replacesidering that a myriad of really ment cost is $12 million. “We have big problems could happen and, asked for capital funding from for the most part, don’t.” Shelby County in time for the 2022 Phillips now has an ambitious election,” she says. agenda to prevent problems, In addition to better technolbig and small, in the future, ogy, Phillips promises a better and this comes as the Election website soon, with more drillCommission faces an enormous down data “that will really make challenge: the implementation of the data geeks happy.” She also ranked-choice voting in time for plans to explore the use of votthe October 2019 city elections. ing centers “to make voting as Voters will vote 1 for their favorconvenient and easy as possible.” ite candidate, 2 for their second Used in Indiana, the centers alcandidate, and 3 for their third. low voters to cast their ballots at If no one candidate achieves a a number of sites and not just at a majority, the last-place finisher single designated location. is eliminated and that candidate’s Sitting at her desk with a backeliminated ballots’ second-choicdrop of three photographs on the es are included in the count wall — one reflecting the start again. That process continues of women’s suffrage in 1848, anuntil there is a majority winner. other being the text of the 19th This new approach is deAmendment to the Constitution signed to save in 1920, grant“Our overriding goal is the $300,000 ing women the run- of f elecright to vote, to run fair, honest, and and the last tions cost and impartial elections and possibly reduce being a picture to make it easier for negative camof P resident Lyndon Johnpaigning since everyone to do one of the candidates are son signing the most important things less likely to Civil Rights Act alienate their in 1964, Phillips any citizen can do: vote.” opponents’ supdraws inspira— Linda Phillips tion in her job porters. Despite the public mandate for the from her grandmother. “She was born in the early twentieth cenchange, some city council members are recommending against it tury before women could vote,” because incumbents with higher she says. “When she got the right, name recognition improve their she dressed up with a hat and odds with the smaller turnout of gloves to go vote, because it was voters for runoff elections. a sacred act.” In the meantime, Phillips says That’s how she sees it today. that the Election Commission “We treat everybody the same,” has “made big strides,” with betshe says. “Our overriding goal is to run fair, honest, and imter training of staff and 300 deppartial elections and to make uty voting registrars, two more fulltime employees, an increased it easier for everyone to do one chain of security, and improved of the most important things procedures. However, that any citizen can do: vote.”
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by tom jones
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OU T A ND A BOU T |
DECEMBER 2017
compiled by julia baker
12.1-12.23
Junie B. Jones The Musical at Circuit Playhouse
Some of us grew up reading Junie B. Jones novels. Keep the nostalgia alive by taking the children to see Junie B. Jones singing about her woes concerning losing her best friend and making a new friend, needing glasses, and other things firstgraders worry about. Circuit Playhouse, 51 S. Cooper St. playhouseonthesquare.org
12.1-12.24
Santa’s Wonderland
Families looking for affordable Christmas fun this year can hop on over to Bass Pro Shops. While exploring Santa’s Wonderland, snag a complimentary photo with Santa (digital Christmas card or in a wooden frame), craft the perfect Christmas stocking, or try some of Santa’s hot chocolate and cookies. For a little inspiration, children can also peruse Santa’s toy shop or take part in fun activities that include building Lincoln Log cabins and writing letters to ol’ Saint Nick. Bass Pro Shops, 1 Bass Pro Dr. basspro.com
Zoo Lights activities for children to take part in, including an ice rink. Memphis Zoo, 2000 Prentiss Place memphiszoo.org
12.1-12.31 Peter Pan
Take a trip to Neverland at Playhouse on the Square with Peter Pan and Wendy, Michael, and John Darling, while they encounter Tinkerbell, The Lost Boys, Tiger Lily, and Captain Hook in this magical adventure. Playhouse on the Square, 66 S. Cooper St. playhouseonthesquare.org
12.1-1.6
Christmas at Graceland
Through January 6th, take a tour of Graceland dressed in its Christmas best. Fans will have an opportunity to help decorate by donating to the Graceland Poinsettia Campaign, in which fans can donate money toward poinsettias set throughout the house, all supporting the Elvis Presley Holiday Wonders Charitable Foundation. On December Come on out to Memphis Botanic 15th and 16th, enjoy three live shows; Garden any time between November 24th and December 30th on the 15th, a live orchestra will play along to Elvis performing his Christmas to view a Christmas spectacle. All hits on a big screen, and on the 16th of the conifer trees and sculptures will be lit in an array of colors and will be a gospel Christmas show and a rock-and-roll Christmas show. there will be snow for children to Graceland, play in, along with crafts, games, 3765 Elvis Presley Blvd. music, and lights. graceland.com Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Rd. memphisbotanicgarden.com Memphis Holiday Parade
12.1-12.30
12.2
12.1-12.31
Come and join in all of the fun at the Memphis Holiday Parade on SunTrust Zoo Lights Explore the Winter Wonderland the Beale Street. Various groups and Memphis Zoo has to offer. Not only organizations will march the street with floats, twirlers, bands, and will they have the whole place lit steppers, all while dressed in their up, there will also be snow and a Ferris wheel. Children can also visit best holiday garb. Santa and his reindeer at his shop. Beale Street bealestreet.com There will be a variety of other
12.1 - 12.10
Phantom of the Opera
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ooks like the house ghost Mary won’t be the only spirit haunting the Orpheum throughout this week. Experience the infamous love triangle between the phantom Erik, Christine, and Raoul at the historic theater. The Orpheum, 203 S. Main St. orpheum-memphis.com
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12.2, 12.9,
12.16, 12.23
Enchanted Forest Festival of Trees
12.15
Smith and Myers from Shinedown
If you’re a fan of the band Shinedown, check out band The Pink Palace and Le members Brent Smith’s Bonheur have teamed (frontman) and Zach Myers’ up to bring you and your (guitarist) acoustic side children an Enchanted project, Smith and Myers. Forest filled with beautifully They will play acoustic covers decorated trees and of Shinedown’s songs, like penguins; a Gingerbread “45” and “Second Chance,” Village decorated by local and will cover many other chefs, groups, businesses, notable artists as well. and individuals; and opportunities to take pictures New Daisy, 330 Beale St. newdaisy.com with Santa. Pink Palace, 3050 Central Ave. memphismuseums.org
one oF the LArgest seLections oF DiAmonD stuD eArrings A t A F rAction oF t he P rice
12.16
12.2-12.23
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol at Theatre Memphis has been a longtime Christmas tradition for many in our city. Keep the tradition alive while watching Scrooge experience
Lucero Family Christmas
Become part of the family and celebrate Christmas with Lucero and Cedric Burnside. Lucero is an alt-country band from Memphis that has been together since 1998, and Cedric Burnside, a blues and funk artist, hails from North Mississippi. Minglewood Hall, 1555 Madison Ave. minglewoodhall.com
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12.30
AutoZone Liberty Bowl A Christmas Carol his Christmas past, present, and future. Come on, don’t be a Scrooge! Theatre Memphis, 630 S. Perkins Extd. theatrememphis.org
12.6
Janet Jackson at FedExForum
Janet Jackson stops by FedExForum on her State of the World tour. Dance away to some of her top hits like “That’s The Way Love Goes” and “Together Again,” as well as newer songs from her 2015 album Unbreakable, like “BURNITUP!” and “No Sleeep.” FedExForum, 191 Beale St. fedexforum.com
12.12
21 Savage
Rising rap star 21 Savage performs at Minglewood, performing such hits as “Bank Account” and “X.” Minglewood Hall, 1555 Madison Ave. minglewoodhall.com
Teams from the SEC and Big 12 will clash in one of the oldest (59th annual) bowl games in all of college football. Archie Manning, Bo Jackson, Doug Flutie, and current Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott are among the stars to have competed in this contest. This year’s game is scheduled for a prime slot - the final Saturday of 2017 - and will be televised nationally on ABC. Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, 335 S. Hollywood St. libertybowl.org
12.31
New Year’s Eve on Beale Street
This event is the next best thing to New York City’s ball drop on New Years Eve. Here, instead of dropping a ball in Times Square, we’ll drop a giant, illuminated guitar on Beale Street. Make sure to stop by any of the bars, clubs, or restaurants for drinks or grub to bring in the new year. Beale Street bealestreet.com
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Business partnerships and business divorces Sexual harassment Non-compete and trade secret issues Business contracts and disputes Wrongful termination, severance, and discrimination
Alan Crone and his team help clients find innovative solutions to complex legal challenges that go beyond just winning a lawsuit. 88 Union Avenue, 14th Floor Memphis, TN 38103 (901) 737-7740 acrone@cronelawfirmplc.com
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Being
C L A A T U N S A S Mid-Southerners get into character to spread Christmas cheer.
Y
by jon w. sparks
es, Virginia, there is a Santa industry. It’s a lively seasonal business for professional Santas in the Mid-South, and a few dozen souls find that the combination of making youngsters smile and making some spending money is a pretty agreeable pursuit. Stephen Arnold (fabledsanta.com) has been a professional Santa since 2012 and is as knowledgeable as anyone
about the business. Arnold ran the Only Kids specialty toy shop for 22 years, a store familiar to many Memphians for its location at the Regalia Center. So it wasn’t a huge stretch for him to morph into the jolly elf. There were times during
the season when the Santa he hired wouldn’t show up, so the hefty Arnold would don a suit and entertain the youngsters. But it wasn’t a regular thing because, after all, he had a toy store to run at the busiest time of year.
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above: The MidSouthern Santa Society welcomes Santas and Mrs. Clauses to share tales and tips on how to make it in the professional world of jolly old elves.
SANTA the SUPERSTAR
TAKING A RIDE ON THE POLAR EXPRESS. BY JON W. SPARK S
T
his was going to be “Confessions of a Santa.” But, really, do we even want to contemplate a Santa who has things to confess? So let’s assume that I’m as pure as a North Pole blizzard — come on, work with me here — and I’ll tell you about my adventure as the right jolly old elf. Last year, my agent in Jackson, Mississippi, Angie Moncrief, got me an opportunity to audition for Santa in the
Polar Express Train Ride in New Orleans. I knew I could do it since I’d done an inhouse video for a company in Little Rock and later a commercial for a Los Angeles radio station that was throwing a big holiday bash in L.A. They were nothing like what this promised to be. Rail Events, Inc., works with railroad and museum operators throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom to put on various kinds of family entertainment, including Peanuts-themed shows and a Wizard of Oz train ride. But the big one is the Polar Express production that goes on in some 45 locations in those three countries. It’s based on the 2004 Warner Bros. film, starring Tom Hanks, that was based on the 1985 book by Chris Van Allsburg. The story follows a Hero Boy who has begun to doubt the reality of Santa. He’s picked up on Christmas Eve by a magical train and goes on a journey to reassure himself
that Santa is, in fact, a fact. “Angie, does this mean I’m going to be a superstar?” I asked modestly. My agent replied that I should calm down and just do the audition. I practiced an excerpt from Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus, worked on developing the twinkle in my eye, and repeated saying, “Ho, ho, ho!” to the point that my cats would flee the room whenever I walked in. Apparently it worked. I booked the gig, which would entail some 85 performances throughout December on a specially outfitted Amtrak train at New Orleans’ Central Station. And the train would actually travel to the North Pole, which I determined was two or three miles north of the station. I’ll bet you didn’t know that. I had a lousy goatee when I auditioned, but with a couple of months before the performances started, I decided to grow out the beard. Not since I was a hippie did I have such a grand batch of whiskers. When I got to rehearsal the
first week of December, the director, Scott Calcagno, eyed it and asked, “Are you going to keep it?” I said, “If you want it.” He said, “Yes, I do.” And I said, “So am I a superstar?” to which he replied, “Do you even know your lines?” There was another Santa in the show. We were doing two shows at a time, each in three rail cars on either end of the Polar Express. In the middle was a baggage car converted into a green room, dressing room, tech center handling light and sound, and storage area. The other one was Christopher T. Newton, a genial Santa from Tampa. He had to wear a fake beard, which also involved a wig, and I was thankful every day I didn’t have to wrangle that hot mess. As Santas, we had it pretty good. Our job was to appear halfway into the show and walk through our three rail cars handing out jingle bells and being as Santa-ish as we could. Since the show was on a strict timeline, we had to make sure we moved along smartly while still giving
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But he cut back on the retail storefront over time, with the advent of the internet and changes in the economy, closing Only Kids in 2002. He’s still in the business, involved in several Christmas-related enterprises — a year-round Santa store with toys and Santa supplies (toysforsanta.com), an Amazon store, and he’s national secretary of the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas and manages three Facebook accounts. He is also a private investigator, so when he says he’s checking the list to see who is naughty or nice, well, he’s got skills. (He says he tends not to do divorces “because I have a problem looking incognito.” His work is more along the lines of background checks and genealogy searches for heirs). How’s Memphis for pro Santas? It’s a great market, Arnold says. There are about 35 to 40 professional Santas in the Mid-South, he estimates. And they tend to develop their own followings. In addition to public appearances in malls and stores, Santas attend
private parties and corporate bashes. He says he’s done events at FedEx, International Paper, and Wright Medical. “Most of us make a pretty good living on home visits,” he says, typically in the days just before Christmas. Roughly speaking, a local pro who actively goes after the business might make somewhere bet ween $5,000 and $7,000 in the six weeks precedi ng C h r i st m a s . Full-time work at the mall can bring around $35 an hour, so that will add up. Not as much as Ed Taylor, the Los Angeles entrepreneur Santa who is his own industry, claiming to get $100,000 with appearances in commercials, movies, and television (he’s a SAG-AFTRA actor) and running the Santa Claus Conservatory. But there’s plenty of work to go around for local Santa entrepreneurs. So it helps that there’s an organization for Santas and Mrs. Clauses. The MidSouthern Santa Society was founded in 2013 by Arnold, Charles Barnett, and John D. Williams.
THERE IS A DISCUSSION TO BE HAD ABOUT BEARDS. THE REAL-BEARDED SANTAS ARE SECURE IN THEIR POSITION THAT IT’S THE ONLY WAY TO GROW.
personal attention to each kid. And by kid, I don’t necessarily mean youngsters. “I’m 90 years old today,” one girlish lady said, and I replied, “Yes, but have you been good this year?” She giggled. Of the thousands of kids throughout the run, I never encountered any bad seeds. There were some rowdy teenagers deserving of coal, but they knew not to mess too much with a superstar. The very first performance had two moments of note. One was a kid who asked if he could touch the beard. “Of course,” I said. “If it helps my credibility.” (I didn’t really say that last part.) Another kid looked me straight in the eye and declared, “I know you’re not the real Santa Claus.” Time stopped for a moment. How was this going to play out? “You’re one of his helpers,” he announced triumphantly. I smiled knowingly. I find that smiling knowingly is a good addition to the Santa toolbox. There are other useful tools to cover most any situation. A boisterous “Ho, ho, ho!” can banish the beginnings of an
awkward silence or an unclear comment, although I always hope I’m not deploying it just after a kid says something to the effect of “You didn’t bring me an Xbox last year!” One doesn’t want an impressionable youth to be left thinking, “Jerk.” The show would not be the show were it not for the rest of the cast. There’s a conductor, a hobo, the Hero Boy, and an extraordinary ensemble. These folks get passengers onto the train and into their seats, they sing, they dance, they narrate, they serve hot chocolate and cookies, they change costumes, and they clean up after everyone leaves. They also have to deal with the expected array of unexpected events — stuck bathroom doors, spilled beverages, inattentive parents (really!), props gone missing. It’s live theater. The Santas are fortunate to have only one costume to fret about, and it’s a lovely piece of work, made in Chicago for the Chicago train ride. Of course, New Orleans is far warmer in December, so those
clothes are a hot box. I wept grateful tears when the stage manager brought industrial-strength fans into the baggage car so we could have a quick cool down after a show. The very best part, of course, was moving through the cars, meeting the eyes of each of the kids, and talking to them. The youngest would either stare uncomprehendingly or burst into tears. The ones a bit older were simply thrilled, and those older still would talk, ask questions, and hand me their list. Even the teenagers who were forced to join the family on the ride couldn’t help but smile. We did up to five shows a day, and it was pretty grueling doing that several days in a row. But I was asked to come back and I didn’t hesitate. I mean, it’s New Orleans for a month. The streetcars are terrific. The food is sublime. There are some fine performing artists for when I have a day off. The people are my kind of people. And that’s all I’m going to confess to.
Santa Jon W. Sparks with “Hero Boy” Jace Hanemann on last year’s Polar Express in New Orleans. PHOTO BY KRISTIE HANEMANN
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“These guys are professional Santa Clauses,” Williams says. “They do it for two reasons: the love of children enjoying what they do and [the ability] to turn it into a professional situation. It requires money when you go from volunteer to professional.” He says there are outfits to buy, and not the cheap ones from department stores, thank you. Classy and durable suits run into hundreds of dollars and busy pros have to keep them cleaned. There’s also liability insurance. But for Williams, it was no question when he first considered going pro. “I said, gee willikers, I want to be like that!” he says. “They were helping Toys for Tots, St. Jude, and Make-A-Wish Foundation.”
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CRIMINAL DEFENSE
antas, like good Boy Scouts, must always be prepared. Children have questions and you’d better watch out, because they know whether your answers are bad or good, so be good for goodness sake. The big one is for the child who wants to know if you’re the real Santa. Now reality is something that philosophers and physicists have debated for eons, but they’ve got nothing on that kid looking at you intently and brimming with curiosity. And when you get that question, the one thing you don’t say is “Yes.” The wise Santa employs the art of deflection. Arnold suggests, for example, “I might be real or I might not. You never know. Just stay on the nice list.” Or, “If I really am, I couldn’t tell you!” If there are multiple Santas, the bewildered child will certainly wonder, so she just needs to be told, “The real one is here. Can you pick him out?” All of these answers, of course, are delivered with a requisite twinkle in the eye. There are tougher questions and requests, though. Williams, aka SantaMontana, has fielded heartbreakers. “One girl about 9 years old told me, ‘I want my daddy to come home,’” he says. Williams asked where her daddy was stationed, thinking Iraq or Afghanistan. “He’s in prison,” she said. “My heart dropped into my boots,” he says. Williams is an unshakable believer that Jesus is the reason for the season and is quick to remind people of that, large and small. “I said, ‘Honey, you know that Jesus our Lord is going to take care of you. Santa Claus does not have the ability to bring your daddy home from prison, but one thing Santa can promise you is that I will be praying for you during this time of the year.’ And that’s how I handled it.” He’s had other similarly wrenching requests. One from a girl who asked that her
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mommy and daddy quit fighting. He gently mentioned that it would be OK to let her teacher know. And there was a 12-year-old St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital patient who wanted nothing but to get well. Williams encouraged him and, as always, offered prayers. “Not once have I told a child or adult that I’d pray for them that I have not done so,” he says. The careful Santa also must stay aware of other serious matters. Williams says when pictures are being taken that Santa’s hands must always be visible and that parents should be enlisted to make sure children’s shirts and skirts are not inadvertently hiked up during the excitement. And then there are the burdens that contemporary life has put on all of us, Santas included. At a recent meeting of the MidSouthern Santa Society, Williams announced gravely that the topic of his presentation that day would be “Santa, There’s an Active Shooter in the Mall.” Yes, Virginia, there is also a dark side.
C
huck Bohannon has considerable longevity as a Santa, plying the sleigh master for 45 years. “I’ve always had an interest in being Santa Claus,” he says. “When I was a kid, my mother, brother, and I would go to Sears at Christmas and mom always knew where to find me — watching Santa with the kids.” When Bohannon was 22 and serving in the military, he saw his first opportunity. “There was going to be a party for kids in the hospital at England Air Force Base in Louisiana,” he says, “so I bought a suit. But the party was canceled. I was determined to play Santa somewhere, so I went to a pediatric clinic.” The local newspaper did a story on him because the reporter happened to be there with her little boy. “And I’ve done it every year since.” In 1976, fresh out of the service, Bohannon put in his application to work at the Sears store in Laurelwood. The form asked if he wanted to work in sales, support, or other. “Here’s my chance,” he thought and wrote in “Santa Claus” in the “other” category. He got the gig, although they did have him doing other kinds of work off-season. Bohannon, in his decades of essaying Santa, has been on the floats in the Memphis Christmas Parade, was Santa at The Peabody for 29 years, has helicoptered into and out of appearances, and, he says, was the last Santa at the downtown Enchanted Forest at Gold-
smiths. He was working at the store in the furniture warehouse during the Christmas season in 1989 and was enlisted at the last minute when a Santa didn’t show. He worked until the attraction closed that last day, although nobody knew it would be the last day downtown. The store would close in 1990 due to declining sales, and the Enchanted Forest and all its mechanical elves and Yule figures would move east to Agricenter International later that year. Considering how long he’s been at it, it’s curious that he only recently grew his beard out. “Last year I was going to do a fake beard again, but I grew it out to see what it would look like. I don’t know why it took me so long,” Bohannon says. “Now I’m Santa 365 days a year!” There is a discussion to be had about beards. The real-bearded Santas are secure in their position that it’s the only way to grow. But there are exponents on the other side who say real whiskers aren’t necessary. Faux-bearders have several names. They may call themselves “designer-bearded,” “fashion-bearded,” “theatrical-bearded,” or “traditional-bearded.” Whatever the term of art, these beards are gorgeous and can run up to a couple-thousand dollars. And if your heart is in the right place but your beard growth falls short, then a well-coiffed yak hair beard can be a good way to go. While most Santas in the MidSouthern Santa Society are real-bearded, in the meetings, Arnold will brook no disparagement of anyone’s choice. The society doesn’t have a president, but Arnold is generally seen as the first among equals. Williams says, “I am what Stephen calls the activities director, but I see Stephen as the leader and I’m his sidekick. I make out the agenda for the meetings and arrange for the speakers. I narrate the agenda and business.” There are a couple dozen Santas and several patient wives who are Mrs. Santas. Williams’ wife Rita is an indispensable Mrs. Claus, and he has nothing but praise for the support provided by the various Mrs. Cs. “They always make sure the beard hair is in place and we don’t have any wrinkles in our suit or any fallout on our collar and make sure we’re all zipped and tied and belted and look pretty and always give us that last word of advice,” he says. “Rita always tells me to be nice to the children. She is just like the meringue on a lemon icebox pie; she completes the thing we do.”
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“TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS” REMEMBERING
OTIS REDDING BAR-KAYS AND THE
by george larrimore
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ames Alexander was 17 years old. It was December, cold and dreary. “I was numb,” he recalls now. Alexander rode the 80 miles from Milwaukee to Madison, Wisconsin, in the back of a police car, a grim job ahead. He would have to identify
the bodies of young men who were his friends, his bandmates, and that of the man who had helped make them famous, Otis Redding. Very few enterprises (if any) have brought more pride to the African-American citizens of Memphis than Stax Records. While Stax churned out hits that young people across the world loved, the music belonged to Memphis. And in the brief time before his death 50 years ago this month, Otis Redding represented not only what Stax was, but what it could be.
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he tale of how Otis Redding got to Stax in the first place is entwined, myth-like, in the saga of the studio at 926 E. McLemore. The short version is this: Redding showed up driving the car for a Georgia guitarist named Johnny Jenkins, who had a flamboyant style but no driver’s license. But Redding had his own motivation for driving to Memphis. By 1962, Stax had a reputation as an open door for undiscovered talent. Johnny Jenkins played that day and the tape rolled. But there was no magic. Meanwhile, the driver, a linebacker-sized man with an easy smile, was insistent to anyone who would listen that he could sing. Steve Cropper recalls drummer Al Jackson Jr. coming to him, saying, “Would you take two minutes and listen to this guy? He’s driving me nuts.”
Cropper didn’t really play the piano but he could play what Redding asked for; what he called “church chords.” Redding then started into a ballad loaded with yearning. “The hair on my arms stood up,” Cropper says. “I went to Jim Stewart [the founder, with his sister Estelle Axton, of Stax] and said, ‘You’ve gotta come listen to this guy. You’re not going to believe this.’” That song, “These Arms Of Mine,” was the first of 17 hit singles for Otis Redding on Stax, a small label that was making noise. “If it made money, it was a hit,” Cropper says. “He could do no wrong.” Singer Joyce Cobb heard the song recorded that day. “Otis was unique in the way he could project feel,” she says. “That’s not easy to do. It was in his DNA that he allowed listeners to feel his emotions.” “He made you believe [the song] is actually happening to him,” says James Alexander, who played behind Redding as the bassist with the Bar-Kays. “What comes from the soul translates to the soul.”
“The hair on my arms stood up. I went to Jim Stewart [the founder, with his sister Estelle Axton, of Stax] and said, ‘You’ve gotta come listen to this guy. You’re not going to believe this.’” — Ste v e Cropper
left: A former movie theatre in South Memphis, Stax became world-famous for its endless stream of hits.
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above: This is perhaps the only surviving photo of Otis Redding inside Stax, resting against a speaker.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC LEFT: API PHOTOGRAPHERS COLLECTION; RIGHT: ZELMA REDDING COLLECTION
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above: Born in Missouri, Steve Cropper (shown here at Stax in the 1960s) of Booker T. and the MGs
grew up in Memphis; he would go on to become one of the greatest guitarists of the classic rock-and-roll era.
“Otis was unique in the way he could project feel. That’s not easy to do. It was in his DNA that he allowed listeners to feel his emotions.”
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— Jo y ce Cobb
ow the Bar-Kays came to Stax is almost as unlikely as the story of Otis Redding. “They were cute as could be,” says former Stax executive Deanie Parker. The names of the six young men roll off her tongue like they were the names of her own children: James Alexander, Ben Cauley, Carl Cunningham, Ronnie Caldwell, Jimmy King, Phalon Jones. But behind their youth was ambition. “Black kids had to seize every opportunity they could discover,” she says. “They wanted it. They wanted it.” Band director Harry Winfield saw something in them when they were students at Porter Junior High School. He gave them the keys to the band room and by six-thirty each morning, before school, they were at it.
“Every single day. That’s how we got tight,” says Alexander. They already knew about Stax and the open door. Drummer Carl Cunningham shined shoes at King’s Barber Shop and afterward would walk down McLemore and into Stax where he sat, almost literally, at the feet of Booker T. and the MGs drummer Al Jackson. The Bar-Kays were a local band, playing clubs and high school proms from Memphis to Little Rock and into Mississippi, when they auditioned, in early 1967, for Steve Cropper. Cropper was the guitarist with Booker T. and the MGs, and was Stax’s main A and R man, the guy with eyes and ears for new talent and hit songs. “We thought we were hot. He didn’t,” says James Alexander. But Jim Stewart also heard the band and invited them back, on a Sunday. After playing a cover of a current hit, they started in on a song of their own. Trumpeter Ben Cauley used a bit of a nursery rhyme as an intro. The ending came from David Porter,
H
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC: DON NIX COLLECTION
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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC: ZELMA REDDING COLLECTION
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“Phalon would walk into assembly late. Girls would be screaming like it was the Beatles. We were teenagers in tailor-made suits with a thousand dollars in our pockets.” — Ja m e s A l e x a nder
opposite: Otis Redding (foreground) with members of the Bar-Kays. Seated next to him is Phalon Jones. Standing (L-R) are: Ben Cauley, Carl Cunningham, Ronnie Caldwell, Jimmie King, and James Alexander.
above: Phalon Jones’ mother has kept mementos from his career, including the 1969 Award of Achievement for the hit “Soul Finger” and a rare early photograph of the saxophonist at New York’s famed Apollo Theatre.
who brought in some neighborhood kids for a chanted chorus at the end. “Just like that, that’s how ‘Soul Finger’ was born,” recalls Alexander. “It took 30 minutes.” Alexander and sax player Phalon Jones were friends at Booker T. Washington High, members of a social club called The Esquires. “He was a good-looking guy. I was kind of like a Pillsbury doughboy,” Alexander recalls. “I hung around him because he could draw women.” After “Soul Finger” was released in April 1967, they were stars. “Phalon would walk into assembly late,” recalls Alexander. “Girls would be screaming like it was the Beatles. We were teenagers in tailor-made suits with a thousand dollars in our pockets.” But there was jealousy. Phalon Jones’ mother, Willie Campbell, remembers that someone, maybe other boys from the neighborhood, broke into their apartment and stole all her son’s clothes, including the suits he wore on stage. The Bar-Kays met Otis Redding when he was looking for a regular band to back him. Booker T. and the MGs played on his Stax recordings but they were the house band, plus they had to tour to support their own hits. The Bar-Kays were playing the Hippodrome at 500 Beale, a skating rink in the daytime, at night a club. After performing at the Mid-South Coliseum, with energy to burn, Redding went to the Hippodrome to sit in. He called out one of his songs to see if the band could play it. It might have been “I Can’t Turn You Loose.” The Bar-Kays nailed it. After that, Redding said, “I want these boys to be my band.” “They were so young, so good,” Cropper says. Phalon Jones’ wasn’t legally old enough so his mother had to give permission for her son, her only child, to travel. “I had to sign for him,” she says. “I was 17 and we skipped the graduation parties and flew to New York to play the Apollo Theatre,” says James Alexander. “Without rehearsal. We were just babies.”
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eanwhile, Otis Redding was plotting a new course. While spending time on a houseboat in Sausalito, California (the boat belonged to music impresario Bill Graham), he started on a new and different song. At the same time, Redding’s people had booked him into the Monterey Pop Festival. The event was small (7,500 on Saturday night) and the tickets cheap ($3 to $6.50 in 1967 dollars) but the roster was A-List: Simon and Garfunkel, The Who,
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC: WILLIE CAMPBELL COLLECTION
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The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, The Mamas and the Papas, the first major appearance by Janis Joplin, and the first major American appearance by Jimi Hendrix. Redding, this time backed by Booker T. and the MGs and the Mar-Keys, would close the show that Saturday night. 1967 was the Summer of Love, of tie-dyed clothes and love-ins. Redding and his band were matching suits of South Memphis soul. A documentary about the festival preserves Redding at his peak. He speaks to “the love crowd,” then rips through a five-song set of pure Stax soul, prowling, pleading, literally steaming in the cool California night. His voice is a driving staccato as he promises tenderness. Then he implores the crowd, “I’ve been loving you too long, don’t make me stop now.” Something big happened at Monterey. Coming home to Macon, Redding told his wife, Zelma, “I’ve found an audience I didn’t know I had.” And back in Memphis, Redding called Cropper at the studio, excited about the song he’d been writing on the houseboat. “‘I’ve got something that I think might be a hit. Get your gut-tar, get your gut-tar,’” Cropper remembers Redding saying, pronouncing it the way Redding himself did. Otis Redding’s last visit to Stax was on Friday, December 8, 1967. “He stuck his head in the door and said, ‘I’ll see you Monday,’” Cropper recalls. In his own plane, piloted by Dick Fraser, Redding and the band f lew to Cleveland for an appearance on the local television show called Upbeat and a Saturday performance at Leo’s Casino. Then they packed out for the short trip to Madison, Wisconsin, for an appearance Sunday at The Factory. The plane would only hold seven so James Alexander and Carl Sims, who sang occasionally with the Bar-Kays, f lew a commercial airline to Milwaukee. Alexander remembers sitting in the Milwaukee airport for a long time that afternoon, waiting for the pilot to return after dropping the passengers in Madison. After a while, he made some calls but no one knew anything. Afternoon turned to night. Finally, someone paged him.
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“I didn’t have time to cave in to my feelings. I knew that somebody had to do what needed to be done. It seemed like we had a funeral almost every day.” — De a nie Pa r k er
above: Real stars didn’t travel by car or bus. Otis Redding quickly acquired his own plane, a Beechcraft, with his name emblazoned on the fuselage. It was this plane that plummeted into Lake
Monona, on December 10, 1967, killing everyone aboard except trumpet player Ben Cauley, who could not swim. right: Ben Cauley, shown here performing on Beale Street, passed away in
2005. Friends recall that he never forgot the tragedy. “Why me?” Joyce Cobb says was the thought always in the back of his mind. “He could save himself and not save the others. Why did God save me?”
Later, the Dane County Sheriff ’s Department sent a car to bring Alexander to Madison. Going back and forth between his hotel and the coroner’s office, he identified the friends with whom he had worked and dreamed since those days in the band room at Porter Junior High. The plane, a Beechcraft 18, had been about a thousand feet over Lake Monona, the landing gear already down, when something went wrong. It was 3:25 in the afternoon, 40 degrees, heavy overcast. No one is absolutely sure what happened, even today. Most likely it had something to do with ice on the wings. The plane slammed into the lake, broke apart, and sank. Ben Cauley, the trumpet player, who could not swim, f loated free and grabbed a seat cushion. He was the only survivor. Joyce Cobb spoke with Cauley often before his death in 2015 and recalls anguish that would not go away. “He could save himself and could not save the others,” she says. “Why me? Always in the back of his head, ‘Why did God save me?’” The Redding family was at their Big Ranch outside of Macon, the place that was both home and a symbol of Otis’ success. “I had a call from somebody who said the plane went down. Then they hung up,” Zelma remembers, calmly. She thought it might have been a prank call. “I called the pilot’s wife. She had got a call. I didn’t believe it. I went downstairs and then everything started happening. It was like the end of life.” Their children, Dexter, Karla, and Otis III, were only 4, 6, and 7 years old. At Foote Homes, Phalon Jones’ mother blocked incoming calls from people always trying to reach her famous son. Finally someone got through. “They couldn’t find my son. It took them a week,” she says now. “I just walked, walked, walked, up and down the street. That’s what I did.” On McLemore Avenue everyone was “absolutely, totally devastated,” according to Steve Cropper. “I didn’t have time to cave in to my feelings,” says Deanie Parker. “I knew that somebody had to do what needed to be done. It seemed like we had a funeral almost every day.”
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Matthew Kelly, 17 and the valet, was on the flight. He was one of 10 children, raised by their father in an apartment near Stax. “The family had no resources to pay for this child, so Stax raised the money to bury him.” Deanie Parker also recalls trucks soon arriving at Stax with trunks packed with instruments and belongings, water still leaking out.
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tl a ntic R ecor ds , me a n w hile , insisted that Stax put out new product by Otis Redding. “I told Jim Stewart I didn’t know if I could do it,” Steve Cropper says. “He said you have to.” Finishing “(Sitttin’ On) the Dock of the Bay,” which he co-wrote with Redding, became Cropper’s refuge. Wednesday morning he drove to Memphis International Airport where he handed the tape of the mixed recording to a flight attendant, who flew to New York where she handed it off to someone from Atlantic Records. In January 1968, the song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. “I literally, for about seven years, could not listen to an Otis record,” Cropper says. While he still records and tours with a band he’s led for 19 years, the past is always with him. “I’ll never get over it.” Stax Records did survive the loss of Otis Redding and the original Bar-Kays. Talent ran deep on McLemore Avenue, with Isaac Hayes, Johnny Taylor, and The Staples Singers among those who followed Redding. But
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC — TOP LEFT: COURTESY ZELMA REDDING COLLECTION; TOP RIGHT: LEICAPHOTOS/DREAMSTIME
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the label folded in 1975 amid sketchy business deals, lawsuits, and bitterness. The studio was demolished in 1989, but community support resulted in its rebirth, and today Stax — rebuilt in 2003 as a duplicate of the original building, and expanded — houses the Museum of American Soul Music and the Stax Academy, offering music-related education, programs, and events. The Bar-Kays, behind James Alexander and Ben Cauley, re-grouped after the crash and built a long career. And they aren’t done. When he spoke with us, Alexander was searching for a singer to replace the recently retired Larry Dotson. Alexander’s son, the Atlanta-based producer, singer, songwriter, and rapper known as Jazze Pha, is named after his friend, Phalon Jones. Phalon’s mother is the only living parent of the original Bar-Kays. At her home Willie Campbell brings out the mementoes of her son’s short, eventful life: a program with his photo from The Apollo, a backstage pass from a show in Montreal, and his high school yearbook. She remembers a frugal son who was working to get them out of Foote Homes. “He wanted to buy a house,” she says.
above: His Big Ranch outside Macon, Georgia, gave Otis Redding a place to relax from the pressures of touring and recording. “He was a rare type of brilliance,” says musician Roderick Cox. “We don’t
give him enough credit for what he had done by age 26.” If he had lived, his widow believes, “he would have been one of the giants of music.” But she thinks he wouldn’t have forgotten his roots, and would have
wanted to spend more time at home with his wife and children. “Otis never wanted to get old on the road. He would have been on the ranch raising cows. That’s the way he would have spent his life.”
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC: ZELMA REDDING COLLECTION
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“Fifty years and people are still saying his name and hearing his music. His was a rare type of brilliance. We don’t give him enough credit for what he had done by the age of 26.” — Roder ick Cox In the early 1980s, Otis Redding’s sons, Dexter and Otis III, started the funk/disco group The Reddings and had some success. Today, Otis III, who is primarily a guitar player, still performs, his brother occasionally joining him. Says Otis III: “When I’m on stage, 50 percent are liking me, 50 percent say he sure ain’t his dad. I cannot fill those shoes.” While he says that “I’m done with what might have been,” he does love playing his dad’s music and meeting his dad’s fans. And he cherishes “the great image he left behind.” In Macon, Karla Redding-Andrews and her mother run the Otis Redding Foundation. “Progress Through Education, Enlightenment Through Music” is their mission. Through the foundation they are launching a charter school and they operate music camps, all with the goal of influencing young people. Zelma Redding met Roderick Cox when he was 17. “I believed in him when he was a kid,” she told us, and she bought him his first instrument, a French horn. Today, at 29, Cox is the associate conductor of the Minnesota Symphony, a rising star in classical music, having led orchestras from Seattle to Santiago, and a Macon, Georgia, Redding Foundation legacy. “The foundation gave me opportunities to get exposure and opportunities to go forward,” Cox says today. And he thinks that Redding, in a very real way his mentor, is underappreciated. “Fifty years and people are still saying his name and hearing his music. His was a rare type of brilliance. We don’t give him enough credit for what he had done by the age of 26,” says Cox. “In his death his family has gone on to fulfill his dreams. When someone is that brilliant you only wish for what could have happened.” “If he had lived, he would be one of the giants of music,” Redding’s widow says. But she thinks he would have stayed close to home. “Otis never wanted to get old on the road. He would have been on the ranch raising cows. That’s the way he would have spent his life.” As for her life, and that love affair that ended so soon: “I still have great memories,” she says. “Until I die I will be the happiest person in the world because I am Mrs. Otis Redding.”
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The 2017 MEMPHIAN OF THE YEAR!
DOROTHY GUNTHER PUGH
Ballet Memphis’ new $21 million facility brings an open, light-filled presence to the Overton Square performing arts scene. 42 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7
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BALLET MEMPHIS’ CREATIVE FORCE BRINGS MOVEMENT TO THE COMPANY Yy
by jon w. sparks h e r e m e m ber s t h e c on v er sation vividly. “Adrian said, ‘Dorothy, have you ever thought …’ and I knew he was going to say, ‘… about moving your entire operation?’ And that’s exactly what he said.” And that’s exactly what Ballet Memphis has done. We were sitting in her office, and Dorothy Gunther Pugh was recalling a meeting she had a few years ago, when she sat down with Adrian Ellis of AEA Consulting to discuss creating a satellite location in Midtown for Ballet Memphis. That “satellite location” is now, of course, something much more than that. Ballet Memphis’ magnificent new facility on Madison in Overton Square, a brilliant edifice completed this summer, is a fitting capstone for Pugh’s decades of devotion to the dance arts in this city. Fittingly, Dorothy Gunther Pugh is Memphis magazine’s 2017 “Memphian of the Year.”
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above: The new Ballet Memphis building allows passersby to look in at practice studios and see costume displays along Madison Avenue while offering access to a Mama Gaia cafe on the Cooper Street side.
“OUR WHOLE ART FORM IS ABOUT SOARING. IT’S ABOUT USING THE GROUND TO IMAGINE NEW WORLDS AND PLACES WHERE YOUR SPIRIT L I F T S A N D S O A R S .” — D oro t h y Gu n t her P ug h
That she and Ellis were on the same wavelength was something of a sign for the CEO and founding artistic director of the 31-year-old ballet company. Its home had been since 1998 a 19,500-square-foot building in Cordova, on a piece of property donated by First Tennessee Bank. The company had been squeezed in its previous rental space on Summer Avenue; Ballet Memphis’ home on Trinity Road, built to order after a $3.15 million capital and endowment campaign, was a godsend. But as the twenty-first century brought with it an urban redevelopment wave all across America, Pugh began to consider that Ballet Memphis just might be better located closer to the heart of Memphis. And when Bob Loeb began his redevelopment of Over-
ton Square in 2012 — turning a run-down 1980s entertainment district into a dynamic arts neighborhood, with new facilities like Playhouse on the Square and Hattiloo Theatre, she began to take notice. “I had been reading and watching about this urban renaissance that was taking place across a lot of cities,” Pugh says. “It got to the point where I felt like we were being rendered invisible and obsolete out here in big-box land, where people weren’t trying to have an experience with other people sharing something that’s stimulating and transformative. It was time to move.” Suddenly, a secondary presence in Midtown didn’t seem quite enough. “We needed to be where people want to gather and are curious,” Pugh says. In regular contact with
PERFORMANCE PHOTOGRAPH BY LOUIS TUCKER / BALLET MEMPHIS
right: The Fly Studio is the largest in the new facility at 68 by 70 feet and 45 feet high. Retractable seating for 200 allows it to present performances as well.
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ARCHITECTURAL RENDERINGS & PHOTOGRAPHS BY ARCHIMANIA / DOROTHY GUNTHER PUGH OFFICE PHOTO BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT
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her long-time friends Ekundayo Bandele, founder and CEO of Hattiloo, and Jackie Nichols, founder and executive producer of the Playhouse organization, she came to the conclusion that “it felt like this is probably the place we need to try to be.” Initially, the northeast corner of Madison and Cooper was not under consideration. “We looked at seven or eight pieces of property,” says Pugh. “Then that corner became available, and we realized it was time to move and move quickly.” The site was that of the old French Quarter Inn, empty for years. The property had gotten some nibbles from prospective buyers, but in the summer of 2015, it looked like it would finally be acquired by NCE Realty & Capital Group, which was going to demolish the structure and build a 75,000-square-foot hotel with 137 rooms. But suddenly, all changed. LeeAnne Cox, an attorney with Burch, Porter & Johnson and president of the Ballet Memphis board, was in the thick of the process. “We realized it might be a good spot for us,” Cox says, “because it would give us more room, we could have our parking, and it just might give us more autonomy to be on that corner. It just kind of felt right. So we signed a contract, and that took everybody by surprise. Some people were like, ‘What?’” Cox believes that “this is really the result of Dorothy having a vision 15 years ago that we needed to be in the heart of the city. Then, years later, we commissioned [AEA Consulting] to work with us and we did a very thorough job of investigating what was right for the organization. So we felt very comfortable that this was the right move to make.” (Tennessee Shakespeare Company has since acquired the facility on Trinity Road, giving that organization its first permanent home since it was founded in 2007).
Memphis native, Dorothy Gunther grew up in East Memphis; her father became an executive with Mid-South Chemical Company after retiring from the Navy. “My mother was a very beautiful, fierce, determined woman with a fiery artistic temperament,” she told Th e Downtowner magazine in a 2011 interview. “She set an example for me in leadership.” Her mother loved dancing, and so did Dorothy. “She encouraged my imagination,” she says. “We staged plays with the neighborhood kids all the time, and I always had to be the director. So ever since I was little, I’ve been ‘on stage’ in one form or another.” After graduating from Vanderbilt, she took a job teaching at an inner-city junior-high school in Nashville. “I was teaching myself,” she recalled. “I saw myself throwing away years of growing up in a segregated, isolated world; I kept walking into fascinating, brand-new worlds. So I would teach until 2 o’clock in the afternoon, and then I’d dance from 3:30 to 10:30 every night.” When her husband Robert Pugh — also a native Memphian — finished his graduate work in psychology at Vanderbilt, Dorothy had an offer to dance with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. But she also had a call from her old ballet teacher in Memphis who was retiring and offered her the job to take over her small ballet school. “Well, I did want to come home,” she told The Downtowner. “And I
heard an inner voice saying, ‘You need to be your own boss.’” In 1985, ArtsMemphis approached Pugh with the idea of her building a ballet company. “Shortly after that meeting, I got a call from Pitt Hyde, asking to meet. Pitt got down to business right away and asked, ‘If I gave you $200,000, what would you do with it?’ “I looked at him and said, ‘I’d probably give most of it back to you because I want to grow slowly.’ Three days later, Pitt and an anonymous donor gave us startup money, and we began to build a ballet company.” From those beginnings, Ballet Memphis has established an international reputation, recognized by the Ford Foundation as “an exemplary institution” and even “a national treasure.” The company has performed to glowing reviews in New York, Paris, and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The Heart Foundations has cited the company for its community engagement programs, which are an essential part of Ballet Memphis’ programming. “Memphis has an unusual culture, and I wrestled with that a lot,” she told inset above: Dorothy Gunther Pugh performing early in her dance career. below: Pugh, from her office in the new Ballet Memphis facility, has been CEO and artistic director since she started the company in 1986 with two dancers and a budget of $75,000.
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The Downtowner. “How do we take ballet — a beautiful and inspiring art form — and infuse it with something else? My community needs to see itself ref lected on the stage. We have to be knowledgeable, versatile, and not make assumptions but rather be curious, expansive, and inclusive.”
The hallway running the length of the new facility separates studio space at left from dressing rooms and second-story administrative offices at right.
been working with had to change fast. “They did it quickly,” she says, “and they have good relationships with the planning and urban development people.” There were details, so many details. Getting everything all stitched together was a challenge, especially since Ballet Memphis wanted to be essentially functional in the
ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPH BY ARCHIMANIA
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nce the ground was broken in Overton Square, the new Ballet Memphis building — occupying 38,000 square feet — rose so quickly and so majestically that Pugh wonders if folks don’t quite believe what they can plainly see. “I think people still are almost psychologically not used to this corner being active because for so long it was just something you didn’t look at or see,” she says. “Remember, there was a high brick wall around it. The message was that everything was Overton Square, but not that corner, you know?” But now folks need to get used to it, she says. “We’re here. We’ve transformed the corner, and it’s a beautiful building.” Planning and teamwork have made all the difference. A key partner in the transition was the design/architecture firm archimania. “They were so great in the whole time we were trying to acquire and study property,” Pugh says. “We didn’t even know if it would be a reality.” And when the acquisition happened so fast, the ideas and layouts they’d
new facility by the time the 2017-2018 season opened. The professional dancers had to work a week or two in the old building before coming over, but the schools were able to get under way on time. allet Memphis Midtown was formally introduced to the public August 25th with a wide range of opening-night activities. “It couldn’t have been better,” says Pugh, “because it was an iconic demonstration of what this building can be when it’s engaged. There were thousands of people here, children 3 years old, adults in their eighties, all different kinds of people. Every single studio all day had different things going on, and the big studio never was empty. [Company dancer] Rafael Ferreras did the ballet in honor of the construction workers from Grinder, Taber and Grinder who built it. The construction supervisor told me, ‘I’ve been in the construction business for 25 or 30 years and no one has ever done anything like this, created a work of art in our honor.’” Pugh has scarcely had time to take a moment to breathe since the doors opened. The company had to get rehearsals going for October’s “Take Shape” show at Playhouse on the Square, in addition to everything else. Besides the building’s four studios, there is space for Pilates, Youth Ballet Memphis, and Ballet Memphis School. The costume shop
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has a window display on Madison where passersby can see some of the imaginative wardrobe creations. The two-story costume shop keeps three decades of costumes (about 10,000 of them) and has a wardrobe staff staying on top of it all. One of the advantages to the larger space is the ability to take on bigger projects. When Ballet Memphis did Peter Pan at the Orpheum in 2014, it had to rent space in the Northwest Hall of the Cook Convention Center to rehearse, the one room in the city that could handle the high-tech automated flying system that could put five dancers in the air at the same time. When the company mounts the production again this spring, it can rehearse in its new 68foot by 70-foot Fly Studio with 45 vertical feet available for soaring. “Our whole art form is about soaring,” Pugh says. “It’s about using the ground to imagine new worlds and places where your spirit lifts and soars. That building now can accommodate five lines of people flying, and we avoid that one step of having to take everything elsewhere and pay for another space before we go to The Orpheum.” And, she says, people will be able to see the soaring dancers rehearsing in the Fly Studio. It’s more than just showing off for Pugh; it’s a statement of purpose. “The whole theme of imagining and getting off the ground as a metaphor for our spirits is in our creative dreaming,” she says, “but it seems like some people are frightened of it or think it’s subversive. We need it more than ever now. That’s really been the impetus forever in my thinking, even designing the first building.” It’s even in the details: The studios aren’t labeled A, B, C, and D; they’re Fly, Dream, Imagine, and Discover. “It’s because that’s what I want people to be able to do when they participate in our art form with us.” eeAnne Cox has been on the board since before the Trinity Road property was acquired, was chair of the building committee during the recent move, and has been board chair since this summer. She knows Pugh just about as well as anyone. “Dorothy has attributes that I think are uncommon in one person,” Cox says. “She’s a gifted artistic director and the CEO. Those two roles aren’t normally performed at a single institution. She’s got a way of looking at the world that sees beauty where others can’t. It’s part of her training and gifts. She has a desire and gift for developing talent. “She is also fearless and willing to ask for the impossible. Obviously, she is able to inspire others, because she can elevate what we’re doing and see it beyond just dance performance, to see how it can be transforming, and how it can be inclusive.” That commitment to inclusivity is why Pugh and Ballet Memphis get the national attention that they do. “That’s not a new development,”
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Cox says. “That’s been going on for years and it’s a great resonating story for our city, but I think a lot of people just don’t know it. I think they think of Ballet Memphis as sort of the old-time, stodgy ballet, but we’ve been getting attention for seeking to think outside the box and be an innovator and a leader in diversity for many, many years.” In 2015, Pugh was chair of the Artistic Directors’ Council for Dance/USA, the nation’s largest dance service organization for professional dance companies. “The number-one thing that was my job in this council,”
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she says, “was to hammer home and bring up that we all have to have our ballet companies look like America.” It’s been the most natural thing in the world for her. She was insisting on diversity years before Misty Copeland made history in 2015 at New York’s American Ballet Theatre as the first African-American woman to be promoted to principal dancer in the organization’s 75-year history. Besides being the right thing to do, the establishment of diversity and inclusion has brought tangible rewards. In 2015, Ballet Memphis received a $1.2 million pledge from an anonymous donor to expand the company’s efforts on several levels, a direct result of its commitment to build racial and ethnic representation in the nation’s ballet companies. t Vanderbilt, Pugh majored in English and almost went into the visual-arts program. “I never felt any need to divide anything up into categories ever,” she says. These days she’s also a seasoned tour guide and has been showing people around the new facility since back when everyone had to wear hard hats and step around construction. Recently she was giving another tour and, even while reciting facts and figures and pointing out the unusual features, she was taking mental notes of what was right, what was not quite right, and what needed to be changed. Pugh met dancers and staff, asked about their health, and joked around. She scowled at an errant piece of tape on a door and straightened the chairs around a table. She chatted up a young girl there for a class. She saw possibilities everywhere. “We’re still learning things,” Pugh says. “We’re getting the hang of it.”
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S P ECIAL ADV ERTIS ING S ECTION
Miles Mason Sr., JD, CPA
MEMPHIS AREA 2017
the annual list of Husband, father and divorce lawyer. A nationally recognized speaker on divorce trial practice, forensic accounting and business valuation. Author of four books on divorce, including “The Forensic Accounting Deskbook,� published by the ABA Family Law Section, and “The Tennessee Divorce Client’s Handbook.� All four are available on Amazon. Leadership positions include past chair of the TBA Family Law Section, past president of the Christian Brothers High School Alumni Association and a fellow of the Memphis Bar Foundation. Mason began MemphisDivorce.com, a comprehensive, online resource for Tennessee divorce law, in 1996.
TOP LAWYERS SUPERLAWYERS.COM
Miles Mason Family Law Group, PLC s -%-0()3$)6/2#% #/-
Super Lawyers is a registered trademark of Thomson Reuters.
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SPE C IAL ADV E RT ISIN G SE C T ION
SELECTION PROCESS Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a patented multiphase selection process.* The objective is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource for attorneys and consumers searching for legal counsel. We limit the lawyer ratings to those who can be hired and retained by the public, i.e., lawyers in private practice and Legal Aid attorneys. The Super Lawyers selection process involves the steps outlined in the graphic (at right).
LEARN MORE
QUESTIONS?
SuperLawyers.com/SelectionProcess
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visit SuperLawyers.com Search for an attorney by practice area and location, and read features on attorneys selected to our lists.
*U.S. Pat. No. 8,412,564
DISCLAIMER: The information presented in Super Lawyers is not legal advice, nor is Super Lawyers a legal referral service. We strive to maintain a high degree of accuracy in the information provided, but make no claim, promise or guarantee about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in this special section or linked to SuperLawyers.com and its associated sites. The hiring of an attorney is an important decision that should not be solely based upon advertising or the listings in this special section. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services performed by the attorneys listed in this special section will be greater than that of other licensed attorneys. Super Lawyers is an independent publisher that has developed its own selection methodology. Super Lawyers is not affiliated with any state or regulatory body, and its listings do not certify or designate an attorney as a specialist. State required disclaimers can be found on the respective state pages on superlawyers.com.
© 2017 Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.
DIVORCE
THE RICES WROTE THE BOOK. They really did. Larry Rice and Nick Rice are co-authors of The Complete Guide to Divorce Practice, published by the American Bar Association. For more than 25 years, the book has been recognized as the standard reference for divorce lawyers across the nation. Larry has been selected to Super Lawyers in family law since 2008. He has given more than 200 lectures on divorce practice to lawyers nationally and internationally. Nationally certified as a Family Law Specialist, Larry received the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys Client Satisfaction Award in 2014 and 2015. Nick Rice is recognized as a Rising Stars honoree. The National Academy of Family Law Attorneys recognized Nick as a nationally ranked Top 10 Under 40 attorney. They are both rated Superb (10 out of 10) by Avvo.com.
The Rice Divorce Team is exclusively committed to family law—from prenuptial agreements to final decrees, from parenting time to property division and everything in-between. The team applies generations of experience, nationally recognized expertise, local presence and up-to-date technology to lead their clients through negotiations, mediation, arbitration or litigation. The depth of The Rice Divorce Team’s personnel provides the ability to tailor representation to each client’s individual needs and goals. While the team is proud of courtroom success, their greatest satisfaction often comes from obtaining a quiet settlement favorable to their client. Divorce is difficult. Divorce is made worse by misinformation. The Rices’ guide to divorce is available to you at www.aboutdivorce.com.
RICE DIVORCE TEAM 901.526.6701 • firm@ricelaw.com • aboutdivorce.com S-2 SUPERLAWYERS.COM
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SPE C IAL ADV E RT ISIN G SE C T ION
MID-SOUTH 2017 SUPER LAWYERS
TOP 50 MEMPHIS AREA
AN ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF THE MEMPHIS AREA LAWYERS WHO RANKED TOP OF THE LIST IN THE 2017 MID-SOUTH SUPER LAWYERS NOMINATION, RESEARCH AND BLUE RIBBON REVIEW PROCESS
Bailey, III, James E., Butler Snow, Memphis TN Ballin, Leslie Irwin, Ballin Ballin & Fishman, Memphis TN Bearman, David L., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
Stratton, Irma Merrill, Law Office of Irma Merrill Stratton, Memphis TN Summers, James B., Allen Summers Simpson Lillie & Gresham, Memphis TN
Wellford, Buckner, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Wellford, Shea Sisk, Martin Tate Morrow & Marston, Memphis TN Wheeler, John G., Mitchell McNutt & Sams, Tupelo MS
Bearman, Jr., Leo, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
Wade, David C., Martin Tate Morrow & Marston, Memphis TN
Wiseman, Lang, Wiseman Bray, Memphis TN
Belz, Saul C., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN
Waide, III, James D. (‘Jim”), Waide & Associates, Tupelo MS
Young, Edward R., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
Bicks, Nathan A., Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Britt, Louis P., FordHarrison, Memphis TN
Weintraub, Jeff, Fisher & Phillips, Memphis TN
Chapman, Ralph E., Chapman Lewis & Swan, Clarksdale MS Childress, Jr., E. Franklin, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Coury, Michael P., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN
Proven.
Edwards, Tim, Ballin Ballin & Fishman, Memphis TN Feibelman, Jef, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Gordon, J. Houston, Gordon Shaw Law Group, Covington TN Griffith, Benjamin E., Griffith Law Firm, Oxford MS Haltom, Jr., William H., Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN Hill, David W., Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN Holbrook, Frank M., Butler Snow, Memphis TN Johnson, J. Kimbrough, Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN Jones, Les, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Krupicka, Lisa A., Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Less, Michael I., Butler Snow, Memphis TN Lewis, III, George T., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Magee, Marcy Dodds, Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN Massey, William D., The Law Office of Massey McClusky McClusky & Fuchs, Memphis TN Mayo, Jr., J. Cal, Mayo Mallette, Oxford MS McDaniel, Bobby R., McDaniel Law Firm, Jonesboro AR McNeill, Paul D., Reece Moore McNeill Pendergraft, Jonesboro AR Merkel, Jr., Charles M., Merkel & Cocke, Clarksdale MS Mulroy, II, James R., Attorney at Law, Memphis TN Pera, Lucian T., Adams and Reese, Memphis TN Phelps, John V., Womack Phelps Puryear Mayfield & McNeil, Jonesboro AR Potter, Jerry O., Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN Prather, Paul E., Littler Mendelson, Memphis TN Reid, Glen G., Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, Memphis TN Roberts, Kristine, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Rosenblum, Jeffrey S., Rosenblum & Reisman, Memphis TN Ryder, John L., Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN Shelton, III, Henry C., Adams and Reese, Memphis TN Smith, Gary K., Gary K. Smith Law Firm, Memphis TN Steinberg, Jill M., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
Triad Centre III, 6070 Poplar Avenue, Fifth Floor, Memphis, TN 38119 901-527-9600 | rosenblumandreisman.com Rosenblum & Reisman is a proven boutique personal injury firm that focuses its practice on catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases. Jeff Rosenblum, founder, has been selected to the Super Lawyers list since 2006 and Matt May has been selected to the Rising Stars list since 2014. Rosenblum has also been selected as a Top 100 attorney in the region and a Top 50 attorney in Memphis. The office also includes a criminal defense attorney who has more than twenty years of experience defending the rights of the accused.
SUPER LAWYERS | MEMPHIS AREA 2017
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MEMPHIS AREA 2017 SUPER LAWYERS
PRACTICE AREA INDEX "MUFSOBUJWF %JTQVUF 3FTPMVUJPO 4 Appellate 4 Banking 4 #BOLSVQUDZ #VTJOFTT 4 #VTJOFTT -JUJHBUJPO 4 #VTJOFTT $PSQPSBUF 4 $JWJM -JUJHBUJPO %FGFOTF 4 $JWJM -JUJHBUJPO 1MBJOUJGG 4 $JWJM 3JHIUT 4 $MBTT "DUJPO .BTT 5PSUT 4 $POTUSVDUJPO -JUJHBUJPO 4 $POTVNFS -BX 4 $SFEJUPS %FCUPS 3JHIUT 4 $SJNJOBM %FGFOTF 4 &MEFS -BX 4 &NQMPZFF #FOFGJUT 4 &NQMPZNFOU -BCPS 4 &NQMPZNFOU -JUJHBUJPO %FGFOTF 4 &NQMPZNFOU -JUJHBUJPO 1MBJOUJGG 4 &OUFSUBJONFOU 4QPSUT 4 &OWJSPONFOUBM 4 &TUBUF 5SVTU -JUJHBUJPO 4 &TUBUF 1MBOOJOH 1SPCBUF 4 'BNJMZ -BX 4 (FOFSBM -JUJHBUJPO 4 )FBMUI $BSF 4 *NNJHSBUJPO 4 *OTVSBODF $PWFSBHF 4 *OUFMMFDUVBM 1SPQFSUZ 4 *OUFMMFDUVBM 1SPQFSUZ -JUJHBUJPO 4 .FSHFST "DRVJTJUJPOT 4 1FSTPOBM *OKVSZ (FOFSBM %FGFOTF 4 1FSTPOBM *OKVSZ (FOFSBM 1MBJOUJGG 4 1FSTPOBM *OKVSZ .FEJDBM .BMQSBDUJDF %FGFOTF 4 1FSTPOBM *OKVSZ .FEJDBM .BMQSBDUJDF 1MBJOUJGG 4 1FSTPOBM *OKVSZ 1SPEVDUT %FGFOTF 4 1FSTPOBM *OKVSZ 1SPEVDUT 1MBJOUJGG 4 1SPGFTTJPOBM -JBCJMJUZ %FGFOTF 4 3FBM &TUBUF 4 4FDVSJUJFT $PSQPSBUF 'JOBODF 4 4FDVSJUJFT -JUJHBUJPO 4 4PDJBM 4FDVSJUZ %JTBCJMJUZ 4 4UBUF -PDBM .VOJDJQBM 4 5BY 4 5SBOTQPSUBUJPO .BSJUJNF 4 8PSLFSTÈŽ $PNQFOTBUJPO 4
THE LIST BY PRIMARY AREA OF PRACTICE 5IF MJTU XBT GJOBMJ[FE BT PG .BZ "OZ VQEBUFT UP UIF MJTU GPS FYBNQMF TUBUVT DIBOHFT PS EJTRVBMJGZJOH FWFOUT XJMM CF SFGMFDUFE PO TVQFSMBXZFST DPN /BNFT BOE QBHF OVNCFST JO RED JOEJDBUF B QSPGJMF PO UIF TQFDJȮFE QBHF 1IPOF OVNCFST JODMVEFE POMZ GPS BUUPSOFZT XJUI QBJE 4VQFS -BXZFST QSJOU BEWFSUJTFNFOUT Only attorneys who data verified with Super Lawyers for current year included on this list. All current selections reflected on superlawyers.com profiles.
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION Blair, Allen S., Blair Mediation, Memphis TN Cannon, Jr., John R., Shuttleworth Williams, Memphis TN, 901-328-8227 Pg. S-11 Cody, W.J. Michael, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Hoffman, Sheree L., Hoffman Law and Mediation Office, Memphis TN, 901-754-9994 Pg. S-11 Lait, Hayden D., Mediation & Law Office, Memphis TN Potter, Jerry O., Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Tate, Shepherd D., Bass Berry & Sims, Memphis TN
Walsh, Jr., Thomas J., FordHarrison, Memphis TN
Futhey III, Malcolm B., Futhey Law Firm, Memphis TN, 901-725-7525 Pg. S-11
MALCOLM B. FUTHEY III FUTHEY LAWÂ FIRM PLC .FNQIJT`È•
www.futheylawfirm.com Germany, Jeffrey D., Morton & Germany, Memphis TN, 901-522-0050
JEFFREY D. GERMANY
MORTON & GERMANY, PLLC .FNQIJT`ȕ
www.mortongermany.com Golwen, John S., Bass Berry & Sims, Memphis TN Graves, Michael K., Graves Smith Palmertree & Shaw, Hernando MS, 662-429-9302 Harris, David J., Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Harvey, Albert C., Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN Hearn, Jr., Don L., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN Heflin, III, John J., Bourland Heflin Alvarez Minor & Matthews, Memphis TN Holbrook, Frank M., Butler Snow, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
JOHN D. HORNE
THE WINCHESTER LAW FIRM, PLLC .FNQIJT`ȕ
BANKING
www.winchesterlawfirm.com
Aronov, Mary L., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
Hughes, Brett A., Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN
Cox, LeeAnne Marshall, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN
Lewis, III, George T., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Mayo, Jr., J. Cal, Mayo Mallette, Oxford MS Pg. S-3
BANKRUPTCY: BUSINESS
McAnally, Melody, Butler Snow, Memphis TN
Bailey, III, James E., Butler Snow, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Coury, Michael P., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
McLaren, Michael G., Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, Memphis TN, 901-762-0535 Pg. S-7
Kahn, Bruce M., Apperson Crump, Memphis TN
McQuiston II, John W., Evans | Petree, Memphis TN
Matthews, Paul A., Bourland Heflin Alvarez Minor & Matthews, Memphis TN
Miller, Louis Jay, Apperson Crump, Memphis TN
Shelton, III, Henry C., Adams and Reese, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
Minor, III, Lancelot L., Bourland Heflin Alvarez Minor & Matthews, Memphis TN Moffett, Larry D., Daniel Coker Horton & Bell, Oxford MS Newman, Charles F., Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Noel, Randall D., Butler Snow, Memphis TN Norris, Sr., Mark S., Adams and Reese, Memphis TN
BUSINESS LITIGATION Bearman, Jr., Leo, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Belz, Saul C., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Childress, Jr., E. Franklin, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Clayton, Jr., Claude F., Clayton O’Donnell, Tupelo MS Cocke, David J., Evans | Petree, Memphis TN Craddock, Jr., Robert E., Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, Memphis TN
Patton, Michael C., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Pera, Lucian T., Adams and Reese, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Puryear, Jeffrey W., Womack Phelps Puryear Mayfield & McNeil, Jonesboro AR Reid, Glen G., Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Roberts, Kristine, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Speer, John C., Bass Berry & Sims, Memphis TN
Crawford, Robert L., Butler Snow, Memphis TN
Stratton, Irma Merrill, Law Office of Irma Merrill Stratton, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
Crosby, Scott J., Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN
Tauer, Michael, Glankler Brown, Memphis TN
Culpepper, III, L. Clayton, Evans | Petree, Memphis TN
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Feibelman, Jef, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
Horne, John D., The Winchester Law Firm, Memphis TN, 901-685-9222
APPELLATE
Ryder, John L., Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
S-4 SUPERLAWYERS.COM
Dyer, Thomas R., Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, Memphis TN
CONTINUED ON PAGE S-6
ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2.
10/12/17 2:23 PM
THE LAW OFFICE OF
Massey, McClusky, McClusky & Fuchs
Lorna McClusky* Lauren Fuchs**
Melody Dougherty William D. Massey* Top 100 Tennessee Top 50 Memphis
Joseph McClusky**
*CHOSEN TO 2017 SUPER LAWYERS **CHOSEN TO 2017 RISING STARS
10 YEARS THE HEART FOR THE FIGHT When choosing a lawyer for criminal defense, there is only one opportunity to make the right choice, a choice that will have a resounding impact on your future. At Massey McClusky McClusky & Fuchs, we bring something special to the table—the heart for the fight. In an adversarial system that pits the prosecution against the defense, we are in it to win it, zealously advocating for our clients to preserve their reputation and freedom. Our goal is to prevent clients from being charged with a crime. If that’s not possible, we know our way to the courtroom and what to do when we get there. Settlement is always attempted, but if it can’t be reached on our client’s terms, we are comfortable asking for a jury trial. Senior partner William Massey is board certified by the NBTA as a criminal trial specialist and is a perennial selection for Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America. Senior partner Lorna McClusky, a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, has consistently been named one of the top women defense attorneys in the Mid-South, Tennessee and the nation. Together, they have been a prominent and formidable defense team for over 19 years. Partners Joseph McClusky and Lauren Fuchs established themselves as go-to lawyers with a string of wins in tough cases. Our team’s trial skills are honed in the adversarial arena and polished by professional advocacy training. A lasting legacy is assured for championing the defense of the accused. We do it by bringing something special to the table—the heart for the fight.
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SELECTED TO Super Lawyers William D. Massey Lorna S. McClusky
3074 East Road Memphis, TN 38128 PH: (901) 201-6747 FX: (901) 937-8004
masseymcclusky.com
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MEMPHIS AREA 2017 SUPER LAWYERS
ALAN G. CRONE
BUSINESS LITIGATION CONT’D FROM PAGE S-4
Trammell, Bradley E., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
THE CRONE LAW FIRM, PLC
Van Horn, Daniel W., Butler Snow, Memphis TN
88 Union Avenue, 14th Floor Memphis, TN 38103 PH: (901) 737-7740 acrone@cronelawďŹ rmplc.com
Watson, III, Frank L., Watson Burns, Memphis TN Webster, Ross E., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN Wellford, Shea Sisk, Martin Tate Morrow & Marston, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
cronelawďŹ rmplc.com
REPRESENTING EMPLOYEES, EXECUTIVES AND ENTREPRENEURS WE SOLVE BUSINESS DISPUTES. I am passionate about helping my clients resolve disputes. I am committed to finding innovative solutions to traditional legal issues in the areas of: • • • • • •
BUSINESS/CORPORATE Bobango, John A., Farris Bobango, Memphis TN, 901-259-7100 Pg. S-9 Grai, Mark J., The Winchester Law Firm, Memphis TN, 901-685-9222
MARK J. GRAI
Employment law, business disputes and contracts FLSA, ADA and FMLA claims Sexual discrimination and harassment Whistleblowing, retaliation and wrongful termination Intellectual property, non-compete and trade secrets Personal injury
THE WINCHESTER LAW FIRM, PLLC .FNQIJT`ȕ
www.winchesterlawfirm.com
Orians, Robert E., Martin Tate Morrow & Marston, Memphis TN
While I am licensed to practice law in Tennessee and Arkansas, I have represented clients in courtrooms all over the United States. I particularly enjoy cases with complex factual and legal issues, and work to maximize outcomes for each client.
Schwarz, Earle J., The Office of Earle J. Schwarz, Memphis TN
CIVIL LITIGATION: DEFENSE Bearman, David L., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Driskell, III, Mitchell O., Daniel Coker Horton & Bell, Oxford MS Glover, Molly A., Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Green, Robert L., Allen Summers Simpson Lillie & Gresham, Memphis TN
STEPHEN R. LEFFLER
CRIMINAL DEFENSE | PERSONAL INJURY
Hale, Robert B.C., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN
A trial lawyer. In these days of alternative dispute resolution, we are a dying breed. But the fact remains that only a true trial lawyer has the leverage to achieve optimal client results regardless of the forum. The Law OfďŹ ce of Stephen R. Lefer has represented clients in both state and federal forums in personal injury and criminal cases for more than 30 years. Our team approach incorporates our experienced staff investigator, Tim Norris, to assure that no stone that could make a difference in the case goes unturned. Lefer has been licensed to practice law in Tennessee since 1984. The ofďŹ ce has handled cases across the state but focuses most of its practice in West Tennessee. Lefer is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the Tennessee Bar Association, Tennessee Association for Justice, Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and actively writes for Memphis Lawyer Magazine. He has taught trial skills seminars for years.
Holley, R. Layne, Holley Elder & McWhirter, Germantown TN, 901-757-3367
R. LAYNE HOLLEY HOLLEY, ELDERÂ & MCWHIRTERÂ PC (FSNBOUPXO`Č•
www.holleyelder.com
McMullen, Bruce A., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Pepke, Amy M., Butler Snow, Memphis TN Phelps, John V., Womack Phelps Puryear Mayfield & McNeil, Jonesboro AR Pg. S-3 Wade, David C., Martin Tate Morrow & Marston, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
CIVIL LITIGATION: PLAINTIFF Chase, III, Lee J., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN
CIVIL RIGHTS Kramer, Bruce S., Apperson Crump, Memphis TN O’Donnell, David D., Clayton O’Donnell, Oxford MS
CLASS ACTION/MASS TORTS
LAW OFFICE OF STEPHEN R. LEFFLER, P.C.
Allen, Cannon F., Adams and Reese, Memphis TN
707 ADAMS AVE., MEMPHIS, TN 38105 | PH: (901) 527-8830 | FX: (901) 525-3084 Stephen@LefflerLaw.com | Lefflerlaw.com
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Burns, William F., Watson Burns, Memphis TN Hudson, Eric E., Butler Snow, Memphis TN
ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2.
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MEMPHIS AREA 2017 SUPER LAWYERS CONSTRUCTION LITIGATION
Davis, Angie C., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
Getz, Joseph T., Evans | Petree, Memphis TN
Gerson, Herbert E., FordHarrison, Memphis TN
Less, Michael I., Butler Snow, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Stengel, Elizabeth B., Evans | Petree, Memphis TN
Godwin, Deborah G., Godwin Morris Laurenzi Bloomfield, Memphis TN
Summers, James B., Allen Summers Simpson Lillie & Gresham, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
Goodwin, Stephen D., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
Morris, Samuel, Godwin Morris Laurenzi Bloomfield, Memphis TN
Hagerman, Jennifer, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN
Norris, III, O. John, Jackson Lewis, Memphis TN
CONSUMER LAW
Hill, Charles W., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN
Perl, Arnold E., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN
Snider, Kevin A., Snider & Horner, Germantown TN
Holland, Maureen T., Holland & Associates, Memphis TN
Photopulos, Todd, Butler Snow, Memphis TN
Jaqua, David P., Butler Snow, Memphis TN
Simmons, John W., Littler Mendelson, Memphis TN
CREDITOR DEBTOR RIGHTS
Kiesewetter, Jay W., Fisher & Phillips, Memphis TN Lichterman, Lisa, Littler Mendelson, Memphis TN Likens, Steven W., Littler Mendelson, Memphis TN Marshall, Michael R., Evans | Petree, Memphis TN
Kaplan, Jonathan E., Littler Mendelson, Memphis TN
CONTINUED ON PAGE S-8
Ebelhar, Jay, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
CRIMINAL DEFENSE Ballin, Leslie Irwin, Ballin Ballin & Fishman, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Ganguli, Juni S., Ganguli Law Firm, Memphis TN Massey, William D., The Law Office of Massey McClusky McClusky & Fuchs, Memphis TN, 901-384-4004 Pg. S-3, S-5 McClusky, Lorna S., The Law Office of Massey McClusky McClusky & Fuchs, Memphis TN, 901-384-4004 Pg. S-5 McDaniel, Mark S., The McDaniel Law Firm, Memphis TN Morton, Craig V., Morton & Germany, Memphis TN, 901-522-0050
CRAIG V. MORTON MORTON & GERMANY, PLLC .FNQIJT`ȕ
www.mortongermany.com Quinn, Arthur E., Arthur E. Quinn Law Office, Memphis TN Scholl, Michael E., The Scholl Law Firm, Memphis TN Stengel, Michael J., Law Office of Michael J. Stengel, Memphis TN, 901-527-3535
MICHAEL J. STENGEL LAWÂ OFFICE OF MICHAEL J. STENGEL .FNQIJT`Č•
www.mjspc.com
ELDER LAW Self, Jr., William K., Apperson Crump, Memphis TN
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Chiles, Leigh M., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Thornton, David A., Bass Berry & Sims, Memphis TN
EMPLOYMENT & LABOR Allen, Jr., Richard H., Allen Summers Simpson Lillie & Gresham, Memphis TN Bennett, Richard D., Farris Bobango, Memphis TN, 901-259-7100 Pg. S-9 Britt, Louis P., FordHarrison, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Caraway, Kirk A., Allen Summers Simpson Lillie & Gresham, Memphis TN Crone, Alan G., The Crone Law Firm, Memphis TN, 901-737-7740 Pg. S-6
SEATED (L TO R): Vickie Hardy Jones, Michael G. McLaren*, John C. Ryland*, Stevan L. Black*, Kristine E. Nelson; STANDING: William E. Cochran, Jr., J. Mark Griffee, Chris J. Webb**, Brice M. Timmons, Warren P. Campbell; NOT PICTURED: Jana Davis Lamanna, Lynda Wray Black, Of Counsel *CHOSEN TO 2017 SUPER LAWYERS; **CHOSEN TO 2017 RISING STARS
BLACK MCLAREN JONES RYLAND & GRIFFEE, P.C. PROVIDING THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF LEGAL TALENT AND EXPERIENCE IN ALL AREAS OF CIVIL LITIGATION The attorneys of Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee provide exceptional representation to clients in diverse areas of civil litigation, including: • Insurance defense • Business Litigation • Professional liability • Products liability • Employment law • Vaccine law • Mediation They have earned a strong reputation in family law matters, including: • Divorce • Custody • Probate law • Adoption • Prenuptial agreements
10 YEARS
SELECTED TO Super Lawyers Stevan L. Black Michael G. McLaren
With a focus on client communication and a high standard of ethics, Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee is a leader in the legal community, offering effective strategies and creative problem-solving to clients. The ďŹ rm’s attorneys are licensed in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, New York and the District of Columbia. Its attorneys are honored for their excellence, with Stevan L. Black, Mike McLaren and John C. Ryland named to the 2017 Super Lawyers list, and Chris J. Webb named to the Rising Stars list.
BLACK MCLAREN JONES RYLAND & GRIFFEE, P.C. 530 Oak Court Drive, Suite 360, Memphis, TN 38117 PH: (901) 762-0535 • FX: (901) 762-0539
bmjrglaw.com
SUPER LAWYERS | MEMPHIS AREA 2017
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MEMPHIS AREA 2017 SUPER LAWYERS EMPLOYMENT & LABOR CONT’D FROM PAGE S-7
Simpson, James M., Allen Summers Simpson Lillie & Gresham, Memphis TN Thompson, Tanja L., Littler Mendelson, Memphis TN Waide, III, James D. (‘Jim”), Waide & Associates, Tupelo MS Pg. S-3 Weintraub, Jeff, Fisher & Phillips, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Wexler, Maurice, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Young, Edward R., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION: DEFENSE
Thornton, M. Matthew, Bourland Heflin Alvarez Minor & Matthews, Memphis TN Walker, Joseph B., Butler Snow, Memphis TN Womack, Tom D., Womack Phelps Puryear Mayfield & McNeil, Jonesboro AR
FAMILY LAW Bingham, James, Lockard Bingham & Kaplan, Memphis TN Black, Stevan L., Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, Memphis TN, 901-762-0535 Pg. S-7 Davis, Walter Alan, Dunbar Davis, Oxford MS Landers, Suzanne, The Landers Firm, Memphis TN
Cowart, Craig A., Jackson Lewis, Memphis TN
Mason, Sr., R. Miles, Miles Mason Family Law Group, Germantown TN, 901-683-1850 Pg. S-1
Hancock, Jonathan C., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
Nichol, Caren Beth, Evans | Petree, Memphis TN
Henderson, Thomas L., Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart, Memphis TN Holmes, Rodrick D., Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete, Memphis TN Krupicka, Lisa A., Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Meyers, Robert D., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN Mulroy, II, James R., Attorney at Law, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Prather, Paul E., Littler Mendelson, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Stock, Jr., James H., Jackson Lewis, Memphis TN
EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION: PLAINTIFF Norwood, Dan, Norwood & Atchley, Memphis TN Ryan, William B., Donati Law, Memphis TN Waide, Rachel Pierce, Waide & Associates, Tupelo MS
Pounders, Dorothy J., Pounders Coleman, Germantown TN Rice, Larry, Rice Amundsen & Caperton, Memphis TN, 901-526-6701 Pg. S-2 Ryland, John C., Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, Memphis TN, 901-762-0535 Pg. S-7 Taylor, Daniel Loyd, Taylor & Bean, Memphis TN Turner, Kay Farese, Kay Farese Turner & Associates, Memphis TN Worley, Patricia M., Dowden Worley Jewell Olswing & John, Memphis TN
GENERAL LITIGATION Conley, Jr., James E., Heaton & Moore, Memphis TN Hutton, Robert L., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN Jones, Jeffrey H., Law Office of Jeffrey Jones, Bartlett TN Lamar, Jr., John T., Lamar & Hannaford, Senatobia MS Mallette, Pope S., Mayo Mallette, Oxford MS
ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS Luckett, Jr., William O., Luckett Tyner Law Firm, Clarksdale MS
McLean, Robert A., Farris Bobango, Memphis TN, 901-259-7100 Pg. S-9 Miller, Robert F., Farris Bobango, Memphis TN, 901-259-7100 Pg. S-9
ENVIRONMENTAL
Mixon, Donn H., Mixon Law Firm, Jonesboro AR
Womack, Randall B., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN
Murrah, Todd B., Glassman Wyatt Tuttle & Cox, Memphis TN
ESTATE & TRUST LITIGATION
Peyton, Edd, Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN
Autry, Edward T., Williams McDaniel, Memphis TN
Sams, Jr., L.F. (Sandy), Mitchell McNutt & Sams, Tupelo MS
Glover, R. Mark, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
Wallis, Ed, Glassman Wyatt Tuttle & Cox, Memphis TN Wellford, Buckner, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
ESTATE PLANNING & PROBATE Bailey, Jr., Olen M. “Mac”, The Bailey Law Firm, Memphis TN, 901-843-2760 Pg. S-11 Bradley, Beth Weems, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Bradley, J. Anthony, The Bradley Law Firm, Germantown TN Buckner, Thomas R., Apperson Crump, Memphis TN Duncan, Joe M., Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN
HEALTH CARE Bicks, Nathan A., Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Houseal, Jr., John I., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN Shelton, Max, Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN Wheeler, Jr., George T., Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN
McDaniel, A. Stephen, Williams McDaniel, Memphis TN
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Murrah, John F., Evans | Petree, Memphis TN
IMMIGRATION
Nassar, Jr., George J., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN
Jones, David S., Fisher & Phillips, Memphis TN
Thompson, Jeffrey E., Martin Tate Morrow & Marston, Memphis TN
Siskind, Gregory H., Siskind Susser - Immigration Lawyers, Memphis TN
ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2.
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SPE C IAL ADV E RT ISIN G SE C T ION
MEMPHIS AREA 2017 SUPER LAWYERS INSURANCE COVERAGE Cassidy, Jr., Thomas P., McAngus Goudelock & Courie, Memphis TN Deaton, Chris H., Brock Deaton Law Firm, Tupelo MS Derrick, Michael G., Shuttleworth Williams, Memphis TN, 901-526-7399 Pg. S-11 Gresham, Darryl D., Allen Summers Simpson Lillie & Gresham, Memphis TN Webb, Dan W., Webb Sanders & Williams, Tupelo MS
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Garrison, Grady M., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LITIGATION Carter, Richard M., Martin Tate Morrow & Marston, Memphis TN
Lacy, Brandon W., Lacy Law Firm, Jonesboro AR
Miller, Jennifer L., Morgan & Morgan, Memphis TN
Laurenzi, Eugene A., Godwin Morris Laurenzi Bloomfield, Memphis TN
Peel, David B., Peel Law Firm, Millington TN, 901-872-4229 Pg. S-8
Ledbetter, Mark, P. Mark Ledbetter Attorney at Law, Memphis TN
Saharovich, Alex, Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN
Leffler, Stephen R., Law Office of Stephen R. Leffler P.C., Memphis TN, 901-527-8830 Pg. S-6
STEPHEN R. LEFFLER LAW OFFICE OF STEPHEN R. LEFFLER P.C. .FNQIJT`Č•
www.lefflerlaw.com
McLaughlin, David A., 901Attorneys, Memphis TN
Sauer, Stephen A., Stephen A. Sauer Attorney at Law, Memphis TN Siegel, David A., Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN Smith, Gary K., Gary K. Smith Law Firm, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Tannehill, Jr., J. Rhea, Tannehill Carmean & McKenzie, Oxford MS CONTINUED ON PAGE S-10
10 YEARS
SELECTED TO Super Lawyers
Halijan, Douglas F., Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Vorder-Bruegge, Jr., Mark, Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, Memphis TN
John A. Bobango Robert F. Miller Richard D. Underwood
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS Waddell, Ralph W., Waddell Cole & Jones, Jonesboro AR
PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: DEFENSE Baker, S. Shane, Waddell Cole & Jones, Jonesboro AR Byars, III, Wilton V., Daniel Coker Horton & Bell, Oxford MS Carmody, Jr., Leo J., Wells Marble & Hurst, Oxford MS Cooper, Margaret F., Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN Dunbar, John H., Dunbar Davis, Oxford MS Lewis, Goodloe T., Hickman Goza & Spragins, Oxford MS Owens, Jr., Nicholas J., Owens Law Firm, Memphis TN Stacy, Jr., Robert F., Daniel Coker Horton & Bell, Oxford MS Underwood, Richard D., Farris Bobango, Memphis TN, 901-259-7100 Pg. S-9 Vescovo, Christopher L., Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN
PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: PLAINTIFF Acerra, Carey L., Jehl Law Group, Memphis TN Banks, Danese k., The Cochran Firm, Memphis TN Bristow, Bill W., Bristow & RIchardson, Jonesboro AR Buntin, III, Taylor D., Bridgforth & Buntin, Southaven MS Connell Jr., Edward (Ted) P., Merkel & Cocke, Clarksdale MS Farese, John Booth, Farese Farese & Farese, Oxford MS Fishman, Randall J., Ballin Ballin & Fishman, Memphis TN Gee, Jr., Peter Byron, Morgan & Morgan, Memphis TN Gordon, David E., Law Office of David E. Gordon, Memphis TN
Congratulations to Farris Bobango attorneys for their inclusion to 2017 Mid-South Super Lawyers: Richard D. Bennett, John A. Bobango, Robert S. Kirk Jr., Robert A. McLean, Robert F. Miller, Richard D. Underwood, Barry F. White, and Patricia E. Adrian to Rising Stars. Farris Bobango, PLC is a nationally recognized law ďŹ rm with a broad-ranging practice emphasizing business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, commercial real estate and government relations. The ďŹ rm’s government-relations group concentrates in matters involving state and local jurisdictions within Tennessee, assisting entities and individuals with navigation of government regulations and policies. Farris Bobango also dedicates particular focus to taxation, securities, civil litigation, including alternative dispute resolution, and land use and zoning. In addition, the ďŹ rm provides legal services in labor and employment, creditor’s rights, health care, intellectual property and environmental law.
Gordon, J. Houston, Gordon Shaw Law Group, Covington TN Pg. S-3 Graham, Kevin N., Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN Greer, Thomas R., Bailey & Greer, Memphis TN Hill, David W., Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
999 S. Shady Grove Road, Suite 500, Memphis, TN 38120 PH: (901) 259-7100 | FX: (901) 259-7150 www.farrisbobango.com
SUPER LAWYERS | MEMPHIS AREA 2017
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MEMPHIS AREA 2017 SUPER LAWYERS PI CONT’D FROM PAGE S-9
Toon, Shannon L., Taylor & Toon, Memphis TN Vines, Jr., Glenn K., Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN Wells, Phillip J., Wells & Wells, Jonesboro AR
Jones, Les, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN, 901-524-5000 Pg. S-3
LES JONES
BURCH PORTER & JOHNSON, PLLC .FNQIJT`ȕ
www.bpjlaw.com
Wiseman, Lang, Wiseman Bray, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
Martin, Jr., Bobby F., Morgan & Morgan, Memphis TN
PERSONAL INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: DEFENSE Anderson, Katherine “Kay� M., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Baskette, Kevin, Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN
McDaniel, Bobby R., McDaniel Law Firm, Jonesboro AR Pg. S-3 Merkel, III, Charles M., Merkel & Cocke, Clarksdale MS Merkel, Jr., Charles M., Merkel & Cocke, Clarksdale MS Pg. S-3
Pierce, Jr., J. William, Glankler Brown, Memphis TN Scott, W. Rowlett, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Smith, Bryan K., Pietrangelo Cook, Memphis TN Stemmler, John A., Bass Berry & Sims, Memphis TN Uhlhorn, V, T. Gaillard, Bass Berry & Sims, Memphis TN Warner, James C., Martin Tate Morrow & Marston, Memphis TN White, Barry F., Farris Bobango, Memphis TN, 901-259-7100 Pg. S-9
Mitchell, Cynthia I., Merkel & Cocke, Clarksdale MS
SECURITIES & CORPORATE FINANCE
Boyce, Donna L., Adams and Reese, Memphis TN
Morrell, Gary K., Morton & Germany, Memphis TN
Clark, Joseph M., Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN
Raiford, III, William B., Chapman Lewis & Swan, Clarksdale MS
Chafetz, Samuel D., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
Conley, Craig Creighton, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
Rosenblum, Jeffrey S., Rosenblum & Reisman, Memphis TN, 901-527-9600 Pg. S-3
Dunlap, Jr., William W., Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN Gilmer, Brad, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
JEFFREY S. ROSENBLUM
ROSENBLUM & REISMAN, P.C. .FNQIJT`ȕ
Smith, W. Bryan, Morgan & Morgan, Memphis TN
Harrison, Jennifer, Hall Booth Smith, Memphis TN
PERSONAL INJURY PRODUCTS: DEFENSE
Hayes, Jr., W. Timothy, The Hardison Law Firm, Memphis TN
Harrell, Charles C., Butler Snow, Memphis TN
Magee, Marcy Dodds, Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Malkin, Andrea N., Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN Mayer, Minton P., Wiseman Ashworth Law Group, Memphis TN McNabb, Tabitha F., Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN McNeill, Paul D., Reece Moore McNeill Pendergraft, Jonesboro AR Pg. S-3 Milam, S. Kirk, Hickman Goza & Spragins, Oxford MS Podesta, Eugene (Gene), Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Steinberg, Jill M., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Pg. S-3 Upchurch, David W., Upchurch & Upchurch, Tupelo MS
Morrow, Charles F., Butler Snow, Memphis TN
PERSONAL INJURY PRODUCTS: PLAINTIFF Chapman, Ralph E., Chapman Lewis & Swan, Clarksdale MS Pg. S-3
Fletcher, Gregory G., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY: DEFENSE Blair, Sam Berry, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Faughnan, Brian S., Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN Glassman, Richard, Glassman Wyatt Tuttle & Cox, Memphis TN Mitchell, Jerry E., Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN
Austin, Jr., Stewart G., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN
Cates, C. Thomas, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Chance, Michael B., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Harkavy, Ronald M., Harkavy Shainberg Kaplan & Dunstan, Memphis TN Humphreys, R. Hunter, Glankler Brown, Memphis TN Kahane, S. Joshua, Glankler Brown, Memphis TN
Geller, Mark N., Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN
Kirk, Jr., Robert S., Farris Bobango, Memphis TN, 901-259-7123 Pg. S-9
Graddy, Chad, Morgan & Morgan, Memphis TN
McLaren, Jr., James B., Adams and Reese, Memphis TN
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Laughlin, III, Harry W., Attorney at Law, Memphis TN, 901-218-7820
HARRY W. LAUGHLIN, III ATTORNEYÂ ATÂ LAW .FNQIJT`Č•
www.wislaughlin.com
TRANSPORTATION/MARITIME Bratton, G. Ray, Bratton & O’Neal, Memphis TN
Biggs, Lodie V., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
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Parker, Thomas L., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
TAX
Waddell, Paul D., Waddell Cole & Jones, Jonesboro AR
Cocke, John H., Merkel & Cocke, Clarksdale MS
STATE, LOCAL & MUNICIPAL
Edwards, Tim, Ballin Ballin & Fishman, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
Waddell, Amanda C., Rainey Kizer Reviere & Bell, Memphis TN
PERSONAL INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: PLAINTIFF
Cornaghie, Chris A., Attorney at Law, Memphis TN, 901-454-9888 Pg. S-11
Cooper, Berry, McNabb Bragorgos & Burgess, Memphis TN
REAL ESTATE
Wilson, James D., Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY
Griffith, Benjamin E., Griffith Law Firm, Oxford MS Pg. S-3
Upchurch, Robert K., Upchurch & Upchurch, Tupelo MS
Wheeler, John G., Mitchell McNutt & Sams, Tupelo MS Pg. S-3
Patterson, Lori H., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
www.rosenblumandreisman.com
Haltom, Jr., William H., Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
Johnson, J. Kimbrough, Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN Pg. S-3
SECURITIES LITIGATION
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION Anderson, S. Newton, Spicer Rudstrom, Memphis TN Hunt, Sean A., The Hunt Law Firm, Memphis TN, 901-730-0937
SEAN A. HUNT THE HUNT LAWÂ FIRM .FNQIJT`Č•
www.thehuntfirm.com Washburn, Kevin, Allen Summers Simpson Lillie & Gresham, Memphis TN
ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2.
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SPE C IAL ADV E RT ISIN G SE C T ION
MEMPHIS AREA 2017 SUPER LAWYERS MORGAN G. ADAMS
OLEN M. “MAC� BAILEY, JR.
JOHN R. CANNON, JR.
The Adams Building 1419 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402 Tel: 423-265-2020 Fax: 423-265-2025 adams@TruckWreckJustice.com www.TruckWreckJustice.com
5100 Wheelis Drive Suite 215 Memphis, TN 38117 Tel: 901-843-2760 Fax: 901-843-2761 ombailey@thebaileylawfirm.com www.thebaileylawfirm.com
6077 Primacy Parkway Suite 200 Memphis, TN 38119 Tel: 901-328-8227 Fax: 901-526-5056 jcannon@shuttleworthwilliams.com www.shuttleworthwilliams.com
PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: PLAINTIFF
ESTATE PLANNING & PROBATE &-%&3 -"8 &45"5& 53645 -*5*("5*0/
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION 1&340/"- */+63: (&/&3"- %&'&/4&
Recognized in the Top 100 Tennessee Super Lawyers list, Morgan Adams works directly with clients, co-counsel, and referring lawyers to help victims of truck and bus wrecks obtain justice. The firm is built on a foundation of experience, hard work, specialized knowledge and a relentless pursuit of a full recovery for clients. The firm’s reputation for excellence has caused it to be hired to work on these cases in 34 states. Board Certified as a Civil Trial Lawyer by NTBA, Morgan is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell and received the American Assoc. for Justice Trucking Litigation Group’s highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to being published in numerous legal texts and magazines, Morgan has trained thousands of lawyers to handle truck and bus wreck cases. The firm’s west coast office is Seattle Truck Law, PLLC.
Olen M. “Mac� Bailey, Jr. is an elder law, probate, and estate planning attorney licensed in Tennessee and Mississippi. Mac received his B.A. with High Honors from Millsaps College, his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law, and his Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in Elder Law with Honors from Stetson University College of Law. Mac is an Accredited Estate Planner (AEP) and member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. He was selected as one of the Mid-South’s Top Forty under 40 by the Memphis Business Journal and named a Five Star Wealth Manager and the Face of Elder Law by Memphis magazine. Mac has written articles for, and his advice has appeared in, numerous periodicals and he is a frequent guest lecturer and speaker in the areas of estate planning, elder law, and probate.
John R. Cannon, Jr. is a partner in Shuttleworth Williams, PLLC. Mr. Cannon is an experienced trial attorney who has handled personal injury cases for the plaintiff and the defendant in State and Federal Court at the trial and appellate levels. Mr. Cannon graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1971 and the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphries School of Law in 1974. Mr. Cannon has practiced law in the Memphis and West Tennessee area since 1976. He has been a partner in both The Hardison Law Firm and Shuttleworth Williams, PLLC. Mr. Cannon has also been a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Listed Mediator since 1999. He has mediated many complex matters, including medical malpractice and products liability cases.
CHRIS A. CORNAGHIE
MICHAEL G. DERRICK
MALCOLM B. FUTHEY III
2670 Union Avenue Extended Suite 819 Memphis, TN 38112 Tel: 901-454-9888 Fax: 901-458-9188 cornaghielawfirm@aol.com www.socialsecurityatty.com
6077 Primacy Parkway Suite 200 Memphis, TN 38119 Tel: 901-526-7399 Fax: 901-526-5056 mderrick@shuttleworthwilliams.com www.shuttleworthwilliams.com
1440 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38104 Tel: 901-725-7525 Fax: 901-726-3506 malcolm@futheylawfirm.com www.futheylawfirm.com
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY
INSURANCE COVERAGE 130'&44*0/"- -*"#*-*5: %&'&/4& (&/&3"- -*5*("5*0/
BUSINESS LITIGATION #64*/&44 $03103"5& $-"44 "$5*0/ ."44 50354
Chris A. Cornaghie, former attorney with the Social Security Administration, specializes in Social Security disability cases representing individuals throughout the Mid-South. He has 40 years of experience and is a certified Social Security Disability Advocate by the State of Tennessee and the National Board of Legal Specialty; less than 1 percent of all attorneys in Tennessee are certified experts in Social Security law. His practice also includes long-term disability claims under the ERISA Act. He is a frequent speaker and presenter on Social Security, a past President of the Federal Bar Association’s Memphis Mid-South Chapter, and past President of the University of Memphis Law School Alumni Association. He is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 listed Mediator.
Michael Derrick Chairs the Coverage Practice Group at Shuttleworth, PLLC. He has worked previously inside the insurance industry and has insurance and risk management program experience in both the domestic and London markets. Mike holds the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter professional designation and is a Fellow in the American College of Coverage and Extra-Contractual Counsel. He is regularly retained by stakeholders in coverage and indemnity matters. Prior to joining Shuttleworth he was Vice President and Counsel, at Willis in Nashville. Mike is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Civil Mediator; a Fellow in the Memphis Bar Foundation; and currently serves on appointment by the Tennessee Supreme Court as a Commissioner to the Tennessee Lawyer’s Assistance Program.
Mr. Futhey’s practice focuses on civil and commercial litigation. He also handles matters concerning business law, intellectual property, entertainment law, personal injury, class actions, bankruptcy, employment law, real estate, government law, and constitutional law. After graduating from Wake Forest University School of Law, Mr. Futhey clerked for the Honorable David R. Herndon, United States District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois. Mr. Futhey worked for prominent Tennessee firms before founding his own law firm in 2013. His published articles cover matters relating to employment law, Medicare law, and civil procedure.
SHEREE L. HOFFMAN
KEITH D. OBERT
7515 Corporate Centre Drive Memphis, TN 38138 Tel: 901-754-9994 Fax: 901-754-4071 sheree@hoffmanfamilylaw.com www.memphisdivorcehelp.com
750 Avignon Drive Suite 1 Ridgeland, MS 39157 Tel: 601-856-9690 Fax: 601-856-9686 obertlaw@bellsouth.net www.obertlawgroup.com
536$, 83&$, +645*$& 1--$
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Attorney Sheree Hoffman practices in the area of divorce and family law. She emphasizes the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution options when in the best interests of her clients. This includes utilizing Mediation, Collaborative Divorce and Settlement Conferences. She understands how important it is for clients to have a good relationship with their attorney during such a stressful time. She believes it is most important for both clients and the lawyer to concentrate on being solution focused. For over 30 years Sheree has assisted clients throughout Shelby and the surrounding counties with such issues as child custody, child support, alimony, property division, prenuptial agreements, post-divorce modifications, Juvenile court matters and domestic violence. She has published various articles on family law and mediation.
Mr. Obert is a Talladega, Alabama native, who grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. He is the senior litigation attorney for Obert Law Group, with offices in Ridgeland and Oxford, Mississippi. His personal injury practice includes the defense/prosecution of vehicular accidents, premises liability, products liability, toxic torts, and insurance coverage and UM/UIM claims. Keith is admitted to practice in most State and Federal Courts in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. He is a Certified Mediator and frequent CLE lecturer on trial practice, automobile accident litigation, depositions, and ethics throughout the Mid-South and Southeast. Keith is listed in Best’s Directory of Recommended Insurance Attorneys and Who’s Who in American Law, and was named the 2001 Outstanding Young Lawyer in Mississippi.
4)655-&8035) 1--$
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SUPER LAWYERS | MEMPHIS AREA 2017
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SPE C IAL ADV E RT ISIN G SE C T ION
MEMPHIS AREA 2017 RISING STARS
THE LIST BY PRIMARY AREA OF PRACTICE 5IF MJTU XBT GJOBMJ[FE BT PG .BZ "OZ VQEBUFT UP UIF MJTU GPS FYBNQMF TUBUVT DIBOHFT PS EJTRVBMJGZJOH FWFOUT XJMM CF SFGMFDUFE PO TVQFSMBXZFST DPN /BNFT BOE QBHF OVNCFST JO RED JOEJDBUF B QSPGJMF PO UIF TQFDJČŽFE QBHF 1IPOF OVNCFST JODMVEFE POMZ GPS BUUPSOFZT XJUI QBJE 3JTJOH 4UBST QSJOU BEWFSUJTFNFOUT Only attorneys who data verified with Super Lawyers for current year included on this list. All current selections reflected on superlawyers.com profiles.
AVIATION & AEROSPACE Cresswell, Jr., James L., Petkoff & Feigelson, Memphis TN
BANKRUPTCY: BUSINESS Hagan, M. Ruthie, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Langley, Adam M., Butler Snow, Memphis TN
CIVIL LITIGATION: PLAINTIFF
FAMILY LAW
McCormack, Kevin M., Ballin Ballin & Fishman, Memphis TN Webb, Chris J., Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, Memphis TN, 901-762-0535 Pg. S-7
Cantrell, Luke P., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Lebair, IV, Harry W., Allen Summers Simpson Lillie & Gresham, Memphis TN Shannon, Jessica Benton, Allen Summers Simpson Lillie & Gresham, Memphis TN
Arthur, Megan, Evans | Petree, Memphis TN Coe, J. Matthew, Rogers Coe & Sumpter, West Memphis AR, 870-735-1900 Pg. S-13 Davis, Anne B., Butler Sevier Hinsley & Reid, Memphis TN Gill, Lisa J., Butler Sevier Hinsley & Reid, Memphis TN Hisaw, J. Wesley, Holland Law, Horn Lake MS Holyfield, Lori R., Attorney at Law, Memphis TN Rice, Nick, Rice Amundsen & Caperton, Memphis TN, 901-526-6701 Pg. S-2 Thomas, Justin K., Thomas Family Law Firm, Germantown TN White, Leigh Taylor, Shea Moskovitz & McGhee, Memphis TN, 901-821-0044 Pg. S-13
CRIMINAL DEFENSE
GENERAL LITIGATION
CONSTRUCTION LITIGATION
Ballin, Blake D., Ballin Ballin & Fishman, Memphis TN Fuchs, Lauren M., The Law Office of Massey McClusky McClusky & Fuchs, Memphis TN, 901-384-4004 Pg. S-5 Ginn, Tyler C., Tyler Ginn Attorney at Law, Marion AR Hamilton, Daniel, The Hamilton Law Firm, Memphis TN Lee, J. Jeffrey, The Law Office of J. Jeffrey Lee, Memphis TN McClusky, Joseph A., The Law Office of Massey McClusky McClusky & Fuchs, Memphis TN, 901-384-4004 Pg. S-5
BUSINESS LITIGATION Brown IV, Byron N., Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, Memphis TN Christoff, Annie T., Bass Berry & Sims, Memphis TN Comes, Diana M., Butler Snow, Memphis TN Conway, Kannon C., Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN Cramblitt, Jr., Stephen J. (Joey), Phelps Dunbar, Tupelo MS Floyd, Amber D., Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, Memphis TN Martin, Laura, Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN Mathis, Andre B., Glankler Brown, Memphis TN Mulqueen, Matthew, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Nelson, Jonathan E., Bass Berry & Sims, Memphis TN Perry, Gadson William (Will), Butler Snow, Memphis TN Read, Nathan A., Mitchell Williams Selig Gates & Woodyard, Jonesboro AR Shelat, Kavita, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Skertich, Ryan, Glankler Brown, Memphis TN Tom, Robert F., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Tullis, Mary Wu, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Whitlock, Derek E., Harkavy Shainberg Kaplan & Dunstan, Memphis TN Yoakum, Brian L., Evans | Petree, Memphis TN
EMPLOYMENT & LABOR
CIVIL LITIGATION: DEFENSE
EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION: PLAINTIFF
Hensley, II, John, Allen Summers Simpson Lillie & Gresham, Memphis TN Houston, II, Earl W., Martin Tate Morrow & Marston, Memphis TN Jordan, Russell B., Hickman Goza & Spragins, Memphis TN McNees, Edward R. (Russ), Holcomb Dunbar Watts Best Masters & Golmon, Oxford MS Moore, Melisa, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Patrick, Charles R., Leitner Williams Dooley & Napolitan, Memphis TN Scott, Shea S., Daniel Coker Horton & Bell, Oxford MS
Ashby, Bryce W., Donati Law, Memphis TN Crandall Osowski, Janelle, Donati Law, Memphis TN
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Bailey, Laura Ann Elizabeth, The Crone Law Firm, Memphis TN, 901-737-7740 Pg. S-6, S-13 Calkins, Audrey M., Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart, Memphis TN Coble, Kacy, Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete, Memphis TN Harmon, Whitney M., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Lewis, Lisa Scatamacchia, Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart, Memphis TN Parkey, Justin E., Waddell Cole & Jones, Jonesboro AR Wooten, William A., Wooten Law Office, Covington TN
Embry, Kate M., Mayo Mallette, Oxford MS Lamar, III, John Thomas (Trey), Lamar & Hannaford, Senatobia MS Lyons, Lewis W., Glassman Wyatt Tuttle & Cox, Memphis TN Neill, A. Blake, Mathews Rhea Haas & Neill, Somerville TN Snyder, Jr., Steven N., McAngus Goudelock & Courie, Memphis TN Webb, Abigail J., Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN
HEALTH CARE Garner, Marianne C., Butler Snow, Memphis TN Joy, Justin, Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Schrantz, Stephen D., Schrantz Law Firm, Jonesboro AR
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LITIGATION Baldridge, Adam S., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION: DEFENSE
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
Busey, Zachary, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Day, Frank L., FordHarrison, Memphis TN Fulgham, Steven, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Kuo, Eileen, Jackson Lewis, Memphis TN Leyes, Courtney, Fisher & Phillips, Memphis TN McGaha, Gabriel, Fisher & Phillips, Memphis TN Peeples, Gary, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Redden, Emma, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
Baer, Cara, Butler Snow, Memphis TN Brackstone, Emily, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Campbell, Jay, Adams and Reese, Memphis TN
ESTATE PLANNING & PROBATE Coats, Christopher J., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Grice, Chasity Sharp, Peppel Grice & Palazzolo, Memphis TN Hawkins, W. Curt, Waddell Cole & Jones, Jonesboro AR Malin, Robert D., Williams McDaniel, Memphis TN Nichols, John B., Nichols Group, Oxford MS
PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: DEFENSE Frulla, W. Christopher, Rainey Kizer Reviere & Bell, Memphis TN
PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: PLAINTIFF Burgoyne, Garry M., Burgoyne Law Offices, Olive Branch MS Cossey, Daniel G., Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN Emerson, Adam B., Bridgforth & Buntin, Southaven MS Fairchilds, Derek O., Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN Guess, Seth A., Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN Higgins, Charles Silvestri, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN Johnson, Adam H., Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN Johnson, Tressa V., Johnson & Bennett, Memphis TN, 901-402-6515 Pg. S-13
TRESSA V. JOHNSON
JOHNSON & BENNETT, PLLC .FNQIJT`ȕ
www.myjbfirm.com
ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO RISING STARS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2.
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SPE C IAL ADV E RT ISIN G SE C T ION
MEMPHIS AREA 2017 RISING STARS Koon, Sarah K., The Gold Law Firm, Memphis TN May, Matthew, Rosenblum & Reisman, Memphis TN, 901-527-9600 Pg. S-3
MATTHEW MAY ROSENBLUM & REISMAN, P.C. .FNQIJT`ȕ
www.rosenblumandreisman.com McClelland, Jr., Andrew W., Morgan & Morgan, Memphis TN Reaves, Henry, Reaves Law Firm, Memphis TN
SECURITIES & CORPORATE FINANCE
TAX
Siddiqui, Sehrish, Bass Berry & Sims, Memphis TN
Lewis, Philip M., Bass Berry & Sims, Memphis TN
Yonchak, Drew, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
TRANSPORTATION/MARITIME
SECURITIES LITIGATION White, Matthew G., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
Shaw, Amber Griffin, Gordon Shaw Law Group, Covington TN
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY
Shea, Erin Melton, Wiseman Bray, Memphis TN
Vinson, Christina B., Morgan & Morgan, Memphis TN
Webber, Tiffany L., Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN Woodard, Jared, Stanley & Woodard Law Firm, Jonesboro AR
PERSONAL INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: DEFENSE Alexander, IV, John O., Rainey Kizer Reviere & Bell, Memphis TN Bennett, Samantha E., Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN Bursi, Natalie, Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop, Memphis TN Carlson, Quinn Nemeyer, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Isaacman Yohey, Leslie, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Kavanagh, Julia, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN Meriwether, J. Caleb, Rainey Kizer Reviere & Bell, Memphis TN
PERSONAL INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: PLAINTIFF
STATE, LOCAL & MUNICIPAL Wyatt, William J., Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN
LAURA ANN ELIZABETH BAILEY 5)& $30/& -"8 '*3. 1-$ 88 Union Avenue 14th Floor Memphis, TN 38103 Tel: 901-737-7740 Fax: 901-474-7926 lbailey@cronelawfirmplc.com www.cronelawfirmplc.com
REAL ESTATE Adrian, Patricia, Farris Bobango, Memphis TN, 901-259-7100 Pg. S-9 Gabriel, Matthew P., Martin Tate Morrow & Marston, Memphis TN Mason, Laura Kessler, Harkavy Shainberg Kaplan & Dunstan, Memphis TN McLeod, Scott M., Bass Berry & Sims, Memphis TN Purdom, Clayton C., Martin Tate Morrow & Marston, Memphis TN Steffens, IV, George V. “Harley�, Evans | Petree, Memphis TN Stevens, Jr., John P., Delta Title Services, Memphis TN
Cannon, Kyle I., Glassman Wyatt Tuttle & Cox, Memphis TN May, Jonathan Louis, Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN Rejaei, Monica R., Nahon Saharovich & Trotz, Memphis TN Renfroe, Jared S., Spicer Rudstrom, Memphis TN Rhoads, Miranda, Morgan & Morgan, Memphis TN
J. MATTHEW COE
30(&34 $0&` 46.15&3 123 West Broadway, Suite A PO Box 1666 West Memphis, AR 72303 Tel: 870-735-1900 Fax: 870-735-1662 jmatthewcoe@aol.com www.westmemphisattorney.com
FAMILY LAW 1&340/"- */+63: (&/&3"- 1-"*/5*'' #64*/&44 -*5*("5*0/
Laura earned her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Tennessee and her law degree at the University of Memphis. She has extensive experience in employment law, personal injury and worker’s compensation. She’s passionate about the rights of people with disabilities and has taken pro bono cases fighting for their right to medical care. She and her husband Mark recently welcomed their first baby boy in March 2017. They like to escape to the white sand beaches of the Gulf Coast whenever time permits.
J. Matthew Coe is a partner with the law firm of Rogers Coe & Sumpter in West Memphis, Arkansas. His primary practice areas are family law and civil litigation. Since graduating law school in 2005, he has been admitted to practice before both state and federal courts in Arkansas and Tennessee. Mr. Coe is currently serving on the House of Delegates of the Arkansas Bar Association and is an active participant in the Arkansas Bar Association and Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Coe’s work has been recognized by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys (Top Ten under 40 in Arkansas), and he has presented several seminars for the Arkansas Bar Association and Memphis Bar Association on family law and court procedure. Mr. Coe is also the deputy prosecuting attorney for Crittenden County, Arkansas.
TRESSA V. JOHNSON
LEIGH TAYLOR WHITE
1331 Union Avenue Suite 1226 Memphis, TN 38104 Tel: 901-402-6515 Fax: 901-462-8629 tressa@myjbfirm.com www.myjbfirm.com
530 Oak Court Drive Suite 355 Memphis, TN 38117 Tel: 901-821-0044 Fax: 901-821-0057 ltwhite@smmfamilylaw.com www.sheamoskovitzmcghee.com
PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: PLAINTIFF &.1-0:.&/5 -*5*("5*0/ 1-"*/5*''
FAMILY LAW &45"5& 1-"//*/( 130#"5& (&/&3"- -*5*("5*0/
Tressa V. Johnson, a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, is known for winning large verdicts and fighting vigorously for her clients. She has dedicted her nearly decadelong career to personal injury recovery and employment law. Ms. Johnson is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which admits only those lawyers who have won million dollar judgments for their clients. Attorney is a licensed member of the Tennessee and Mississippi Bars. She fights every single day for her clients and it is their strength in the face of great adversity that motivates her.
Ms. White is a native of Batesville, Mississippi. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy from Rhodes College in 2002, she attended the University of Mississippi School of Law, where she received her Juris Doctor Degree in 2005. Upon graduating law school, Ms. White clerked for the Honorable David M. Ishee of the Mississippi Court of Appeals. She has significant experience in civil litigation, including family law, federal civil rights, business disputes, employment law, and contested estates. Ms. White concentrates her practice on the areas of divorce, child custody/parenting, alimony, child support, adoption, parentage/paternity, and prenuptial agreements. She practices at both the trial court and appellate court levels.
Gibson, Tannera George, Burch Porter & Johnson, Memphis TN
Stokes, Jonathan, Glassman Wyatt Tuttle & Cox, Memphis TN
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
EMPLOYMENT & LABOR &.1-0:.&/5 -*5*("5*0/ 1-"*/5*'' 1&340/"- */+63: (&/&3"- 1-"*/5*''
Arnold, Deena K., Jehl Law Group, Memphis TN
PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY: DEFENSE
Kinsella, Ronna D., Glassman Wyatt Tuttle & Cox, Memphis TN Shelton, John K., Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, Memphis TN Wilson, Mason W., Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, Memphis TN
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GREAT MEMPHIS HOMES
SNOW LAKE
Peggy McKnight’s handsome and well-appointed porch is the perfect perch to survey the Snow Lake scene. 62 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7
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A visitor’s view of a remarkable arts community in northern Mississippi.
by a n n e c u n n i n gh a m o ’ n ei l l | p h otograp hy by c h i p pa n k e y D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 63
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great memphis homes
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W
hen friends first told me about a wonderful place nearby called Snow Lake, I was baff led; I couldn’t figure out what such a place might have to do w ith Memphis. “Snow Lake” sounded to me like a resort that belonged in the wilds of Wyoming or Montana. How wrong I was! In fact Snow Lake is a privately owned 1,230-acre lake in Benton County, Mississippi, located just about an hour’s drive southeast of Memphis. Fifteen miles east of Holly Springs, and four miles west of the small town of Ashland, Snow Lake is surrounded by scenic roads and fields in every direction. Formed when a local stream was dammed, this gorgeous, spring-fed lake is the heart of the small resort community of Snow Lake Shores, established in 1958.
left: The Baudoin/Campbell cottage's gorgeous terrace has a touch of French formality to it — the better for hosting soirees for friends and neighbors.
above: The screen door and hammock at Carol DeForest and Barron Boyd's home are iconic images of lazy days at Snow Lake.
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great memphis homes
Snow Lake Shores also includes Friendship and Freedom Parks, a community center, a town beach, and some picnic tables. That’s all, folks! Not exactly Pickwick. 66 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7
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left: Peggy McKnight, known by friends as the “lady of the lake,” takes the helm of her pontoon boat with beloved pooch Bella. below: Christine and Carroll Todd’s purple bedroom provides a bright jolt of color in their “midcentury meets the lake” home.
The original 300 houses that ring the lake, on both its east and west sides, were built as simple, no-frills fishing cabins. Over the years, however, many of these have been modernized and/ or renovated. A big plus is that Snow is a “no wake lake,” which means no jet skis or power boats, but lazy summer days spent on pontoon boats in a peaceful environment. Snow Lake Shores also includes Friendship and Freedom Parks, a community center, a town beach, and some picnic tables. That’s all, folks! Not exactly Pickwick. Aside from the natural charms obvious in this hilly location on the edge of the Holly Springs Wildlife Refuge, what makes
this place unique is that it has become something of a weekend artists colony for a group of well-known Memphians — a “bohemian Horseshoe Lake,” one might say. Many of the property owners are part of a creative set that includes Memphis-based painters, sculptors, interior and floral designers, and landscapers. I learned that what also makes this place so special is many residents have become close friends — some long before they came to Snow Lake — and socialize with each other regularly. All agree that Snow Lake is a perfect getaway to “decompress” while detaching from hectic lives in the city. Our photog rapher, Chip
Pankey, along with his wife Janis and myself, recently visited Snow Lake on a beautiful fall weekend to take photographs and interview this lively Memphis coterie. In the process, doors were literally thrown open, and we were entertained royally. Our tour guide, someone who might be considered “the lady of the lake,” was Peggy McKnight, who lives at Snow Lake Shores full-time and knows all there is to know about the lake and its residents. We photographed her lovely home, as well as the homes of Christine and Carroll Todd, Cecil Humphreys and Brian Wamble, Greg Baudoin and Greg Campbell, and Carol DeForest
above: Michael and Melinda Wayt are talented professional landscapers, which is clearly evident in this idyllic view of their lakefront property.
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above: It’s no surprise the living room of the Baudoin/Campbell cottage, with its dramatic Michael Crespo Ibis painting, is surely one of the most beautifully decorated rooms on the lake.
and her husband, Barron Boyd. Given the artistic bent of all concerned, their homes, not surprisingly, have colorful art on the walls and splendid views of the lake, made spectacular in late October by the backdrop of colorful fall foliage. We also ran into Michael and Melinda Wayt, owners of Landscape Works in Memphis, and dashed over to photograph their expertly (of course!) landscaped lake-front property backing up to acres of unspoiled woodlands. Upon our arrival, we lunched
with Ms. McKnight, whose home is full of colorful souvenirs and artifacts from her travels, many from Guatemala. Her walls are filled with distinguished artworks including Walter Anderson paintings and an original Andy Warhol silkscreen. She told us that she had been looking for a place to retire having traveled as far afield as Canada, California, and yes, Guatemala too. However, after visiting Snow Lake as a guest of Memphis artist Valerie Berlin and her husband Tom Edwards, she bought a
place three days later. McKnight’s lake house was built in 1978 and was in “pretty good shape, relatively speaking,” she says. She added two porches and a patio, redid the kitchen and has lived there happily and comfortably for 14 years. Her great friend and designer, Margaret Barton, was a tremendous help with the interior design. McKnight is herself an artist — she had a show at Askew Nixon Ferguson earlier this year — and paints four to six hours a day. Her late father, Bob
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McKnight, was himself a sculptor and a former director of Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. We then dropped by to visit genial Greg Baudoin, owner of Greg Baudoin Interior Design, who shares a weekend retreat with Greg Campbell, floral designer and co-owner of Memphis' Garden District. Their house is a dreamy little white-shingled cottage, decorated in a rustic-lakeside chic style. They bought their place in 2013 and although the footprint is the same, it has been entirely rebuilt. Among many changes, the windows were enlarged to capture an excellent panoramic view, and the vaulted ceilings also add
a sense of space. Theirs is a haven to rest and relax, along with their two rescue dogs, Renard and Percy, and to entertain friends. I asked Baudoi n (Greg Campbell was away) if they had many houseguests, and he replied with a warm smile: “None.” The property is particularly large as they bought two adjoining lots,
Carroll Todd is a nationally known sculptor represented by David Lusk Gallery in Memphis.
top right: Cecil Humphreys’ modern A-frame cabin was movein ready and fully furnished to boot when he took possession. bottom right: Vintage French posters and other artworks line the stairs in the Todd home.
and there is a winding path down to their boat dock. It is a beautiful home, though, of course, I expected nothing less from this talented design duo. We moved on to visit Cecil Humphreys and co-owner Brian Wamble. We passed Brian on a dog walk but caught up with Cecil in their spacious, contemporary A-frame house. Humphreys is famed for his artistic talent in creating fine, sculptural bronze bowls and other vessels. Unlike many of the other houses, his was not a fixer-upper and it came fully furnished. The back stor y is that Humphreys kept hearing from people about a place called Snow Lake, and these were “all people that he liked.” So after the sixth mention of this wondrous locale, he went to take a look and soon thereafter bought his house. At Peggy McKnight’s suggestion, we had dinner Saturday night at the Marshall Steakhouse in Holly Springs since there isn’t much of a dining scene around Snow Lake. The restaurant was bustling with guests and music, and we were warmly welcomed by proprietor Randall Swaney. A highpoint of our visit was receiving an invitation to one of the Todds’ famous Sunday brunches. This very busy couple regularly prepares an incredible and seemingly effortless seated meal for at least 20 of their friends and neighbors. Our timing was perfect this particular weekend because brunch was in celebration of Peggy McKnight’s birthday. Carroll Todd is a nationally known sculptor represented by David Lusk Gallery in Memphis; Christine is a retired art teacher. Carroll Todd does a lot of the work on their house himself which has
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top: The Baudoin/Campbell kitchen is compact but still very functional — the perfect place for the preparation of gourmet meals. bottom right: The eclecticism of Carol DeForest and Barron Boyd’s lakeside cottage is clearly evident in the décor of their living room — look at all those interesting chairs!
Snow Lake is a perfect getaway to “decompress” while detaching from hectic lives in the city. become a pragmatic weekend hobby, although he admits that the pace of renovation is slow. I heard someone describe the Todd home as “mid-century meets the lake,” which seemed a perfect description, although Christine’s original Paris poster art adds a touch of international glamor. Frank and Carol Fourmy were part of the brunch fun, and Frank told me that the Todd home had
once belonged to his family (albeit in an unrenovated fishing-cabin state!). Fourmy has many fond memories of weekends spent at Snow Lake as a child. Artist Carol DeForest and her husband, Barron Boyd, the busy director of international programs at Rhodes, were unfortunately not at home when we visited; luckily, Chip Pankey had photographed their place
on a previous weekend. I was told theirs was a significant renovation project, and that some of the furniture was found at Habitat for Humanity’s Restore on Winchester. The house is definitely eclectic, with a mid-century modern vibe. The DeForest/ Boyd home is famous in the neighborhood in that theirs is a pink house, with a pink boat and pink marble in the kitchen. They clearly “think pink,” as the saying goes! After my visit to this idyllic spot as a guest of such a cultured and hospitable group of Memphians, I well understand why visitors often decide to call a local real estate broker immediately. It is a very special place. By the way, in answer to my question about Snow Lake’s puzzling name, Peggy McKnight told me when surveyors were first in the area some 60 years ago, it was springtime. The ground was blanketed with dogwood blossoms, so much so that the landscape looked snowy. And there you have it!
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PEOPLE LOVE MAGAZINES.
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2165 West Street, Germantown, TN 38138 (901) 754-0540 • memphissmiledesigns.com
DR. WHITTEMORE WAS NAMED BEST FAMILY DENTIST BY THE READERS OF MEMPHIS PARENT, and is honored to be named a 2017 Top Dentist in Memphis. A welcoming new patient experience answers your every question as we work together to develop your plan for optimal health and appearance. CONSCIOUS SEDATION is also always available. You’ll be so comfortable and won’t remember a thing! Dr. Whittemore is a sustaining member of the Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and trained under the best in cosmetic and complex restorative dentistry. Named BEST FAMILY DENTIST by the readers of Memphis Parent magazine, he is again included in Memphis Top Dentists. An amazing dental experience awaits you. Be sure to visit our informative website for lots of before and after photos and video testimonials! memphissmiledesigns.com • (901) 754-0540.
John Whittemore, DDS
ARTISTRY. EXPERTISE. CARE. COMFORT. Dr. Todd Gruen named a 2017 Top Dentist.
Dr. Todd Gruen, a native Memphian, has again been voted a top dentist in Memphis. His experience and amazing team have helped him create the unique type of practice that you and your family deserve. Dr. Gruen creates beautiful cosmetic and general dentistry. He has a gorgeous office with the newest technology. One-on-one consultation time is always set aside to listen to your needs. Sedation dentistry allows for stress-free care. ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF COSMETIC DENTISTRY AND EXTENSIVE TRAINING FROM THE DAWSON CENTER AND KOIS CENTER. See videos of happy patients at memphissmiledesigns.com • (901) 754-0540.
Todd Gruen, DDS
COSMETIC DENTISTRY Dr. Mickey Bernstein named a 2017 Top Dentist.
ACCREDITED MEMBER • 2008-2009 PRESIDENT FELLOW ACADEMY OF GENERAL DENTISTRY • FELLOW AMERICAN COLLEGE OF DENTISTS • FELLOW INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF DENTISTS • ALUMNUS L D PANKEY INSTITUTE • L D PANKEY INSTITUTE RESTORATIVE CONTINUUM
ENHANCING SMILES – CHANGING LIVES – FOR OVER 40 YEARS (901) 754-0540 • MICKEYBERNSTEINDDS.COM
Mickey Bernstein, DDS
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SPECIA L A DVERTISING SECTION
TOP DENTISTS 2017
T
his list is excerpted from the 2017 topDentists™ list, a database which includes listings for more than 125 dentists and specialists in the Memphis Metropolitan area. The Memphis area list is based on thousands of detailed evaluations of dentists and professionals by their peers. The complete database is available at usatopdentists.com. For more information call 706-364-0853; write P.O. Box 970, Augusta, GA 30903; email info@usatopdentists.com, or visit usatopdentists.com
SELECTION PROCESS
“If you had a patient in need of a dentist, which dentist would you refer them to?” This is the question we’ve asked thousands of dentists to help us determine who the topDentists should be. Dentists and specialists are asked to take into consideration years of experience, continuing education, manner with patients, use of new techniques and technologies and of course physical results. The nomination pool of dentists consists of dentists listed online with the American Dental Association, as well as dentists listed online with their local dental societies, thus allowing virtually every dentist the opportunity to participate. Dentists are also given the opportunity to nominate other dentists that they feel should be included in our list. Respondents are asked to put aside any personal bias or political motivations and to use only their knowledge of their peer’s work when evaluating the other nominees. Voters are asked to individually evaluate the practitioners on their ballot whose work they are familiar with. Once the balloting is completed, the scores are compiled and then averaged. The numerical average required for inclusion varies depending
on the average for all the nominees within the specialty and the geographic area. Borderline cases are given careful consideration by the editors. Voting characteristics and comments are taken into consideration while making decisions. Past awards a dentist has received and status in various dental academies can play a factor in our decision. Once the decisions have been finalized, the included dentists are checked against state dental boards for disciplinary actions to make sure they have an active license and are in good standing with the board. Letters of congratulations are sent to the listed dentists. Of course there are many fine dentists who are not included in this representative list. It is intended as a sampling of the great body of talent in the field of dentistry in the United States. A dentist’s inclusion on our list is based on the subjective judgments of his or her fellow dentists. While it is true that the lists may at times disproportionately reward visibility or popularity, we remain confident that our polling methodology largely corrects for any biases and that these lists continue to represent the most reliable, accurate, and useful list of dentists available anywhere.
DISCLAIMER: This list is excerpted from the 2017 topDentists™ list, which includes listings for more than 125 dentists and specialists in the Memphis Metropolitan area. For more information call 706-364-0853 or email info@usatopdentists.com or visit usatopdentists.com. topDentists has used its best efforts in assembling material for this list but does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. Copyright 2009-2017 by topDentists, Augusta, GA. All rights reserved. This list, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without permission of topDentists. No fees may be charged, directly or indirectly, for the use of the information in this list without permission. D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 73
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2017
TOP DENTISTS ENDODONTICS ROBERT J. CLAYTON 6209 Poplar Avenue, Suite 220 Memphis, TN 38119 901-767-6673 KENAN D. CLINTON 6401 Poplar Avenue, Suite 260 Memphis, TN 38119 901-682-8847 clintonendo.com PAUL M. CURTIS, JR. 2804 East Matthews Avenue Jonesboro, AR 72401 870-972-6226 BRADLEY M. HARRIS Memphis Endodontics 1755 Kirby Parkway, Suite 103 Memphis, TN 38120 901-761-0180 memphisrootcanal.com TYLER W. LOVELACE Oxford Endodontics 1209 Office Park Drive Oxford, MS 38655 662-236-0098 oxfordendodontics.com MICHAEL P. LOWERY North Mississippi Endodontics 5740 Getwell Road, Suite 10-A Southaven, MS 38672 662-890-3196 northmsendo.com EDWARD M. MACK Mack Endodontics 704 West Brookhaven Circle Memphis, TN 38117 901-683-2221 mackendodontics.com BRYCE F. MCCREARY McCreary Endodontics 7865 Educators Lane, Suite 120 Memphis, TN 38133 901-380-7994 mccrearyendodontics.com J. O’FARRELL SHOEMAKER 1036 Oakhaven Road Memphis, TN 38119 901-374-9600 shoemaker-dental.glf-hosting.com L. KEVIN WELLS Memphis Endodontics 1755 Kirby Parkway, Suite 103 Memphis, TN 38120 901-761-0180 memphisrootcanal.com
GENERAL DENTISTRY JAMES H. ANDERSON 975 Reddoch Cove Memphis, TN 38119 901-682-2491 MARY A. AUBERTIN University of Tennessee School of Dentistry 875 Union Avenue Memphis, TN 38163 901-448-6227 uthsc.edu/dentistry JAMES G. AVERY Avery & Meadows 3491 Walnut Grove Road Memphis, TN 38111 901-452-0040 averyandmeadows.com MICKEY E. BERNSTEIN Germantown Dental Group 2165 West Street Germantown, TN 38138 901-754-0540 mickeybernsteindds.com GERALD F. BILLIONS Kirby Parkway Dental Group 3337 Kirby Parkway Memphis, TN 38115 901-362-5763 BLAKE T. BILLUPS 5170 Sanderlin Avenue, Suite 203 Memphis, TN 38117 901-767-3603 ALAN O. BLANTON Aesthetic Dentistry of Collierville 362 New Byhalia Road, Suite 3 Collierville, TN 38017 901-853-8116 mycolliervilledentist.com ROBERT E. CALDWELL Caldwell Family Dentistry 8232 US Highway 51 North Millington, TN 38053 901-872-7179 caldwelldentistry.com JENNIFER D. COCHRAN Evergreen Family Dentistry 1723 Kirby Parkway Memphis, TN 38120 901-757-9696 evergreenfamilydentistry.com CHRISTOPHER E. COOLEY 7938 Wolf River Boulevard Germantown, TN 38138 901-754-3117 cooleydds.com
JOHN S. COVINGTON III 930 Madison Avenue, Suite 600 Memphis, TN 38103 901-448-8609 RYAN K. DAGEN Dental Excellence 5180 Park Avenue Memphis, TN 38119 901-457-1908 dentalexcellencepc.com SCOTT A. EDWARDS 6250 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38119 901-681-0011 scottedwardsdds.com H. STEVEN FERGUS Church Health Center 1350 Concourse Avenue, Suite 142 Memphis, TN 38104 901-272-0003 churchhealthcenter.org CLAYTON C. FLORIANI Pediatric Dental Group 6611 Kirby Center Cove Memphis, TN 38115 901-363-8192 pdg4kids.com JEFF P. FRIZZELL 785 Estate Place, Suite 2 Memphis, TN 38120 901-766-9002 jeffpfrizzelldds.com S. DWAIN GAITHER Quail Hollow Family Dentistry 6425 Quail Hollow Road, Suite 102 Memphis, TN 38120 901-767-3020 sdgaither.com TODD D. GRUEN Germantown Dental Group 2165 West Street Germantown, TN 38138 901-754-0540 memphissmiledesigns.com CHARLES E. HARBISON 730 Goodman Road East, Suite A Southaven, MS 38671 662-349-2351 LAWRENCE A. HIGGINBOTHAM Dental Partners - White Station 717 South White Station Road, Suite 8 Memphis, TN 38177 901-747-4611 dental-partners.com E. DAVID IJAMS Cordova Dental 8333 Cordova Road Cordova, TN 38016 901-759-0999 cordovadental.com JEFFREY A. KALMOWICZ 5180 Park Avenue, Suite 140 Memphis, TN 38119 901-683-7309 perfectiondentistry.com DAVID T. KIZER Kizer Dental Associates 7685 Wolf River Circle, Suite 102 Germantown, TN 38138 901-767-4882 kizerdentalassociates.com
ELIZABETH H. LEE Dr. Lee’s Beautiful Smiles 5180 Park Avenue, Suite 280 Memphis, TN 38119 901-763-1600 elizabethleedds.com STEPHEN J. LINDSEY Dental Excellence 5180 Park Avenue, Suite 310 Memphis, TN 38119 901-457-1908 dentalexcellencepc.com MARK C. MACGAW Modern Dentistry of Memphis 6750 Poplar Avenue, Suite 700 Germantown, TN 38138 901-761-3726 drjohnreddick.com WILLIAM H. MCHORRIS 3100 Walnut Grove Road, Suite 302 Memphis, TN 38111 901-454-0660 drmchorris.com DAN T. MEADOWS Avery & Meadows 3491 Walnut Grove Road Memphis, TN 38111 901-452-0040 averyandmeadows.com S. JEFFERSON MOORE, JR. Olive Branch Dental Care 8935 Goodman Road Olive Branch, MS 38654 662-895-5012 olivebranchdental.com CLAY T. NELSON 871 Mount Moriah Road Memphis, TN 38117 901-682-4366 DEBORAH F. NEWSOM 6603 Summer Knoll Cove Bartlett, TN 38134 901-373-7144 STEVEN M. PARKHURST Parkhurst & Savage 730 Crossover Lane Memphis, TN 38117 901-683-4369 drparkhurst.com MICHAEL L. PARRISH 6363 Stage Road Bartlett, TN 38134 901-386-5757 parrishdentistry.com NISHEL PATEL Avery & Meadows 3491 Walnut Grove Road Memphis, TN 38111 901-452-0040 averyandmeadows.com THOMAS C. PATTERSON 776 Mount Moriah Road Memphis, TN 38117 901-683-5239 PATRICK R. PERSON 7675 Wolf River Circle, Suite 201 Germantown, TN 38138 901-681-0777 persondds.com JULIA A. PRINCE 6250 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38119 901-681-0011 scottedwardsdds.com
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20,000 Dental Implants … and Counting Dr. Roger Craddock (right), Dr. Mitchel Godat (left) and the hygienists and team at Periodontal Associates of Memphis take pride in helping their patients get and maintain a healthy mouth and smile. For nearly 50 years, this group has provided personalized solutions for each patient, from laser treatments and cosmetic periodontal surgeries to dental implants and other procedures and therapies. Having placed more than 20,000 dental implants, the team offers a specialty treatment that’s a variation to standard implants called All-on-4®. To uphold a denture, this technique uses just four implants, which are strategically placed to deliver a minimally invasive, long-lasting solution for missing teeth. The procedure is cost-effective while offering strength, durability and fast results. Because the All-on-4 dental implants are like bionic teeth, acting as tooth root substitutes, patients can taste food again, enjoy a strong bite, banish bad breath and messy goo, and have secure teeth that look and feel healthier. It’s a life-changing, permanent solution. A periodontal surgeon for 28 years, Dr. Craddock is a member and past president of the Memphis Dental Society and the Tennessee Society of Periodontists. Dr. Godat is a board-certified periodontist and lectures at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Dr. Godat also serves as the Executive Director of the MidSouth Mission of Mercy, a free dental clinic. To offer support or a donation, please email info@MidSouthMissionofMercy.org. Both doctors have been named Top Periodontists in Memphis for the past seven years.
The exceptional team at Periodontal Associates of Memphis is ready to help you smile again.
Call today: 901.761.3770 or 800.824.1628 www. Per i o M e m .c o m
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JOHN G. REDDICK Modern Dentistry of Memphis 6750 Poplar Avenue, Suite 700 Germantown, TN 38138 901-761-3726 drjohnreddick.com KEVIN D. REED Reed Family Dentistry 8020 US Highway 51 North Millington, TN 38053 901-872-3391 reedfamilydentistry.com MEHDI SADEGHI-GHAHROODI Smile Center Memphis 6750 Poplar Avenue, Suite 612 Memphis, TN 38138 901-309-1333 smilecentermemphis.com MICHAEL K. SAVAGE Parkhurst & Savage 730 Crossover Lane Memphis, TN 38104 901-683-4369 drparkhurst.com DOROTHY F. SELLERS Grove Park Dental Group 4515 Poplar Avenue, Suite 406 Memphis, TN 38117 901-683-9800 groveparkdentalgroup.com MARK S. SMITH Kizer Dental Associates 7685 Wolf River Circle, Suite 102 Germantown, TN 38138 901-767-4882 kizerdentalassociates.com GEORGE W. SORRELLS III 623 North Missouri Street West Memphis, AR 72301 870-732-5100 JOHN D. THOMAS, JR. 278 German Oak Drive Cordova, TN 38018 901-343-6412 cordova-dentist.com TERRY W. TURNER Bartlett Dental Clinic 6630 Summer Knoll Circle, Suite 103 Bartlett, TN 38134 901-377-5060 bartlettdentalclinic.com RICHARD J. VAN SICKLE 2835 Summer Oaks Drive Bartlett, TN 38134 901-372-7283 STANLEY R. WADDELL Waddell Restorative Dentistry 1900 Kirby Parkway, Suite 200 Germantown, TN 38138 901-756-8855 drwaddell.com KATHRYN L. WAGNER Taylor Wagner Family Dentistry 2000 Fielders Road Jonesboro, AR 72401 870-972-6985 taylorwagnerfamilydentistry.com NEIL B. WESTON Weston Family and Cosmetic Dentistry 7500 Enterprise Avenue Germantown, TN 38138 901-754-3562 neilwestondds.com
JOHN R. WHITTEMORE Germantown Dental Group 2165 West Street Germantown, TN 38138 901-754-0540 memphissmiledesigns.com CHARLYN A. WILSON Wilson Dental Care 7520 Enterprise Avenue Germantown, TN 38138 901-751-1100 wilsondentalcare.net GARY T. WILSON, JR. 5565 Murray Road, Suite 202 Memphis, TN 38119 901-761-3456 garywilsondds.com MARK E. WIYGUL 5340 Poplar Avenue, Suite 2 Memphis, TN 38119 901-683-7771 E. JACK WOHRMAN, JR. 6363 Poplar Avenue, Suite 430 Memphis, TN 38119 901-761-3040 CHARLES S. WOOD, JR. Wood Dental Group 715 Calvin Avery Drive West Memphis, AR 72301 870-735-3601 wooddental.net MARJORIE A. WOODS University of Tennessee School of Dentistry 875 Union Avenue Memphis, TN 38163 901-448-6227 uthsc.edu/dentistry
ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY JIMMY E. ALBRIGHT University of Tennessee School of Dentistry 875 Union Avenue Memphis, TN 38163 901-448-6233 uthsc.edu/dentistry JOHN S. CANNON 2785 Summer Oaks Drive, Suite 101 Bartlett, TN 38134 901-386-6385 ISAAC FORDJOUR 910 Madison Avenue, Suite 710 Memphis, TN 38103 901-526-3988 GORDON E. GRUEN Gruen & Morris Oral Surgery Group 780 Ridge Lake Boulevard, Suite 101 Memphis, TN 38120 901-682-8431 gruenmorrisoralsurgery.com
K. MARCUS HOPKINS Maroda & Hopkins 2136 Exeter Road, Suite 202 Germantown, TN 38138 901-754-8002 marodahopkins.com T. ALLEN LIGON III 1121 Mimosa Drive Oxford, MS 38655 662-236-5300 STEPHEN J. MARODA, JR. Maroda & Hopkins 2136 Exeter Road, Suite 202 Germantown, TN 38138 901-754-8002 marodahopkins.com J. LAWRENCE MCRAE McRae-Wilson Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Group 5565 Murray Road Memphis, TN 38119 901-767-0088 mcraewilsonoms.com STEPHEN A. MODELEVSKY 906 Osler Drive Jonesboro, AR 72401 870-972-8570 drmodel.com RUSSELL C. PECK 766 South White Station Road, Suite 1 Memphis, TN 38119 901-685-8090 JAMES B. PHILLIPS 2609 Browns Lane Jonesboro, AR 72401 870-931-3000 drjamesphillips.com STEPHEN B. SEXTON Sexton Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery 1661 Aaron Brenner Drive, Suite 105 Memphis, TN 38210 901-756-8475 sextonoms.com R. KUHEN SMITH 766 South White Station Road, Suite 1 Memphis, TN 38117 901-685-8090 DARREN R. WILLIAMS Dental Implant Aesthetic Center 795 Ridge Lake Boulevard, Suite 101 Memphis, TN 38120 901-682-5001 dentalimplantac.com HARRIS E. WILLIAMS Williams Surgery Center 6621 Kirby Center Cove Memphis, TN 38115 901-362-6103 G. TRENT WILSON McRae-Wilson Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Group 5565 Murray Road Memphis, TN 38119 901-767-0088 mcraewilsonoms.com STEVEN ZAMBRANO Cordova Oral, Facial and Implant Surgery 915 Willow Tree Circle Cordova, TN 38018 901-755-6724 cordovaoralsurgery.com
ORAL PATHOLOGY K. MARK ANDERSON University of Tennessee School of Dentistry 875 Union Avenue Memphis, TN 38163 901-448-4559 uthsc.edu/dentistry
ORTHODONTICS GEORGE H. BOULDIEN 3100 Professional Plaza Drive Germantown, TN 38138 901-755-3354 DAVID H. CROWDER 6597 Summer Knoll Cove Bartlett, TN 38134 901-382-8611 drdavidcrowder.com KYLE D. FAGALA Saddle Creek Orthodontics 2176 West Street, Suite 320 Germantown, TN 38138 901-726-3878 saddleCreekOrtho.com CHRISTOPHER H. GETMAN Getman Orthodontics 9067 Poplar Avenue, Suite 113 Germantown, TN 38138 901-843-2483 getmanortho.com HUNTER B. HARRISON Southern Orthodontic Specialists 7732 Airways Boulevard, Suite B Southaven, MS 38671 662-349-0777 sosbraces.com MICHELLE G. JOHNSON 6551 Stage Oaks Drive, Suite 2 Bartlett, TN 38134 901-386-5800 johnsonortho.com WILLIAM G. PARRIS Parris Orthodontics 2136 Exeter Road, Suite 201 Germantown, TN 38138 901-683-6387 parrisorthodontics.com QUINTON C. ROBINSON III 5180 Park Avenue, Suite 260 Memphis, TN 38119 901-683-6770 quintonrobinson.com W. COOPER SANDUSKY III Sandusky Orthodontics 6262 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38119 901-761-3700 sanduskyorthodontics.com
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$2.3 BILLION
ADDED TO TENNESSEE’S ECONOMY
$84.3 MILLION
IN GRANT EXPENDITURES
3097
TOTAL STUDENTS
ENROLLED
100+
CLINICAL AND EDUCATIONAL
SITES ACROSS TENNESSEE
Patient Care | Professional Education Research
6
HEALTH CARE COLLEGES
Dentistry | Graduate Health Sciences Health Professions | Medicine Nursing | Pharmacy
4
FULL CLINICAL CAMPUSES Memphis | Chattanooga Knoxville | Nashville
1
MISSION:
uthsc.edu
TRANSFORM HEALTH CARE Education | Clinical Care Public Service | Research
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more of a good thing Reed Family Dentistry does not judge your past; instead we’re here to meet you right where you are in your dental health journey. We understand that life gets busy and schedules fill up fast, so to better serve you we’ve extended our hours, and opened both locations on Friday. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment that will have you on your way to insuring long-term dental health, because at Reed Family Dentistry, we treat people, not just teeth.
8020 Highway 51 North in Millington • 901-872-3391 1003 S. College St. in Covington • 901-475-0805 www.reedfamilydentistry.com
KEVIN C. UTLEY Utley Orthodontics 298 Germantown Bend Cove, Suite 1 Cordova, TN 38018 901-756-6200 utleyorthodontics.net DANNY WEISS Weiss Orthodontics 5885 Ridgeway Center Parkway, Suite 200 Memphis, TN 38120 901-767-7370 weissorthodontics.com SCOTT P. WERNER Memphis Orthodontic Specialists 6425 North Quail Hollow Road, Suite 201 Memphis, TN 38120 901-767-5415 wernerorthodontics.com STANLEY P. WERNER Memphis Orthodontics 6425 North Quail Hollow Road, Suite 201 Memphis, TN 38120 901-767-5415 wernerorthodontics.com TOMMY N. WHITED 940 South Collierville Arlington Road, Suite 109 Collierville, TN 38017 901-850-1118 RICHARD A. WILLIAMS Williams & Hamman Orthodontics 399 Southcrest Court, Suite B Southaven, MS 38671 662-349-2196 whortho.com
Now with two convenient locations - r e e d fa m i ly d e n t i s t r y call or visit us today!
PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
Every
HERO needs a
Murray B. Wells Endless Pursuit of Justice
If you have been injured, discriminated against or find yourself in trouble, call the trial attorneys that remember why they are here.
mentor, every mentor needs a GUIDE.
Horne & Wells, PLLC
81 Monroe Ave., Suite 400, Memphis, TN 38103 • 901.507.2521
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JOHN A. ACOSTA Pediatric Dental Group 7675 Wolf River Circle, Suite 102 Germantown, TN 38138 901-363-8191 pdg4kids.com BETSY D. BARCROFT Dentistry For Children 6425 Quail Hollow, Suite 101 Memphis, TN 38120 901-682-8491 dentistryforchildrentn.com MICHAEL D. BLEN Pediatric Dentistry 6363 Poplar Avenue, Suite 110 Memphis, TN 38119 901-415-2536 drblen.com CAROLINE H. CHURCHWELL Churchwell Pediatric Dentistry 1099 Poplar View Lane, North Collierville, TN 38017 901-854-9555 churchwellpediatricdentistry.com MOLLY M. CHURCHWELL Churchwell Pediatric Dentistry 1099 Poplar View Lane, North Collierville, TN 38017 901-854-9555 churchwellpediatricdentistry.com ALKA V. COHEN Cohen Pediatric Dentistry 8142 Country Village Drive, Suite 101 Cordova, TN 38016 901-756-4447 cohenpediatricdentistry.com
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LARRY D. DORMOIS University of Tennessee School of Dentistry 875 Union Avenue Memphis, TN 38163 901-448-6200 uthsc.edu/dentistry/ DANIEL D. FREEMAN Freeman Pediatric Dentistry 2567 Appling Road Memphis, TN 38133 901-383-7337 childdentalcare.com STEVEN J. FUSON Pediatric Dental Group 6611 Kirby Center Cove Memphis, TN 38115 901-363-8192 pdg4kids.com B. WES MCCANN, JR. McCann Pediatric Dentistry 5885 Ridgeway Center Parkway, Suite 230 Memphis, TN 38120 901-767-9200 mccanndentistry.com S. MEADE MOORE III 1908 Exeter Road Germantown, TN 38138 901-683-3993 germantowndds4kids.com CHRIS C. ROWLAND Childrens Dental Center 3394 South Houston Levee Road Germantown, TN 38139 901-861-9668 dentistjustforkids.com JAMES B. SELECMAN Childrens Dental Center 3394 South Houston Levee Road Germantown, TN 38139 901-861-9668 dentistjustforkids.com SUMMER L. TYSON Jonesboro Pediatric Dental Group 620 Southwest Drive Jonesboro, AR 72401 870-336-9700 jonesboropediatricdentalgroup.com MARTHA H. WELLS University of Tennessee School of Dentistry 875 Union Avenue Memphis, TN 38163 901-448-6200 uthsc.edu/dentistry BRADLEY W. WILKINSON Pediatric Dental Specialties 5040 Sanderlin Avenue, Suite 101 Memphis, TN 38117 901-761-5155 drbradwilkinson.com
Todd Dyson
Michael Henry
Al Hollingsworth
Louis Clay
John Curry
Danny Bozof
Daniel Wynn
Jeff Michael
Lisa Meeks
Linda Wheeler
Marv Donnaud
Lynn Alford
Herbert Montgomery
Lynda Savage
Alan Doyle
Fred Headley
Darlene Drogmiller
James McDonnell
Matt Lawrence
Fred Tate
Debbie McNeal
Tonya Bancroft
Milton Less
Jan Bounds
Marsha Silverstein
Barry Wilson
Joe Sciara
George Edmiston
Tom Church
Paul “Skip” Portis
Call us today at (901) 767-3600 Truman Sandlin
Kathryn Cook
Trey Clay
Jeff Windsor
Kevin Herman
Patrick Morgan
John Meeks
Mathew Fields
Rodney Murphy
Neal McConnico
Mark Pinkston
Aubrey Carrington, Jr.
Greg Tate
Stan Addison
Shirley Hudson
Joe Smith
Cary Murphy
Connie Jones
AUTO • HOME • AVIATION • BUSINESS EMPLOYEE BENEFITS • SURETY BONDS 866 Ridgeway Loop, Suite 200 • Memphis, TN 38120 Phone (901) 767-3600 • www.clayandland.com CLAY & HAWSEY • DONNAUD-CLAY AVIATION GREAT SOUTH CONSTRUCTION AND BONDS • MURPHY & ASSOCIATES
LALE . ADAMS . DDS PERIODONTICS LES H. BINKLEY, JR. Periodontal, Laser & Implant Clinic of Memphis 5866 Ridge Bend Road, Suite 1 Memphis, TN 38120 901-761-6177
Botox and Beautiful Smiles Dr. Lale Adams
Located in the heart of East Memphis. Providing cosmetic and family dentistry. New patients receive 5 free units of Botox cosmetic when mentioning this ad. 560 Colonial Rd. #100, Memphis, TN 38117 • 901-680-6881 • laleadamsdds.com D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 79
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On the 12th day of Searching, my Realtor sold to me... Twelve inch center beams, Eleven smarthome upgrades, Ten foot ceilings down, Nine nifty nooks, Eight ft doors throughout, Seven ceiling fans, Six weeks to close, Five Flat Screens, Four full baths, Three car garage, Two bedrooms down, and “I will make your investment of time newmy home on Pear and A money #1 priority. ” Street!
ROGER D. CRADDOCK Periodontal Associates of Memphis 6268 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38119 901-761-3770 periomem.com BRENDA L. FOWLER 2408 South Lamar, Suite 3 Oxford, MS 38655 866-667-4867 drmichaelperry.com MITCHEL S. GODAT Periodontal Associates of Memphis 6268 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38119 901-761-3770 perioMem.com ANASTASIOS KARYDIS University of Tennessee School of Dentistry 875 Union Avenue Memphis, TN 38163 901-448-6242 uthsc.edu/dentistry EDWARD S. LANE II 5565 Murray Road, Suite 101 Memphis, TN 38119 901-767-8152 MICHAEL L. THOMPSON Thompson Periodontics & Implant Dentistry 2737 Paula Drive Jonesboro, AR 72404 870-932-0015 thompsonperioandimplants.com J. STEPHEN WEIR 5348 Estate Office Drive, Suite 1 Memphis, TN 38119 901-763-4700 jstephenweirdds.com
Maria Krahn, Affiliate Broker Maria Krahn 901.682.1868 ext 322 • 901.481.0253 Affiliate Broker mkrahn@m-brealtors.com
901.481.0253 901.682.1868 ext. 322 mkrahn@marx-bensdorf.com mariakrahnrealtor.com •••
Established 1868
•••
ESTABLISHED 1868
5860 Ridgeway Center Pkwy, Suite 100 Memphis, TN 38120 www.marx-bensdorf.com
4726 Poplar Ave. Suite 6, Memphis, TN 901.590.2022 • Mon-Fri 10am - 5:30am acoinandsilvershop.com
U.S. & World Coins Sterling Silver Flatware Tableware & Jewelry Antique Collectables
PROSTHODONTICS DAVID R. CAGNA University of Tennessee School of Dentistry 875 Union Avenue Memphis, TN 38163 901-517-8198 uthsc.edu/dentistry/grad/pros MARC A. COHEN Prostho Dental 5356 Estate Office Drive, Suite 1 Memphis, TN 38119 901-680-0823 mcohendds.com WILLIAM R. PRIESTER III 5866 Ridge Bend Road, Suite 1 Memphis, TN 38120 901-767-8759 CARL W. SCHULTER Dental Implant Aesthetic Center 795 Ridge Lake Boulevard, Suite 101 Memphis, TN 38120 901-682-5001 dentalimplantac.com
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2017DENTISTSGUIDE
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
WHEN YOU VISIT THE OFFICE of Dr. Christopher Cooley, you become part of a caring dental family. Along with his highly trained, professional staff, Dr. Cooley is committed to listening to your needs and providing care that works for your lifestyle. Dr. Cooley’s dental practice is devoted to restoring and enhancing the natural beauty of smiles using conservative, state-of-the-art procedures that will result in beautiful, long-lasting smiles. A standard of excellence in personalized dental care enables him to provide the quality dental services his patients deserve. Dr. Cooley takes the time necessary to constantly improve his skills and the technological capabilities of the practice. He has trained with many of the best clinicians in the country, and insists on the best materials and highest quality lab work available. Thereby, you benefit from the latest treatment techniques, including innovative advances in patient comfort, the highest-quality and longest-lasting materials, and the most aesthetically pleasing results. Dr. Cooley is a lifetime Memphian who graduated in 1976 with honors from the University of Tennessee Knoxville, then from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in 1982. Dr. Cooley has undergone training with the Hornbrook Group and PAClive, the country’s top program for hands-on continuing education for dentists. Dr. Cooley is also a proud member of: the American Dental Association, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Tennessee Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and the Crown Council. These organizations keep Dr. Cooley abreast of developing studies in the fields of cosmetic, restorative and general dentistry. Dr. Cooley and his entire team love to volunteer their time and efforts both locally and globally taking care of patients in Memphis and Shelby Co. and on mission trips to the Dominican Republic. Dr. Cooley always welcomes new patients into his office with most referrals coming from existing, very satisfied patients. The highest compliment we receive is when our patients refer their families and friends.
CHRISTOPHER COOLEY, DDS
7938 Wolf River Blvd. Germantown, TN 38138 901.754.3117 www.cooleydds.com
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CREATING BEAUTIFUL SMILES is what Dr. Miles Moore does best. Dr. Moore, along with the rest of his team at Memphis Center for Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, specializes in the latest dental technologies, while offering an office environment that is both calming and friendly. Not only does Dr. Moore approach each patient with compassion and respect, but he is also committed to finding the best solutions for every dental problem. Whether you are seeking a complete smile makeover, “invisible” braces, or teeth 82 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7
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whitening, Dr. Moore can transform your smile with an array of cosmetic dentistry options. If you are looking for ways to make your or a family member’s smile healthier, the office treats patients of all ages with general dentistry services. Memphis Center for Family & Cosmetic Dentistry’s convenient location and dedication to serving patients has made it a Memphis favorite for years. After one appointment, you’ll see what a difference Dr. Moore makes!
MILES C. MOORE, DDS MEMPHIS CENTER FOR FAMILY & COSMETIC DENTISTRY 725 W. Brookhaven Circle Memphis, TN 38117 901.761.2210 BeautifulSmiles.org
2017DENTISTSGUIDE
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
SHE’S MEMPHIS’ TOP DENTIST, wife, mother of three, and a multi-location business owner. She’s a fitness instructor, Bible-study leader, and CEO. Meet Dr. Kathryn A. Sneed, a woman with many titles, and a wide array of talents. She’s known for her beautiful smile and her warm friendly personality. Dr. Sneed, a resident of Collierville, is a thirdgeneration dentist who is transforming Memphis with her state-of-the-art dental practices in Collierville, Cordova, and East Memphis. With her highly advanced training, kind and compassionate personality, and unwavering commitment to first-class service, she is sure to provide an experience unlike any other. Come experience the comfort, convenience and compassion of Sneed Dental Arts, and discover for yourself why Dr. Sneed is a “Woman to Watch.”
SNEED DENTAL ARTS Kathryn A. Sneed, DMD, MBA, FAGpO, FMii
1122 Poplar View Lane N., Collierville, TN 38017 | 901.853.2575 8095 Macon Road, Suite 109, Cordova, TN 38016 | 901.756.9150 1655 International Dr., Suite 203, Memphis, TN 38120 | 901.321.5335 SneedDentalArts.com D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 83
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AVERY, MEADOWS, AND ASSOCIATES DDS Left to right: Dr. James G. Avery, Dr. Kaleb J. Page, Dr. Nishel Patel, and Dr. Dan T. Meadows AT AVERY, MEADOWS AND ASSOCIATES we love smiles. And seeing you smile is our goal! From the first time you call our office, and throughout your dental healthcare, we strive to provide an atmosphere that is welcoming and comforting. Established nearly 40 years ago, we have had the privilege of caring for patients from all over the MidSouth. With four dentists in our practice and hours five days a week, including Thursday evenings, we can accommodate your busy schedule. All of our dentists pride themselves on maintaining a high level of professionalism and education. Our office also utilizes the latest advances in dental technology, including Invisalign™, 3D imaging, intraoral cameras to aid communication, and a CEREC™ system to facilitate same-day dentistry. So give us a call. We look forward to seeing your smile in our office!
3491 Walnut Grove Road Memphis, TN 38111 901.452.0040 • AveryAndMeadows.com
CLAYTON-MEFFORD DENTAL Left to right: Dr. Drew Mefford, Dr. Holly Legg, Dr. Wade Clayton, and Dr. Grant Dasher OUR DENTAL PRACTICE has a passion for providing highquality cosmetic, implant, and preventive dentistry. We strive for our patients to be comfortable and enjoy their visit to the dentist. In addition, we continue to add new technology to better serve our patients. We can now use a scanner that has eliminated the need for taking an impression! We serve our patients in two locations: Bartlett and Germantown. We would like to welcome Dr. Holly Legg to our team. Our entire group would love to have you as a new patient in our office.
GERMANTOWN OFFICE: 1329 Cordova Cove, Germantown, TN 38138 901.509.2823 BARTLETT OFFICE: 2705 Appling Rd #101, Memphis, TN 38133 901.388.9110 TheMemphisDentist.com
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DR. JOHN REDDICK, DDS AND MARK MACGAW, DDS DRS. JOHN REDDICK AND MARK MACGAW and the staff of Modern Dentistry of Memphis have always been a leader in portrait aesthetic dentistry; where proportional faces and healthy functioning temporomandibular joints are priority. We are now proud to have joined an international group dedicated to airway centered dentistry that only enhances what has been our philosophy. Now being part of the global family of TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centres, we can offer greater success in treatment of TMJ and sleep disorders; that indeed influence the teeth, and the entire person’s well being. Our practice is focused on improving the quality of life for adults in treatment, and it’s prevention by early detection, and treatment in children. We welcome you to experience a new level of aesthetic and airway centered comprehensive care, and relief from your chronic pain.
6750 Poplar Avenue, Suite 700 Forum 1 Building Memphis, TN 38138 901.754.3033 Find us on Facebook at Modern Dentistry of Memphis
WILSON DENTAL CARE IS proud to serve the Mid-South as a specialist in cosmetic, preventive, and restorative dentistry, as well as Invisalign treatment. With over 20 years of combined experience, Dr. Charlyn Wilson and Dr. Jessica Gursakal are at the forefront in the field of dentistry with the use of state-of-the-art equipment and treatment options. Drs. Wilson and Gursakal make every decision with you in mind. They are dedicated to beautifying your smile and appearance, patient education, and maintaining your dental health. Along with their team of dental professionals, Dr. Wilson and Dr. Gursakal strive to bring a personal touch to dentistry and provide exceptional care for all patients.
CHARLYN WILSON, DDS AND JESSICA GURSAKAL, DDS Front row: Tonya, Dr. Charlyn Wilson, Dr. Jessica Gursakal, and Courtney Back row: Larisa, Elissa, Amber, Elizabeth, Dena, and Rudy
WILSON DENTAL CARE 7520 Enterprise Ave, Germantown, TN 38138 901.751.1100 • wilsondentalcare.net D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 85
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CHRISTINA T. ROSENTHAL DDS, MPH
ELIZABETH H. LEE, DDS DR. ELIZABETH H. LEE is a dentist located in East Memphis. In addition to general dentistry, she and her team provide shortterm braces for adults. This system is known as Six Month Smiles. She is also well-versed in all aspects of implant dentistry to replace missing teeth. Dr. Lee is continuously enrolled in cutting-edge courses to provide her patients with the latest in technology and procedures. Her smile makeovers are beautiful, life-like, and functional. Dr. Lee recently became a provider of botulinum toxin to further enhance your overall facial esthetics. Call us now to get started on your Beautiful Smile for Life! She is very active in her church and has made numerous mission trips to Kenya, where she treats the tribes people, and to Ethiopia, where she works with a ministry to help the street children. Dr. Lee is accepting new patients to help more people have beautiful smiles.
DR. CHRISTINA T. ROSENTHAL is a native Memphian and graduate of The University of Memphis, the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry, and Harvard University. Coined a social entrepreneur, Dr. Rosenthal enjoys practicing general dentistry and performing community service throughout the city. Her most notable initiative, Determined to be a Doctor Someday, D.D.S., seeks to develop a new generation of healthcare providers who will ultimately help to decrease healthcare disparities. Dr. Rosenthal is also a 2017 Presidential Leadership Scholar, an initiative that draws on the principled leadership of the four presidential centers of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson.
DR LEE’S BEAUTIFUL SMILES
PARADIGM DENTAL CENTER, LLC
5180 Park Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN 38119 901.763.1600 | www.elizabethleedds.com
4730 Riverdale Road, Suite 3, Memphis, TN 38141 901.758.2127 | paradigmdentalcenter.com
STANLEY WADDELL, DDS
ALEXANDRA GARRETT, DDS DR. GARRETT has been building strong relationships through dental healthcare in the Memphis area since 2002. Her patientfocused practice is a relaxing space with a rush-free experience. She continues to invest in cutting-edge technology so she can offer the most comprehensive and comfortable care. Dr. Garrett provides full service dental care including smile reconstruction, replacing missing teeth, and comprehensive dental care for children and adults. She also helps improve your appearance by providing Botox and Juvederm services.
FROM YOUR VERY FIRST VISIT you will find Dr. Stanley Waddell and his staff take the time to get to know you and listen to your dental concerns. Your smile is your first impression and current dental technology makes it easy and painless to get the smile you want. We are committed to using continuing education and innovative technology to better serve you. We believe every patient deserves the highest caliber of treatment and we provide the information needed so our patients can invest in their health and well-being. Our dental team works together to deliver superb, sensitive care and service. A satisfied and healthy patient is our ultimate reward. The finest in dental health starts with Dr. Stanley Waddell. For a healthy smile call or text (901) 756-8855 today.
GERMANTOWN COSMETIC AND FAMILY DENTISTRY
WADDELL RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY
2026 Exeter Road Suite 2, Germantown, TN 38138 901.347.3527 | www.GtownSmiles.com 86 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7
1900 Kirby Parkway, Suite 200, Germantown, TN 38138 901.756.8855 | www.drwaddell.com
F A I T H
Celebrate Christmas
with Germantown Presbyterian Church Christmas Eve Services: Sunday, December 24
11:00 am Worship Service - Sanctuary 3:30 Family Service - Sanctuary 5:30 Traditional Service - Sanctuary 11:00 Candlelight Service - Chapel
A N D
W O R S H I P
G U I D E
CHURCH FOR ALL PEOPLE SUNDAYS 10A MALCO PARADISO
Afternoons in Advent 1st Sunday of Advent December 3 2:30 pm Sounds of the Season Kallen Esperian GPC Chancel Choir /Chamber Orchestra GPC Sanctuary
3rd Sunday of Advent December 17 4:00 pm Blue Christmas Service Evans Chapel 4:00 pm Christmas Caroling 5:30 pm Chili Cook-off
2nd Sunday of Advent December 10 3:00 pm Christmas Carol Concert GPC Chancel Ensemble/Misc. Soloists The Village Auditorium
4th Sunday of Advent December 24 See worship schedule above.
7820 Walking Horse Cir
2363 S Germantown Rd * 901/754-5195
www.GermantownPres.org
LEARN MORE ONLINE AT BELIEVINGCHURCH.COM
C H R I S T M A S C A N D L E L I G H T S E RV I C E S AT H O P E
Saturday, December 23
5:00* & 7:00 PM
Sunday, December 24
3:00, 5:00*, 7:00 & 9:00 PM Activities for infants-Kindergarten available at all services except 9 pm. *Activities for Special Needs kids and adults available at 5 pm service only each day.
@Hope4Memphis
www.HopeChurchMemphis.com • 901-755-7721 8500 Walnut Grove Road • Memphis, TN 38018 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 87
F A I T H
A N D
W O R S H I P
G U I D E
Christmas at
Calvary Christmas Eve 3:30 pm Family Eucharist with pageant
YOU are invited to discover
CHRISTMAS the true gifts of
HOPE à PEACE à JOY à LOVE
Sunday Worship
480 S. Highland Memphis, TN 38111 stlukesumc.org
Dec. 3: Hanging of the Green - 8:30 & 11:00am Dec. 10: Children’s Performance - 11:00am Dec. 17: “Holy Light” Chancel Choir -11:00am Dec. 24: Morning Worship - 8:30 & 11:00am Christmas Eve Candlelight Service - 6:00pm
5:30 pm Eucharist with choir & brass 10:30 pm Eucharist with choir & strings
Christmas Day 10 am Eucharist 102 N. Second Street, Downtown 901.525.6602 calvarymemphis.org
December 24th December 24th 5:00 p.m. with Christmas pageant 5:00 p.m. with Christmas pageant 7:00 p.m. Bluegrass Mass 7:00 p.m. Bluegrass Mass 10:30 p.m. with carols 10:30 p.m. with carols December 25th December 25th 4:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.
Church ofHoly the Holy Apostles Church of the Apostles (Episcopal) (Episcopal) 1380 Wolf 1380 Wolf RiverRiver Blvd.Blvd. Collierville, TN 38017 Collierville, TN 38017 901.937.3830 901.937.3830 www.holyaposltestn.net www.holyaposltestn.net
FESTIVAL OF CAROLS Sunday, December 17 at 6:00 p.m. An annual favorite with our choir and orchestra. Enjoy sing-along Christmas carols and a festive atmosphere of worship!
NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS Sunday, December 24 at 8:15 & 11:00 a.m. A service of Scripture and songs modeled after the original Nine Lessons service that began at King’s College in Cambridge, England in 1918.
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES 6:00 & 11:00 p.m. Candlelight Communion Services
At the corner of Poplar & Goodlett · 2pc.org /advent
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WHERE
Family COM E S T O GE T H E R .
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Whether it’s the natural beauty of Kirby Pines or the future elegance of The Farms at Bailey Station, residents enjoy (and will enjoy) exciting, fulfilling lifestyles with the comfort and security of LifeCare. Backed by a locally owned company with over 30 years of experience in senior living. At Retirement Companies of America, strength, integrity and pride run in the family. retirementcompanies.com.
3535 Kirby Road Memphis, TN 38115 (901) 365-3665 kirbypines.com
3382 Grand Central Circle East Collierville, TN 38017 (901) 410-5653 thefarmsatbaileystation.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY JACKSON BAKER
LOC A L TR E A SU R ES
Michael Gilbert
Magnificent Maestro He’s the impresario of a world-class musical clan, but Michael Gilbert is always seeking new ways to serve his native city.
by jackson baker
W
hen Michael Gilbert was a student at Springdale Elementary School back in the 1940s, he was excellent at arithmetic. He was so good that he could always finish classroom assignments early, and when he did, while all the other kids were still in their seats, eyes down, straining with the numbers on the page, young Michael would stand up abruptly. “In dreamland,” as Gilbert puts it now, and, with hands gripping an imaginary baseball bat, he would start swinging away at whatever pitch, fast ball or curve, that he could see in his mind’s eye and keep it up until his teacher made him sit back down. Demonstrating that swing to a friend recently, from a sitting position in a booth at the new restaurant at Novel bookstore on Perkins, Gilbert, now 77 and semi-retired from a lengthy career as a world-class classical musician, still has some regrets that he didn’t end up as a new DiMaggio.
EDI TOR’S NO T E: “Local Treasures” is an occasional series within the pages of this magazine that will celebrate our city’s senior celebrities, people whose impact over the past decades has helped make Memphis a better place.
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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY MICHAEL GILBERT
LOC A L TR E A SU R ES
These days, Michael Gilbert expresses concern about world politics and the environment. Facing such perils, “You have to give people a chance,” he says. “People matter.”
Joe DiMaggio — “Jolting Joe” back then of the Yankees, his team — was one of Gilbert’s heroes, right up there with Jascha Heifetz, the great Russian-born violinist who, like Gilbert himself, had been presented with a violin by his musician father at the age of 2, and thereafter given patient paternal instruction in its use.
Michael Gilbert made it clear that he shares his late father’s big-tent attitude toward music. He likes it all, regardless of genre. Beethoven, Brahms, Bach, Beatles, whatever. When he was 12 years old, Michael Gilbert did get to see DiMaggio hit one out during a spring-training exhibition game at Memphis’ venerable Russwood Park, but he never got a baseball career of his own going. He did get an abortive try-out of sorts with “Humko,” a team sponsored then by a local shortening manufacturer of that name, in the kids’ league maintained for 10to 12-year-olds by the Memphis Rotary Club. “They lined a bunch of us up in the outfield and hit us some f ly balls. It wasn’t much of a test,” remembers a disappointed Gilbert. Luckily, his taskmaster
father had set him on the way to a fallback livelihood in the family business of music. One should say classical music, because that was the major focus, to be sure, of the aforesaid father, Noel Gilbert, a violinist of note himself who was renowned for decades locally as the conductor and impresario of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. But the senior Gilbert was, like his son when the time came, eclectic in his involvement with the world of music. “Dad was a solid kind of citizen. He was a musician about town, and he did what there was to do.” That meant not just conducting the city’s symphony orchestra but making himself (and members of his family, including Michael) available for other musical efforts in whatever genre. That included supplying the string sections that, often in tandem with the Memphis Horns, backing up soul artists making a name for themselves for hit-producing outfits like Stax-Volt on McLemore Avenue. Reminiscing in the booth at Novel in late October — the occasion for his being home in Memphis was the 60th-anniversary reunion of his Central High School graduating class — Michael Gilbert made it clear
that he shares his late father’s big-tent attitude toward music. He likes it all, regardless of genre. Beethoven, Brahms, Bach, Beatles, whatever. He recalled being in Paris not long ago and entering a cafe and hearing an old Stax number on the establishment’s jukebox and being able to pick out his father’s distinctive sound from the violin part. That memory spurred another — of an occasion in 1961 when he, having meanwhile graduated from Juilliard, was engaged with his father in dubbing a violin track on a new recording for the Satellite label that would later morph into Stax. Gilbert recalls being entranced by the perfect pitch of the singer as she intoned the two words that began the song and formed its title. “Gee Whiz” was the song, and it became not only 19-year-old Carla Thomas’s first big hit but one of the records that would go on to establish the Memphis soul sound for the world at large. Then, as now, Gilbert famously had an ear for pitch. During the Crescent Club luncheon that became the finale for the twoday Central High class-reunion event, a classmate, Jane Oglesby Cook, prepared to have the other attendees rise to sing along with her in a rendition of “God
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Bless America.” She told them that, back in the day, when she and Gilbert had been students at Snowden Junior High School, their music teacher, a Ms. Lancaster, would unfailingly call on Michael to sound out the right key for this or that musical number that needed to be performed. And now, at the reunion, when Michael’s classmate asked him to supply a “G,” he did so readily, resonantly, and, it would seem, flawlessly. The song could begin.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JACKSON BAKER
LOC A L TR E A SU R ES
Michael and Yoko Gilbert attend a reception in Memphis. His wife, a violinist, would join him with the New York Philharmonic.
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ike his father, and to the extent that he can manage it, Michael Gilbert does what there is to do for his hometown musically. For years he kept a garage apartment in Midtown, and, even after giving that up, there would be frequent layovers in the homes of siblings still living in Memphis. He made a point of maintaining his links to the city during the course of a very busy and accomplished professional
life elsewhere. After Central High School and after Juilliard, the worldrenowned New York music academy where he received further training from famous violin teachers, Gilbert pursued a hugely successful career — soon becoming concertmaster (first violinist) for the San Antonio Symphony and the Santa Fe Opera, then concertmaster for the American Symphony Orchestra through an appointment by Leopold Stokowski. From 1970 on, he was with the New York Philharmonic, where he remained for 30 years, playing
most of the last decade. Michael Gilbert and the other members of his immediate family are always on the move, either in pursuit of their own efforts or in support of each other, traveling to venues around the world. The “semi-retired” Michael stays busy. He is scheduled to conduct a series of classical masterworks in Mexico City this spring, and he is the music director of the annual Music Masters Course in Japan, a summer teaching venue in which the other musical Gilberts also participate. For all that, it doesn’t require a class reunion to get him — or them — back to Memphis, Together or separately, the where in recent years Gilbert was a regular presGilberts would perform ence attending to the with a who’s who of legend- Eroica Ensemble, an orchestral-music ensemble ary conductors, famous he founded and led, and for the most part, funded names like Jean Morel, himself. With a mixed and Erich, Leinsdorf, Klaus ever-shifting membership of established and developTennstedt, Herbert van ing local talent, the EnsemKarajan, and Pablo Casals. ble was a pay-back gift of sorts to the home bailiwick under such conductors as Leonof Memphis. ard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, The Eroica Ensemble, though Zubin Mehta, and Kurt Masur. dormant for the moment, funcAlong the way he acquired a wife, tioned for years as a training the Japanese-born Yoko Takebe ground for aspiring musicians — a violinist, too — who would in the West Tennessee area, with Gilbert as the main injoin him in the Philharmonic. Together or separately, the Gilberts structor, putting student muwould perform with an additionsicians from various area institutions in harness with faculty al who’s who of legendary conductors, famous names like Jean members and occasionally imMorel, Erich Leinsdorf, Klaus porting established star playTennstedt, Herbert van Karajan, ers from elsewhere, their airand Pablo Casals. fare paid from Gilbert’s pocket. Both of the children born to Often the orchestra would lack Michael and Yoko Gilbert are enough players to complete a musical personages in their section — woodwinds, say, or own right, and yes, they, too — horns — in which case Gilbert Jennifer and Alan, aged 48 and would re-score the work to be 50, respectively — are violinperformed, assigning familiar ists, though they have mastered parts to different and unaccustomed instruments. other instruments as well. Jennifer Gilbert is currently conAudience responses to this makeshift but remarkably certmaster with the Orchestre National de Lyon in France, well-integrated and thoroughly and Alan Gilbert, until recently rehearsed orchestra — named the music director of the New for the Third Beethoven SymYork Philharmonic and now the phony, “heroic” in its themes chief conductor-designate of the as well as in its familiar name Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, is — were uniformly enthusiastic. perhaps the most famous Gilbert The Ensemble was eclectic in of the lot, having guided the Big spirit — like its founder, who in Apple’s celebrated orchestra for his growing up would groove on
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the same pop and early R&B as his schoolmates and, like so many of them, get inspiration from the passion and harmonies of Rev. Herbert Brewster’s choirs at East Trigg Avenue Baptist Church. Back in the day, the young Michael Gilbert had found something useful in his own church experience. “I’m not a religious guy, but there’s something to respect there,” he says “My dad was a skeptic. But my mother sent us to Sunday School. Baptist, of all things! And I took it seriously, the hellfire and damnation. My dad was tough. You needed a different tough to cope with it.”
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Michael’s son, Alan, is the music director for the New York Philharmonic. He is shown here on the program cover for their 2016/17 season.
There was intensity to be gained from that kind of superstructure, one that would be augmented later by visits to black churches, where the young Gilbert discovered “a kind of openness,” from which he divined that “if you have good thoughts and really connect with people, you can help with their lives.”
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hat concern for the lives of people continues to permeate the thinking of the Michael Gilbert of today, who broods about an out-of-control national politics and about the consequences of global warming, which he takes “completely seriously,” imagining “volcanos erupting, everything blown to smithereens, seas rising, and millions of people wiped out.” Amid such possible perils, he says, “You have to give people a chance. People matter.” And in such thinking lay much of the inspiration for the Eroica Ensemble. The Ensemble was a road show of sorts, taking its performances into community venues — First Congregational Church, Anshei Sphard synagogue, the Stax Academy and Museum, an African-American church just across the Mississippi line, wherever — and it recruited its personnel from such places as
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well, from “whoever was there,” as Michael Gilbert puts it. In addition to add-ons and the rotating members of his immediate family, other members of the extended Gilbert musical clan were always on tap: his sister Joan, a pianist, now retired, who then taught at the University of Memphis; his brother Robert, a French horn player who was at the time a member of the Ole Miss faculty; and Robert’s sons, Daniel and Anthony, both violinists. The orchestra’s operating philosophy doubled as a personal credo for Gilbert: “Music is for everybody. That’s what we are. That’s what I am.”
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Alas, the Eroica Ensemble has been forced to suspend activity for the last couple of years, for lack of sufficient financing. “When I had money, we gave concerts,” Gilbert says simply. Orchestras, even the great ones, depend like the rest of us on dependable sources of income or endowments, and the Eroica Ensemble, which always needed to augment its funding, was forced to compete with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Michael Stern’s Iris Orchestra in Germantown, and other local arts groups for the favor of patrons. Eventually Gilbert concluded that he could no longer afford to keep the Ensemble going single-handedly. “It was a nice project, but it wasn’t feasible to continue doing it with my own money,” he says. “The people who were asked to put in money for the Symphony, Iris, whatever, are the same people. You have to stand in line.”
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ut once a baseballer, always a baseballer. Gilbert has always made it a point, in whatever musical group he’s been associated with, to organize competitive softball games — between members of this section or that or between his own orchestra and whatever other orchestra happened to be in the same general vicinity. In the New York area, where Gilbert has maintained his permanent residence for the last 50 years, there has been no dearth of potential opponents, and many a game has been played, virtuosos against virtuosos, in the friendly confines of Central Park. And baseball, alone among the major sports, admits of no time limit. In theory, as long as you can manage to stay at bat, contin u ed on page 10 9
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ROAD TRIP
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY ARKANSAS STATE PARKS
RETURNING TO THE NATURAL STATE
A LONGTIME VISITOR’S GUIDE TO VILLAGE CREEK STATE PARK.
^6
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by anna traverse
e’ve taken a wrong turn. This being 2017, “taken a wrong turn” means “made an inferior selection among the route options proffered by my iPhone.” We dutifully obliged when we were directed to exit the interstate and navigate a series of county roads — 2.9 miles here, 1.2 miles there — not knowing that these county roads would be one-lane affairs, big throwing rocks scattered loosely over russet dirt that spins around the car like dry red surf. Don’t trust your phone no matter how strongly it suggests you take those county roads the last leg of the drive to Village Creek State Park. Or, if you do, prepare to proceed very, very slowly, reassuring your rattled dog in the backseat, all the while wondering if a rock has punctured some essential component of your car’s engine. Take I-55, instead, to U.S. Highway 64, and you’ll land at the entrance to Village Creek. From downtown Memphis, you’ll drive about an hour. On the November morning that we — “we” being my German-shepherd mix, Lily Bear, and I — packed our water bottles and our dried figs (me) and our dried turkey bark (Lily) and lit upon the trails, it was hiking weather: clear and silver-cool and bright, with just enough wind to set flocks of amber leaves gliding earthward.
The author’s dog, Lily, pauses on a woodland trail.
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y land area, Village Creek is the second-largest state park in Arkansas. The park’s nearly 7,000 acres straddle Crowley’s Ridge — an anomalous land formation jutting from the flood plain of the Mississippi and stretching about 150 miles, from southeastern Missouri to Helena, Arkansas. Part of the anomaly of the Ridge is its richness — the forest in Village Creek teems with hardwoods (oak and hickory, beech and sugar maple, coffeetree and tuliptree), and in the fall, the leaves seem gilded, or like sheets of hard caramel, shattered. Commissioned in 1967 and opened in 1976, the park was relatively young in the early 1990s when I first visited as a child with my parents and assorted family dogs. There’s a photo of me in summer; I look about 6, in rainbow tie-dyed T-shirt, flying across the swinging bridge. Another photo, taken on that same trip, shows us walking along the Military Road Trail. The trees are bare, and the ground looks cold. We hiked longer than we had planned that day, I remember: My lungs were open and cold, and back home, the steaming Brunswick stew was implausibly ambrosial.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ANNA TRAVERSE
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V IL L A GE C R E E K S TAT E PA R K high enough to see the undulations of the land beneath the forest, and Lake Austell close by. You’ll stand there, at the top of the edge of the trail, and you’ll stare out through tree branches, and for a moment, you’ll find that the clamors of 2017 have gone mute. And you’ll feel ancient in this quietness. And in this ancientness, you will feel whole.
T
o reach the Military Road Trail, you’ll have started at the Visitor Center, then climbed a fairly steep ridge — there are wooden steps to help navigate the sharper inclines — on the Lake
The Military Road Trail is one of the most distinctive features of the park. The photo at left shows the passage today, worn by thousands of feet, hooves, and wagon wheels. At right, Cynthia Marshall and her daughter (the author), accompanied by their German shepherd, walk along the same area in 1990. MAIN PHOTOGRAPH BY ANNA TRAVERSE; INSET PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN TRAVERSE
A
lthough the park as we know it has been on the map for only four decades, its trails are much older. The most memorable hiking at Village Creek is along the Military Road Trail. Before this sunken trail was used in the Civil War, it was, after being completed in 1829, a significant section of the Trail of Tears: the Memphis to Little Rock Road. This trail expedited the federally sanctioned, forcible removal of native people from their land. Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Cherokee people were made to travel this road, away from land they had occupied for centuries.
Many did not survive. Today, the trail seems still pressed by their footprints. Sections of the Military Road Trail are carved deep into the surface of the earth, as though some ghost river once f lowed there. The trail is wide here — 15, maybe 20 feet across — hemmed by the earth’s f lesh, and by the roots of the trees that perch along the edges of the groove. It’s another 20 feet up from the trail to the ground level on either side. As you tramp along the trail, rustling through dry leaves, do scramble up the sides from time to time. You’ll find you’ve climbed
Austell Trail. After the climb, you’ll emerge by the lake, an 85-acre fishing spot with beach areas along the perimeter. Lake Austell, as it happens, was home to the fifth-largest bass ever caught in Arkansas. Lake Dunn, also at Village Creek, can claim the largest bass ever caught in the state, a bucketmouth bass weighing 16 pounds, 5 ounces. That record has been tarnished, sadly, by the fact that the fisherman was without a valid fishing license at the time he hooked the bucketmouth. It was reported that “wildlife officers seized the fish as evidence.” Let this be a lesson to you. If you lack the motivation to obtain a fishing license, the water will not dry up before you. There are pedal boats to be rented, in summer, and a wading area through which to splash.
S
hould a person be so inclined, she could see Village Creek from the back of a horse. Twenty-five miles of trails, winding along Crowley’s Ridge, are open for horseback riding, and the park offers a camping area tailored for those traveling with horse trailers. With amenities like wash
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Activities at Village Creek State Park include horseback riding along the trails, a professionally designed 27-hole golf course, or fishing and relaxing on Lake Austell or Lake Dunn. At lower right, the author obviously enjoyed the park’s Swinging Bridge — still in use today — at age 6. PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY ARKANSAS STATE PARKS; BRIDGE PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN TRAVERSE
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bays and ceiling fans in the stables, a horse might find its lodgings rather more posh than the camping experiences of my youth. Camping is available not only for horses, but for humans, too. Cabins, even, which can be reserved for weekend mini-breaks. But do check in advance, as there are only 10 cabins (each with its own fireplace, rumor has it). And yes, it should be mentioned that there is a golf course — 27 holes — at Village Creek. Candidly, mentioning its existence is really the extent of what I can tell you about the golf course. The only reason I’ve ever tolerated a round of golf is the walking, and there is ample walking on the trails without any interruptions to whack at things with sticks. More my style to select a perfect stick in the woods, for a jaunty addition to my stride. But if you are someone who is motivated by golf, I have heard from a friend who knows his golf courses that this one is “truly beautiful.”
B
ut back to the trails. After Lily and I crossed the dam on Lake Austell’s southeastern tip, near the boat ramp — where we (well, I) traded waves with a few fellows with fishing gear — we saw not one person for several miles. Not one. I hesitate to tell you this, because it was so
deliciously peaceful, walking those woods without any interruption save the occasional distant boat motor. How different an experience it would be if that sunken trail were filled with people, with their children and their chatter. The woods are crowded already with the faint, ancient murmurs. Please, forget everything you’ve read about Village Creek. Stay home. An hour is far too long to drive. What use do you have for natural beauty, for the deep mysterious smells of the forest? What possible benefit might you gain from a day’s respite from your life’s particular variety of controlled chaos? And there’s no joy at all to be had in the swinging bridge you’ll find when you emerge from the earthen half-tunnel of the Military Road Trail. You’ll know you have arrived at the swinging bridge because, first, you’ll see it suspended over a creek, and second, you’ll observe that it is helpfully signposted: “SWINGING BRIDGE.” The swinging bridge isn’t particularly long — perhaps 40 feet? — so repeated crossings are strongly encouraged. Necessary, even. Lily and I sprung across it once, back again, and then thrice more, laughing. In fact, I challenge you not to grin while you are bounding and bouncing across.
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ROAD TRIP
V IL L A GE C R E E K S TAT E PA R K
What is the only event in Memphis that
HEATS YOU UP and COOLS YOU DOWN?
I
f you hike the Military Road Trail as a loop, you’ll cross the dam again on your way back to your car. Boots scuffed with mud, the dog panting — a good moment to stop for water, and to summon a flash of energy back into pleasantly tired legs. You’ll need to get over the ridge again.
Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018
MUD ISLAND RIVER PARK Benefitting Special Olympics Greater Memphis. For more information on this great event visit www.specialolympicsmem.org History is everywhere at Village Creek. Over the years, visitors have left their mark on an old tree. PHOTOGRAPH BY ANNA TRAVERSE
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Lily and I ambled back over the dam, our attention seized briefly by a flash of linen-white moth flitting just ahead, teasing her just at eye-level. Reentering the woods for the final scramble, we came across a tree whose every inch of bark is scarred by carved initials — NS, JR, BI AA. Whispers. Back at the Visitor Center, the world begins to shuffle back into its 2017 form. Our car emerges from behind a boat trailer. My keys emerge from a backpack. Lily’s fur is lightened by dry-leaf dust; she’ll need a bath tomorrow. We navigate out of the parking lot, and onto the road. Take a right out of the parking lot; before long, you’ll see a sign for Highway 64, and be on your way home. Village Creek State Park 201 County Road 754 Information: 870-238- 9406 Cabin Rental: 877-879-2741 arkansasstateparks.com /villagecreek Anna Traverse is the communications specialist for New Memphis.
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LOC A L TR E A SU R ES
Magnificent Maestro
Just steps from the Little Red River JUST STEPS FROM THE LITTLE RED RIVER Bring pole! BRING your YOUR POLE!
contin u ed from page 9 8
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY MICHAEL GILBERT
you can swing away forever. Michael Gilbert continues to imagine ways by which to realize “our basic connection to Memphis, my position in Memphis, our family’s in Memphis,” to express “what I feel for the city, what I’d like for the city.” These days his thinking runs to finding a role for his illustrious son Alan, the world-famous conductor who in today’s
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Michael Gilbert makes a point of staying connected with his hometown, despite a busy professional life eleswhere.
musical universe belongs to an elite that can be numbered on the fingers of a single hand. “Sometime [I think] it would be nice for him to have some connection with Memphis. I don’t want to go begging, but it would be nice to share Alan with the city,” Michael Gilbert continues to muse from his booth at Novel. “I don’t like to go around bragging, either, but we’re high-level musicians, and we can do something.” Eventually the conversation at Novel comes to an end. Gilbert rises out of the booth, the thoughtful focus of this unassuming maestro’s eyes still suggesting that a portion of his mind remains preoccupied with planning some future homage to hometown Memphis, something new and enduring and music-related. He smiles, and the expressively mobile arms that have, from time to time, been illustrating some fine point of conducting, rearrange themselves into a phantom home-run swing. “Ernie Banks of the Cubs used to say: ‘It’s a great day for a ball game.’ You can say that for music, too,” Gilbert says. Clearly, this ball game ain’t over.
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ASK VANCE
J.B. Hunter Our trivia expert solves local questions of who, what, when, where, why, and why not. Well, sometimes.
DEAR VANCE: Didn’t a women’s clothing store occupy the current site of the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library? — t.l., memphis.
above: Margaret Young arranges a display of lighters in the Smoke Shoppe at the J.B. Hunter store on Poplar Avenue. top right: The building was demolished in 1997 to make way for the new Central Library.
DEAR T.L.: It wasn’t just a clothing store for women, but a
full-scale department store — like Sears or Goldsmith’s — called J.B. Hunter. Part of a national chain of stores owned by the Allied Stores Corporation, the store at 3030 Poplar was one of three in the Memphis area. The first J.B. Hunter opened in 1968 at Highway 51 and Raines Road in Whitehaven, soon followed by a second location at Frayser Blvd. and Rangeline Road in 1969. These two stores were such a hit with Memphis shoppers that company officials quickly announced plans for a third, and considerably larger store, for the East Memphis area. That one opened on October 1, 1970, on a 13-acre lot between East High School and Stringer Brothers Nursery. Ads promoted it as “Memphis’ Most Exciting Department Store.” “Our stores have met with excellent response from the public,” Seymour Ainbinder, president of the chain, told reporters. “Memphis is a forward-looking city in an area with a solid economy. We want to grow with it.” Now you’re probably wondering: Who was this “J.B. Hunter”? Well, if he was indeed a real person, he came from Boston. Years before, Allied Stores had acquired a retail establishment in that city called J.B. Hunter. “The name was just floating around, and we thought it had a nice ring to it,” said Ainbinder. “So we decided to put that name on these stores.” The first two stores in Memphis were one story. The Poplar location would be the largest store in the system, a two-story building comprising more than 150,000
square feet, complete with an outdoor garden center. And these were decidedly upscale stores when they first opened. Shoppers who entered the Poplar store wandered through spacious departments devoted to clothing and accessories for men, women, boys, and girls, as you might expect. But the downstairs also had separate — and nicely decorated — departments for jewelry, shoes, books, and stationery, while a cozy “Smoke Shoppe” offered the latest pipes, lighters, cigars, cigarettes, and smoking paraphernalia. There was even a pet department on the ground floor. To reach the second floor, shoppers could take an elevator, but the truly unique aspect of J.B. Hunter — and pretty much what anyone who shopped there has always remembered — was its “inclinator.” Much like a long escalator without steps, this was a moving ramp that smoothly carried shoppers upstairs. Obviously, a second ramp took them back down again. J.B. Hunter shopping carts were fitted with grooved wheels, which locked into grooves in the ramp, so shoppers didn’t have to leave their carts behind. Upstairs — and again, I’m talking about the Poplar store here, because it had the most to offer — customers encountered housewares, appliances, fabric, lamps, gifts, hardware, small appliances, cameras, luggage, records, hardware, paint, toys, and sporting goods. Now, sporting goods sold just about everything except guns and ammo, but it did offer a selection of bowling balls. And the department happened to be
STORE INTERIOR PHOTO COURTESY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, UNIVERSIT Y OF MEMPHIS LIBRARIES
by vance lauderdale
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located at the top (or end) of that inclinator. So on more than one occasion pranksters “accidentally” sent a bowling ball down that ramp, where it careened into the children’s clothing department at the bottom. As far as I know, nobody was ever harmed as a result of these hijinks, which finally came to an end when store management moved the bowling balls elsewhere. After shopping, customers could dine in a nice cafeteria on the second floor, called the Fife and Drum, even though the store itself didn’t follow any particularly historic theme. I happen to know that employees had their own name for this place — the Filth and Scum — but you know how smart-alecky store clerks can be. Over the years, plenty of well-known Memphians worked at J.B. Hunter. At the Poplar store, Ray Doty — later the founder/owner of the Art Center here — was handling a refund for an hired as the store’s resident artist, designing ads and item that obviously came banners and hand-painting colorful murals for various from, say, Sears. departments. Two other former J.B. Hunter workers are “One day a woman today my esteemed colleagues at Memphis magazine, brought back a Kenmore and how “We Saw You” columnist Michael Donahue coffee pot and said she and executive editor Michael Finger came to sell books didn’t like it,” says Finger. “She had owned it so long and stationery always gets a laugh. From them, I mean. “I was majoring in journalism at Memphis State, and she had burned a hole in Mike was majoring in English,” says Donahue, “so the the bottom. It wasn’t one personnel manager thought it made sense to put us in of ours, but I think we offered her something like $12 and she took it.” the book department.” Finger points out, “And since we also sold stationery, it introduced us to the exciting The once-fancy store was doomed, and in 1979 Montworld of paper, and look where we are today.” gomery Ward purchased the company, During his stint at J.B. Hunter, Donahue changing the store names across the counWho was this would later work in the toy and camera detry to Jefferson Ward. Even the financial “J.B. Hunter”? partments. Finger found himself in lamps power of that national chain couldn’t keep the business afloat, and in 1983, all the J.B. and gifts. “I spent my days assembling cheap Hunter stores closed in Memphis. lamps and furniture,” he says, “which customers quickly returned when they figured out the displays I made Despite some questionable management policies, I’ll — carefully bolted and glued together — were much say this about J.B. Hunter. A special bond seemed to sturdier than the flimsy things they had to assemble at develop among the employees, and once you get them talking about “the old days,” the two Michaels can imhome.” For his part, Donahue remembers selling “Vanity Fair” tape recorders, “and they were always broken. mediately recall co-workers from 40 years ago. Readers Customers returned every one we sold.” may know some of these folks; heck, for that matter, my Now this brings up an interesting aspect of the hisreaders may be some of these folks. These names come tory of J.B. Hunter. When the store first opened, it was up in any conversation about the place: Steve Morriindeed a fancy establishment, because it hoped to draw son, Bill Ervin, Sadie Kinsey, Janice Cassini, Charlotte customers from the truly fine stores like Goldsmith’s Seat, Lynn Aitchison, David Phalan, Joanne Bazemore, and Lowenstein’s. The gift department sold original Herschel Dalton, Sharon McCraw, John Oliver, Brenda oil paintings, and next to that was a nice oriental rug Silverman — do you really want me to list all of them? Not a single Lauderdale, of course. department. The clothing was high quality, shoes were The shuttered store at 3030 Poplar went through an name-brand, and the jewelry was first-rate. But somewhere along the way, store management decided they interesting transformation. Within a year, it became the should model the J.B. Hunter stores after the “new kid national headquarters for Malone & Hyde, the wholeon the block” who had just showed up in Memphis — sale grocery giant that spawned AutoShack, which a fledgling company called Kmart. And so they made became AutoZone. But in 1995, AutoZone relocated to dramatic changes to the stores. its stunning chrome-and-glass offices downtown on Gone was much of the high-end merchandise. Walls Front Street, and once again, the former J.B. Hunter and fancy dividers that separated the departments store stood empty. came down, so customers could now see across the By this time, there was talk of moving the main entire store, with wide aisles, low shelves, and sale items library from its cramped quarters at Peabody and Mcstacked on the floor. Prices were slashed, cheaper invenLean into the old department store, but apparently the tory was brought in, and J.B. Hunter adopted one of the building couldn’t hold the weight of all those books. most liberal return policies in the industry. Customers Instead, in 1997, wrecking crews pulled down the J.B. could return anything — broken, damaged, or if they Hunter store on Poplar, to make way for the gleaming just didn’t like it — without any time limit, without new Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library. I presume a receipt, and even if it hadn’t been purchased at J.B. the inclinator was demolished along with the rest Hunter. My colleagues will testify that whenever they of the store, and that’s really a shame. It would have worked in the returns department, it was a challenge made a fun addition to the Lauderdale Mansion.
above: Michael Donahue and Michael Finger, shown hard at work at J.B. Hunter in the early 1970s, display the energy and enthusiasm that made the store such a success.
Got a question for vance? EMAIL: askvance
@memphismagazine.com MAIL: Vance Lauderdale,
Memphis magazine, 460 Tennessee Street #200, Memphis, TN 38103 ONLINE: memphismagazine.com/ ask-vance
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G A R D E N VA R I E T Y
Keeping the Spirit Alive For gardeners, the Christmas holidays arrive at a good time.
B
y December most of our landscaping plants are happily resting, allowing us to focus our energy and attention on nongardening pursuits like shopping, wrapping, cooking, and cleaning.
But other plants are central to our holiday celebrations, from the 25 to 30 million Christmas fresh trees harvested every year to the increasingly rare sprigs of kiss-inducing mistletoe. You can still find clumps of mistletoe in leafless branches of trees but less of the fresh stuff is showing up in nurseries and other
grown addicted to its giant white, pink, red and bi-color lily-like blooms on tall stalks know how easy it is to enjoy them at Christmas when their flower stalk is raring to burst out from the bulb. Amaryllis bulbs in boxed kits come with a container, potting soil, and growing instructions that call for situating the bulbs in the pot with about one-third of them above the soil level. Put the container in a bright place and start watering. In a few weeks two to four big flowers will appear at the top of the stem. When all of them fade, cut the stem down to about one inch above the bulb. Sometimes, depending on the variety (and luck), another stalk will appear in a few weeks and bear more flowers. If you want to keep the bulb alive for the next year, give a light feeding of liquid fertilizer about twice a month to encourage leaf growth. When the chance of frost is over in the spring, take the plant outside to a partially shaded place and continue feeding and watering it until Labor Day. Then force in it into dormancy by withholding water. I usually turn the pot over on its side for a while before placing it on my screened porch where Kissing under a sprig of mistletoe it gets no water. Leaves can be reis a holiday ritual for many families. moved as they wither. The parasitic plant is easy to see spot Before the first frost, typically around in tree branches, but difficult to harvest. the first week of November, move the plant retail establishments because fewer forest indoors to a bright window and start feeding foragers are shooting it down with rifles (yes, and watering it again. The top of the bulb will that’s the easiest way to gather it). open again for the leaves, stem, and flowers No wonder a tiny package of mistletoe can eventually to emerge. Timing is tricky so you cost $10 or more. may not have flowers on or near Christmas, but they will arrive when they are ready. Most Christmas plants are enjoyed for only the season, but some continue giving with After Christmas, I often buy amaryllis just a little encouragement. bulb kits that are reduced in price by half An amaryllis is so visually stunning guests or more at nurseries and even at the corner will surely think you are practicing high hordrugstore. I’ll see their f lowers in January ticulture by growing it. Those of us who have or February, precisely when I most crave their vitality and color. Just in case you failed to noHave a question about plants or planting for our resident gardening tice, poinsettias are beloved expert, to be answered in a future “Garden Variety” column? around the holidays — in fact, Send your queries to christine.gang@gmail.com. they are the best-selling potted plant in America and Canada. In
If you are thinking of buying a living tree to plant in your landscape after Christmas, consider an Arizona cypress. It is easier to grow here than blue spruce.
Q: I am thinking of buying a living Christmas tree this year to plant in the garden after the holidays. Is this a good idea? A: I guess it depends on how willing you are to wrestle with a tree and its heavy root ball. Bringing home a fresh Christmas tree without a root ball can be challenging enough. I always wondered why my father was in such a grumpy mood after buying the tree, tying it to the roof of the car, untying it and dragging it into the house, securing it in a stand, and hanging lights on its branches before turning the rest of the decorating over to my mom, my two sisters, and me. When I got my first very own tree I completely understood his frustration with all the struggle. I found my fa-la-la-las quickly turning to #@\%!$&s. Some living conifers marketed as Christmas trees are species not likely to have a long life in our climate, like the ever-popular blue spruce. Be sure to choose one the many varieties that are like the blue-needled Arizona cypress. Container-grown trees will be lighter than balled-and-burlapped varieties. But no matter what they’re growing in, a standard six-footer will still weigh in at 100 to 150 pounds, far more than comparable fresh-cut trees. Be sure to tip the jolly (hopefully) elf who helps you load the tree into your vehicle and arrange to have more assistance when you get it home. Consider putting the tree immediately into a wagon, wheelbarrow, or moving dolly where it can remain while it is indoors. Place both the tree and the wheeled device on a large sheet and pull the corners up and around the base of the tree to hide the container and the wagon or wheelbarrow. Pretty it up as you please, perhaps with some large poinsettias around the base. Living trees dry out quickly in a heated house, so check it often for moisture and plan on keeping it indoors for no more than a week. Some tree experts advise only a few days indoors. Then move it to an already-prepared planting hole as soon as possible. “Having a living Christmas tree is an idea that sounds better than it usually is,” says Mark Pitts, the former owner of an online company specializing in rare trees who now works in plant propagation at Dabney Nursery. “But we do have customers who have been buying different kinds of living trees every year. They’re all doing fine.”
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY CHRISTINE ARPE GANG
by christine arpe gang
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the tropics of Mexico where they grow naturally, they are perennials that reach 10 to 15 feet in height. Most of us enjoy them for the season and then toss them out with the Christmas tree, But some patient plantsmen have found how to get their color to return year after year. Like me and many others, Kathy and Paul Porter always rush to Lowes Home Improvement Warehouse on Black Friday to buy 99747 Bream Road cent poinsettias for gifts and interior decorations. The Porters still have eight plants from years past that regularly re-bloom. One, which has grown from a modest plant in a four-inch pot to 4 feet tall, has been re-reddening for about 10 years.
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Amaryllis are spectacular during the holidays or any other time. With a little care, some varieties will re-bloom for several years.
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After the holidays their poinsettias enjoy life in a heated sun porch until spring, when they are placed outside to experience rainwater and the normal lengthening and then shortening of days. Wherever you keep them, cut the older stems back to 4 to 6 inches in March and then pinch off all of the stem tips throughout the spring and summer to encourage fullness. As days grow short and frost threatens, the Porters move their plants back into the sun porch which is devoid of any artificial light at night. Kathy thinks the combination of bright light during the day and darkness at night triggers the re-coloration of the bracts, which are the showy modified leaves that surround the yellow flowers in their center. Poinsettias kept in rooms with artificial light at night will likely not re-bloom. Be aware that both mistletoe berries and milky sap in the leaves and stems of poinsettias can cause stomach upset and mouth tissue irritation if eaten by humans. The consequences are much worse for pets, so place them out of their reach and watch for fallen mistletoe berries.
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END GAME
Requiem for Banana Nose The greatest commentator in the history of sports entertainment has migrated to a better territory.
by chris davis
T
he year was 1979, and things were just heating up at the Tupelo Sports Center when Lance Russell, the earnest, unf lappable voice of Memphis tv wrestling, announced, “Time is almost up,” and signed off. The big title bout he’d been calling was over, even though it hadn’t ended and was, in fact, escalating quickly.
The referee called it for the out-of-town and the man bad-guy wrestlers always called tag-team, wrongfully awarding the unscru- “Banana Nose” called it blow by blow with all the gravitas of Walter Cronkite in Vietnam. pulous heel challengers a pair of metal-clad championship belts — belts that the baWhen the lights came on again viewers by-faced regional heroes Jerry Lawler and were treated to a shaky-cam free-for-all with Bill Dundee promptly stole back and then used shattered glass, thrown tables, flying conlike gaudy clubs, bloodying Wayne Ferris (aka diments, and Russell narrating off-camera: The Honky-Tonk Man) and Larry Latham (aka Moondog Spot), who’d just jobbed into Memphis from Florida looking for a break. Everything faded to black, then, as the “wild melee” spilled out from the ring, into the dumpy expanse of a converted body shop where Mid-South Championship Wrestling promoted Friday night events. Then, from the darkness, you could hear Russell’s unmistakable voice. “Hey Mike, can you get the camera?” he says matter-of-factly. “They’ve got a hell of a fight going on down here. We can edit it in later.” What followed was landmark reality programming, long before the phrase existed, planned of course but utterly unscripted. It was a spectacle well known to Mid-South wrestling fans far and wide as “You’re looking at the wildest fight we’ve seen. the Tupelo Concession Stand Brawl — at the It’s Latham and Ferris and Dundee and Lawler in the concession stand, all four of them time the Big Bang of “hardcore wrestling.” bleeding, pounding ...” ance Russell worked as a calm There’s a back story, of course. Memyet frenzied announcer for decades, phis wrestling was on the ropes and cashachieving special fame as the straight- strapped. The franchise had lost most of its faced ringmaster presiding over Memphis talent when promoter Jerry Jarrett and bookwrestling in the era when famed comedian er Robert Fuller suddenly parted ways. To and TV star Andy Kaufman brought his off- survive, Memphis needed to boost its profile brand performance art to town, wrestling and bottom line, fast. So when the team went women, trash-talking the South, making down to Tupelo, Jarrett gave his wrestlers a some folks laugh, and getting lots of people special assignment: “Tear the building down.” genuinely upset. But the 1979 Tupelo Con“People can talk about things being scripted cession Stand Brawl was a defining moment, in our business all they want,” Ferris later
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ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS HONEYSUCKLE ELLIS
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told wrestling manager and historian Jim Cornette in a recorded conversation about the brawl. “But whoever believes that is absolutely full of shit, because there are some things that cannot and will not ever be scripted. And that was one of them. …They started beating the hell out of us.”
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reat actors learn how to live naturally in artificial environments. Russell, who played himself in the Andy Kaufman 1999 biopic Man on the Moon, understood this instinctively; his improvised commentary sold Memphis wrestling’s most outlandish characters, gimmicks, and storylines. “They’re falling all over,” he observed that night in Tupelo as mayhem gave way to chaos. “Mustard everywhere!” Russell never hid the secret of his success. “I was always a wrestling fan,” he told the Memphis Flyer in a 2014 interview. “I never wanted anybody to say to me, ‘Hey, I’m going to win in the third fall on this match. I don’t want to be a stiff actor saying some lines; I wanted to call things as I saw them in my face for the first time.” The morning after it happened, the brawl entered living rooms across the Mid-South when it was broadcast in full on Memphis’ enormously popular weekly wrestling show. Saturday night’s promotion in Jonesboro sold out fast. People were turned away at the door, and business began booming again for Memphis wrestling. With that one brawl, the colorful territory re-cemented its reputation as a place where anything might happen, and just maybe the only place where Andy Kaufman could happen. “We were all working,” Russell modestly said of his life spent making a disreputable sport a little more reputable one cranky observation at a time. “That’s what we did for a living.” Lance Russell died in Memphis October 3, 2017. D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 115
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Go Green DINING OUT
Retro Revival
Memphis chefs reinvent classic dishes from mid-century America.
by pamela denney | illustrations by anna rose
A
merican cooking in the 1960s holds a soft spot in my heart, shaped by nostalgia for French cooking and food from my youth. Like many baby-boomer families in the Maryland suburbs, we ate mostly at home, fed by a working mother who got dinner on the table by 6 p.m. sharp. Mom’s cooking was simple, economical, and inspired by convenience. We ate meat loaf, glazed ham, macaroni, and canned peas.
Dining out, on the other hand, celebrated special occasions with food we seldom ate at home. At mid-century American steakhouses, my sisters and I unfolded cloth napkins and studied heavy padded menus with exotic French names like escargot and Chateaubriand, a romantic dish for two that I longed to order. Always, we shared shrimp cocktail, chilled on a bed of ice and served with lemon slices and cocktail sauce. When I started dating, I continued to take cooking cues
Steak Tartare at the Capital Grille Famed French chef Auguste Escoffier is credited with the steak tartare recipe that eventually ricocheted into 1960s restaurant history: raw cubes of beef with no sinew seasoned with salt and pepper, capers, chopped onion, parsley, and an egg yolk, also raw, served on toast. By the 1990s, more modern chefs
from Julia Child’s The French Chef, perfecting beef Bourguignon and chocolate mousse for the men I hoped to impress. Later, I moved on to Cornish hens stuffed with wild rice. A single small hen in the center of each dinner plate seemed, at the time, elegant and sophisticated. These days, my husband cooks Cornish hens on our backyard Weber, and my bourguignon has evolved into a fragrant stove-top version with fresh ginger and thyme. But to reembraced tartare made with tuna instead of tenderloin. Happily, the Capital Grille stuck with inspiration from the original, but its three-layer stack is less scary. Yes, there are onions, and the chopped filet mignon is still raw. But hard-boiled egg subs for raw yolk, and on the side, grilled sourdough slices and a pickled deviled egg liven up the plate. (6065 POPLAR AVE., 901-683-9291)
this day, the appeal of mid-century dishes lingers, especially in December when holiday memories rev up my attachment. Some dishes are difficult to find in Memphis, like iconic Baked Alaska, served earlier this year at Acre. Some appetizers I still make at home — cheese straws and stuffed celery sticks topped with green olives. And still other dishes I discover dining out, either updated or made from original recipes. Here are some of my favorites to try.
“Mermaid” Salad at The Cove Snappy iceberg salad topped with bacon, tomatoes, and blue cheese starred at mid-century restaurants nationwide, including the former Anderton’s, where a 1960s menu offered “Iceberg Lettuce Hearts with Roquefort Dressing” for 50 cents. These days, iceberg salads are a popular retool, but my favorite is The Cove’s “Mermaid” topped with diced pimentos and served with two dressings: traditional blue cheese and a bright garlic lemon vinaigrette. True to its roots, a glistening iceberg wedge anchors the plate with panache, much like The Cove’s kitschy nautical paintings and pirate ship bar reclaimed from Anderton’s before the building’s demolition. (2559 BROAD AVE., 901-730-0819)
Coq au Vin at Joes’ Restaurant At Joes’ on Highland, order fried chicken — two pieces, white meat or dark — and garlic butter chicken thighs served with Jasmine rice. But by all means, don’t miss the restaurant’s Coq au Vin, a humble but delicious dish popularized in America by Julia Child’s The Art of French Cooking. Translated as “rooster in wine,” the quintessential French stew begins with chicken on the bone browned in onion and garlic and braised with mushrooms, bacon, and wine, typically burgundy.
“Things come and go, but these simple dishes like Coq au Vin were stars for good reason,” says chef/owner Joe Spotts. “They were spectacular.” (262 HIGHLAND ST., 901-337-7003)
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Brandy Alexander at Restaurant Iris After repeated customer accolades, former general manager Jeff Frisbee convinced Chef Kelly English to give his sweet and creamy cocktail a permanent place on the menu. We are glad he did. More
Green Goddess Dressing at Grove Grill In 1923, San Francisco’s Palace Hotel featured Green Goddess dressing to honor English actor George Arliss, who starred in the play by the same name. Over subsequent decades, cookbooks included recipes, but it was the bottled version from Seven Seas that put the salad dressing on dinner tables across America. An exotic cousin to the era’s ubiquitous Thousand Island, the dressing’s minty green hue came from anchovies, tarragon, parsley, and chives. In Memphis, chefs are rediscovering the lovely lady’s charm both as a dressing and a dip. For instance, at Grove Grill, the Goddess dresses baby greens for a weekend fried chicken special, and shows up as a featured salad at lunch. (4550 POPLAR AVE., 901-818-9951)
in New Orleans, where as a child he relished milkshake-like mocha freezes. “Desserts should remind people of a time when they were happy,” English says. “And who didn’t love a milkshake growing up?” (2146 MONROE AVE., 901-590-2828)
dessert than drink, the restaurant’s Brandy Alexander is a blended mix of brandy, vanilla ice cream, and Creme de Cacao served in a champagne coupe. Cold and a little frothy, the cocktail transports English back to the Community Grill
Frozen fruit salad at Mortimer’s Restaurant
Old School Salmon Patties at Brooks Pharm2Fork
The late Vernon Mortimer Bell opened the East Memphis Knickerbocker in 1955, and many of the landmark restaurant’s recipes live on at nearby Mortimer’s, the family’s follow-up restaurant. Today’s menu is studded with classics like stuffed flounder and trout amandine. But on a tip from Michael Donahue, a Mortimer’s regular, I order Frozen Fruit Salad, a dessert perfected over decades by cook Evalina Edwards. “She starts with egg custard, adds pineapple juice and marshmallows, and chills it overnight,” explains Bell’s grandson, Christopher Jamieson. The next day, Edwards folds in crushed pineapple and fruit cocktail and freezes the mixture in scoops. Plated as dessert with chicken salad, the glorious concoction then gets a pale pink kiss: cream cheese sauce colored by juice from maraschino cherries. (590 N. PERKINS RD., 901-761-9321)
Chef Mac Edwards credits his brother for remembering their mother’s salmon patty recipe, a menu mainstay from The Farmer, his former restaurant, now served at his Collierville Pharm2Fork. “Mom made hers with canned salmon, but we use fresh salmon roasted with salt, pepper, and sage,” Edwards explains. Flaked
into a bowl and combined with eggs and f lour, the salmon is hand-shaped into 3-ounce patties, zig-zagged with Creole remoulade, and served two on a plate with braised greens and a creamy side of mac ‘n cheese. “Sixty-somethings don’t just order the patties for nostalgia,” Edwards says. “They are really good, and young people order them, too.” (120 E. MULBERRY ST. IN COLLIERVILLE, 901-853-7511)
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the
MEMPHIS DINING guide
Craft cocktails take cues from their literary surroundings at Novel bookstore, where Libro at Laurelwood is located. An all-day menu, served by Michael Porter, straddles lunch and dinner, offering pumpkin soup topped with toasted nuts and microgreens; house-made ravioli stuffed with pumpkin and butternut squash; spaghetti Carbonara; and salad Nicoise with seared sushi-grade tuna and horseradish vinaigrette. Owner Sabine Bachmann, pictured left with her sons, Chef Armando Gagliano and manager John Paul Gagliano, also operates Ecco on Overton Park.
Tidbits: Libro at Laurelwood
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n a Thursday evening, just before 6, we settle into Libro, Sabine Bachmann’s new restaurant inside the newly opened Novel bookstore in Laurelwood, and order chickpea bruschetta and happy-hour specials: $3 Bud Lights and a $20 bottle of Pinot gris. Although Libro — the Italian word for book — opened in mid-September, this is our first visit, so we take a few minutes to admire the restaurant’s contemporary leanings. Tables quickly fill up. Bachmann’s son, John Paul Gagliano, manages Libro, and its new American menu is similar in spirit to Ecco, the family’s other restaurant on Overton Park. Head chef Armando Gagliano, also Bachmann’s son, directs both kitchens, but keeps specific dishes unique to each location. “The restaurants have somewhat the same style because we make our own pasta, and we
make our own bread,” Backmann explains. “But we have to tweak; At Libro, we have many more requests for gluten-free.” A self-taught chef, Gagliano cooked at Sweet Grass before Ecco opened in 2014. In January, he attended the Italian Culinary Institute in southern Italy, where he learned, among other things, how to make gelato and traditional charcuterie. Expect house-cured meats and artisan gelato on upcoming Libro menus. Already, Gagliano’s love for Italian cooking manifests in stylish dishes like ravioli stuffed with baked pumpkin and butternut squash whipped together with Ladyfinger cookies and ricotta cheese. House-made Italian sausage rests on cannellini beans, seasoned with Mediterranean barbecue sauce, and for dessert, boozy tiramisu and excellent bread pudding made with cran-
berries, cherries, and leftover biscuits from Sunday brunch. Brunch at Libro also features French toast with cinnamon butter, and salmon, house-cured with salt, sugar, and spices and served with red onion, fried capers, and dill mascarpone. Salads, such as arugula and fennel with braised chicken thigh, straddle dinner and lunch, as do pastas like spaghetti carbonara studded with guanciale, a bacon-like meat made from pig cheek. The dish — the best carbonara in the city and Gagliano’s favorite — is lighter than most. Bachmann explains, “We put a little cream with the egg, add it to the pasta, and zoom it all around the pan until it cooks.” (Libro at Laurelwood, 387 Perkins Ave., 901-800-2656 $$)
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JUSTIN FOX BURKS
by pamela denney
We celebrate our city’s community table and the people who grow, cook, and eat the best Memphis food at M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M / F O O D - D I N I N G 118 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7
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CIT Y DINING LIST
A Curated Guide to Eating Out
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emphis magazine offers this curated restaurant listing as a service to its readers. Broken down alphabetically by neighborhoods, this directory does not list every restaurant in town. It does, however, include the magazine’s “Top 50” choices of must-try restaurants in Memphis, a DINING SYMBOLS group that is updated every August. Establishments open B — breakfast less than a year are not eligible for “Top 50” but are noted as L — lunch “New.” This guide also includes a representative sampling D — dinner of other Bluff City eating establishments. No fast-food SB — Sunday brunch facilities or cafeterias are listed, nor have we included WB — weekend brunch establishments that rely heavily on take-out business. X— wheelchair accessible Restaurants are included regardless of whether they ad MRA — member, Memphis vertise in Memphis magazine; those that operate in multi Restaurant Association ple locations are listed under the neighborhood of their $ — under $15 per person without drinks or desserts original location. This guide is updated regularly, but we $$ — under $25 recommend that you call ahead to check on hours, prices, $$$ — $26-$50 and other details. Suggestions from readers are welcome; $$$$ — over $50 please contact us at dining@memphismagazine.com.
CENTER CITY AGAVE MARIA—Menu items at this Mexican eatery include pork belly arepas, lobster enchiladas, and garlic-rubbed lamb. 83 Union. 341-2096. L, D, X, $-$$ ALDO’S PIZZA PIES—Serving gourmet pizzas — including Mr. T Rex — salads, and more. Also 30 beers, bottled or on tap. 100 S. Main. 577-7743; 752 S. Cooper. 725-7437. L, D, X, $-$$ THE ARCADE—Possibly Memphis’ oldest cafe. Specialties include sweet potato pancakes, a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich, and breakfast served all day. 540 S. Main. 526-5757. B, L, D (Thurs.-Sat.), X, MRA, $ AUTOMATIC SLIM’S—Longtime downtown favorite specializes in contemporary American cuisine emphasizing local ingredients; also extensive martini list. 83 S. Second. 525-7948. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ BANGKOK ALLEY—Thai fusion cuisine includes noodle and curry dishes, chef-specialty sushi rolls, coconut soup, and duck and seafood entrees. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. at Brookhaven location; call for hours. 121 Union Ave. 522-2010; 2150 W. Poplar at Houston Levee (Collierville). 854-8748; 715 W. Brookhaven Cl. 590-2585. L, D, X, $-$$ BARDOG TAVERN—Classic American grill with Italian influence, Bardog offers pasta specialties such as Grandma’s NJ Meatballs, as well as salads, sliders, sandwiches, and daily specials. 73 Monroe. 275-8752. B (Mon.-Fri.), L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$ BEDROCK EATS & SWEETS—Memphis’ only Paleocentric restaurant offering such dishes as pot roast, waffles, enchiladas, chicken salad, omelets, and more. Closed for dinner Sun. 327 S. Main. 409-6433. B, L, D, X, $-$$ BELLE: A SOUTHERN BISTRO—Brisket in a bourbon brown sugar glaze, and chicken with basmati rice are among the specialties; also seafood entrees and such vegetables as blackened green tomatoes. Closed for dinner Sun. and all day Mon. 117 Union Ave. 433-9851. L (Sat. and Sun.), D, WB, X, $-$$$ BELLE TAVERN—Serving soups, salads, sandwiches, and more, including smoked turkey and homemade dumplings with jalapeno Johnny cakes and beef short rib tamales. 117 Barboro Alley. 249-6580. L (Sun.), D, $ BLEU—This eclectic restaurant features American food with global influences and local ingredients. Among the specialties are a 14-oz. bone-in rib-eye and several seafood dishes. 221 S. Third, in the Westin Memphis Beale St. Hotel. 334-5950. B, L, D, WB, X, MRA, $$-$$$ BLUEFIN RESTAURANT & SUSHI LOUNGE— Serves Japanese fusion cuisine featuring seafood and steak, with seasonally changing menu; also, a sushi bar and flatbread pizza. 135 S. Main. 528-1010. L, D, X, $-$$
BRASS DOOR IRISH PUB—Irish and New-American cuisine includes such entrees as fish and chips, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and daily specials. 152 Madison. 572-1813. L, D, SB, $ CAFE KEOUGH—European-style cafe serving quiche, paninis, salads, and more. 12 S. Main. 509-2469. B, L, D, X, $ CAPRICCIO GRILL ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE— Offers prime steaks, fresh seafood (lobster tails, grouper, mahi mahi), pasta, and several northern Italian specialties. 149 Union, The Peabody. 529-4199. B, L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$$ CATHERINE & MARY’S—A variety of pastas, grilled quail, pâté, razor clams, and monkfish are among the dishes served at this Italian restaurant in the Chisca. 272 S. Main. 254-8600. D, X, MRA, $-$$$ CHEZ PHILIPPE—Classical/contemporary French cuisine presented in a luxurious atmosphere with a seasonal menu focused on local/regional cuisine. The crown jewel of The Peabody for 35 years. Afternoon tea served Wed.-Sat., 1-3:30 p.m. (reservations required). Closed Sun.Tues. The Peabody, 149 Union. 529-4188. D, X, MRA, $$$$ COZY CORNER—Serving up ribs, pork sandwiches, chicken, spaghetti, and more; also homemade banana pudding. Closed Sun.-Mon. 745 N. Parkway and Manassas. 527-9158. L, D, $ DEJAVU—Serves Creole, soul, and vegetarian cuisine, including po-boys, jambalaya, and shrimp and grits. 51 S. Main. 505-0212. L, D, X, $-$$ DIRTY CROW INN—Serving elevated bar food, including poutine fries, fried catfish, and the Chicken Debris, a sandwich with smoked chicken, melted cheddar, and gravy. 855 Kentucky. 207-5111. L, D, $ EIGHTY3—Contemporary menu of steaks and seafood offers a variety of eclectic specialties; also weekly specials, small plates, appetizers, and patio dining. 83 Madison Ave. 333-1224. B, L, D, WB, X, $-$$$ EVELYN & OLIVE—Jamaican/Southern fusion cuisine includes such dishes as Kingston stew fish, Rasta Pasta, and jerk rib-eye. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun.-Mon. 630 Madison. 748-5422. L, D, X, $ FELICIA SUZANNE’S—Southern cuisine with low-country, Creole, and Delta influences, using regional fresh seafood, local beef, and locally grown foods. Entrees include shrimp and grits. Closed Sun. and Mon. A downtown staple at Brinkley Plaza, 80 Monroe, Suite L1. 5230877. L (Fri. only), D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ FERRARO’S PIZZERIA & PUB—Rigatoni and tortellini are among the pasta entrees here, along with pizzas (whole or by the slice) with a variety of toppings. 111 Jackson. 522-2033. L, D, X, $ THE FIVE SPOT—Tucked behind Earnestine & Hazel’s, this popular eatery features innovative bar food by chef Kelly English. Closed Mon.-Tues. 531 S. Main. 523-9754. D, SB, X, $-$$
(This guide, compiled by our editors, includes editorial picks and advertisers.)
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CIT Y DINING LIST
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FLIGHT RESTAURANT & WINE BAR— Serves steaks and seafood, along with such specialties as bison ribeye and Muscovy duck, all matched with appropriate wines. 39 S. Main. 521-8005. D, SB, X, $-$$$ FLYING FISH—Serves up fried and grilled versions of shrimp, crab, oysters, fish tacos, and catfish; also chicken and burgers. 105 S. Second. 522-8228. L, D, X, $-$$ THE FRONT PORCH—Beale Street Landing eatery serves Southern-inspired appetizers, such as Crispy Grit Bites, along with burgers, sandwiches, and salads. Closed Monday. 251 Riverside Dr. 524-0817. L, X, $ GUS’S WORLD FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN—Serves chicken with signature spicy batter, along with homemade beans, slaw, and pies. 310 S. Front. 527-4877; 215 S. Center St. (Collierville). 853-6005; 2965 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 373-9111; 730 S. Mendenhall. 767-2323; 505 Highway 70 W., Mason, TN. 901-294-2028. L, D, X, MRA, $ HAPPY MEXICAN—Serves quesadillas, burritos, chimichangas, vegetable and seafood dishes, and more. 385 S. Second. 529-9991; 6080 Primacy Pkwy. 683-0000; 7935 Winchester. 751-5353. L, D, X, $ HUEY’S—This family friendly restaurant offers 13 different burgers, a variety of sandwiches and delicious soups and salads. 1927 Madison. 726-4372; 1771 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 754-3885; 77 S. Second. 527-2700; 2130 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-4455; 7090 Malco Blvd. (Southaven). 662-349-7097; 7825 Winchester. 624-8911; 4872 Poplar. 682-7729; 7677 Farmington Blvd. (Germantown). 318-3030; 8570 Highway 51 N. (Millington). 873-5025. L, D, X, MRA, $ ITTA BENA—Southern and Cajun-American cuisine served here; specialties are duck and waffles and shrimp and grits, along with steaks, chops, seafood, and pasta. 145 Beale St. 578-3031. D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ KOOKY CANUCK—Offers prime rib, catfish, and burgers, including the 4-lb. “Kookamonga”; also late-night menu. 87 S. Second. 578-9800; 1250 N. Germantown Pkwy. 1-800-2453 L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$ THE LITTLE TEA SHOP—Downtown institution serves up Southern comfort cooking, including meatloaf and such veggies as turnip greens, yams, okra, and tomatoes. Closed Sat.-Sun. 69 Monroe. 5256000, L, X, $ LOCAL GASTROPUB—Entrees with a focus on locally grown products include truffle mac-and-cheese and braised brisket tacos. 95 S. Main. 473-9573; 2126 Madison. 725-1845. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ LOFLIN YARD—Beer garden and restaurant serves vegetarian fare and smoked-meat dishes, including beef brisket and pork tenderloin, cooked on a custom-made grill. Closed Mon.-Tues. 7 W. Carolina. 249-3046. L (Sat. and Sun.), D, $-$$ THE LOOKOUT AT THE PYRAMID—Serves seafood and Southern fare, including cornmeal-fried oysters, sweet tea brined chicken, and elk chops. 1 Bass Pro Dr. 6204600/291-8200. L, D, X $-$$$ LUNA RESTAURANT & LOUNGE— Serving a limited menu of breakfast and lunch items. Dinner entrees include Citrus Glaze Salmon and Cajun Stuffed Chicken. 179 Madison (Hotel Napoleon). 526-0002. B, D (Mon.-Sat.), X, $-$$$ LYFE KITCHEN—Serving healthy, affordable wraps, bowls, sandwiches, and more; entrees include herb roasted salmon and parmesan crusted chicken. 272 S. Main. 5260254; 6201 Poplar. 684-5333. B, L, D, WB, X, $ MACIEL’S TORTAS & TACOS—Entrees include tortas, hefty Mexican sandwiches filled with choice of chicken, pork, or steak. Also serving fried taco plates, quesadillas, chorizo and pastor soft tacos, salads, and more. Closed Sun. 45 S. Main. 526-0037. L, D, X, $ THE MAJESTIC GRILLE—Housed in a former silent-picture house, features aged steaks, fresh seafood, and such specialties as roasted chicken and grilled pork tenderloin; offers a pre-theatre
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CIT Y DINING LIST menu and classic cocktails. Well-stocked bar. 145 S. Main. 522-8555. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ McEWEN’S ON MONROE—Southern/ American cuisine with international flavors; specialties include steak and seafood, sweet potato-crusted catfish with macaroni and cheese, and more. Closed Sun., Monroe location. 120 Monroe. 527-7085; 1110 Van Buren (Oxford). 662-234-7003. L, D, SB (Oxford only), X, MRA, $$-$$$ MESQUITE CHOP HOUSE—The focus here is on steaks, including prime fillet, rib eyes, and prime-aged New York strip; also, some seafood options. 5960 Getwell (Southaven). 662-890-2467; 88 Union. 527-5337; 3165 Forest Hill-Irene (Germantown). 249-5661. D, SB (Germantown), X, $$-$$$ MOLLIE FONTAINE LOUNGE—Specializes in tapas (small plates) featuring global cuisine. Closed Sun.-Tues. 679 Adams Ave. 524-1886. D, X, MRA, $ OSHI ASIAN KITCHEN—Eatery offers Asian cuisine, including sushi and nigiri, with such entrees as Sticky Short Ribs, Wagyu Flank Steak and Quail Eggs, and Bi Bim Bap. 94 S. Main. 729-6972. L, D, X, $-$$ PAULETTE’S—Presents fine dining with a Continental flair, including such entrees as filet Paulette with butter cream sauce and crabmeat and spinach crepes; also changing daily specials and great views. River Inn. 50 Harbor Town Square. 260-3300. B, L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ PEARL’S OYSTER HOUSE—Downtown eatery serving seafood, including oysters, crawfish, and stuffed butterfly shrimp, as well as beef, chicken, and pasta dishes. 299 S. Main. 522-9070. L, D, SB, X, $-$$$ PONTOTOC—Upscale restaurant and jazz bar serves internationally inspired Tapas menu; more than 30 wines available. Closed for dinner Sun. 314 S. Main. 207-7576. D, WB, X, $-$$ RENDEZVOUS, CHARLES VERGOS’— Menu items include barbecued ribs, cheese plates, skillet shrimp, red beans and rice, and Greek salads. Closed Sun.-Mon. 52 S. Second. 523-2746. L (Fri.-Sat.), D, X, $-$$ RIZZO’S DINER—Chorizo meatloaf, lobster pronto puff, and lamb belly tacos are menu items at this upscale diner. Michael Patrick among the city’s best chefs. 492 S. Main. 304-6985. L (Fri.-Sat.), D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ SABOR CARIBE—Serving up “Caribbean flavors” with dishes from Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. Closed Sunday. 662 Madison. 949-8100. L, D, X, $ SOUTH MAIN SUSHI & GRILL—Serving sushi, nigiri, and more. 520 S. Main. 249-2194. L, D, X, $ SPINDINI—Italian fusion cuisine with such entrees as wood-fired pizzas, gorgonzola stuffed filet, and fresh seafood; large domestic whiskey selection. 383 S. Main. 578-2767. D, X, $$-$$$ TERRACE—Creative American and Continental cuisine includes such dishes as filet mignon, beef or lamb sliders, chicken satay, and mushroom pizzetta. Rooftop, River Inn of Harbor Town, 50 Harbor Town Square. 260-3366. D, X, MRA, $$ TEXAS DE BRAZIL—Serves beef, pork, lamb, and chicken dishes, and Brazilian sausage; also a salad bar with extensive toppings. 150 Peabody Place, Suite 103. 526-7600. L (Wed.-Fri.), D, SB, X, $$-$$$ TUSCANY ITALIAN EATERY—Menu includes paninis, deli subs and wraps, soups, and desserts. Closed Sat.-Sun. 200 Jefferson, #100. 505-2291. B, L, X, $ TWILIGHT SKY TERRACE—Offers small plates of tostados, nachos, flatbreads, paninis; also hand-crafted cocktails and sweeping rooftop views of the downtown Memphis skyline. Open, weather permitting. The Madison Hotel, 79 Madison. 333-1224. D, WB, X, $ UNCLE BUCK’S FISHBOWL & GRILL—Burgers, pizza, fish dishes, sandwiches, and more served in a unique “underwater” setting. Bass Pro, Bass Pro Drive, 291-8200. B, L, D, X, $-$$ THE VAULT—Shrimp beignets, stuffed cornish hen, and bacon-wrapped chicken roulade are among the dishes offered at this Creole/Italian fusion eatery. 124 G.E. Patterson. 591-8000. L, D, SB, X, $-$$
COLLIERVILLE 148 NORTH—French cuisine meets Southern comfort food here with menu items such as chicken and waffles, duck confit, and JKE’s Knuckle Sandwich, made with lobster knuckle and puff pastry. 148 N. Main. 569-0761. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ BROOKS PHARM2FORK—Serving fresh vegetables and meats responsibly grown by area farmers. Entrees include Marmilu Farms Pork Triangle Steak, Old School Salmon Patties, and Pan Seared Lake’s Catfish. 120 Mulberry. 853-7511. D, X, $-$$ CAFE PIAZZA BY PAT LUCCHESI—Specializes in gourmet pizzas (including create-your-own), panini sandwiches, and pasta. Closed Sun. 139 S. Rowlett St. 861-1999. L, D, X, $-$$ CIAO BABY—Specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza made in a wood-fired oven. Also serves house-made mozzarella, pasta, appetizers, and salads. 890 W. Poplar, Suite 1. 457-7457. L, D, X, $ EL MEZCAL—Serves burritos, chimichangas, fajitas, and other Mexican cuisine, as well as shrimp dinners and steak. 9947 Wolf River, 853-7922; 402 Perkins Extd. 761-7710; 694 N.Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 755-1447; 1492 Union. 274-4264; 11615 Airline Rd. (Arlington). 867-1883; 9045 Highway 64 (Lakeland). 383-4219; 7164 Hacks Cross Rd. (Olive Branch). 662-890-3337; 8834 Hwy. 51 N. (Millington). 872-3220; 7424 Highway 64 (Bartlett). 417-6026. L, D, X, $ EMERALD THAI RESTAURANT—Spicy shrimp, pad khing, lemon grass chicken, and several noodle, rice, and vegetarian dishes are offered at this family restaurant. Closed Sunday. 8950 Highway 64 (Lakeland, TN). 384-0540. L, D X, $-$$ FIREBIRDS—Specialties are hand-cut steaks, slow-roasted prime rib, and wood-grilled salmon and other seafood, as well as seasonal entrees. 4600 Merchants Circle, Carriage Crossing. 850-1637; 8470 Highway 64 (Bartlett). 379-1300. L, D, X, $-$$$ RONNIE GRISANTI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT— This Memphis institution serves family classics such as Elfo’s Special and chicken ravioli, along with lighter fare and changing daily chef selection. Closed Sun. Sheffield Antiques Mall, 684 W. Poplar. 850-0191. L (Mon.-Sat.), D (Thurs.-Sat.), X, $-$$$ JIM’S PLACE GRILLE—Features American, Greek, and Continental cuisine with such entrees as pork tenderloin, several seafood specialties, and hand-cut charcoal-grilled steaks. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 3660 Houston Levee. 861-5000. L, D, X, $-$$$ MULAN ASIAN BISTRO—Hunan Chicken, tofu dishes, and orange beef served here; some sushi, too. 2059 Houston Levee. 850-5288; 2149 Young. 347-3965; 4698 Spottswood. 609-8680. L, D, X, $-$$ OSAKA JAPANESE CUISINE—Featuring an extensive sushi menu as well as traditional Japanese and hibachi dining. Hours vary for lunch; call. 3670 Houston Levee. 861-4309; 3402 Poplar. 249-4690; 7164 Hacks Cross (Olive Branch). 662-8909312; 2200 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 425-4901. L, D, X, $-$$$ THE SEAR SHACK BURGERS & FRIES— Serving Angus burgers, fries, and hand-spun milkshakes. Closed Mon. 875 W. Poplar, Suite 6. 861-4100; 5101 Sanderlin, Suite 103. 567-4909. L, D, X, $ STIX—Hibachi steakhouse with Asian cuisine features steak, chicken, and a fillet and lobster combination, also sushi. A specialty is Dynamite Chicken with fried rice. 4680 Merchants Park Circle, Avenue Carriage Crossing. 854-3399. L, D, X, $-$$
CORDOVA BOMBAY HOUSE—Indian fare includes lamb korma and chicken tikka; also, a daily luncheon buffet. 1727 N. Germantown Pkwy. 755-4114. L, D, X, $-$$ THE BUTCHER SHOP—Serves steaks ranging from 8-oz. fillets to a 20-oz. porterhouse; also chicken, pork chops, fresh seafood. 107 S. Germantown Rd. 757-4244. L (Fri. and Sun.), D, X, $$-$$$ FOX RIDGE PIZZA—Pizzas, calzones, sub sandwiches, burgers, and meat-and-two plate lunches are among the
dishes served at this eatery, which opened in 1979. 1769 N. Germantown Pkwy. 758-6500. L, D, X, $ G. ALSTON—Food Network Star finalist and owner Chef Aryen Moore-Alston serves New Southern cuisine at this fine dining establishment. Shrimp beignets are among the appetizers, and entrees include Sous Vide Rosemary Lavender Lamb and Sauteed Scottish Salmon. 8556 Macon. 748-5583. Closed Mon. D, SB, X, $$-$$$ GREEN BAMBOO—Pineapple tilapia, pork vermicelli, and the soft egg noodle combo are Vietnamese specialties here. 990 N. Germantown Parkway, #104. 753-5488. L, D, $-$$ KING JERRY LAWLER’S MEMPHIS BBQ COMPANY—Offers a variety of barbecue dishes, including brisket, ribs, nachos topped with smoked pork, and a selection of barbecue “Slamwiches.” 465 N. Germantown Pkwy., #116. 509-2360. L, D, X, $ JIM ’N NICK’S BAR-B-Q—Serves barbecued pork, ribs, chicken, brisket, and fish, along with other homemade Southern specialties. 2359 N. Germantown Pkwy. 388-0998. L, D, X, $-$$ MISTER B’S—Features New Orleans-style seafood and steaks. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. and Mon. 6655 Poplar, #107. 751-5262. L, D, X, $-$$$ PRESENTATION ROOM, THE—American bistro run by the students of L’Ecole Culinaire. Menu changes regularly; specialties may include such items as a filet with truffle mushroom ragu. Service times vary; call for details. Closed Fri.-Sun. 1245 N. Germantown Pkwy. 754-7115. L, D, X, $-$$ ON THE BORDER—Dishes out such Tex-Mex specialties as fajitas and Southwest chicken tacos; also fresh grilled seafood specials. 8101 Giacosa Pl .881-0808; 6572 Airways (Southaven). 662-655-4750. L, D, WB, X, $ SHOGUN JAPANESE RESTAURANT—Entrees include tempura, teriyaki, and sushi, as well as grilled fish and chicken entrees. 2324 N. Germantown Pkwy. 384-4122. L, D, X, $-$$ TANNOOR GRILL—Brazilian-style steakhouse with skewers served tableside, along with Middle Eastern specialties; vegetarian options also available. 830 N. Germantown Pkwy. 443-5222. L, D, X, $-$$$
EAST MEMPHIS
(INCLUDES POPLAR/ I-240) ACRE—Features seasonal modern American cuisine in an avante-garde setting using locally sourced products; also small-plates and iconic bar. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 690 S. Perkins. 818-2273. L, D, X, $$-$$$ AGAVOS COCINA & TEQUILA—Camaron de Tequila, tamales, kabobs, and burgers made with a blend of beef and chorizo are among the offerings at this tequila-centric restaurant and bar. 2924 Walnut Grove. 433-9345. L, D, X, $-$$ AMERIGO—Traditional and contemporary Italian cuisine includes pasta, wood-fired pizza, steaks, and cedarwood-roasted fish. 1239 Ridgeway, Park Place Mall. 761-4000. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ ANDREW MICHAEL ITALIAN KITCHEN— Traditional Italian cuisine with a menu from two of the city’s top chefs that changes seasonally with such entrees as Maw Maw’s ravioli. Closed Sun.-Mon. 712 W. Brookhaven Cl. 347-3569. D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ ANOTHER BROKEN EGG CAFE—Offering several varieties of eggs benedict, waffles, omelets, pancakes, beignets, and other breakfast fare; also burgers, sandwiches, and salads. 6063 Park Ave. 729-7020; 65 S. Highland. 623-7122. B, L, WB, X, $ BENIHANA—This Japanese steakhouse serves beef, chicken, and seafood grilled at the table; some menu items change monthly; sushi bar also featured. 912 Ridge Lake. 767-8980. L, D, X, $$-$$$ BLUE PLATE CAFÉ — For breakfast, the café’s serves old-fashioned buttermilk pancakes (it’s a secret recipe!), country ham and eggs, and waffles with fresh strawberries and cream. For lunch, the café specializes in country cooking. 5469 Poplar. 761-9696; 113 S. Court. 523-2050. B, L, X, $
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CIT Y DINING LIST BRYANT’S BREAKFAST—Three-egg omelets, pancakes, and The Sampler Platter are among the popular entrees here. Possible the best biscuits in town. Closed Mon. and Tues. 3965 Summer. 324-7494. B, L, X, $ BUCKLEY’S FINE FILET GRILL—Specializes in steaks, seafood, and pasta. (Lunchbox serves entree salads, burgers, and more.) 5355 Poplar. 683-4538; 919 S. Yates (Buckley’s Lunchbox), 682-0570. L (Yates only, M-F), D, X, $-$$ BUNTYN CORNER CAFE—Serving favorites from Buntyn Restaurant, including chicken and dressing, cobbler, and yeast rolls. 5050 Poplar, Suite 107. 424-3286. B, L, X, $ CAPITAL GRILLE—Known for its dry-aged, hand-carved steaks; among the specialties are bone-in sirloin, and porcini-rubbed Delmonico; also seafood entrees and seasonal lunch plates. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. Crescent Center, 6065 Poplar. 683-9291. L, D, X, $$$-$$$$ CASABLANCA—Lamb shawarma is one of the fresh, homemade specialties served at this Mediterranean/Moroccan restaurant; fish entrees and vegetarian options also available. 1707 Madison. 421-6949; 5030 Poplar. 725-8557 ; 7609 Poplar Pike (Germantown). 425-5908. L, D, X, $-$$ CIAO BELLA—Among the Italian and Greek specialties are lasagna, seafood pasta, gourmet pizzas, and vegetarian options. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 565 Erin Dr., Erin Way Shopping Center. 205-2500. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$ CITY SILO TABLE + PANTRY—With a focus on clean eating, this establishment offers fresh juices, as well as comfort foods re-imagined with wholesome ingredients. 5101 Sanderlin. 729-7687. B, L, D, X, $ CORKY’S—Popular barbecue emporium offers both wet and dry ribs, plus a full menu of other barbecue entrees. Wed. lunch buffets, Cordova and Collierville. 5259 Poplar. 685-9744; 1740 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 737-1911; 743 W. Poplar (Collierville). 405-4999; 6434 Goodman Rd., Olive Branch. 662-893-3663. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ ERLING JENSEN—For 20 years, has presented “globally inspired” cuisine to die for. Specialties are rack of lamb, big game entrees, and fresh fish dishes. 1044 S. Yates. 763-3700. D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE—Serves wetaged and dry-aged steaks, prime beef, chops, and seafood, including salmon, Australian lobster tails, and a catch of the day. 6245 Poplar. 761-6200. D, X, MRA, $$$-$$$$ FOLK’S FOLLY ORIGINAL PRIME STEAK HOUSE—Specializes in prime steaks, as well as lobster, grilled Scottish salmon, Alaskan king crab legs, rack of lamb, and weekly specials. Now celebrating their 40th year. 551 S. Mendenhall. 762-8200. D, X, MRA, $$$-$$$$ FORMOSA—Offers Mandarin cuisine, including broccoli beef, hot-and-sour soup, and spring rolls. Closed Monday. 6685 Quince. 753-9898. L, D, X, $-$$ FRATELLI’S—Serves hot and cold sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts, all with an Italian/Mediterranean flair. Closed Sunday. 750 Cherry Rd., Memphis Botanic Garden. 766-9900. L, X, $ FRANK GRISANTI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT— Northern Italian favorites include pasta with jumbo shrimp and mushrooms; also seafood, fillet mignon, and daily lunch specials. Closed for lunch Sunday. Embassy Suites Hotel, 1022 S. Shady Grove. 761-9462. L, D, X, $-$$$ THE GROVE GRILL—Offers steaks, chops, seafood, and other American cuisine with Southern and global influences; entrees include crab cakes, and shrimp and grits, also dinner specials. Founder Jeff Dunham’s son Chip is now chef de cuisine. 4550 Poplar. 8189951. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $$-$$$ HALF SHELL—Specializes in seafood, such as King crab legs; also serves steaks, chicken, pastas, salads, sandwiches, a ”voodoo menu”; oyster bar at Winchester location. 688 S. Mendenhall. 682-3966; 7825 Winchester. 737-6755. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ HERITAGE TAVERN & KITCHEN—Featuring classic cuisine from the country’s five regions, including lobster rolls, fried chicken, smoked tamales, Green Goddess shrimp, and more. 6150 Poplar, Regalia. 761-8855.L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$
HIGH POINT PIZZA—Serves variety of pizzas, subs, salads, and sides. Closed Monday. A neighborhood fixture. 477 High Point Terrace. 452-3339. L, D, X, $-$$ HOG & HOMINY—The casual sister to Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen serves brickoven-baked pizzas, including the Red-Eye with pork belly, and small plates with everything from meatballs to beef and cheddar hot dogs; and local veggies. Closed for lunch Mon. 707 W. Brookhaven Cl. 207-7396. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ HOUSTON’S—Serves steaks, seafood, pork chops, chicken dishes, sandwiches, salads, and Chicago-style spinach dip. Farmous for first-class service. 5000 Poplar. 683-0915. L, D, X $-$$$ INTERIM—Offers American-seasonal cuisine with emphasis on local foods and fresh fish; macaroni and cheese is a house specialty. Closed for lunch Sat. 5040 Sanderlin, Suite 105. 818-0821. L, D, SB, X, $-$$$ THE KITCHEN BISTRO—Tomato soup, panroasted ribeye, sticky toffee pudding, and dishes made using in-season fruits and veggies are served at this establishment at Shelby Farms Park. 415 Great View Drive E., Suite 101. 729-9009. L, D, X, $-$$ LA BAGUETTE—An almond croissant and chicken salad are among specialties at this French-style bistro. Closed for dinner Sun. 3088 Poplar. 458-0900. B, L, D (closes at 7), X, MRA, $ LAS DELICIAS—Popular for its guacamole, housemade tortilla chips, and margaritas, this restaurant draws diners with its chicken enchiladas, meat-stuffed flautas, and Cuban torta with spicy pork. Closed Sunday. 4002 Park Ave. 458-9264; 5689 Quince. 800-2873. L, D, X, $ LIBRO AT LAURELWOOD—Bookstore eatery features a variety of sandwiches, salads, and homemade pasta dishes, with Italianinspired options such as carbonara and potato gnocchi. Closed for dinner Sun. 387 Perkins Ext. (Novel). 800-2656. B, L, D, SB, X, $-$$ LISA’S LUNCHBOX—Serving bagels, sandwiches, salads, and wraps. 5030 Poplar, 761-4044; 5885 Ridgeway Center Pkwy., Suite 101. 767-6465; 2659 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 1200; 2525 Central (Children’s Museum); 166 S. Front. 729-7277. B, L, $ LOST PIZZA—Offering pizzas (with dough made from scratch), pasta, salads, sandwiches, tamales, and more. 2855 Poplar. 572-1803; 5960 Getwell (Southaven). 662-892-8684. L, D, X, $-$$ LYNCHBURG LEGENDS—This restaurant with a Jack Daniels’ theme and Southern cuisine serves such entrees as Bourbon Street salmon, buttermilk-fried chicken, and grilled steak and wild mushroom salad. DoubleTree Hotel, 5069 Sanderlin. 969-7777. B, L, D, X, $- $$$ MARCIANO MEDITERRANEAN AND ITALIAN CUISINE—Veal Saltimbocca with angel hair pasta and white wine sauce is among the entrees; also steaks, seafood, and gourmet pizza. Closed Sun. 780 Brookhaven Cl. 682-1660. D, X, $-$$ DAN MCGUINNESS PUB—Serves fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, burgers, and other Irish and American fare; also lunch and dinner specials. 4694 Spottswood. 761-3711; 3964 Goodman Rd. 662-890-7611. L, D, X, $ MAYURI INDIAN CUISINE—Serves tandoori chicken, masala dosa, tikka masala, as well as lamb and shrimp entrees; also a daily lunch buffet, and dinner buffet on Fri.-Sat. 6524 Quince Rd. 753-8755. L, D, X, $-$$ MELLOW MUSHROOM—Large menu includes assortment of pizzas, salads, calzones, hoagies, vegetarian options, and 50 beers on tap. 5138 Park Ave. 562-12119155 Poplar; Shops of Forest Hill (Germantown). 907-0243. L, D, X, $-$$ MOSA ASIAN BISTRO—Specialties include sesame chicken, Thai calamari, rainbow panang curry with grouper fish, and other Pan Asian/fusion entrees. Closed Mon. 850 S. White Station Rd. 683-8889. L, D, X, MRA, $
NAM KING—Offers luncheon and dinner buffets, dim sum, and such specialties as fried dumplings, pepper steak, and orange chicken. 4594 Yale. 373-4411. L, D, X, $ NAPA CAFE—Among the specialties is miso-marinated salmon over black rice with garlic spinach and shiitake mushrooms. Closed Sun. 5101 Sanderlin, Suite 122. 683-0441. L, D, X, $$-$$$ NEW HUNAN—Chinese eatery with more than 80 entrees; also lunch/dinner buffets. 5052 Park. 766-1622. L, D, X, $ OLD VENICE PIZZA CO.—Specializes in “eclectic Italian,” from pastas, including the “Godfather,” to hand-tossed pizzas, including the “John Wayne”; choose from 60 toppings. 368 Perkins Ext. 767-6872. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ ONE & ONLY BBQ—On the menu are pork barbecue sandwiches, platters, wet and dry ribs, smoked chicken and turkey platters, a smoked meat salad, barbecue quesadillas, and more. New on the BBQ scene, but worth a visit. 1779 Kirby Pkwy. 751-3615; 567 Perkins Extd. 249-4227. L, D, X, $ ONO POKÉ—This eatery specializes in poké — a Hawaiian dish of fresh fish salad served over rice. Menu includes a variety of poké bowls, like the Kimchi Tuna bowl, or customers can build their own by choosing a base, protein, veggies, and toppings. 3145 Poplar. 618-2955. L, D, X, $ OWEN BRENNAN’S—New Orleans-style menu of beef, chicken, pasta, and seafood; jambalaya, shrimp and grits, and crawfish etouffee are specialties. Closed for dinner Sunday. The Regalia, 6150 Poplar. 761-0990. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ PARK + CHERRY—Partnering with CFY Catering, the Dixon offers casual dining within the museum. Menu features sandwiches, like truffled pimento cheese, as well as salads, snacks, and sweets. Closed for breakfast Sun. and all day Mon. 4339 Park (Dixon Gallery). 761-5250. L, X, $ PETE & SAM’S—Serving Memphis for 60-plus years; offers steaks, seafood, and traditional Italian dishes, including homemade ravioli, lasagna, and chicken marsala. 3886 Park. 458-0694. D, X, $-$$$ PF CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO—Specialties are orange peel shrimp, Mongolian beef, and chicken in lettuce wraps; also vegetarian dishes, including spicy eggplant. 1181 Ridgeway Rd., Park Place Centre. 818-3889. L, D, X, $-$$ PHO SAIGON—Vietnamese fare includes beef teriyaki, roasted quail, curry ginger chicken, vegetarian options, and a variety of soups. 2946 Poplar. 458-1644. L, D, $ PORCELLINO’S CRAFT BUTCHER—Small plates, charcuterie selections, specialty steaks, house-made pastries, and innovative teas and coffees are offered at this combination butcher shop and restaurant featuring locally sourced menu items. Restaurant open for breakfast and lunch. Butcher shop open until 6 p.m. 711 W. Brookhaven Cl. 762-6656. B, L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ PYRO’S FIRE-FRESH PIZZA—Serving gourmet pizzas cooked in an open-fire oven; wide choice of toppings; large local and craft beer selection. 1199 Ridgeway. 379-8294; 2035 Union Ave. 208-8857; 2286 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 207-1198; 3592 S. Houston Levee (Collierville). 221-8109. L, D, X, $ RIVER OAKS—Chef Jose Gutierrez’s French-style bistro serves seafood and steaks, with an emphasis on fresh local ingredients. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 5871 Poplar Ave. 683-9305. L, D, X, $$$ RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE—Offers prime steaks cut and aged in-house, as well as lamb, chicken, and fresh seafood, including lobster. 6120 Poplar. 761-0055. D, X, $$$-$$$$ SALSA—Mexican-Southern California specialties include carnitas, enchiladas verde, and fajitas; also Southwestern seafood dishes such as snapper verde. Closed Sun. Regalia Shopping Center, 6150 Poplar, Suite 129. 683-6325. L, D, X, $-$$ SEASONS 52—This elegant fresh grill and wine bar offers a seasonally changing menu using fresh ingredients, wood-fire grilling, and brick-oven cooking; also a large international wine list and nightly piano bar. Crescent Center, 6085 Poplar. 682-9952. L, D, X, $$-$$$ STAKS— Offering pancakes, including Birthday Cake and lemon ricotta. Menu includes other breakfast items such as beignets and French toast, as well as soups and sandwiches for lunch. 4615 Poplar. 509-2367. B, L, WB, X, $
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CIT Y DINING LIST SUSHI JIMMI—This food truck turned restaurant serves a variety of sushi rolls, fusion dishes — such as kimchi fries — and sushi burritos. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Mon. 2895 Poplar. 729-6985. L, D, X, $ SWEET POTATO BABY CAFE—The Eggplant Parmesan panini and mac and cheese hushpuppies are among popular dishes offered. Menu includes a variety of desserts, including Sweet Potato Baby Cake. Closed Sat.-Sun. 1005 Tillman. 6081742. L, D, X, $ TENNESSEE TACO CO.—From the creators of Belly Acres, offers such appetizers as crawfish and chorizo mac-n-cheese and homemade guacamole and specializes in street tacos. 3295 Poplar. 207-1960. L, D, X, $ THREE LITTLE PIGS—Pork-shoulder-style barbecue with tangy mild or hot sauce, freshly made coleslaw, and baked beans. 5145 Quince Rd. 685-7094. B, L, D, X, $ TOPS BAR-B-Q—Specializes in pork barbecue sandwiches and sandwich plates with beans and slaw; also serves ribs, beef brisket, and burgers. 1286 Union. 725-7527. 4183 Summer. 324-4325; 5391 Winchester. 794-7936; 3970 Rhodes. 323-9865; 6130 Macon. 371-0580. For more locations, go online. L, D, X, $ WANG’S MANDARIN HOUSE—Offers Mandarin, Cantonese, Szechuan, and spicy Hunan entrees, including the golden-sesame chicken; next door is East Tapas, serving small plates with an Asian twist. 6065 Park Ave., Park Place Mall. 763-0676. L, D, X, $-$$ WASABI—Serving traditional Japanese offerings, hibachi, sashimi, and sushi. The Sweet Heart roll, wrapped — in the shape of a heart — with tuna and filled with spicy salmon, yellowtail, and avocado, is a specialty. 5101 Sanderlin Rd., Suite 105. 421-6399. L, D, X, $-$$ WOMAN’S EXCHANGE TEA ROOM—Chicken-salad plate, beef tenderloin, soups-and-sandwiches, and vegetable plates are specialties; meal includes drink and dessert. Closed Sat.-Sun. 88 Racine. 327-5681. L, X, $ ZAKA BOWL—This vegan-friendly restaurant serves buildyour-own vegetable bowls featuring ingredients such as agave Brussels sprouts and roasted beets. Also serves tuna poke and herbed chicken bowls. 575 Erin. 509-3105. L, D, $
GERMANTOWN BLUE HONEY BISTRO—Entrees at this upscale eatery include brown butter scallops served with Mississippi blue rice and herb-crusted beef tenderloin with vegetables and truffle butter. Closed Sun. 9155 Poplar, Suite 17. 552-3041. D, X, $-$$$ BROOKLYN BRIDGE ITALIAN RESTAURANT— Specializing in such homemade entrees as spinach lasagna and lobster ravioli; a seafood specialty is horseradish-crusted salmon. Closed Sun. 1779 Kirby Pkwy. 755-7413. D, X, $-$$$ FOREST HILL GRILL—A variety of standard pub fare and a selection of mac ‘n’ cheese dishes are featured on the menu. Specialties include Chicken Newport and a barbecue salmon BLT. 9102 Poplar Pike. 624-6001. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ GERMANTOWN COMMISSARY—Serves barbecue sandwiches, sliders, ribs, shrimp, and nachos, as well as smoked barbecued bologna sandwiches; Mon.-night all-youcan-eat ribs. 2290 S. Germantown Rd. S. 754-5540. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ LAS TORTUGAS DELI MEXICANA— Authentic Mexican food prepared from local food sources; specializes in tortugas — grilled bread scooped out to hold such powerfully popular fillings as brisket, pork, and shrimp; also tingas, tostados. Closed Sunday. 1215 S. Germantown Rd. 751-1200; 6300 Poplar. 623-3882. L, D, X, $-$$ MISTER B’S—Features New Orleans-style seafood and steaks. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. and Mon. 6655 Poplar, #107. 751-5262. L, D, X, $-$$$ THE PASTA MAKER RESTAURANT—This Italian eatery specializes in artisanal pasta. Entrées include Spaghetti allo scoglio, Penne Boscaiola, and Fusilli Primavera. Gluten-free options available. Restaurant closed Mon. and Sun. (cooking classes by reservation Sun.). 2095 Exeter, Suite 30. 779-3928. L (Thurs. only), D, X, $-$$
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CIT Y DINING LIST PETRA CAFÉ—Serves Greek, Italian, and Middle Eastern sandwiches, gyros, and entrees. Hours vary; call. 6641 Poplar. 754-4440; 547 S. Highland. 323-3050. L, D, X, $-$$ PIZZA REV—Specializes in build-your-own, personal-sized artisanal pizza. Choose from homemade dough options, all-natural sauces, Italian cheeses, and more than 30 toppings. 6450 Poplar. 379-8188. L, D, X, MRA, $ RED KOI—Classic Japanese cuisine offered at this family-run restaurant; hibachi steaks, sushi, seafood, chicken, and vegetables. 5847 Poplar. 767-3456. L, D, X $-$$ ROYAL PANDA—Hunan fish, Peking duck, Royal Panda chicken and shrimp, and a seafood combo are among the specialties. 3120 Village Shops Dr. 756-9697. L, D, X, $-$$ RUSSO’S NEW YORK PIZZERIA AND WINE BAR—Serves gourmet pizzas, calzones, and pasta, including lasagna, fettuccine Alfredo, scampi, and more. 9087 Poplar, Suite 111. 755-0092. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ SAKURA—Sushi, tempura, and teriyaki are Japanese specialties here. 2060 West St. 758-8181; 4840 Poplar. 572-1002. L, D, X, $-$$ SOUTHERN SOCIAL—Shrimp and grits, stuffed quail, and Aunt Thelma’s Fried Chicken are among the dishes served at this upscale Southern establishment. 2285 S. Germantown Rd. 754-5555. D, SB, X, $-$$$ WEST STREET DINER—This home-style eatery offers breakfast, burgers, po’boys, and more. 2076 West St. 757-2191. B, L, D (Mon.-Fri.), X, $
MIDTOWN (INCLUDES THE MEDICAL CENTER) ABYSSINIA RESTAURANT—Ethiopian/Mediterranean menu includes beef, chicken, lamb, fish entrees, and vegetarian dishes; also a lunch buffet. 2600 Poplar. 321-0082. L, D, X, $-$$ ALCHEMY—Southern fusion, locally grown cuisine features small and large plates; among the offerings are pan-seared hanger steak, quail, and lamb chops; also handcrafted cocktails and local craft beers. 940 S. Cooper. 726-4444. D, SB, X, $-$$ BABALU TACOS & TAPAS—This Overton Square eatery dishes up Spanish-style tapas with Southern flair; also taco and enchilada of the day; specials change daily. 2115 Madison. 274-0100; 6450 Poplar, 410-8909. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ BAR DKDC—Features an ever-changing menu of international “street food,” from Thai to Mexican, Israeli to Indian, along with specialty cocktails. 964 S. Cooper. 272-0830. D, X, MRA, $ BAR LOUIE—Serves small plates, flatbreads, sandwiches, burgers, salads, and such large plate entrees as blackened fish tacos and baked mac-and-cheese. 2125 Madison. 207-1436. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ BAR-B-Q SHOP—Dishes up barbecued ribs, spaghetti, bologna; also pulled pork shoulder, Texas toast barbecue sandwich, chicken sandwich, and salads. Closed Sun. 1782 Madison. 272-1277. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ BARI RISTORANTE ENOTECA—Authentic Southeastern Italian cuisine (Puglia) emphasizes lighter entrees. Serves fresh fish and beef dishes and a homemade soup of the day. 22 S. Cooper. 722-2244. D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ BARKSDALE RESTAURANT—Old-school diner serving breakfast and Southern plate lunches. 237 Cooper. 722-2193. B, L, D, X, $ BAYOU BAR & GRILL—New Orleans fare at this Overton Square eatery includes jambalaya, gumbo, catfish Acadian, shrimp dishes, red beans and rice, and muffalettas. 2094 Madison. 278-8626. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ BEAUTY SHOP—Modern American cuisine with international flair served in a former beauty shop. Serves steaks salads, pasta, and seafood, including pecan-crusted golden sea bass. Perennial “Best Brunch” winner. Closed for dinner Sunday. 966 S. Cooper. 272-7111. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ BELLY ACRES—At this festive Overton Square eatery, milkshakes, floats, and burgers rule. Burgers are updated with contemporary toppings like grilled leeks, braised tomatoes, and sourdough or brioche buns. 2102 Trimble Pl. 529-7017. L, D, X, $ BHAN THAI—Authentic Thai cuisine includes curries, pad Thai noodles, and vegetarian dishes, as
well as seafood, pork, and duck entrees. Closed for lunch Sat.Sun. and all day Mon. 1324 Peabody. 272-1538. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ BLUE NILE ETHIOPIAN—Kabobs, flavorful chicken and lamb stew, and injera (flatbread) are traditional items on the menu, along with vegetarian options. 1788 Madison. 474-7214. L, D, X, $-$$ BOSCOS—Tennessee’s first craft brewery serves a variety of freshly brewed beers as well as wood-fired oven pizzas, pasta, seafood, steaks, and sandwiches. 2120 Madison. 432-2222. L, D, SB (with live jazz), X, MRA, $-$$ BOUNTY ON BROAD—Offering family-style dining, Bounty serves small plates and family-sized platters, with such specialties as chicken fried quail and braised pork shank. 2519 Broad. 410-8131. L (Sat. and Sun.), D (Mon.-Sat.), SB, X, $-$$$ BROADWAY PIZZA—Serving a variety of pizzas, including the Broadway Special, as well as sandwiches, salads, wings, and soul-food specials. 2581 Broad. 454-7930; 627 S. Mendenhall. 207-1546. L, D, X, $-$$ CAFE 1912—French/American bistro owned by culinary pioneer Glenn Hays serving such seafood entrees as grouper and steamed mussels; also crepes, salads, and French onion soup. 243 S. Cooper. 722-2700. D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ CAFE BROOKS BY PARADOX—Serving graband-go pastries, as well as lunch items. Menu includes soups, salads, and sandwiches, such as the Modern Reuben and Grown Up Grilled Cheese. 1934 Poplar (Memphis Brooks Museum of Art). 544-6200. B, L, X, $ CAFE ECLECTIC—Omelets and chicken and waffles are among menu items, along with quesadillas, sandwiches, wraps, and burgers. Menu varies by location. 603 N. McLean. 725-1718; 111 Harbor Town Square. 590-4645; 510 S. Highland. 410-0765. B, L, D, SB, X, MRA, $ CAFE OLE—This eatery specializes in authentic Mexican cuisine; one specialty is the build-your-own quesadilla. 959 S. Cooper. 343-0103. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ CAFE PALLADIO—Serves gourmet salads, soups, sandwiches, and desserts in a tea room inside the antiques shop. Closed Sun. 2169 Central. 278-0129. L, X, $ CAFE SOCIETY—With Belgian and classic French influences, serves Wagyu beef, chicken, and seafood dishes, including bacon-wrapped shrimp, along with daily specials and vegetarian entrees. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 212 N. Evergreen. 722-2177. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ CANVAS—An “interactive art bar” serving salads, sandwiches, and flatbreads. 1737 Madison. 619-5303. D, $ CELTIC CROSSING—Specializes in Irish and American pub fare. Entrees include shepherd’s pie, shrimp and sausage coddle, and fish and chips. 903 S. Cooper. 274-5151. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$ CENTRAL BBQ—Serves ribs, smoked hot wings, pulled pork sandwiches, chicken, turkey, nachos, and portobello sandwiches. Offers both pork and beef barbecue. 2249 Central Ave. 272-9377; 4375 Summer Ave. 7674672; 147 E. Butler. 672-7760. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ CHEF TAM’S UNDERGROUND CAFE— Serves Southern staples with a Cajun twist. Menu items include totchos, jerk wings, fried chicken, and “muddy” mac and cheese. Closed Sun. and Mon. 2299 Young. 207-6182. L, D, $ THE CRAZY NOODLE—Korean noodle dishes range from bibam beef noodle with cabbage, carrots, and other vegetables, to curry chicken noodle; also rice cakes served in a flavorful sauce. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 2015 Madison. 272-0928. L, D, X, $ ECCO—Mediterranean-inspired specialties range from rib-eye steak to seared scallops to housemade pastas and a grilled vegetable plate; also a Saturday brunch. Closed Sun.-Mon. 1585 Overton Park. 410-8200. L, D, X, $-$$ FRIDA’S—Mexican cuisine and Tex-Mex standards, including chimichangas, enchiladas, and fajitas; seafood includes shrimp and tilapia. 1718 Madison. 244-6196. L, D, X, $-$$ FUEL CAFE—Focus is on natural dishes with such specialties as bison burgers, quinoa chili, and tacos; also vegan and
gluten-free options. Closed Sun.-Mon. 1761 Madison. 725-9025. L, D, X, $-$$ GOLDEN INDIA—Northern Indian specialties include tandoori chicken as well as lamb, beef, shrimp, and vegetarian dishes. 2097 Madison. 728-5111. L, D, X, $-$$ GROWLERS—Sports bar and eatery serves standard bar fare in addition to a pasta, tacos, chicken and waffles, and light options. 1911 Poplar. 244-7904. L, D, X, $-$$ HM DESSERT LOUNGE—Serving cake, pie, and other desserts, as well as a selection of savory dishes, including meatloaf and mashed potato “cupcakes.” Closed Monday. 1586 Madison. 290-2099. L, D, X, $ IMAGINE VEGAN CAFE—Dishes at this fully vegan restaurant range from salads and sandwiches to full dinners, including eggplant parmesan and “beef” tips and rice; breakfast all day Sat. and Sun. 2158 Young. 654-3455. L, D, WB, X, $ INDIA PALACE—Tandoori chicken, lamb shish kabobs, and chicken tikka masala are among the entrees; also, vegetarian options and a daily all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. 1720 Poplar. 278-1199. L, D, X, $-$$ JASMINE THAI AND VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT—Entrees include panang chicken, green curry shrimp, and pad thai (noodles, shrimp, and peanuts); also vegetarian dishes. Closed Mon.-Tues. 916 S. Cooper. 725-0223. L, D, X, $ LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM—Serves such Southern cuisine as po boys and shrimp and grits, and wood-fired pizzas. 2119 Madison. 207-5097. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$ LBOE—Gourmet burger joint serves locally sourced ground beef burgers, with options like the Mac-N-Cheese Burger and Caprese. Black bean and turkey patties available. 2021 Madison. 725-0770. L, D, X, $ LITTLE ITALY—Serving New York-style pizza as well as subs and pasta dishes. 1495 Union. 725-0280, L, D, X, $-$$ LUCKY CAT RAMEN—Specializes in gourmet ramen bowls, such as Bacon Collards Ramen, made with rich broth. Bao, steamed buns filled with various meats and veggies, also grace the menu. 247 S. Cooper. 6338296. L, D, X, $-$$ MAMA GAIA—Greek-inspired dishes at this vegetarian eatery include pitas, “petitzzas,” and quinoa bowls. 1350 Concourse Avenue, Suite 137. 203-3838 ; 2144 Madison. 214-2449. B, L, D, X, $-$$ MARDI GRAS MEMPHIS—Serving Cajun fare, including an etouffee-stuffed po’boy. Closed Mon. 496 Watkins. 5306767. L, D, X, $-$$ MAXIMO’S ON BROAD—Serving a tapas menu that features creative fusion cuisine; entrees include veggie paella and fish of the day. Closed Mon. 2617 Broad Ave. 452-1111. D, SB, X, $-$$ MEMPHIS PIZZA CAFE—Homemade pizzas are specialties; also serves sandwiches, calzones, and salads. 2087 Madison. 726-5343; 5061 Park Ave. 684-1306; 7604 W. Farmington (Germantown). 753-2218; 797 W. Poplar (Collierville). 861-7800; 5627 Getwell (Southaven). 662-536-1364. L, D, X, $-$$ MOLLY’S LA CASITA—Homemade tamales, fish tacos, a vegetarian combo, and bacon-wrapped shrimp are a few of the specialties. 2006 Madison. 726-1873. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ NEXT DOOR AMERICAN EATERY—The Kitchen’s sister restaurant serves dishes sourced from American farms. Menu features chorizo bacon dates, spicy gulf shrimp, and dry-aged beef burgers. 1350 Concourse Avenue Suite 165. 779-1512. L, D, X, $ ONIX RESTAURANT—Serves seafood dishes, including barbecued shrimp and pecan-crusted trout, and a variety of salads and sandwiches. Closed Sun. 1680 Madison. 552-4609. L, D, X, $-$$ PAYNE’S BAR-B-QUE—Opened in 1972, this family owned barbecue joint serves ribs, smoked sausage, and chopped pork sandwiches with a standout mustard slaw and homemade sauce. About as down-toearth as it gets. 1762 Lamar. 272-1523. L, D, $-$$ PEI WEI ASIAN DINER—Serves a variety of Pan-Asian cuisine, including Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Thai. Noodle and rice bowls are specialties; a small plates menu also
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CIT Y DINING LIST offered. 1680 Union Ave., #109. 722-3780; 2257 N. Germantown Pkwy. 382-1822. L, D, X, $-$$ PHO BINH—Vietnamese, vegetarian, and Cantonese specialties include lemon tofu and spring rolls. Closed Sunday. 1615 Madison. 276-0006. L, D, $ RAILGARTEN—Located in a former rail station space, this eatery offers breakfast items, a variety of salads and sandwiches, and such entrees as short rib mac-and-cheese and fish tacos. Also serves shakes, malts, floats, and cream sodas. 2166 Central. 231-5043. B, L, D, $-$$ RED FISH ASIAN BISTRO—From the former 19th Century Club building, serves sushi, teriyaki, and hibachi. Specialities include yuzu filet mignon and Chilean seabass. 1433 Union. 454-3926; 9915 Highway 64 (Lakeland). 729-7581; 6518 Goodman (Olive Branch). 662-8745254. L, D, X, $-$$$ RESTAURANT IRIS—French Creole cuisine includes shrimp and delta-grind grits, and New York strip stuffed with fried oysters. Chef Kelly English is a Food and Wine “Top Ten.” Closed Sun. 2146 Monroe. 590-2828. D, X, $$-$$$ ROBATA RAMEN & YAKITORI BAR—Serves ramen noodle bowls and Yakitori skewers as well as rice and noodle dishes. 2116 Madison. 410-8290. L, D, X, $ THE SECOND LINE—Kelly English brings “relaxed Creole cuisine” to his newest eatery; serves a variety of po-boys and such specialties as barbecue shrimp, and andouille, shrimp, and pimento cheese fries. 2144 Monroe. 590-2829. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ SEKISUI—Japanese fusion cuisine, fresh sushi bar, grilled meats and seafood, California rolls, and vegetarian entrees. Poplar/Perkins location’s emphasis is on Pacific Rim cuisine. Menu and hours vary at each location. 25 Belvedere. 725-0005; 1884 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 309-8800; 4724 Poplar (between Perkins & Colonial). 767-7770; 2130 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-0622; 2990 Kirby-Whitten (Bartlett). 377-2727; 6696 Poplar. 747-0001. L, D, X, $-$$$ STANLEY BAR-B-QUE—Serving a variety of barbecue dishes and smoked meats, as well as burgers, sauerkraut balls, and pretzels with beer cheese. 2110 Madison. 347-3060. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ STONE SOUP CAFE—Cooper-Young eatery serving soups, salads, quiche, meat-and-two specials; and daily specials such as Italian roast beef. Closed Monday. 993 S. Cooper. 922-5314. B, L, SB, X, $ STRANO SICILIAN KITCHEN & BAR— Presenting a Sicilian/Mediterranean mix of Arab, Spanish, Greek, and North African fare, Strano serves small plates, wood-grilled fish, and hand-tossed pizzas such as the King Alaska, with salmon and chevre. Closed Mon. 948 S. Cooper. 275-8986. L, D, WB, X, $$-$$$ SOUL FISH CAFE—Serving Southern-style soul food, tacos, and Po Boys, including catfish, crawfish, oyster, shrimp, chicken and smoked pork tenderloin. 862 S. Cooper. 725-0722; 3160 Village Shops Dr. (Germantown). 755-6988; 4720 Poplar. 590-0323. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ SWEET GRASS—Chef Ryan Trimm takes Southern cuisine to a new level. Low-country coastal cuisine includes such specialties as shrimp and grits. Closed Mon. Restaurant’s “sister,” Sweet Grass Next Door, open nightly, serves lunch Sat.-Sun. 937 S. Cooper. 278-0278. D, SB, X, $-$$$ TART—Combination patisserie, coffeehouse, and restaurant serving rustic French specialties, including baked eggs in brioche, topped with Gruyere, and French breads and pastries. 820 S. Cooper. 725-0091; One Commerce Square. B, L, WB, X, $-$$ TROLLEY STOP MARKET—Serves plate lunches/dinners as well as pizzas, salads, and vegan/vegetarian entrees; a specialty is the locally raised beef burger. Also sells fresh produce and goods from local farmers; delivery available. Saturday brunch; closed Sunday. 704 Madison. 526-1361. L, D, X, $ TSUNAMI—Features Pacific Rim cuisine (Asia, Australia, South Pacific, etc.); also a changing “small plate” menu. Chef Ben Smith is a Cooper-Young pioneer. Specialties include Asian nachos and roasted sea bass. Closed Sunday. 928 S. Cooper. 274-2556. D, X, $$-$$$ SABROSURA—Serves Mexican and Cuban fare, including arroz tapada de pollo and steak Mexican. Closed Sun. 782 Washington. 421-8180. L, D, X, $-$$
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CIT Y DINING LIST
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COLETTA’S—Longtime eatery serves such specialties as homemade ravioli, lasagna, and pizza with barbecue or traditional toppings. 1063 S. Parkway E. 948-7652; 2850 Appling Rd. (Bartlett). 383-1122. L, D, X, $-$$ CURRY BOWL—Specializes in Southern Indian cuisine, serving Tandoori chicken, biryani, tikka masala, and more. Weekend buffet. 4141 Hacks Cross. 207-6051. L, D, $ DELTA’S KITCHEN—The premier restaurant at The Guest House at Graceland serves Elvis-inspired dishes — like Nutella and Peanut Butter Crepes for breakfast — and upscale Southern cuisine — including lamb chops and shrimp and grits — for dinner. 3600 Elvis Presley Blvd. 443-3000. B, D, X, $-$$$ DWJ KOREAN BARBECUE—This authentic Korean eatery serves kimbap, barbecued beef short ribs, rice and noodles dishes, and hot pots and stews. 3750 Hacks Cross, Suite 101. 746-8057; 2156 Young. 207-6204. L, D, $-$$ THE FOUR WAY—Legendary soul-food establishment dishing up such entrees as fried and baked catfish, chicken, and turkey and dressing, along with a host of vegetables and desserts. Around the corner from the legendary Stax Studio. Closed Monday. 998 Mississippi Blvd. 507-1519. L, D, $ INTERSTATE BAR-B-Q—Specialties include chopped pork-shoulder sandwiches, ribs, hot wings, spaghetti, chicken, and turkey. 2265 S. Third. 775-2304; 150 W. Stateline Rd. (Southaven). 662-393-5699. L, D, X, $-$$ LEONARD’S—Serves wet and dry ribs, barbecue sandwiches, spaghetti, catfish, homemade onion rings, and lemon icebox pie; also a lunch buffet. 5465 Fox Plaza. 360-1963. L, X, $-$$ MARLOWE’S—In addition to its signature barbecue and ribs, Marlowe’s serves Southern-style steaks, chops, lasagne, and more. 4381 Elvis Presley Blvd. 332-4159. D, X, MRA, $-$$ UNCLE LOU’S FRIED CHICKEN—Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives for good reason: fried chicken (mild, hot, or home-style); jumbo burgers four patties high; strawberry shortcake, and assorted fruit pies. 3633 Millbranch. 332-2367. L, D, X, MRA, $
SUMMER/BERCLAIR/ RALEIGH/BARTLETT ASIAN PALACE—Chinese eatery serves seafood, vegetarian items, dim sum, and more. 5266 Summer Ave. 766-0831. L, D, X, $-$$ ELWOOD’S—Casual comfort food includes tacos, pizza and sandwiches. Specialties include meats smoked in-house (chicken, turkey, brisket, pork), barbecue pizza and steelhead trout tacos. 4523 Summer. 761-9898. B, L, D, X, $ EXLINES’ BEST PIZZA—Serves pizza, Italian dinners, sandwiches, and salads. 6250 Stage Rd. 382-3433; 2935 Austin Peay. 388-4711; 2801 Kirby Parkway. 754-0202; 7730 Wolf River Blvd. (Germantown). 753-4545; 531 W. Stateline Rd. 662-3424544 (check online for additional locations). L, D, X, MRA, $ GRIDLEY’S—Offers barbecued ribs, shrimp, pork plate, chicken, and hot tamales; also daily lunch specials. Closed Tues. 6842 Stage Rd. 377-8055. L, D, X, $-$$ LA TAQUERIA GUADALUPANA—Fajitas and quesadillas are just a few of the authentic Mexican entrees offered here. A bona-fide Memphis institution. 4818 Summer. 685-6857; 5848 Winchester. 365-4992. L, D, $ LOTUS—Authentic Vietnamese-Asian fare, including lemon-grass chicken and shrimp, egg rolls, Pho soup, and spicy Vietnamese vermicelli. 4970 Summer. 6821151. D, X, $ MORTIMER’S—Contemporary American entrees include trout almondine, chicken dishes, and hand-cut steaks; also sandwiches, salads, and daily/nightly specials. A Memphis landmark since the Knickerbocker closed. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 590 N. Perkins. 761-9321. L, D, X, $-$$
NAGASAKI INN—Chicken, steak, and lobster are among the main courses; meal is cooked at your table. 3951 Summer. 454-0320. D, X, $$ PANDA GARDEN—Sesame chicken and broccoli beef are among the Mandarin and Cantonese entrees; also seafood specials and fried rice. Closed for lunch Saturday. 3735 Summer. 323-4819. L, D, X, $-$$ QUEEN OF SHEBA—Featuring Middle Eastern favorites and Yemeni dishes such as lamb haneeth and saltah. 4792 Summer. 207-4174. L, D, $ SIDE PORCH STEAK HOUSE—In addition to steak, the menu includes chicken, pork chops, and fish entrees; homemade rolls are a specialty. Closed Sun.-Mon. 5689 Stage Rd. 377-2484. D, X, $-$$
UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICT (INCLUDES CHICKASAW GARDENS AND HIGHLAND STRIP)
A-TAN—Serves Chinese and Japanese hibachi cuisine, complete with sushi bar. A specialty is Four Treasures with garlic sauce. 3445 Poplar, Suite 17, University Center. 452-4477. L, D, X, $-$$$ THE BLUFF—New Orleans-inspired menu includes alligator bites, nachos topped with crawfish and andouille, gumbo, po’boys, and fried seafood platters. 535 S. Highland. 454-7771. L, D, X, $-$$ BROTHER JUNIPER’S—This little cottage is a breakfast mecca, offering specialty omelets, including the open-faced San Diegan omelet; also daily specials, and homemade breads and pastries. Closed Mon. 3519 Walker. 3240144. B, X, $ CHAR RESTAURANT—Specializing in modern Southern cuisine, this eatery offers homestyle sides, char-broiled steaks, and fresh seafood. 431 S. Highland, #120. 249-3533. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ DERAE RESTAURANT—Ethiopian and Mediterranean fare includes fuul, or fava beans in spices and yogurt, goat meat and rice, and garlic chicken over basmati rice with cilantro chutney; also salmon and tilapia. Closed Monday. 923 S. Highland. 5523992. B, L, D, $-$$ EL PORTON—Fajitas, quesadillas, and steak ranchero are just a few of the menu items. 2095 Merchants Row (Germantown). 754-4268; 8361 Highway 64. 380-7877; 3448 Poplar, Poplar Plaza. 452-7330; 1805 N. Germantown Parkway (Cordova). 624-9358; 1016 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-5770. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ JOES’ ON HIGHLAND—Specializes in fried chicken and comfort sides such as warm okra/green tomato salad and turnip greens. Entrees include salmon patties and chicken fried steak. Closed Mon. 262 S. Highland. 337-7003. L, D, X, $ MEDALLION—Offers steaks, seafood, chicken, and pasta entrees. Closed for dinner Sunday. 3700 Central, Holiday Inn (Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality). 678-1030. B, L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ ROCK’N DOUGH PIZZA CO.—Specialty and custom pizzas made from fresh ingredients; wide variety of toppings. 3445 Poplar Ave., Ste. 1. 512-6760; 7850 Poplar, #6 (Germantown). 779-2008. L, D, SB, X, $$
OUT-OF-TOWN BIG JOHN’S SHAKE SHACK (TACKER’S)—This family-run establishment offers plate lunches, catfish dinners, homemade desserts, and a variety of hamburgers, including a mac ‘n’ cheese-topped griddle burger. Closed Sun. 409 E. Military Rd. (Marion, AR). 870-739-3943. B, L, D, $ BONNE TERRE—This inn’s cafe features American cuisine with a Southern flair, and a seasonal menu that changes monthly. Offers Angus steaks, duck, pasta, and seafood. Closed Sun.Wed. 4715 Church Rd. W. (Nesbit, MS). 662-781-5100. D, X, $-$$$ BOZO’S HOT PIT BAR-B-Q—Barbecue, burgers, sandwiches, and subs. 342 Hwy 70 (Mason, TN). 901-294-3400. L, D, $-$$ CATFISH BLUES—Serving Delta-raised catfish and Cajunand Southern-inspired dishes, including gumbo and fried green tomatoes. 210 E. Commerce (Hernando, MS). 662-298-3814. L, D, $
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CIT Y DINING LIST CITY GROCERY—Southern eclectic cuisine; shrimp and grits is a specialty. Closed for dinner Sunday. 152 Courthouse Square (Oxford, MS). 662-232-8080. L, D, SB, X, $$-$$$ COMO STEAKHOUSE—Steaks cooked on a hickory charcoal grill are a specialty here. Upstairs is an oyster bar. Closed Sun. 203 Main St. (Como, MS). 662-526-9529. D, X, $-$$$ LONG ROAD CIDER CO.—Specializes in hard apple ciders made with traditional methods. Cafe-style entrees include black eye peas with cornbread and greens, chicken Gorgonzola pockets, cider-steamed sausage, and housemade ice creams. Closed Sun.-Wed. 9053 Barret Road. (Barretville, TN). 352-0962. D, X, $
CASINO TABLES BOURBON STREET STEAKHOUSE & GRILL AT SOUTHLAND PARK—1550 Ingram Blvd., West Memphis, AR, 1-800-467-6182. CHICAGO STEAKHOUSE AT THE GOLDSTRIKE—1010 Casino Center Dr., Robinsonville, MS, 1-888-24KSTAY /662-357-1225. FAIRBANKS AT THE HOLLYWOOD—1150 Casino Strip Blvd., Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-871-0711. JACK BINION’S STEAK HOUSE AT HORSESHOE—1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-303-SHOE. LUCKY 8 ASIAN BISTRO AT HORSESHOE—1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-303-SHOE. SAMMY HAGAR’S RED ROCKER BAR & GRILL AT SOUTHLAND PARK—1550 Ingram Blvd., West Memphis, AR, 1-870-735-3670 ext. 5208 THE STEAKHOUSE AT THE FITZ —711 Lucky Ln., Robinsonville, MS, 1-888-766-LUCK, ext 8213. MANILA FILIPINO RESTAURANT—Entrees include pork belly cutlet with lechon sauce, and shrimp and vegetables in tamarind broth; also daily combos, rice dishes, and chef specials. Closed Sun.-Mon. 7849 Rockford (Millington, TN). 209-8525. L, D, X, $ MARSHALL STEAKHOUSE—Rustic steakhouse serves premium Angus beef steaks, seafood dishes, rack of lamb, and more. Breakfast menu features griddle cakes, and lunch offerings include hamburger steak and oyster po’ boys. 2379 Highway 178 (Holly Springs, MS). 628-3556. B, L, D, X, $-$$$ MEMPHIS BARBECUE COMPANY—Offers spare ribs, baby backs, and pulled pork and brisket, along with such sides as mac and cheese, grits, and red beans. 709 Desoto Cove (Horn Lake, MS). 662-536-3762. L, D, X, $-$$ NAGOYA—Offers traditional Japanese cuisine and sushi bar; specialties are teriyaki and tempura dishes. 7075 Malco Blvd., Suite 101 (Southaven, MS). 662-349-8788. L, D, X, $-$$$ PANCHO’S—Serves up a variety of Mexican standards, including tacos, enchiladas, and mix-and-match platters; also lunch specials. 3600 E. Broadway (West Memphis, AR). 870735-6466. 717 N. White Station. 685-5404. L, D, X, MRA, $ PIG-N-WHISTLE—Offers pork shoulder sandwiches, wet and dry ribs, catfish, nachos, and stuffed barbecue potatoes. 6084 Kerr-Rosemark Rd. (Millington, TN). 872-2455. L, D, X, $ RAVEN & LILY—Eatery offers innovative Southern cuisine with such dishes as onion ring and pork rind salad, chipotle hot chicken with spiced cabbage, and shrimp and grits benedict. Closed for lunch Monday. 7700 Highway 64 (Oakland, TN). 235-7300. L, D, SB, X, $-$$ RAVINE—Serves contemporary Southern cuisine with an emphasis on fresh, locally grown foods and a menu that changes weekly. Closed Mon.-Tues. 53 Pea Ridge/County Rd. 321 (Oxford, MS). 662-234-4555. D, SB, X, $$-$$$ STEAK BY MELISSA—Aged, choice-grade, hand-cut steaks are a specialty here. Also serving fresh seafood dishes, plate lunches, burgers, and sandwiches. 4975 Pepper Chase Dr. (Southaven, MS). 662-342-0602. L, D, WB, X, $-$$$ WILSON CAFE—Serving elevated home-cooking, with such dishes as deviled eggs with cilantro and jalapeno, scampi and grits, and doughnut bread pudding. 2 N. Jefferson (Wilson, AR). 870-655-0222. L, D (Wed. through Sat. only), X, $-$$$
Church Health Christmas Card 2017
by Nancy Cheairs
suggested donation GLORY TO GOD I N T H E H I G H E S T, AND ON EARTH PEACE AND GOOD WILL
10
$
TOWARD ALL. LUKE 2:14
It’s always the season of giving. churchhealth.org/christmascards Memphis.Mag.Christmas.Card.Ad.9.26.17.indd 1
9/26/2017 10:10:04 AM
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LAST STAND
Freedom of the Press The New Tri-State Defender and the legacy of Bernal Smith.
T
here was a moment, back in 2016, during the 50th anniversary celebration of The Bar-Kays, the venerable Memphis singing group, when an interviewer, soliciting video comments at random from attendees at the event, happened upon Bernal Smith — man-about-town, civic luminary uber alles, and publisher of The New Tri-State Defender — and started pumping him for reactions.
What’s called for in such circumstances and what the lady with the mic got, for the most part that evening, were obligatory variations on the themes of great night, great group, great contributions to music, etc. But then she pressed Smith with one of those questions, meant innocently enough, that constitutes a put-up-or-shut-up moment and places the interviewee irrevocably on the spot. “What’s your favorite song by the Bar-Kays?” she asked. The fact is that not one person in 50 could give an easy answer to such a question. The Bar-Kays had started out a half-century earlier as the house band at the then-f ledgling Stax-Volt, playing behind such greats as Otis Redding. Most of their original members perished along with Redding in a plane crash in 1967 (see page 34). Re-formed by two surviving members, the BarKays went on to a long and industrious history, experiencing one of those busy chronologies familiar to durable music groups. A favorite song? The question’s degree-of-difficulty was palpable, and Smith’s first reaction was that of a Candid Camera victim. “Aw, you’re not going to do that to me, are you?” Such, however, was not the fate of Bernal Smith on that night in 2016. After a few seconds of hesitation, he not only answered the question with several possibilities, each corresponding to a different phase of the Bar-Kays’ lengthy existence, but he re-enacted each of them
Kays, way, way before his time — he had himself become a part of Memphis history. A Rhodes graduate but a true son of the city’s coming-to-dominance African-American community, he moved as easily in one culture as the other and was often one of the few dependable bridges
By the time Bernal Smith passed in late October at the age of 45 — like the original Bar-Kays, way, way before his time — he had himself become a part of Memphis history. in sequence, complete with appropriate dance moves and lyrics crooned more or less on pitch. It was a tour de force of performance art and, simultaneously, a brief course in an important moment of Memphis history. By the time Bernal Smith passed in late October at the age of 45 — like the original Bar-
between the two. His Rhodes degree, coupled with a later master’s in business administration from Union University, allowed him the prospect of entry into Memphis’ hard-core but still overwhelmingly white business community. After operating a financial-services business of his own, he would go on to become
an assets manager at the Bank of Bartlett and a vice president of the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce. But “making it” was not the be-all and end-all of Bernal’s heart’s desire. He meant to elevate not only himself but the people he sprang from, and, beyond even that, the city itself, the whole of it. He was a prime mover in the re-creation of the Memphis Boys and Girls Clubs, an up-by-thebootstraps complex of neighborhood organizations which Smith characterized with the Darwinian phrase “survival of the fittest.” Those clubs would produce a cadre of future community leaders who would be fit indeed. He continued in that vein as the president of 100 Black Men of Memphis, Inc., and ultimately, for the last four years, as the enterprising publisher of the Defender, which, through his aegis and for the first time in the history of that venerable news outlet for African Americans, became fully locally owned thereby. Smith launched crusades in his newspaper that will long survive him, such as a determined call for more black-owned businesses and initiatives on Beale Street, that end of the rainbow for so many authenticity-seeking tourists to Memphis. His death occasioned not only an outpouring of grief but a general recognition, via a host of seriously proffered encomia from the city’s Who’s Who, among all parties that he was on a course that would eventually entitle him to membership in that group of Memphis pioneers who belong on the Mt. Rushmore of local memory, a leader who would become one of the logical answers to the red-carpet question of the future: Who really mattered here and made this city what it is? Maybe he’s already one of those answers.
ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS HONEYSUCKLE ELLIS
by jackson baker
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