The oh-so tasteful 387 Pantry opened, softly, last Friday. It’s inside the same building as Stock and Belle on South Main.
Store curator/manager Josh Conley says the idea behind 387 Pantry is twofold: provide a service to the neighborhood and to elevate how Memphians eat.
They are the first to sell Dr. Bean‘s coffees and Hanna Farms cornmeal and grits. The latter was founded by a former Hog & Hominy chef, who started with heirloom corn seed, according to Conley.
You can pick up a dozen eggs, some salami, and sugar cubes for your coffee. The small cooler features cheeses from around the region and sausage from Home Place Pastures. On the counter is a delicious-smelling peanut-fed smoked ham from Virginia, a perfect partner for the bread from D&R Bakery.
Conley says they’re adding a growler station soon. Other plans include having grab-and-go items, maybe partnering with food trucks. They hope to take advantage of 7,000-square-foot warehouse in the back for chef’s dinners, coffee tastings, roundtables, and more.
I asked Conley how he came to be curator of 387 Pantry. “Accidentally,” he says. “I love food.”
Conley was originally in city planning, “trying to create a world-class city.” We discussed how food can make a world-class city. “Absolutely,” he says. “Cities are judged by that.”
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