Wizard’s will close next month.
The “world famous” Memphis head shop announced the news on Instagram Thursday morning.
“After many decades of serving Memphis and the Mid-South, it’s time for us to close our doors,” reads the post. “Thank you for all of your support over the years. Come see us for our closing sales every weekend now through February 4th. EVERYTHING MUST GO!”
A phone call to Wizard’s was unanswered Thursday morning.
This story will be updated with details as they emerge.
Outdoors Inc. is closing its Midtown-famous Union location and Belly Acres is (maybe temporarily?) closing its Overton Square site.
Outdoors announced the store closure on social media Monday, bidding farewell to Union location “after more than 35 wonderful years.”
“Our decision to focus our efforts on our Poplar Avenue location and our website is driven by the desire to continue providing the best outdoor products and service,” the company wrote in a Facebook post. “This move allows us to invest more deeply in our flagship store. We are confident that this change will enable us to serve you even better in the years to come.”
Outdoors is hosting a liquidation sale at the Union location beginning Monday.
Belly Acres announced on Facebook Monday that its Midtown location will be “closed until further notice.” The post asks customers to visit its location in the Regalia Shopping Center instead.
”We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to see you soon!” reads the post.
However, the restaurant did not specify whether or not the closure was permanent or temporary.
If you drive past Midtown’s Cash Saver on Friday, you might be tempted to rubber-neck at an unusual spectacle in the street parking spaces, since, in honor of International Park(ing) Day, those spots will be converted into tiny parks.
Park(ing) Day is a global, public, participatory art project, explains Emily Bishop, board member of MidtownMemphis.org, the organization spearheading the event in Memphis. “That’s a mouthful,” she says, “but it’s where you temporarily repurpose street parking spaces into places for art, play, and activism. What we’re trying to do is get people to reimagine that area of Midtown.”
When the area around Cash Saver, Pho Binh, Crumpy’s Hot Wings, and the like was restriped to add bike lanes, the city added parking lanes, too. “Nobody uses them,” Bishop says. “They kinda get used as an inappropriate passing lane or turning lane. I mean, I see it all the time going to Home Depot.”
As such, safety is one of the points of awareness for this Park(ing) Day Project, the other point being to bring greenery to the space. The plan, Bishop says, is to plant black gum and maple trees along the sidewalk that runs east of Cash Saver on Angelus. “The sidewalk is 10-feet wide, and it has no power lines overhead, so it’s the perfect place for street trees,” she says, adding that under a tree’s shade it can be 10-15 degrees cooler, a much needed benefit during Memphis’ hot summer months. “We’re already working with Cash Saver and the City Engineer’s Office, and if all goes well, we hope to plant those trees in early November.”
In the meantime, Friday will be MidtownMemphis.org’s second Park(ing) Day in front of Cash Saver. This year, the group has partnered with Memphis City Beautiful, Clean Memphis, Evergreen, Central Gardens, Neighborhood Preservation Inc. (NPI), The Works Inc., and The Home Depot.
“We’ll have some green carpet out there to make it feel like grass,” Bishop says. “There’ll be some games. We’ll have plants and bushes that’ll give you a feel of what that would be like. We’ll just see what the creativity of each of our partners is and what they do with their spaces.”
Giveaways and free snow cones will also be available, and attendees will have a chance to meet with the various groups to learn about upcoming projects and ways to volunteer.
Already, MidtownMemphis.org has planted native trees, bushes, and flowering plants on Avalon, behind Murphy’s and next to Crumpy’s.
“We were really inspired by the Medical District, the improvements they made, and, of course, Overton Square is so beautiful now,” Bishop says. “We just want this area in between to continue the good work and spread it on down. Everybody travels up and down that section of Madison.”
International Park(ing) Day, Madison Avenue in front of Cash Saver, Friday, September 16th, 3-7 pm.
It’s a simple question, really, one I’ve heard numerous times in recent months: “Who’s going to live in all these new apartment buildings in Midtown?”
New complexes have sprouted all along Madison — across from Minglewood, next to Cash Saver, at the corner of McLean. There are new apartments at McLean and Union and more going up at Sam Cooper and East Parkway. There is no doubt that there is an apartment-building boom.
So, who’s going to live in all these new apartments? The question got even more interesting on the heels of just-released U.S. Census data that show Midtown and Downtown (where another apartment-building boom has occurred) both actually lost a little population between 2010 and 2020. There seems to be a disconnect.
I asked two developers (both of whom asked to comment anonymously) and a former president of the Memphis Area Association of Realtors. Interestingly, all pointed to the recession of 2008 as a major turning point in the housing market.
“After 2008, it was the same all over the country,” said one of the developers. “The single-family home building business got decimated, so the supply of new housing was constrained for a number of years. There was a demand shift to less owner-occupied housing, more rental housing. Some of that is still playing out.”
“Midtown is really hot,” said the other developer I talked to. “Houses go on the market and sell within hours. There’s not much new housing stock, really — nowhere to build. Developers develop what the market demands, and right now, that’s apartments. And these apartments are getting leased.”
Kathryn Garland, immediate past president of the Memphis Area Association of Realtors agreed that the Midtown market is tight. “It’s gotten to where some people might want to sell, but they’re afraid they won’t be able to get another house in the area, and they can’t afford to close on a new house before selling their old one, so they stay put, which keeps the market tight. And many landlords lost a lot of money during the pandemic because of the eviction freeze. I know some who are turning rental units into BnBs, just to try to recoup. And that also tightens the available housing.”
So how do we reconcile population loss with an apartment-building boom? There are several possibilities, not all mutually exclusive. It’s possible, for example, that Midtown’s population fell lower at some point, say 2015, and started to pick back up in the past couple of years, which looks like a boom. It’s also possible that the demand for Midtown housing and the attendant rental increases have driven the less-affluent to other neighborhoods, countering the population growth of new people moving in.
“I’m still not convinced the data has caught up with any of what’s happened in the past couple of years,” said one of the developers. “The pandemic has impacted housing in ways we’re still not completely understanding. People whose company headquarters are in New York or Chicago are now letting their employees work from anywhere. Some of those people are moving to markets like Memphis because they can afford nicer apartments and homes. We haven’t been able to quantify that yet, but it’s happening.”
“The pandemic is affecting the commercial market, as well,” said Garland. “Commercial realtors will tell you that the office space market has changed entirely. Companies are downsizing their space, moving to Zoom meetings, letting employees work wherever they like. Things are in flux.”
But what happens when all the young people moving in get older, have children, want a yard and a dog? Does the apartment bubble burst?
“Of course, the apartment bubble could burst,” said one developer. “You’re always trying to figure out your next move. Sometimes, you just pull in your wings and see where the demand goes.”
“Often, apartment buildings become condo buildings as demand changes,” said Garland. “There are lots of older folks, retirees, who are moving into apartments and condos in Downtown and Midtown when they downsize. Their homes out east get bought by young families. It’s all a cycle.”
One morning, my girlfriend woke up to see our view was gone. It happened in stages. At first we noticed scraps of metal growing where Midtown Nursery used to host Christmas trees a couple of years back. Before the nursery came, it used to be Neil’s Bar. She told me stories of her wild nights there. I held her close and sighed as they put up the new sign: Madison@McLean. An unoriginal name for a bland building.
Now my view is the inside of strangers’ windows. I’m a reluctant voyeur. I keep my blinds shut now; I have nothing to see anyway.
When I found out that The P&H Cafe was closing, that was the final straw for me. I knew the city was remaking my home for some mediocre profit. And who will see those profits?
The P&H is a historic landmark for Memphis. Craig Brewer filmed his first movie there. He even named the movie after the place: The Poor & Hungry. Countless comedians made the bar their watering hole. Musicians played some of their first shows here. The ceiling glorified the best of Memphis. It was a home away from home for them all.
Home. That word is getting so much harder to say now as I recognize less and less about Midtown.
There is one area of town where these efforts of gentrification have worked for the better: Crosstown Concourse.
From the wreckage of a Sears distribution center has come an art gallery, school, and, even better, a medical clinic. It has given space to new businesses as well, such as Global Cafe and French Truck Coffee. Outside of it, Black Lodge Video and Hi Tone, two locally grown Memphis-based businesses and centers of culture, have been saved as well. They returned with vigor.
But, still, the increase in rent around that area, as well as inside the Concourse itself, prices out local people and caters to people outside of Memphis. I know we want to attract newcomers to the city, but not at the expense of the locals who made it what it is.
As much as I appreciate and advocate for this former blight turning into a new neighborhood and cultural touchstone, I fear that, with the rise of gentrification in Midtown and other neighborhoods, we are turning our former home into a new Frankenstein creation that resembles places such as Portland. Or worse — Nashville!
My connections to Midtown run deep, but it’s not the only neighborhood being eyed by developers. There’s Summer Avenue, rebranded as Memphis’ international district and home to old businesses, antiques stores, and taco shops and diners and dives that give the neighborhood its flavor. The Pinch District, where the Tower Project might bring jobs and attractions, Uptown, the Edge — I welcome investment in these neighborhoods, but it’s vital we find a balance between the old and the new.
But I’m a Midtowner, so that’s where the heart of this piece lies. We have had a lovely community of folks striving to make this part of town unique and quintessentially Memphian in flavor.
Midtown has a variety of neighborhoods that define our modern Memphis culture. From the streets surrounding Idlewild Presbyterian, where one of the first integrated congregations took place, to the shops in Cooper-Young, where OUTMemphis has hosted programs benefiting the Southern queer community and helped house so many disenfranchised.
Midtown is where I grew up. Where my dad grew up. Where his own father grew up.
And of all the stories we share, there is one common thread: a feeling of home and security, of community. That essence is disappearing fast with the introduction of these big-box apartment buildings, replacing the very character of Memphis that we have all come to love. Historic monuments stand now in fear of who’s next. If we can just hold onto that history though, we may save our neigborhoods’ distinct vitality — and keep the spirit of Memphis alive.
William Smythe is a Memphian and published poet.
Community organizer Bing Hampton knows his audience. “Big Development’s not gonna get their grubby paws on Alex’s Tavern,” he shouts into his trusty bullhorn. There’s no reason to believe developers of any size are looking to acquire the Jackson Avenue institution, but that did not allay the concerns of roughly two-dozen Midtowners who waved signs with all-cap messages like “THE DIVE MUST SURVIVE,” and answered back, “Hell no.” 
“We’ve started a GimmeGimme fund to build a wall around this treasured drinking establishment,” says Hampton, whose career in activism began when he organized protests to prevent a new Taco Bell from being built over the old Taco Bell that was built over the even older Taliesyn Ballroom where British Punk band the Sex Pistols played on their disastrous 1978 American tour. Hampton says he’s still sore about losing that fight but counts his campaign to prevent the Union Avenue Kroger from being built in Germantown as a total win.
“I’ve shown the power of getting out in front of a problems that don’t yet exist,” Hampton told the crowd, recalling how he was shocked at first by news that his favorite Midtown bar, Zinnie’s, was closing as the result of neighborhood gentrification. Then he was disgusted when he heard it probably had nothing to do with gentrification. Then he was dismayed when he learned that sometimes stories are complicated with many shifting perspectives and no discernible hero or villain.
“The big takeaway for me was, we’ve got to save Alex’s,” Hampton announced to even greater applause. “And Murphy’s too,” he added. “But not right now because you’ve got to start somewhere and Alex’s seems doable. Besides, the Murphy’s guy heckled my band once, so whatever, dude.”
Hampton told Fly on the Wall he’d already raised $80 toward erecting “a substantial
Bing Hampton
fence,” but won’t be able to move forward with his multi-phase plan until he hears back from tavern owner, Rocky Kasaftes, whom he’s yet to contact.
“We want to do a crocodile moat too, or maybe a snake pit,” Hampton said, in his address. “Snakes. Snakes. Snakes,” the crowd chanted.
“It would be nice to see a developer eaten by either crocodiles or snakes,” says former Midtown resident and dive bar enthusiast Chelsea Lamar. “I miss all these shithole places I used go to before I moved,” she adds. Lamar, who swears “shithole” is a term of endearment, now lives in Cordova. “Even if I can’t patronize any of these bars anymore, it comforts me just knowing that they’re there,” she says.
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Yes, this is a parody. Didn’t you see the black and yellow tab up top?
Pavo Salon has settled into a prominent retail corner in Cooper-Young, reviving a former boutique space into their second salon in Memphis. Here’s a glimpse of the renovation as we get to know Pavo co-owner Scot Robinson even further.
“Memphis is seeing some good growth currently and we are excited to be a part of that! I began my career in Midtown so it was a coming home, so to speak.”
-Scot Robinson about the decision to open a location in Midtown.
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For over 15 years, Pavo Salon has served the Memphis community. The long-standing location in Laurelwood Shopping Center has been the base for their continued growth, but Scot contributes Pavo’s success more to their “intention,” developing great relationships for strong retention in guests as well as staff.
“The best compliment we receive is how friendly, helpful, educated, and committed our staff is and that our environment leaves you feeling warm and relaxed,” Scot continues.
The Pavo brand has aligned with a purpose for a “sustainable, socially responsible culture,” understanding that they can make a positive impact in seemingly small ways.
“From the service we provide, business decisions we make, recycling, the products we purchase, cleaning products and light bulbs, technology, training, campaigns for clean water (we have raised around $40,000), notable community drives, and the small decisions that we make in our everyday life leads to having a greater impact in what we do and who we are!”
Another layer to their quality of service is the longtime decision to be an Aveda lifestyle salon. Co-branded with Aveda, Pavo is committed to using only Aveda in their services and performing at a higher level to achieve this partnership. The retail component of Pavo strengthens this idea of being a lifestyle salon, bringing in products such as make-up and skincare. All these things have helped them grow with some recognition, most notably as one of the Top 200 salons as voted by Salon Today.
The idea of a second location was a natural step in expanding their brand.
“We have talked about expanding our brand for a long time. As they say, timing is everything. Memphis is seeing some good growth currently and we are excited to be a part of that! I began my career in Midtown so it was a coming home, so to speak. We have had a wonderful influx of new guests and look forward to establishing new relationships in yet another community in Memphis!” says Scot.
Co-owner Shawn McGhee, a longtime Midtown resident, describes Midtown as “the creative nucleus of Memphis.”
“There’s such a unique energy and diversity to the people that choose to live here and we wanted to be a part of that. Pavo is a natural fit during this time of growth and expansion of Midtown. As more upscale retailers are moving in, we thought this was perfect timing for expanding our business into this area,” he says.
The exterior of the building had been previously clad in wood slats that was complemented with a bright interior. The interior design was something both Scot and Shawn were involved in.
“Shawn and I both love to design. We knew most of what we wanted on the front end. Shawn is more the spacial person, whereas I tend to love color, texture and finishing details. We sought out the help of Graham Reese Design Group to help put all the elements together.” Scot explains.
“Scot and I wanted a space that was as functional as it was beautiful. Because this is such a visual profession, we knew that we needed plenty of natural light so that our team can perform their best work. We also have removed the traditional front desk that most hair salons have. We did this because we wanted to remove the barrier between the guest and the employee. We want to be sure that our guests have a very interactive, personal experience with each of our employees,” Shawn adds.
With the sleek tile floors that Scot decided on before they even had the space, the nicely lit interior sets the stage for the true focus of the space – helping clients look their best. Drawing inspiration from various mediums such as nature, runways, fashion magazines, and architecture, Scot adds in a bit of an edge to his classic style.
“I’m always willing to create something new for a client but that doesn’t always mean the latest ‘Pinterest’ hair,” he says.
Shawn has been Scot’s business partner since 2000 but has known him his entire career in the industry.
“Scot is unique in that he is an accomplished hairstylist and a natural leader, which in this industry is rare. Being a good hairstylist and a good leader are two separate skill sets entirely, and Scot can do both with such ease. Scot is very good at identifying people’s strengths and using those strengths to support the business,” Shawn says.
This particular day I visited, Scot was working on highlighting, cuts, and styling for clients, one he’s had for a client for 24 years.
“Micah has this beautiful natural golden copper hair that loses its vibrancy in the fall and winter. I chose to do a hair painting technique with a lighter golden shade and a medium copper. Hair painting is a surface technique that can allow very natural looking color with a bit of a lived-in effect. I like the artistry of a free-handed technique, it allows you to be as subtle or as bold as you wish,” Scot explains.
Scot and Pavo is also gearing up for their 5th year as a sponsor for Memphis Fashion Week. Abby Phillips, Director of Memphis Fashion Week, noted that Pavo has been the exclusive hair sponsor since year 1.
“Pavo Salon was a natural fit when I started Memphis Fashion Week in 2012. The creativity that Scot and Shawn bring to the table is like none other. They make our models feel comfortable and make my job of putting on the shows much easier. I know that Pavo Salon will create beautiful looks that make a huge impact on the runway,” says Abby.
“I sit in on model selections. I have met with emerging designers to discuss the look they want to achieve and worked with major designers to ensure their vision is told. We have had such a wonderful experience working with Abby Phillips and all those connected to this event. Abby truly respects our team’s creativity and allows us to push our boundaries each and every year. We look forward to another successful year!” Scot exclaims.
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Pavo Salon
2157 Central
(901) 818-0773
Pavo currently has a $20 off any service for new guests. You can take advantage of this offer by liking Pavo’s Facebook page and redeeming the offer.
For every Elemental Nature Facial that you receive in February, guests will get a complimentary skincare starter kit.
Every year Pavo raises money for clean water. They partner with the Tennessee Clean Water Network, and over the course of the last few years have raised over $40,000. They are pleased to have two of the first water bottle refilling stations being brought to the Memphis area in their name — one at Shelby Farms Park and one at Tom Lee Park. Plans for this year’s fundraising are currently underway and will be tied in to Pavo’s Grand Opening. Pavo will pre-sell tickets only for this event, so stay tuned.
From the growing absence of the downtown and Midtown trolleys to the seemingly ever-present complaints about city bus services, getting around in Memphis without a car continues to be a struggle for many.
But the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) hired a consulting firm last year in an effort to improve service, at least for Midtown bus riders. The Midtown Area Connector (MAC) study, which is still underway, is a long-range study to help MATA discover better ways to connect Midtown with other areas of Memphis, either through a new transit service or by expanding on existing ones.
New transit services being considered are “bus rapid transit” or even rail service, which would be designed to reduce travel time, provide real-time travel information, or include dedicated bus lanes on city streets.
Earlier this month, MATA held a meeting with Livable Memphis to update bus riders on the study’s progress. The consultants have identified seven routes, which they narrowed down from 26 routes, that are the most highly trafficked and in need of the most improvement.
In addition to allowing MATA to provide an update on the study, the meeting also gave bus riders an opportunity to comment on the current operations of MATA. Many riders brought up the fact that the routes chosen for the study neglected to reach low-income areas of Memphis. MATA’s use of its funding was also brought into question, in addition to questions about why some bus lines or services had been limited in recent months.
Concerns about whether it was possible to bring new trolley lines into the picture while the old lines are still not operating were also aired. MATA did recently announce that trolley-like buses would begin running downtown in August, but there’s no word on when those will come to Midtown or when the real trolleys will be back. However, MATA officials reassured those attending the meeting that they do plan to get the trolleys going eventually.
“We fully intend to have the trolleys back on Madison at some point. We can’t commit to a time at this moment,” said Tom Fox, deputy general manager of MATA.
Some at the meeting expressed concern about the lack of ability to check on the time of bus arrivals. The MAC study is looking at providing new bus shelters that include a system for real-time bus arrival estimates. But for now, MATA officials are encouraging riders to use TransLoc Rider, their new bus times app for smartphones.
Alison Burton, MATA’s director of marketing and customer relations, said the input from the meeting was important for their MAC study.
“This has been the best [meeting], because the group was so diverse and they had such excellent questions. We [had] note takers, and we’ll take all the information that we received and look at that,” Burton said. “Anything that comes up that we hear repeatedly, the team is going to take that back and include that in their next report.”
Last night’s outdoor concert at the Levitt Shell drew in quite the crowd despite the sweltering heat. Embracing the Memphis summer with style are several locals who kept cool with lots of personal flair.
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Honey – owner of her own promotional marketing firm.
Ashli – school teacher
Channing – model and model manager/owner of Elan Creative Services
Anjie – youth specialist for Memphis Ambassadors Program
Bianca told me about Lester Fixins Buffalo Wing Soda she had seen at Sweet Noshings. I was appalled, and, of course, I immediately went out and bought a bottle ($2.50).
I thought there may be potential there as a sort of Bloody Mary-esque mixer, but this carbonated savory drink is truly awful.
Lester Fixins specializes in “food” drinks, including a bacon soda and a sweet corn soda.
On the upside, Sweet Noshing began serving ice cream about a month ago. Flavors include peanut butter fudge.