Starting Friday, your glass of Old Dominick Distillery bourbon may come with a side of barbecue.
That’s Bain BBQ, to be specific, as Old Dominick announced that it would introduce a food offering from the Cooper-Young restaurant beginning October 27th at its Downtown distillery at 305 South Front Street.
“Our partnership with Bain BBQ creates a delightful food offering for our guests,” Ben Brown, director of guest experiences at Old Dominick Distillery, said in a statement. “Starting October 27th, you can savor the best of both worlds, with their culinary offerings paired with our premium spirits.”
The Distillery had been without a food component since Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman’s Gray Canary, which opened in 2018 inside the Old Dominick building, closed in January this year.
Bain BBQ’s menu at Old Dominick will include a range of sandwiches, including turkey breast, pulled pork, and brisket, and available sides like coleslaw or chips. And save some room for the Texas Twinkies (basically poppers), a combo of bacon, jalapeños, and cream cheese.
As we shop around to find the perfect gift for family, friends, and loved ones, resist the impulse to scroll over to Amazon and let Jeff Bezos fix all your problems. Local businesses are the bedrock of any city, and there are plenty of well-known shops and hidden gems that can provide the perfect present, no matter the festivity. From art to socks to whiskey, our alternative Black Friday guide has Memphis shoppers covered, helping create a cheery holiday spirit for both Bluff City customers and entrepreneurs.
The much-beloved Holiday Bazaar continued the Memphis College of Art’s (MCA) 69-year tradition when it opened last week at Arrow Creative. For all of those years, Memphians were well used to finding MCA’s Rust Hall in Overton Park, where the public was welcomed into creative spaces to find the work of the school’s students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The school closed in 2020.
That’s when Arrow picked up the mantle to continue the Holiday Bazaar tradition. But Arrow leaders changed the weekend event into a month-long affair with a ticketed First Dibs Party (last week), private shopping experiences, and creative classes throughout the month.
Local artists and creatives remain the focus of the bazaar — a free shopping event — now in its third year at the Cooper-Young-area Arrow. The bazaar will feature one-of-a-kind gifts including art, jewelry, home goods, accessories, apparel, and more from more than 80 local artists. Shoppers will find sculpture, ceramics, painting, fine art, fashion design, fiber arts, photography, woodworking, the Memphis Flyer coloring book (just sayin’), and more.
“The excitement is contagious,” said Arrow artist Terri Scott, describing the event. “With a cup of wine, you weave through the crowd. You have a mental note of the tables you want to visit first. A table of carefully crafted jewelry beckons you forward and you can’t resist gazing upon colorful paintings and sculptures inspired by sea life. “Everyone is lively, carrying their treasures to check-out, and feeling a little drunk on wine and holiday cheer.” — Toby Sells
Bazaar runs through December 23rd, 653 Philadelphia St., 213-6320, arrowcreative.org
Launch a budding artist’s career at Art Center on Union. (Photo: D’Angelo Connell)
Unlock Your Inner Artist at Art Center
Inside Art Center, everyone has a chance to be an artist. Conveniently placed on Union Street, the Art Center offers a plentiful selection of well-known and quality products for any art project. Their shelves are always stocked with the best and most popular supplies — Golden Acrylic, Gamblin Oil, Princeton Brush, Fredrix Canvas, Copic Markers, Montana Spray Paint, a dozen sketchbook brands in multiple sizes, a fully stocked drawing supply section, a children’s art supply section, decorative papers, and much more. Aside from the quality and quantity of products offered, the staff is eager to help you plan your next project. Whether you’re an art teacher, an aspiring designer, or just looking for a new hobby, each staff member will welcome you with open arms. If this isn’t enough, the windowed storefront invites you to enter and explore.
The Art Center, for nearly 50 years, has never ceased making connections with the Memphis community. While browsing inside, find their decorated bulletin board of local artists’ business cards and information. These artists range from photographers, graphic designers, calligraphy artists, to influencers all in the Memphis area. While inspiring local artists to accomplish their goals, the Art Center also celebrates everyone’s potential to create a more colorful world. With discounted products and new sales every day, find your new favorite art supplies on every visit. — Izzy Wollfarth
Ornament at Cotton Row Uniques (Photo: Cotton Row Uniques)
Cotton Row Uniques
Nestled among the storefronts at the Poplar Collection strip mall, Cotton Row Uniques offers a carefully curated shopping experience. “We try to have something for everyone,” owner Shane Waldroup says. “We have everything from furniture to Turkish rugs to a gourmet food section to perfumes and colognes. It’s kind of that one-stop shop for your unique gift.”
Unique is a keyword in this store’s operation. Waldroup, along with co-owner Scott Barnes, sources items that extend outside the run-of-the-mill to appeal to the store’s eclectic customer base. “We love seeing mothers buying gifts for their kids, and then kids coming in and buying for their parents and grandparents,” Waldroup adds.
For this holiday season, Waldroup points to a few popular sellers, first among which is the HeARTfully Yours Christmas Ornaments by Christopher Radko. The charming ornaments are hand-blown in Europe, with proceeds benefiting causes including heart disease, breast cancer, AIDS research, and food insecurity. Another popular item this season, Waldroup says, is the “Walking in Memphis” down-filled pillow, with a design of the Memphis skyline and other Memphis references.
And, of course, there’s Cotton Row’s brand of candles, including the Memphis Creed, #901 Bond, Citrus Grove, Southern Garden, and Cotton Row. Of the candles, Waldroup says, “We’ve made sure that the fragrance would last until the candle is completely finished. They’ll burn for about a hundred hours.” — Abigail Morici
Jared McStay at Shangri-La Records (Photo: Justin Fox Burks)
Pick Up Some Vinyl at Local Record Stores
“Give the gift of music,” went the old promotional slogan, back when that could only mean purchasing an album or single on vinyl or CD. Streaming changed all that, of course … or did it? With vinyl’s share of the music market on the rise, record stores in Memphis are not only thriving, they’re multiplying. Shangri-La is the granddaddy of them all, and Goner has followed their example (and then some).
But don’t sleep on the Memphis Music shop on Beale Street, stocked with an impressive array of albums by Memphis artists past and present. And just a stone’s throw away is the relatively new River City Records, also doing brisk business. Finally, there are pockets of vinyl in stores focused on other products, such as the second floor of A. Schwab and, believe it or not, Urban Outfitters.
Note that the dedicated record stores above also feature oodles of other music-related delights, including CDs, cassettes, and books galore. It turns out you can give the gift of music. River City Records’ Chris Braswell notes, “The people that are really driving the increases [in record sales] are teenagers, 20-year-olds, and 30-year-olds. They’re becoming avid vinyl collectors. A lot of people think streaming services like Spotify hurt physical sales, but I think it’s the exact opposite. This most recent generation has started looking for a way to physically possess their music, and vinyl is just the coolest medium there is. You get liner notes and the cover art!” — Alex Greene
Hand-dressed candles at Broom Closet (Photo: Shara Clark)
The Broom Closet
This metaphysical shop on South Main has everything for the witchy giftees on your list. And you certainly won’t find these items in big-box stores. Herbs, essential oils, an extensive selection of crystals, candles, books, boxes, incense, goblets and chalices, and so much more. You can also book a personalized tarot reading, an aura and chakra analysis, or purchase a gift card so your special someone can choose for themselves.
Does your gift recipient wish to ward off the evil eye? Perhaps they could use a little money luck? The shop’s knowledgeable staff has prepared a variety of intentional smudge kits ($18) — for protection, love drawing, money drawing, and home cleansing and blessing — that include tools like sage bundles, incense cones, selenite sticks, gemstones, and chime candles for ritual assistance.
For manifestation work, they offer candles ($12), hand-dressed with oils, herbs, and gemstone sand, and blessed in-store for their purpose — cleansing, drawing money or love, protection, and more.
These are just a few of the unique goods you’ll find at the Broom Closet. Stop in, stock up, and give the gift of magic this season! — Shara Clark
Necklace by Penny Preville (Photo: Mednikow Jewelers)
Mednikow Jewelers
If you like your gifts to twinkle and sparkle, then you should go directly to Mednikow, the jewelry store that’s been bringing the best, the brightest, and the most shimmering stones to Memphis since 1891. With five generations of dedication to the art of jewelry, you’ll find gems in a wide range of styles and prices.
The store carries pieces by top designers, including David Yurman, Mikimoto, Elizabeth Locke, Penny Preville, Roberto Coin, John Hardy, Gurhan, Monica Rich Kosann, Charles Krypell, and Michael Bondanza. Pictured is one of Penny Preville’s striking creations, a diamond charm necklace with a toggle clasp and several charms. Mednikow not only prides itself on providing gorgeous, top-quality jewelry, but it also loves to work with you to help you come to a decision — after all, it has to be perfect, right? The experts there have decades of knowledge of what’s exceptional and they want you to be exceptionally happy. In fact, you may not know precisely what you want until you go inside, look around, and then see the exact engagement ring that catches your eye. Or bracelet, or earrings, or locket, or necklace, or — well, you get the idea. Whatever you decide, you or someone you love will be wearing a work of art. — Jon W. Sparks
Straight Tennessee Whiskey (Photo: Old Dominick Distillery)
Straight Tennessee Whiskey from Old Dominick Distillery
The holidays are a time for joy and cheer. But they’re also a time for family, which could go either way for many of you out there. If your “straight shooter” old uncle is going to be there at the end of the table, hogging all the Thanksgiving turkey and spouting alternative facts, then you’ll need some straight shootin’ of your own. To make sure the whole table is covered and to be supportive of local businesses at the same time, pick up a strong bottle of liquor from Old Dominick Distillery.
We’ve all had the staples: the Formula No. 10 Gin, the Huling Station Straight Bourbon, the Honeybell Citrus Vodka. But this holiday season, focus on the distillery’s major new milestone. Released November 1st, Old Dominick officially launched its Straight Tennessee Whiskey ($35.99 a bottle, $69.99 for the bottled-in-bond variation), the first distilled, barreled, matured, and bottled whiskey in Memphis since Prohibition.
“As a Kentucky native, I did not think I would ever make a Tennessee whiskey,” says Alex Castle, master distiller at Old Dominick, “and yet, here we are.”
The whiskey is aged for a minimum of four years in West Tennessee White Oak barrels. “Straight Tennessee Whiskey opens with vanilla, tobacco, anise, and caramel on the nose. Sugar Maple Charcoal filtering delivers a mellow, medium-bodied whiskey, lightly sweet with caramel and crème brûlée with a hint of oak and vanilla for a silky finish.” Drink up, whiskey connoisseurs! — Samuel X. Cicci
Old Dominick Distillery, 305 S. Front St., 260-1250, olddominick.com
Allpa Del Día travel bag (Photo: Outdoors Inc.)
Allpa Del Día Travel Surprise Pack at Outdoors Inc.
Want a travel item that stands out? Each of these Allpa Del Día innovative travel bags are unique. Since they are made with repurposed remnant fabric of various colors, no two look exactly alike. But, looks aside, this well-constructed 35-liter travel essential is full of nifty features, including a low-profile harness suspension system, contoured shoulder straps, air-mesh back panel, adjustable sternum strap, and padded hip belt.
The bag also features a suitcase-style, full-wrap zipper opening on the main compartment that opens into a large, zippered mesh compartment.
It’s perfectly sized for carry-on, and its padded laptop and tablet sleeves are accessible via an exterior zipper. A subdivided compartment on the top is designed with passports and other small essentials in mind. As a security measure, all external zippers feature theft-proof webbing sewn across the openings. Additionally, four reinforced grab handles provide multiple carry points when the shoulder straps are tucked away. There’s even a high-visibility rain cover that stows into the pack.
Solidly designed and uniquely colorful, for $200, what’s not to like? — Bruce VanWyngarden
Outdoors Inc., multiple locations in Memphis, outdoorsinc.com
Rock Ya Sox (Photo: Michael Donahue)
Custom Socks at Rock Ya Sox
Jeff Farmer is quick to say he’s known for his socks. “At one point I had over 200 pairs of colorful designs,” he says. That was just his personal collection. So, it’s only natural Farmer is owner of Rock Ya Sox, which features more than 100 unisex sock designs, many of which Farmer created.
A native Memphian, Farmer decided to start his own sock business after he visited a store in Portland, Oregon, that just sold socks. A friend then told him where he could get socks in bulk and another place that created sock designs.
Farmer decided to design socks as well. Baptist Memorial Hospital reached out to him and asked him to “create something for a good cause.” So, he came up with a sock with “polka dots, contrasting colors.”
People tell him what they want. “If they want to get them in bulk, it’s $100 minimum.” But, he says, “If they want me to make the socks, it can be as little as one pair. I make socks at home.” A single pair of socks sells for $13. “If someone calls and wants me to put a picture of their face or dog on the sock, I can create those socks.”
Want something unusual? Farmer also carries “3D socks. They may have a nose on them or ears hanging on them. Or Superman socks with a cape on the back.” — Michael Donahue
Thistle and Bee Gratitude Box (Photo: Thistle and Bee)
Thistle and Bee Gift Boxes
Sweet treats are always popular as stocking stuffers, but this year, why not do some good at the same time? “Thistle and Bee is a nonprofit organization that helps women survivors of sex trafficking and addiction get back into society again and thrive,” says Bridgette House, social justice enterprise manager at Thistle and Bee.
Based out of Second Baptist Church on Walnut Grove, Thistle and Bee’s name refers to their means of production. “We have 40-plus hives that we use to harvest our own honey, and we make our products from the honey that we harvest. All of our products are made by survivors, and they’re packaged with a lot of love and a lot of care.”
Currently, Thistle and Bee supports a residency facility for 11 survivors; next year, they hope to double that capacity. Their premium wildflower honey is also available in a hot, pepper-infused flavor and whipped cinnamon. They also make their own custom blend of tea and granola. “We have the premium brand and then we have a lovely chunky and we have a seasonal apricot and pumpkin spice,” says House. “For the holidays, we have all types of soaps and stocking stuffers, like lip balm.”
Thistle and Bee gift box options include a sampler with all three honeys ($30) and the Gratitude Box ($38), which includes honey, granola, tea, and a beeswax candle. — Chris McCoy
Jackeli Bryant’s tufted rug company was born out of a new wave of artistry during the Covid-19 pandemic. Bryant would see the art form on TikTok, and this inspired him to purchase a tufted rug starter kit consisting of a yarn threader, a tufting frame, and other materials needed to get started.
While Bryant only started selling rugs about four months ago and received his first commission from a sneaker cleaning company in Memphis, he’s been able to make a number of tufted masterpieces featuring Kobe Bryant, Nipsey Hussle, and even a recreation of Brent Faiyaz’s EP, A.M. Paradox. Bryant considers his rugs a unique gift for the holiday season as they are extremely customizable, and he says that he can work with different types of images and “give that gift that no one else is going to have.”
Bryant said that everything that he does is “one of one,” as everything is personalized and handmade with high-quality materials. “Art never loses value. It’s something that you’ll be able to take to another house with you. It’ll be something that you didn’t go to the store and buy. You put in the order, found the image, and then I created it and brought it to life.” — Kailynn Johnson
Railgarten has long been a leader in supporting local musicians, as was clear when they were among the first clubs to resume presenting live music last fall. At the time, co-owner Jack Phillips noted, “We’re seeing a lot of musicians, and talking to a lot of artists in town, and people are struggling. Not to say that everyone in the hospitality and restaurant business isn’t hurting, but we’ve got somewhat of a captive audience and wanted to see what we could do to go the extra step and really show our love for Memphis musicians. Music is in our blood, and I hate to see musicians struggling.”
It wasn’t just because national acts weren’t touring that the venue remained committed to local performers: They want to see the local scene flourish. Now, to that end, Railgarten and their partner Old Dominick Distillery have announced the first ever “901 Fest,” celebrating everything that is Memphis, musically speaking. Starting on Wednesday, September 1, and running through Labor Day weekend, the Railgarten stage will host some of the crème de la crème of Memphis music.
Mononeon’s Supermane
The scheduled acts will include Mononeon (September 1); Lucero (September 2); Detective Bureau and Lord T & Eloise (September 3), Obruni Dance Band, The PRVLG, CYC, and Dead Soldiers (September 4); and Lucky 7 Brass Band, Max Kaplan & The Magics, and The Sensational Barnes Brothers (September 5).
As Mason Jambon of Railgarten emphasizes, “We are committed to promoting local Memphis musicians, so we thought that having a festival centered around all local acts would be something music lovers in the city would embrace.”
There will also be specialty cocktails for purchase for the extended weekend, provided by Old Dominick. “We love events like this that promote the culture of our community, and we are excited to be a part of it,” says Alex Castle, master distiller and senior vice president of Old Dominick Distillery.
And local Memphis artists from Arrow Creative will be selling their goods that Saturday and Sunday, September 4 and 5. “As a new business in the Central Avenue community, we love the idea of teaming up with neighborhood businesses to help promote our artists. Railgarten always does a great job attracting a diverse group of customers, and we look forward to having a similar offering with our local artists and makers,” says Abby Phillips, executive director at Arrow Creative.
If 2020 has proven anything, it’s that we need to come together to support our community — the health, happiness, and longevity of our fellow Memphians count on it now more than ever. While we may not be able to gather with friends and family for gift exchanges like we have in the past, we can still lift their spirits with thoughtful presents that help our local restaurants, retail outlets, and entrepreneurs keep doing what they do. Think local this season!
A Box of Magic
Have a giftee in your life who seeks to better understand their own power, to look within and outside for growth and restoration? Give them a box of magic, or as Sami Harvey, owner of Foxglove Pharm, calls it: a Coven Box.
“I’ve always been amazed by Mother Nature’s ability to heal, and I love finding new ways to use her ingredients to solve my problems,” Harvey says. “I started Foxglove Pharm in 2017 because I wanted to share some of those solutions with my community.”
Each subscription box ($40/month) includes a rotating variety of handcrafted herbal “remeteas” (About Last Night: Hangover Tea, Out of the Blue: Third Eye Tea, and others), scented oils, Resting Witch Face skincare products, rituals, and more special items that “honor the moon, the current astrological phase, and a featured plant.”
Sami Harvey
Each month, she partners with another local maker or small business to spotlight their wares. For her Foxglove offerings, Harvey is “the only witch in the kitchen,” so the products are small-batch and made with “ethically sourced, organic, sustainable ingredients.”
Regarding the rituals included in a box (or separately on the website), Harvey says, “These aren’t like supernatural spells that will destroy all your enemies and turn Michelle Obama into your BFF. But they’re ways to meditate and channel your energy into manifesting a better reality for yourself. The real magic ingredient is you and your intention.”
Visit foxglovepharm.com to order a Coven Box and shop products. — Shara Clark
Feed an Artist
The old cliché about “starving artists” has seldom been more true. Buying art is often the last thing folks are thinking about during tough times like these, but our Memphis painters and sculptors and photographers — and their galleries — have bills to pay, just like the rest of us. That’s why this might be a great year to put a new painting on your wall, or gift someone a work of art so they’ll be reminded of you every day.
Courtesy Jay Etkin Gallery
Untitled by John Ryan
There are many fine galleries in Memphis. Here are just a few: L Ross, David Lusk, Jay Etkin, Crosstown Arts, Orange Mound Gallery, Art Village, Cooper-Young Gallery, and B. Collective. Artists featured include Matthew Hasty, Jeanne Seagle, John Ryan, Mary Long, Roy Tamboli, Eunika Rogers, Cat Pena, Yancy Villa-Calvo, Hamlett Dobbins, Anne Siems, Tim Craddock, and many, many more. In addition, many galleries are featuring special holiday shows.
End what has been a nightmarish year on an upbeat note: Buy a piece of art. It’s good for your heart. — Bruce VanWyngarden
Let Them Eat Cake
I’d be happy to receive a Memphis Bourbon Caramel Cake from Sugar Avenue Bakery, either in or out of my stocking. This is the Sugar Avenue collaboration with Old Dominick Distillery.
Just listening to Sugar Avenue owner Ed Crenshaw describe the six-inch cake makes me crave a slice or three: “The cake is four layers. Each layer is literally soaked in a bourbon caramel sauce. And then our caramel icing, which we make from scratch.”
Courtesy Ben Fant
Sugar Avenue cake
Sugar Avenue worked with Old Dominick’s master distiller/senior vice president Alex Castle to come up with the perfect blend of cake and bourbon. Old Dominick’s Huling Station Straight Bourbon Whiskey was chosen for the cake, which has “a great hint of bourbon flavor,” Crenshaw says. “We add bourbon to the icing and ice the cake with it.”
To help you get even more into the holiday spirit, Sugar Avenue Bakery recently began adding two-ounce jars of extra caramel sauce with every bourbon-flavored cake.
Memphis Bourbon Caramel Cakes are $55 each, and they’re available at sugaravenue.com. — Michael Donahue
Accessorize in Style
When Memphians need to give the gift of stylish living, they turn to Cheryl Pesce, the jewelry and lifestyle store in Crosstown Concourse. The store takes its name from its owner, Cheryl Pesce, a jewelry maker, entrepreneur, and all-around style guru.
This month, Pesce opened a second store in the Laurelwood Shopping Center, giving Bluff City-area shoppers double the chances to find — and give — stylish accoutrements. “I’m banking on Memphis,” Pesce explains. And Memphis seems ready to support Pesce. “We had a grand open house, social distancing into the parking lot, and it went well.”
Courtesy Cheryl Pesce
Handmade jewelry from Cheryl Pesce
The store opening story is just the tip of the breaking-news iceberg, though. Pesce tells me excitedly that she’s been in touch with fashion designer Patrick Henry, aka Richfresh, about his newly designed Henry Mask. “I spoke with him today and — drumroll — we will now be carrying his masks in my Laurelwood store.”
But wait! That’s still not all. The ink is still fresh on a deal for Pesce to carry Germantown-produced Leovard skincare products. “I will be his only brick-and-mortar store in the country,” Pesce says. “So there are a lot of cool things happening, most of them local.”
In the smaller store in Crosstown, Pesce sells hand-sewn baby items, masks, Christmas ornaments, and anything with the Crosstown logo — she’s the official source for Crosstown-brand goods. Laurelwood is larger and a little more deluxe. “One of the focuses for that store is local and regional artisans,” Pesce says. She carries Mo’s Bows, Paul Edelstein paintings, and, of course, hand-crafted jewelry. “That’s really my wheelhouse.
“My studio is at Laurelwood,” Pesce says, “so not only is it made in Memphis, made by me, but it’s all under one roof now. The store, the studio. You can literally come pick out your own pearls — ‘I want this pearl on that earring’ — and then I craft it for you right there.”
Cheryl Pesce is located at 1350 Concourse Avenue, Suite 125, and at 374 Grove Park Road South, Suite 104. Find out more at (901) 308-6017 or at cherylpesce.com. — Jesse Davis
Good Reads
There’s something that comes from holding the edges of a book and being taken to a distant land or wondrous world. Whether it’s due to happenstance or the crazy and confusing world in which we find ourselves now, I have been reading more and more as the months drag on. To fuel my ever-growing hunger for words and phrases completed on the page, Novel has been my go-to place.
Novel is proof that when you are doing something you love, the results will follow. The bookstore, founded in 2017, is the go-to for other local book enthusiasts, too — and with good reason. Their staff will go to the moon and back to help you find the book that fits you just right, and if you’re looking for something specific, chances are they will be just as excited about it as you are.
Matthew J. Harris
of what gift to give this season.
Many of their aisles have felt like a second home to me the past few months. And with books in every genre, it is often easier to ask them what they don’t have, rather than what they do. Personally, I love their new-this-year home delivery option, which offers a safe way to give the gift of literature this holiday season. — Matthew J. Harris
Hit the Boards
This year has given us plenty of time to learn new skills. And what better way to get your mind pumping in both a constructive and competitive fashion than with a game of chess?
The Memphis Chess Club recently opened its new café/headquarters Downtown at 195 Madison Avenue, and the three levels of annual memberships make for a great gift, whether someone is looking to seriously pursue an interest in the game or just learn a few tips and tricks.
Samuel X. Cicci
A Memphis Chess Club membership isn’t as risky a move as the Queen’s Gambit.
The social membership ($50) allows members to play chess in the café area at any time, with tables, pieces, and clocks all provided. The full membership ($100), meanwhile, affords all of the social perks but provides unlimited and free access to all classes and tournaments, which are held at the club weekly. It also offers discounts on merchandise, and members are able to check out materials from the club’s chess library, which contains old magazines and strategy books.
For whole families looking to kickstart an interest in the game? The family membership ($150) contains all full membership benefits and includes two adults and all the children in a household.
And, hey, if chess isn’t your thing, the spacious café is a great space to just hang out or study while sipping on some brewed-in-house coffee or munching on one of chef Grier Cosby’s specialty pizzas.
Food is fun and helps define Memphis culture. Those who make that food and fun are in trouble.
Restaurants have maybe suffered more than any small business during this pandemic. Restrictions on them have come and gone and may come again soon. Memphis restaurateurs have shown amazing resilience in these ups and downs. They’ve shifted business models, adapted to the latest health directives, and adjusted staff levels (laying off workers and hiring them back) to match it all.
Memphis Restaurant Association/Facebook
Support local restaurants — so they can stick around.
However, we forever lost some Memphis favorites, like Lucky Cat and Grove Grill. The National Restaurant Association said nearly 100,000 restaurants across the country closed either permanently or for the long-term six months into the pandemic. Nearly 3 million employees have lost their jobs. Help restaurants out and have food fun, too. This holiday season, buy gift cards from our local restaurants.
At the pandemic’s beginning in March, we told you about a national push to buy “dining bonds” or “restaurant bonds.” Many Memphis restaurants jumped in — many selling gift cards at deep discounts. For restaurants, gift cards are quick infusions of cash, helpful in tough times.
So instead of that scarf you’re kind of on the fence about, spend the same amount on a restaurant they love. It’ll be unexpected and, yes, come with some delayed gratification — delicious delayed gratification. Present it not as a gift card but as that dish they love from that place they love.
Sing it with me: “Everybody knows, a burger and some mistletoe help to make the season bright. Memphis foodies, with their eyes all aglow, will find it hard to sleep tonight.”
Gift cards are available at almost every restaurant and for almost any amount. Check websites and socials for details. — Toby Sells
Music to Their Ears
Remember when giving music was a thing? Physical things like LPs, CDs, and cassettes could be wrapped. But now that everything’s ethereal, there’s still a way to give the gift that keeps on giving: Patreon. Musicians are embracing this platform more and more, and it’s working for them. A subscription to their accounts may just be the perfect gift for the superfan in your life who already has everything.
Mike Doughty (Soul Coughing, Ghost of Vroom) relies on his Patreon subscribers for both income and inspiration. As he told the Detroit Metro Times, “Doing a song a week is amazing, and that is really what, if I had my druthers, I’d do for the rest of my life.” Patrons can subscribe at different levels, each with premiums like CDs and T-shirts, but everyone paying at least $5 a month can access Doughty’s song-a-week and more.
Greg Cravens
Other Memphis-affiliated singer/songwriters like Eric Lewis, J.D. Reager, and (coming in December) Marcella and Her Lovers also have accounts. And last month, label and music retailer Goner Records began offering Patreon subscriptions that include access to the Goner archives and exclusive music and videos.
Patreon’s site notes that “there isn’t currently a way to gift patronage,” but if you get creative, you can search for an artist on patreon.com and buy a subscription in a friend’s or family member’s name — and they can thank you all through the year. — Alex Greene
Support Arts and Culture
“A plague on both your houses!” cried the dying Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, and it seems the COVID-19 pandemic took that sentiment to heart, emptying out our theaters and concert halls and thinning out attendance at museums. But still they persisted. The organizations behind the arts we love are still at work online, virtually, distancing, and striving to keep the arts alive — especially in programs aimed at young people.
You can help the old-fashioned way by getting season subscriptions and memberships for whenever the lights come back on — and they could use that support right now. Or make a simple donation. Help keep Memphis culture alive by giving gifts on behalf of the following, but don’t be limited by this partial list — if you have other favorites, give them a cup o’ kindness as well.
Jon W. Sparks
Spring, Summer, Fall at the Brooks Museum by Wheeler Williams
• Fire Museum of Memphis (firemuseum.org) — Jon W. Sparks
Basket or Box It for a Gift That Rocks It
Need something sweet for your honey this holiday season? Thistle & Bee has the gift that gives twice. A relaxing gift box contains raw Memphis honey, a milk and honey soap bar, and a pure beeswax candle ($20). Every item is handcrafted and directly supports women survivors to thrive through a journey of healing and hope.
Social enterprise director at Thistle & Bee, Ali Pap Chesney, drops a stinger: “We partner with other businesses, too. Feast & Graze uses our honey.”
Feast & Graze/Facebook
Feast & Graze
The cheese and charcuterie company Feast & Grace is co-owned by Cristina McCarter, who happens to co-own City Tasting Box. Boxes are filled with goodies promoting local Black-owned businesses like Pop’s Kernel and The Waffle Iron. An exclusive limited-quantity holiday gift box, Sugar and Spice, just rolled out for the season in two sizes — regular ($74.99) and ultimate ($124.99).
Memphis Gift Basket is owned by Jesse James, who says he is rolling out a new logo this week. Along with the new logo are new products for baskets ($55-$100) that focus on diversity by including more women- and minority-owned businesses, in addition to local items with iconic names like The Rendezvous and Memphis magazine. Guess what else you might find in a Memphis Gift Basket? Thistle & Bee honey.
Now that we’ve come full circle, check out these gift box and basket businesses, as well as partnering companies, for errbody on your holiday list — including that corporate gift list.
A lot of businesses have been hard-hit during the pandemic, and movie theaters have been near the top of the list. With social distancing-limited theater capacity and Hollywood studios delaying major releases into next year in the hopes a vaccine will rekindle attendance, theater chains like Memphis-based Malco have been in dire straits. The exception has been drive-in theaters, like the Malco Summer Drive-In, which have seen a renaissance in 2020.
If you want to support this local institution and give a treat to the movie-lover in your life, you can buy them a Malco gift card. Available in any denomination from $10 to $500, the gift cards can be used for movie tickets and concessions for any film now or in the future. You can also enroll in the Malco Marquee Rewards program, which allows frequent moviegoers to earn points toward free tickets and concessions.
Greg Cravens
Malco has taken extraordinary steps to ensure the safety of its patrons, including mandatory masks, improved air filters, and non-contact payment options. And if you’re not comfortable sharing a theater with strangers right now, there’s a great option: The Malco Select program allows you to rent an entire theater for a screening of any film on the marquee — and that includes screenings in the massive IMAX theaters at the Paradiso. Prices start at $100, which works out pretty well if you want to watch Wonder Woman 1984 with your pod this holiday season. And if the person you’re buying for is a gamer, Malco has a brand-new option. With Malco Select Gaming, you can bring your system to the theater and play Call of Duty or The Last of Us on the biggest possible screen. — Chris McCoy
Ed Crenshaw’s Sugar Avenue Bakery will launch its Gooey Cake Bite cakes November 11th in Tops Bar-B-Q restaurants.
That’s about two weeks after Crenshaw introduced the Memphis Bourbon Caramel Cake, a collaboration with Old Dominick Distillery.
“I love to tell everybody I’m an accidental baker,” Crenshaw says. “It’s a total accident that I ended up in this business.”
He got into the food business when he worked as a sales rep for D. Canale Food Services when the Tunica casinos opened in 1991. “I met a baker along the way and we started selling fresh baked cakes to the casinos. He had worked for one of the casinos, and I had a little money. We bought an oven and started selling cakes. We were doing iced layer cakes delivered daily.”
Libby Green
Ed Crenshaw and his daughter, Miller Cowan, the bakery’s creative director
Crenshaw then went to work for Associated Wholesale Grocers, where he supplied cream cakes and pound cakes to local Piggly Wiggly and Big Star grocery stores.
He and his baker had parted ways. “I had actually learned to bake by then. Baking is pretty simple if you know how to follow directions.”
A Sock It to Me cream cake was his first effort. “It was pretty dadgum easy.” And, he says, “I’m assuming it was good. The first year we made them, we sold a truck load. I ended up selling cakes from Kenosha, Wisconsin, to Miami, Florida.”
After he outgrew his first bakery, Crenshaw moved Downtown to an old cotton warehouse, which they converted into a bakery. “It was called The Butcher and the Baker. We were selling cakes and ham from Fineberg Packing Company. The grocery store business got really big, but it’s competitive, so I ended up in the restaurant business, selling to Germantown Commissary, Central BBQ, and Miss Cordelia’s.”
Almost 20 years later, Crenshaw moved to his present location at 5041 Summer. He began doing “higher-end cakes made with high-end buttercream icing,” along with more affordable cakes.
About four years ago, he changed the business name to Sugar Avenue. “We were selling wholesale only to restaurants. And COVID hit. My daughter, Miller Cowan, came to us and said, ‘We need to be online.'”
Thus, sugaravenue.com was born. Their cakes “get delivered straight to your house. We are a Memphis-based company. We only use FedEx. We use NexAir for our dry ice.”
Their first order was for a strawberry cake, which was shipped to North Carolina. They now offer cakes that range from 6-inch, which they call Baby Cakes, to 8 inches. They offer nine flavors.
They’re now “covered up with orders” for the Memphis Bourbon Caramel Cake. Knowing “everybody loves a rum cake” during the holidays, Crenshaw reached out to Old Dominick Distillery. “I just made a cold call. We were the first food item that they have partnered with.”
The cake was a collaboration between Crenshaw and master distiller Alex Castle. “The cake is four layers. Each layer is literally soaked in a bourbon caramel sauce — our caramel icing we make from scratch.”
The bourbon also is added to the icing. “It is not overpowering at all. You’re not going to get drunk eating the cake, but it has such a great hint of oakiness that comes with the Old Dominick bourbon flavor.”
They plan to introduce an Old Dominick caramel sauce before the holidays.
Sugar Avenue recently was picked up by Performance Food Group in Little Rock. “They saw our website and came to us and wanted to sell our high-end cakes to customers. Now they’re selling our cakes in six states.”
Business is great. “We’re probably doing 1,000 cakes a week.”
And Crenshaw still is in the kitchen. “I was in the kitchen today working on recipes for my cinnamon walnut coffee cake. Every day I’m here working the mixer, working the oven. I’m a hands-on operator.”
But Crenshaw doesn’t make the cake icing. “I cannot ice a cake. I’ve never done that. I can only bake the layers.”
Meddlesome Brewing Company has collaborated with Old Dominick Distillery to make something special: bourbon barrel-aged beers.
“Alex Castle, head distiller of Old Dominick, is a friend of ours, and it just made sense,” says Richie EsQuivel, co-owner of Meddlesome. “It’s like, ‘You’ve got bourbon barrels. Let’s put beer in those.'”
EsQuivel and his team decided to try aging five different beers in the used bourbon barrels for nine months to a year.
Josh Richardson
ain’t doodly squat!
“When it gets cold or when it gets hot, the wood expands and contracts,” says EsQuivel. “And when it has liquid in it, it draws the liquid in and then pushes the liquid back out. So, by aging a beer in the wood, a whole bunch of processes go down. Not only are you getting flavors from the wood character of the oak barrel, you’re also getting flavors from the bourbon that was in it before.”
Thus, five unique, locally made bourbon barrel-aged beers were born: Heavy Meddle (wee heavy [Scottish ale]), Full of Sin (imperial stout), Red Hot Mess (imperial red ale), All the Cookies (imperial oatmeal raisin cookie ale), and Devil’s Water (dark strong).
Each Saturday in November, they’re releasing them one at a time as the brewery’s first series of packaged (and giftable) beers.
This week, they’re releasing Red Hot Mess, inspired by Old Dominick’s Memphis Toddy, made with cinnamon sticks and Red Hots candies. And at 10 percent ABV, each two-pack of beer is perfect for sharing.
“You can drink one by yourself, but you might be a red hot mess when you’re done,” EsQuivel jokes.
Month of Madness, Meddlesome Brewing Company, 7750 B Trinity, Suite 114, Cordova, Saturday, November 16th, noon until sold out, $15/bottle, limit of two bottles per customer, cannot be consumed on premises.
Ask anyone who attended a concert in the last Pure Memphis Music Series at Old Dominick Distillery, and you’ll surely hear what a singular experience it was. The casual vibe and attention to acoustics lends performances a living room-like intimacy, except that this living room has a bar. Seeing Jim Lauderdale there in February was gripping and a little hallucinatory, as when he emerged from behind the curtain in his purple yin/yang jumpsuit. Though he was scant feet away, he so inhabited the songs, and caught the light so perfectly that he glowed like some portal to another dimension.
So it’s good to discover the series’ new lineup for this fall. With the success of the first season, the series is introducing two season ticket options this fall. A standard season ticket – $100 – gets you into all six shows (discount of $20 off single ticket), while a VIP season ticket – $125 – gets you into all six shows with reserved seating and one cocktail included per show. Single tickets are $20 for every show.
Perhaps the most laudable new development is the introduction of a nonprofit co-host for each show, who’ll receive $5 from every ticket sold and a percentage of cocktail sales for the night.
It was the hottest ticket in town. Marc Gasol was there! I had to invite myself.
Saturday evening saw a soft opening of the Gray Canary, Michael Hudman and Andy Ticer’s latest restaurant in the Old Dominick Distillery.
The decor is stark chic — with interesting light fixtures and art. Dark wood four tops, booths along the wall with a stunning view of the bridge and river. Lots of gray accents. There are sound buffers on the ceiling, but it is still quite loud.
The food is centered around an opened fire. I approve. On the current menu is octopus and clams. The country ham was praised as was the hearty t bone steak. I had the Maitake Mushroom — charred mushrooms with an eggy mayonnaise. An interesting dish, sour/rich, loved the char.
One thing the boys have in the bag is their cocktails and pastries by Kayla Palmer.
Lisa’s Lunchbox will move into the Tuscany Italian Eatery space on Front street. Owner Lisa Clay Getske says they were seriously pursuing the Front Street Deli spot, but things didn’t work out.
“Everything happens for a reason,” says Getske, noting that the Tuscany space seems like a better fit. The Front Street Deli is so small that Getske was concerned that much of the food would have to be made off-site. The Tuscany space will accommodate the full Lunchbox menu, including panini and cold sandwiches and smoothies. They plan to offer frozen dinners for take-away as well.
They are shooting for a March 1st opening to coincide with the 10th birthday of the original Lisa’s Lunchbox in East Memphis.
Old Dominick Distillery is pleased to announce that it started filling whiskey barrels with its carefully crafted Memphis TN Whiskey.
Old Dominick Whiskey was a known label from 1866 until prohibition. The D. Canale family has now restored this 150 year-old family business into a full service grain-to-glass spirits distillery.
In the last few days, Alex Castle, head distiller and her team distilled whiskey made from their own mash, from grains milled, cooked, malted and fermented all in house. They put it through the mandatory TN whiskey maple charcoal filter and it was time to start filling the whiskey oak barrels.
It felt like a historical moment for the Canale family and the Old Dominick team.
“It is an exciting day for our company, and fitting that we are aging Old Dominick Whiskies for the first time since Tennessee Prohibition forced us to stop precisely 100 years ago in 1917.” Said Chris Canale, Old Dominick Distillery owner and great-great grandson of Domenico Canale, founder of the Old Dominick Brand.
Beyond bringing true craft production to Downtown, Old Dominick Distillery will welcome guests for tours, tastings, events, and retail spirits sales. Old Dominick opens this year, in the spring.
Old Dominick is shooting for a spring opening. According to a rep, vodkas and a bourbon base heritage drink will be released when they open their doors and will be available at liquor stores and bars. The whiskey will take three or four years to age.
• Burgerim, the Israeli franchise, is now open on Highland Strip. They offer mini burgers in duos, trios, or party boxes. Options include wagyu beef, lamb, turkey, veggie, and chicken.
Highlights include the Foxy BBQ, a dish inspired by Flyer friends The Chubby Vegetarian. This is a BBQ sandwich made with spaghetti squash. The barbecue sauce, made for City Silo by the Rendezvous, is a perfect accent — not too sweet with just the right kick of spice. Great bun, too.
More thumbs ups: Buffalo Tempeh + Sesame Cauliflower Wrap, the cauliflower wings, and the Matcha, Matcha, Matcha Wellness Latte.
For those vegans and vegetarians who are bummed that City Silo has veered from its Cosmic Coconut roots and is serving eggs and chicken, take heart: The menu at City Silo is, by far, mostly vegan, more extensive than Cosmic Coconut’s, and is thoughtful and inventive.
“It’s almost like Christmas,” said D. Canale & Co. president and Old Dominick Distillery founder Chris Canale Jr., as construction workers carefully removed the white plastic sheeting covering his downtown distillery’s new column still last Wednesday.
The installation of the column still — a skinny column that stretches two floors of the distillery’s building at 301 Front and looks like something from a steampunk fantasy with its multiple portholes and copper finish — is the latest construction milestone for Old Dominick Distillery.
Canale’s great-grandfather Dominico Canale is the inspiration for the distillery. Dominico moved to Memphis from Italy in 1859. He operated a fruit cart for a while, but once he acquired a refrigerated truck, he was able to distribute beer. Eventually, Dominico graduated to bourbon and bottled some Kentucky-made bourbon under his own name and continued that practice until Prohibition put him out of the bourbon business.
Justin Fox Burks
Old Dominick’s new column still
In keeping with his great-grandfather’s tradition, Canale, whose family company still specializes in beer distribution, will distill bourbon at Old Dominick. Head distiller Alexandra Castle says the distillery should be ready to launch its first products in September. The distillery is expected to be open to the public for tours, tastings, and special events by February 2017.
Although the distillery has a focus on bourbon, they’ll be starting out with vodkas since bourbon takes years to age. When products launch in September, Castle said they’ll have an original vodka, a flavored vodka, and a heritage whiskey that existed when the original Old Dominick whiskey existed.
“Starting with a moonshine is common practice, but we decided that East Tennessee has the moonshine thing down. So we’re starting with vodka,” said Castle, who spent four years working at Wild Turkey in Kentucky before Canale recruited her for the job at Old Dominick. “If you’re doing a grain-based vodka, you’re going through the same still as whiskey. But then we send it through a second system and re-distill it.”
Eventually, the distillery will release Tennessee-style whiskey, which Castle says is similar to bourbon but goes through an additional charcoal filtering process. They’ll also be producing a wheat whiskey, which she says will be lighter in flavor and smoother than more traditional whiskeys. Those whiskeys will age in oak barrels for a couple years.
“Bourbons have a little vanilla and caramel flavor, and that comes from the oak barrels. Whiskey comes off the system colorless, but if you’ve ever seen a whiskey in a bottle, you know it’s not colorless,” Castle said. “The liquid goes in and out of the wood, so you let it experience weather changes. We’ll have it upstairs in a room that isn’t climate-controlled, and we’ll open the windows to let the air circulate.”
There’s plenty of room inside the Old Dominick Distillery for aging oak barrels and all sorts of fermenters and equipment. The location, inside the old Memphis Machineworks and Supply building, is actually made up of three buildings that were, at one time, opened up into one large space. The $5 million construction project has been underway for more than a year.
Two tasting rooms are under construction, and the building will also feature 10,000 feet of event space and 5,000 feet of restaurant space. The restaurant will be leased out to a restaurateur, but Canale hasn’t yet worked out a deal to determine what restaurant will be there.
Even though Old Dominick hasn’t even begun production yet, they’re already looking to the future.
“The fermenters were designed for expansion. We can double each one by cutting down the legs and adding to the top,” Castle said. “This building is great because it’s big enough to accommodate expansion.”
Greg Cravens 
Sami Harvey 
Courtesy Jay Etkin Gallery 
Courtesy Ben Fant 
Courtesy Cheryl Pesce 
Matthew J. Harris 
Samuel X. Cicci 
Memphis Restaurant Association/Facebook 
Greg Cravens 
Jon W. Sparks 
Feast & Graze/Facebook 
Greg Cravens 
Libby Green 
Josh Richardson 
Sarah Wilson 
John Klyce Minervini 
Justin Fox Burks