It started in Memphis

[Pearlbob]

The Pinch is growing a lot now though. They are building tons of new homes in the area, albeit low-cost homes, but so far over the years they have been well kept, working class families, and they look great. There is a bank, gas station, Subway, liquor store, dry cleaning, etc etc there now, along with new condos. I think the area is growing a lot and will continue to grow. St. Jude also bought out a lot of the land there, which will inevitably cause the area to become better. At some point, hopefully!, the Pyramid will be changed to something, even Bass Pro, whatever, and the area will grow a ton right when that occurs.

[GrandBilly]

Originally Posted by JMT

Kabluey mentioned some things I'd never thought of before. Memphis has played a pivotal role in developing much of our American lifestyle. How cool is that? I'd like to expand on what Kabluey wrote.

Piggly Wiggly - Memphian Clarence Saunders introduced the concept of the self-serve supermarket to the world, right there in Memphis.

FedEx - Fred Smith, a college student from Memphis, introduced the concept of overnight delivery to anywhere in the country from anywhere in the country, and Memphis was (and still is) its high-tech home.

Holiday Inn - Memphian Kemmons Wilson introduced the concept of inexpensive, reliable motels along America's highways for traveling families.

Music - not only did Memphis introduce the world to a singing style that eventually became known as rock & roll, it also had America's only all-female radio station at one time.

Saint Jude - at one time, every school in America raised money to help fund Danny Thomas's cause célèbre, curing children of otherwise incurable diseases. Danny Thomas's face was on every television station in the country asking people to send money to support his amazing research hospital in Memphis.

Coppertone - Memphis entrepreneur Abe Plough started a pharmaceutical company (which became known as Schering-Plough once FDR seized the American assets of the German pharmaceutical company Schering during WW2) in Memphis. In 1944, Memphian Benjamin Green invented a sun-tan lotion which he called Coppertone. It was purchased by Schering-Plough. In 1959 it introduced the world to the Coppertone Girl advertisement.

These things are so engrained in our daily lives (self-service supermarkets, overnight package delivery, chain motels, rock & roll, suntan lotion, and the hope of Saint Jude) that it's hard to imagine our lives without them. And to think they all got started right there in Memphis. Whatever problems Memphis has, there's no denying its role in developing much of our modern American lifestyle. I think that's something to be very proud of.

You really brought back a lot of memories with all that above...I was born and raised in Memphis many yearsa ago when all that stuff was happening...I remember the radio station WHER 1390 or so on the dail, the transmitter was in the flood plain of the Mississippi over in 'Arkansas near the Corps of Engineers building...
I got this site looking for Leonard's Bar-B-Que and it it was still in business...seems to be.
A class high school mate of mine dated Elvis. Beal street and all that goes with it, jug bands, complete with washboards, bass fiddles made of a wash tub, string and stick...
Thanks.

[strumpeace]

Jug band? Damn. That's hardcore.

[krimax1976]

Originally Posted by JMT

You're in for a treat! You've got the best fast-food burgers in the country there at BYB, and Lenny's has GREAT subs, infinitely better than the processed plastic meats you get at Subway.

I hope you enjoy living in Memphis. I was fortunate to live there for 5 years in addition to going there often while a student at Ole Miss. In spite of the high crime (and there really is a lot in Memphis), I absolutely adored living in Memphis and really love the place. Best of luck with your move!

Hey there JMT, you have both of those things in Knoxville! There is a BYB on Kingston Pike, near Calhoun's and a Lenny's beside Home Depot off of Kingston Pike. Maybe they aren't as good as the original, but just thought I would let you know! Take care.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by krimax1976

Hey there JMT, you have both of those things in Knoxville! There is a BYB on Kingston Pike, near Calhoun's and a Lenny's beside Home Depot off of Kingston Pike. Maybe they aren't as good as the original, but just thought I would let you know! Take care.

Yes, there are two BYBs in Knoxville and one in Maryville (in a gas station). And that's it for all of East Tennessee. I don't live anywhere near either of the BYBs here. Same for Lenny's. In Memphis there are BYBs everywhere, you're never more than a mile or two away from one. I miss that.

But thanks for letting me know.

[krimax1976]

No problem!