The National Guard is on Beale Street in Memphis and this is completely absurd
Three chicks and the least intimidating male you can imagine were taking a selfie outside the Blues City Cafe.
I asked: are you the national guard?
Yes
Why are you here?
To keep you safe.
Okay...
At least they're not in Syria I guess.
Replies to: The National Guard is on Beale Street in Memphis and this is completely absurd
Going to Graceland?
(no message)
More like, they're going to Greenland
(no message)
I did plus the museum across the street. Touristy riverboat cruise on the mighty Mississipp.
The Lorraine Motel. Peabody Hotel ducks. Corky's. Quick stop at the Liberty Bowl and all day into the night on Beale where the PD turn the street into an outside club. Compare to Nashville and it's close for history , food, and entertainment.
I love Beale Street. Small shops, catfish at the Blues City Cafe, the music.
While driving around Memphis, I drove by a stadium and thought that it looked familiar so I did a u-turn. It was the Liberty Bowl. The gate was open and I watched the Memphis State Tigers working out inside the stadium. Nice little sidebar to my Memphis vaca.
I'm thinking you've not been there in quite awhile.
I lived in Memphis for 7 years (2000-2007). At the end of the 90's, the city made a concerted effort to improve the safety of the downtown area, as significant investments had been made in the area (the Pyramid, Beale St.'s renovation, realtors like Turley putting money into downtown residential, etc.).
While crime was a significant issue (especially auto-related theft), the worst of the element had largely been pushed out to specific areas that you knew to avoid (Orange Mound, Brooks Rd., and in general south of Poplar/east of Kirby).
Then the city couldn't help itself and began annexing and making suburban areas part of the city and its horrible school system, pushing folks with money further away and by extension creating commercial development in Collierville, Germantown, even out to Fayette County. They brilliantly jumped on the "reimagined criminal justice" bandwagon and crime has taken off to the point that every single commercial operation within city limits has 24-hour private security in the parking lots. Beale St. itself endures shootings and violence (sometimes random for "fun," other times as part of gang-related crap). It is a nasty, dangerous place now.
I won't say that it's beyond repair, but the residents who have voted for this are the ones who will have to commit to change.
No I haven't. It's been at least 15 years or so.
(no message)
Memphis itself is a complete shithole and it is sad.
Beale is really fun though
Yea, you do have to be aware of your surroundings, but, it was a blast.
Growing up in Gary, Memphis was not a shock. Very similar places.
Blues City Cafe = top notch BBQ
And they take care of the cops
Did Agent Johnson spot your Bendini, Lambert, & Locke stationary while you were there?
(no message)
I had the ribs, they were great.
Coleslaw underperformed, but everything else was great.
You are triggering memories of my 1984 Liberty Bowl trip
Of course, it was a jillion degrees below zero, and the National Guard could not hope to contain us.
Wink Martindale wept.
Consent Management