Suburbs

There were several stories by the suburban staff this week that deserve attention. Memories of a longtime store closing and a long-closed amusement park. And A Bartlett alderman stirred up things on his thoughts about the vacated Quail Ridge golf course.

Frankly, it was an interesting week in suburban coverage.

A look at a couple of stories that caught my eye.

End of an era

Reporter Abigail Warren wrote the business obituary on Jackson’s Shoes, now out in Collierville, which will close at the end of the month. That will end almost 60 years of putting shoes on children’s feet in the Memphis metro area.

Jackson’s was such a staple that I thought I recalled stores all over the place. In Whitehaven or Poplar Plaza. Turns out they started in Parkway Village in 1966 and moved to Collierville in 1995 with a satellite outlet at a couple of spots in Germantown.

But that is what happens when a business’ name becomes synonymous with its product. A Thom McAn or a Youngstownmorphs in memory to Jackson’s, even though Jackson’s was never there.

Anyway, Jackson’s is finally going the way of a lot of businesses. The next generation of family members is not interested in continuing the shoe business. Fewer people are going to such stores anymore, relying on home shopping and home delivery.

But there was something about a store working gingerly with probably some of the toughest customers to try on shoes — children. Jackson’s did that for a long time.

“They made my girls feel comfortable, which is kind of hard when you’re warming up to somebody messing with your feet,” customer Ashley Vickery said. “That can be a little weird, a little strange for a kid.”

Amusement park transforms to neighborhood

I have reminisced before about the history of Lakeland. About how the suburb has its roots as an amusement park, and the memories of the days gone by.

Still, Michael Waddell’s story about Lakeland sent me down a rabbit hole of memories, archives and old video clips.

Sometimes it is hard to imagine that Lakeland was once a long way out yonder, was undeveloped and its most known residents were the notorious faux “train robbers” with names like Rancid Butterball and Filthy McNasty.

Even after all these years, there are still remnants among the subdivisions and developments. The lake that was the centerpiece of the amusement park now brings aesthetics to the homes. A gondola from the Sky-Ride remains behind City Hall. Huff N Puff Road, bearing the name of the train that curved through the southern part of the park, is close to Canada Road and Interstate 40.

I do always wonder in today’s world how bad things would quickly turn if Rancid and Filthy came out of the woods to rob Huff N Puff’s passengers.

Bogey bickering

Whether it is political bickering or the lack of information regarding Quail Ridge golf course in Bartlett, the social media debate heated up this week. It seems some officials did not like Alderman Kevin Quinn’s comments about the city’s involvement in the situation.

Or lack of it.

The golf course closed last fall, the victim of rising maintenance costs, a decrease in play and other issues, I suppose. Little has been said about the future of the property in the ensuing six months. In recent weeks, with the grass finally growing with the spring season, nearby residents have expressed their frustration with the upkeep of the course, some choosing to take matters under their own lawnmowers.

Last week, when updating the golf course status, Quinn aggravated some others with his comments saying the city had dropped the ball on the future of the property. He said he just wanted to see a golf course there.

But almost from the time of Quail Ridge’s closing, continuation as a golf course seemed unlikely. The cost to maintain it always was a problem, whether it was the opinion of former Mayor Keith McDonald, current Mayor David Parsons or Alderman David Reaves.

And several of them didn’t appreciate Quinn’s comments saying the city was at fault for not considering such a move.

“If you can clearly articulate how the city dropped the ball over something it has no control over, please let me know,” Reaves wrote in a Facebook post. “The city met with Wilder. Then have continually been in his ear to the point where he has stopped responding.”

He later added: “Quit politicizing something the city has no ability to control.”

Vice Mayor Jack Young seconded Reaves post, saying the property owner has the right to do what they believe is best for their property.

“It seems as though Alderman Quinn is quick to blame the city because a property owner no longer wants to pay the high cost of operating a Golf Course,” Young wrote. “Last time I checked, a property owner has the right to do what they want with their property as long as it is within our codes.”

— Suburbs editor Clay Bailey

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