Beale Street has a storied past. But what about the future?
The City of Memphis' celebrated 901 Day, named for the city’s area code, with a festival on Beale Street in Downtown Memphis Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. (Brad Vest/The Daily Memphian file)
The last five years have not been kind to Beale Street. Or at least to its perception.
COVID-19 hammered the Downtown tourist attraction and party spot, driving annual rents collected from the city of Memphis-owned street down 44% from 2019 to 2020.
And although rents rebounded three years after the pandemic, reaching pre-pandemic levels in 2023, notable crime incidents have also harmed the street’s perception. There have been several late-night shootings on and around Beale. The street’s notable neighbor, the Memphis Grizzlies, has taken issue with its cleanliness and safety.
These factors have resulted in a surge of resources from Memphis Mayor Paul Young and the Downtown Memphis Commission. The potential for more change is also on the horizon.
Topics
Subscriber Only Beale Street Paul Young Memphis Grizzlies FedExForumThank you for being a subscriber to The Daily Memphian. Your support is critical.
As a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization with a hybrid business model, we rely on a mix of revenue from subscriptions (50%), advertising, events and miscellaneous earned income (25%) and fundraising (25%).
Please consider making a fully tax-deductible donation or other contribution to The Daily Memphian today.
👉 Your subscription pays for you to read all our journalism.
👉 Your donation powers the work we do to reach everyone else with the news.
We believe an informed Memphis is a better Memphis. If you agree, join our growing list of donors now.
Samuel Hardiman
Samuel Hardiman is an enterprise reporter who focuses on government and politics. He began his career at the Tulsa World where he covered business and K-12 education. Hardiman came to Memphis in 2018 to join the Memphis Business Journal, covering government and economic development. He then served as the Commercial Appeal’s city hall reporter and later joined The Daily Memphian in 2023. His current work focuses on the intersection of government, public policy, influence and how public dollars are spent.
Comments
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.