The Early Word: Pinch businesses feel the pinch, and Grizzlies lose steam
Spring has sprung, Memphis! And it came in like a lion with yesterday’s crazy winds. It’s Thursday, March 20, and though it’s the first official day of spring, it may not feel like it with today’s colder weather. Pull those sweaters back out, and let’s dig right into the news.
Comeback Coffee co-owners Hayes and Amy McPherson will close their Pinch District shop on April 11, after losing hope that the district will come back any time soon. Just as they opened the shop in 2019, Tom Intrator, an outside investor, announced a massive redevelopment plan for the Pinch with two hotels, apartments, and office and retail space. Those plans never panned out, and last summer, the Downtown Memphis Commission sued Intrator over blight issues with eight properties. Now, Pinch business owners, like the McPhersons and Alcenia’s owner B.J. Chester-Tamayo are sharing their frustrations.
The Memphis Grizzlies are in the figurative fourth quarter of the season, with only about a dozen games left until the playoffs. But they’re losing steam at the end of the game, on both a micro and macro level. Last night, they fell to the Portland Trail Blazers, 115-99, when a third quarter comeback quickly faded in the fourth. They’ve lost three of their last four games and have quickly dropped from No. 2 in the West to No. 5. And the road ahead looks pretty tough with half of the upcoming games against playoff contenders.
Plus, a Memphis doctor is indicted for fraud (again), Ginger’s Bread heads Downtown and we tell you about a takeout app that’s almost “too good” to be true.
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Bianca Phillips
Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian who’s worked in local journalism and PR for more than 20 years. In her days as a reporter, she covered everything from local government and crime to LGBTQ issues and the arts. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South,” a cookbook of vegan Southern recipes.
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