More than 20,000 people participated in the 22nd annual St. Jude Memphis Marathon Saturday morning, Dec. 2.

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The St. Jude Memphis Marathon in pictures

Black Lodge’s new cocktail bar serves classic cocktails with an old-Hollywood vibe.

St. Jude Memphis Marathon participants come from all 50 states and Puerto Rico as well as 75 countries.

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Here are the road closures for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon

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The $261 million project is expected to be completed by early 2027.

The race on Saturday, Dec. 2, will close roads across Downtown and Midtown, with some closures beginning Friday, Dec. 1.

This week’s Inked features new leases at Union Avalon Shopping Center, a new Dollar Tree, a new Footlocker and a retail center/warehouse project.

What was once Melrose High School will reopen in the fall as both a public library and senior housing. On Monday, Orange Mound community leaders got a sneak peek. 

Shelby County has more traffic fatalities than any other Tennessee county, and the impact on families is irreversible. Law enforcement officials seek to bend the curve by increasing patrol on the streets and curbing speeding.

AutoZone Park’s Deck the Diamond Holiday Spectacular features archways, reindeers, presents and trains lighting up the ballpark, glowing gold, white and purple.

The new restaurant opened on Front Street last month in the brick-and-steel maze that once held the William C. Ellis & Sons Ironworks & Machine Shop.

Wearing medieval warrior gear and wielding longswords, members of Memphis Armored Fight Club thrash and clash with panache.

Memphis will get an eighth location of the popular fast-food chain. Plus, Margarita’s is coming to Lakeland Commons, and Marco’s Pizza is also planning an Arlington site.

The bar at 605 N. Second St. will also serve smoothie bowls, freshly pressed juices, salads and wraps, as well as offering a grab-and-go section. 

“We’re burning some calories before we replace them at Thanksgiving,” one runner said ahead of the 4-mile race.

The producers planning a May music festival in Tom Lee Park announced they are planning a barbecue contest there the same month — and at the same time as Memphis in May’s barbecue contest at Liberty Park.

PURE Academy’s new campus will have 10 times the school’s current capacity. Also, a building at the corner of Kirby Parkway and Winchester Road will be “activated” with some new tenants.

“‘Sheet Cake’ feels like an invitation to me,” owner Lauren Kennedy said about the gallery’s name. “It’s an inelegant yet consistent, comforting experience. Come on in and have a slice of something sweet.” 

With the holiday season nearly in full gear, there are plenty of events and lights in Memphis to enjoy. Here’s a list — don’t forget to check it twice!

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What’s open on Thanksgiving in Memphis, where to order a turkey

Owners of the historic building unwittingly created an uproar by starting to paint the brick. But they’re fine with a plan to restore the original facade at the future Tekila Modern Mexican restaurant site.

The flyer features deals and discounts from 14 local businesses, including ARCHd, Boshi Botanicals, Everbloom Design, Shop Mucho and Mbabazi House of Style. 

“There’s something that’s got to be done so no other mother has to feel this pain,” said Angela Kirkendoll, whose son Myra died this week. 

Plus, longtime favorite New Asia has new ownership, and a Chipotle location is headed to Millington.

It is one of the city’s largest Black-led developments in a predominantly Black neighborhood, said The Works president Roshun Austin, who will oversee the project.

Another north-south route through Shelby Farms Park has been a priority for local leaders for more than two decades, but the proposal for a new Shelby Farms Parkway has now been abandoned.

North Mississippi’s Crawfish Haven specializes in to-go Cajun food, from etouffee to catfish to boudin.