The Memphis Scene

Paul Ryburn has the inside scoop on changes coming to the Jillian's complex in Peabody Place. Jillian's has always seemed unfocused and all-over-the-map in its model: dance club down there, bowling alley/arcade/pool hall up there, bar in the middle -- but from Paul's reporting, it seems the management is going to focus on the Downtown locals business.

I'm interested to see how this turns out; the past few months have seen the closing of several places where Downtowners liked to frequent: see Swig and Dan McGuinness, among others. Plus I like to see businesses try to adapt and make things work in a Downtown where so much seems to be going pear-shaped.

It has been on again and off again, but for now Nocturnal, the nightclub at Madison and Avalon (the former Antenna space) is back open for business. Once again, DJ Mary Jane is the resident selector, and she promises an array of guest jocks playing a variety of styles.

Hours will be 5 p.m. till 3 a.m.

Don't forget to check out Nocturnal's MySpace page ...

Paul Ryburn links to a TV report that the Daily Grill in the Westin Hotel will close at the end of September. The report says the restaurant will reopen -- "seamlessly" -- under a name familiar to Memphians. Circa owner and chef John Bragg is quoted extensively in the report, for no apparent reason except that his restaurant hasn't closed, which is saying something in this business climate.

Of note, I stopped in at the Daily Grill a few months ago for a happy-hour drink on my day off, and saw one Memphis Mayor Willie W. Herenton conversing with a constituent or two.

In case you missed the story in Tuesday's newspaper, Pat O'Brien's on Beale Street has closed its doors for good after struggling with disappointing sales and filing for bankruptcy.

Be sure to check out the comments on the story. Bar-closing stories always have great comments, as people air their complaints about bad times.

A couple of weeks ago, while doing some research on something else, I stumbled across Ryan Ross' Memphis Bars blog. The site seemed like a pretty useful resource for those wanting to know more about Memphis nightlife, though it hadn't been updated since March. Now Ross is back to posting reviews, the latest one about the venerable Silky O'Sullivan's on Beale Street.

The funny thing is, Ross signs each post as "Ryan," and I wondered if he might be the same Ryan (Jones) who hosts My Midtown Memphis. In fact, he is not. He's a 23-year-old recent grad of Christian Brothers University who took it upon himself to produce a one-stop guidebook for Memphis bars. He plans to update his "back" reviews upon further visits. And, get this, he wants to visit every bar in Memphis at least once (oh, to be 23 again and so ambitious!).

Paul Ryburn has a beer recommendation over at his blog, which wouldn't necessarily be worth a link except that he namechecks old-school wrestling great "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes ...

Wednesday's editions of The Commercial Appeal have more details on the closing of Dan McGuinness in Peabody Place. It doesn't as though they have plans to open another location in Memphis, although the McGuinness in East Memphis near Target will remain open. The fixtures from the Downtown location will be shipped to the pub chain's new store in Oklahoma.

Dan McGuinness' Downtown location will close after this Saturday. Word has it the Irish pub doesn't fit with the developers' upscale plans for the Peabody Place mall.

Paul Ryburn beat me to the punch, and he has a few more details.

I touched on some of the other Downtown retail/nightspot closings in this post. Let's hope that whatever the developers have up their sleeve prevents Peabody Place from becoming yet another Memphis white elephant.