The MemFix event at Walker and Highland on April 13 was conducted to showcase what is possible at the intersection by providing examples of how the University District neighborhood can become more pedestrian friendly. The event had pop-up retail stands, music and art and also introduced new ways for pedestrians to interact with the neighborhood. The all-day event offered the community a day to get to know the neighborhood and experience the local arts and entertainment industry.
An event set for April 13 is designed to help residents of the University District envision what the future of the intersection of Highland and Walker could look like.
The University Neighborhoods Development Corporation along with the University District Business Association, the University District Incorporated and the Mayor’s Innovation Team will host a MemFix event. The one-day event will last from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
MemFix events encourage new ways to think about streetscapes, activate vacant spaces in neighborhoods and encourage neighborhood growth. At this year’s event there will be some crosswalks temporarily installed at the Highland/Walker cross-section to make it more pedestrian friendly. Pop-up businesses will fill vacant storefronts. Music and activities for people of all ages will take place on the sidewalks of the University District.
Doug Hendrickson, manager and day-to-day operations handler, says the Internet cannot give you the experience of walking into nostalgic old stores like The Fun Shop.
At Halloween time each year, people flock to large chain stores, such as Party City, Party Works and The Halloween Store for décor and costumes to celebrate. But, after the holiday has passed, Halloween stores close up shop and year-round chains like Party City ready for the next holiday.
However, the fun of dressing up and getting gag gifts does not stop after October at The Fun Shop.
Located at 634 S. Highland St., The Fun Shop has long been selling and renting some of the most unique costumes one will come across in the Mid-South. Though costumes and pranks make up the largest percentage of the shop’s sells, one can find anything from wigs, shoes, hats, masks and makeup, to magic tricks, comic books, action figures, trading cards and DVDs.
“The shop is unique in that it is one of the oldest continuously operating local businesses in the Memphis area,” said manager and day-to-day operator Doug Hendrickson. “It has never closed its doors. Also, it is Memphis' only magic shop.”
Pauline Koplin, owner of Brother Juniper’s restaurant at 3519 Walker Ave. moved to Memphis with her family in 1999 to put the heartbeat back into the family business.
She explains how renovations helped change the atmosphere to welcome the customers.
Pastor Paul Eknes-Tucker spent his Valentine’s Day in Cooper Young at the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center for the launch of the Free Condoms Memphis safe sex initiative. Wait. What? The words pastor, condoms and sex in the same sentence? Yes, and that is only the beginning.
Pastor Paul, as he likes to be called, is the pastor of Holy Trinity Community Church at 685 South Highland. Pastor Paul was at the Free Condoms Memphis launch because his church is on the list of 30 locations across Memphis where free condoms are available through the program.
In Holy Trinity’s case, the condoms are available through the church’s food pantry program.
You see, Pastor Paul seems to have realistic ideas about people and sexuality. He says, “The reality is, all of us have sex, all of us. So do we just pretend like we don’t and we don’t know anything about sexuality? Or, do we educate our children so that when they get into situations where they’re going to be sexual, they will at least have the information to protect themselves or they can make good decisions?”
The Southern Meat Market at 3507 Southern Avenue plans to relocate due to the redevelopment of the Highland Strip.
The owner, Randy Stockard, is moving to a new location on Park Avenue, but he does not know when. His business is among others like Yum’s Chinese Sub Shop and Whatever’s that are also being forced to move because of development of the property at Highland Street and Southern Avenue.
What makes the Southern Meat Market different is that the butchers cut the meat by hand. Most grocery stores have their own deli department equipped with a slicer, which is how most people today get their meat.
Captain Kevin Langellier, special programs coordinator of Police Services, who is in charge of the Crime Prevention through Environmental Design Initiative of the University Neighborhood Partnership, says fences, landscaping and locks are the three most common issues he sees when aligning homes with CPTED practices to make them more safe.
The Fun Shop, the only magic shop in the Memphis area, has been a staple in local novelty shops since the 1930s.
Costume and novelty shops are typically a favorite of those who are looking to find just the right outfit for Halloween, dress up for a themed party or play a prank on an unsuspecting friend. Unlike most people, Douglas Hendrickson is a year-round occupant of one of these shops, but he’s not there for tricks and treats—he co-owns the Fun Shop.
For those who frequent the University district, South Highland Street is one of the main areas for local shops and businesses, such as the Fun Shop at 634 S. Highland St. Though many people might identify the area by its tattoo and sub shops, there is no mistaking the green, yellow, and
red awning that drapes below the smiling face of a clown and the shop’s logo in big, red letters.