Micromemphis: University District The Neighborhoods of the University of Memphis
  • Home
  • About
    • University District in the News
    • University District Website
    • University District Map
    • MicroMemphis Team
  • News
  • Business
  • Religion
  • Food
  • Community
  • Campus
  • Multimedia
    • Slideshows
    • Video

History of the Highland Strip

3/25/2014

4 Comments

 
By Charles Gray

Shortly after the West Tennessee Normal School broke ground in the farmlands on the outskirts of the city of Memphis, development in the area began to expand past residential properties. One road that ran north to south just west of the school began to host small stores and markets. 

"Initially, it was just a few stores—a grocery store, a bakery, just essentials for people at the time," said historian Jimmy Ogle. "But after World War II and a large amount of people moving to the area,  [South] Highland Avenue really took off."

Though it began as an early place near the school to do some light shopping for essentials, it wouldn't take long for the stretch of road to develop its own identity. After the district was annexed in 1929, the university grew in size, the neighborhood expanded greatly and the storefronts along South Highland grew in number and variety.

With the increasing population of university students in the 1950s and 1960s, more bars and restaurants opened in the area.

"The First Danver's was on the strip," said former Memphis State University student Rebecca Feaster. "They use to wear conductor hats because it was so close to the railroad. It was a fun place."
As the location grew in relation to the district that surrounded it, it developed a nasty drug habit. By the late 1960s, the location was known for its rampant drug sale and use—even to have melodramatic report of a THC overdose in The Commercial Appeal.

In the 1970s, a lot of change happened to the area. A huge drug bust by the Memphis Police Department disintegrated the bad reputation of the area but took a bit of the business along with it. The advent of eliminating 'angled parking' in the 1970s further dismissed a transient nature to the group of properties and supposedly lost business as reported by The Commercial Appeal later in the same year.

Though the area remained relatively quiet over the next quarter-decade, a new business was able to thrive. Newby's Memphis, a bar and music venue, opened in 1975 and has continued to flourish. 

In the 21st century, the location has seen an uptick in activity. The Stratum, a new apartment complex at the corner of Highland and Midland, not only brought new residents to the area but also a Cafe Eclectic, located on the bottom floor. RP Billiards opened up only a few years ago at 525 S. Highland and has seen success and return customers. Even students are faring out to the strip for food and fun.

"I go sometimes with friends to the pizzeria," said Memphis student Orline Bowers. "Nice variety of foods that I probably can't find elsewhere."

Even though the strip was able to house many bars and prosper to a relative degree after 2010, it's not completely without complaints.

"It's been a really great spot to have a business," said Tiger Gift Shop owner Jeremy Stinson. "But we still have issues with parking... and I wish there were more businesses open during the day to convince more students to stop by and check the strip out."
4 Comments
Ray Ray link
3/3/2015 06:49:11 am

I was at the strip the night the blue ford police cars with one light on top came around southern onto highland with helecopter above. I loved the strip. I knew Groovy Dad..Flavous Peirce..and Gypsy. People would walk past you and say "speed..Reds.. Nebies" You could buy speed for 50 cents each. Up untill 4 A. M. having fun. I was just coming out of Pop-I records with the new live Ten Years After album when the police came around the corner. I still have visions of the fun times there. I know the strip and the people very well. I was there.

Reply
sheri gillespie
3/23/2015 03:34:53 am

good memories gypsy good dope, good times. you know flavis killed that girl in overton park and went to Parchman ,my ex did time with him.

Reply
Ray Ray link
3/5/2015 03:08:45 am

A band called Catcus has a picture of the band crossing the highland strip in the 70's on an album called Restrictions.

Reply
Mark Proctor
10/1/2019 04:23:45 pm

I worked for Grand Central Station and Sexy Sadie & Sams from 73' - 75'. Memphis was a different place and the Highland Strip was unique. Those who were there enjoyed life. Some, like my friend Campbell Kensinger, too much.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Tweets by @UDistrictMicro

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013

    Categories

    All
    Arts
    Audio
    Black History
    Black Owned Business
    Blue Tom Records
    Botanic Garden
    Brittany Carruthers
    Bruce Harber
    Bryan Heater
    Business
    Campus
    Caray Oldham
    Carlissa Robinson
    Carrie Sanders
    Charity
    Chings
    City Council
    Civil Rights Movement
    Community
    Cormac Parker
    Crime
    Dana Porter
    Education
    Empress And Emperor Mentoring
    Entertainment
    Erica Hartsfield
    Events
    Fashion
    Feature
    Fitness
    Food
    Green
    Gsrm
    Health
    Highland
    Housing
    Innovation
    Instagram
    Jerald Harris
    Jj Greer
    John Martin
    Kathy Brower
    Local
    Lovie Hudson
    Maps
    Master Plan
    Memphis
    Mentoring
    Michelle Corbet
    Millennials
    Multimedia
    Music
    News
    Non-profit
    Normal Station
    Park Ave.
    Park Avenue
    Patterson
    Politics
    Poplar
    Preview
    Profile
    Public Safety
    Raleigh Egypt
    Raven Mcclain
    Recruitment
    Religion
    Sex
    Slideshow
    Social-media
    Southern
    Sports
    St-jude
    Transportation
    Udistrict History
    University Of Memphis
    Urban Garden
    Video
    Walker Avenue