June is almost over, and what a June it was! From the introduction of our new Interior Designer Crush feature to a peek inside the coolest new market in town – Curb Market – we’ve been on a roll bringing you the best of Memphis. The city celebrated some great news, including a new director for the Memphis Animal Shelter and a young gun winning the FedEx St. Jude Classic.
23-year-old Daniel Berger Wins FedEx Classic
Following a rain delay in the final round, 23-year-old Floridian Daniel Berger, shot a 3-under 67 to hold off Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker and Brooks Koepka by three strokes. Berger had never been in a final pairing until that final Sunday; Mickelson spent the rain delay teasing Berger in the players’ dining area, while the golfers waited out the lightning. Berger finished at 13-under 267, becoming the 13th first-time winner on tour this season and taking home a check of $1.1 million. Hush, y’all!
23 year-old Daniel Berger wins his first major in Memphis. Image: FESJC Facebook page
New Memphis Animal Shelter Director Named
Alexis Amorose Pugh is the new top dog (sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves) at the embattled Memphis Animal Shelter (MAS). In an interview with The Commercial Appeal‘s editorial board, Pugh says she has plans to increase the survival rate for animals at the shelter to 85 percent from 60-65 percent. Pugh came to MAS following a stint as the executive director at Mid-South Spay & Neuter Services.
Employment Rate Soars
We all know Memphis is soaring on so many levels, and we are oh-so-happy to report that the unemployment figures for May, released in June, shows the unemployment rate in Greater Memphis is 4.5 percent, well below the 6.6 percent measured a year earlier, according to the State of Tennessee. That gain is the largest in any May since 1996. Well done!
Maker Faire Brings Makers to City Hall
The first-ever Memphis Maker Faire took place at City Hall, featuring a dozen Memphis makers in a push to support a robust artisan economy in the city. The fair was an initiative of the Made By Project, which is meant to recreate the success of the Broad Avenue District in other area neighborhoods. In a statement, Mayor Jim Strickland said his administration will support initiatives that back students, entrepreneurs and small businesses in under-served neighborhoods. An anonymous Memphis donor funded Little Bird Innovation, a research and strategy firm in Memphis, to launch the Made By Project.
Mayor Jim Strickland at the Memphis Maker Faire, hosted at City Hall. Image: Mayor Jim Strickland Twitter page
New Restaurants and Other Dining News
The Memphis restaurant scene is on fire! If you missed our recent roundup of restaurant news, simply click here. We wrote that article right before we heard that Tom and Lauren Powers, owners of Memphis’ Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar, are opening a new fine dining eatery in Germantown later this summer. Southern Social nestles up to the old Southern Railway’s historic Germantown Depot and sits adjacent to Southern Avenue. Southern Social will be located in the space that was previously occupied by Elfo’s Restaurant at 2285 S. Germantown Rd., Germantown, TN 38138.
Loflin Yard, one of our newest restaurant destinations in Memphis. Image: Loflin Yard Facebook page
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