A CHRISTMAS STOCKING

Got a few news-ish bits inside, so let’s dump them out. I’ll start with this fairly astonishing item.









Yes, that is a T-shirt from the legendary Brady & Lil’s on South Parkway East, which flourished up until a quarter century or so ago and whose spirit lives on at the Bar-B-Q Shop on Madison, the go-to place for our household. This was my birthday present from my daughter, who found it on a clothing resale site. Someone in North Carolina had it. She made me open it early, at Thanksgiving, so she could see my reaction.

It is in remarkably good condition for its age. It’s a large, poly/cotton blend branded Touch of Gold. Can’t be many of these still around. I’ve got to work up the nerve to wear it. A few years ago, my daughter gave me an old matchbook from Bozo’s in Mason, Tenn., another favorite spot. Here’s a closeup of the famous dancing pigs.









My daughter was home earlier in November, and shifted into full Marie Kondo mode to attack the junk that’s in our house. She turned this up.









I had forgotten all about it. I think I brought it home from work when I cleaned out my desk. If I remember correctly, a co-worker had stopped there to pick up a sandwich and discovered that two were in the bag. He asked if I wanted the extra one. Hell, yeah! I never ate there a lot, but always enjoyed it when I did. The old Neely’s site on Mount Moriah (or is it Mendenhall – I can never keep them straight) is still empty.







ACROSS THE RIVER

I subscribe to the Flickr account of Birch from Memphis, who specializes in old pictures and artifacts from the area. He has a lot of restaurant images, and occasionally one of them is a barbecue joint. Such was the case last month when his post included this postcard for Bill’s Restaurant, in what is now Marion, Ark.

The post said the building was still standing in 2016, so I drove over last week to check it out. It’s still there, though some later construction has obscured the smokehouse, and a bunch of house trailers fill the back yard (which is why I just shot from the car).











The post also had some info on the owners and a neat anecdote.

AKA “Bill’s Grill”

This building is still standing as of 2016 at the southeast corner of Highway 77 and Bill’s Grill Road in Marion. “Bill” was William “Bill” Norvell Harris (1929-2001).

Obit for wife and co-owner of Bill’s, Mary Dymple Harris (1932-2018): “Dymple moved to Memphis to work and married William ‘Bill’ Harris of Marion, AR. … Dymple and Bill owned and operated Bill’s Grill restaurant located on Highway 77 in Marion for many years. She was proud to serve some of the best barbeque in the Mid-South until they closed the business due to Bill’s health.”

A memory from Bill Morris about taking Danny Thomas and other St. Jude people to Bill’s in 1986, in Memphis Magazine. “Little did I know that I would continue to be involved with St. Jude for 50 years. There was a bit of a crisis in 1986. I think St. Jude felt unloved. The truth of the matter is there were not that many new fundraising events in Memphis. Washington University and the city of St. Louis made a big pitch. Danny never suggested that they were leaving us, but they had an obligation to listen, and they spent a day and a half up there.

They returned to Memphis the next day and Dick Hackett and I both wanted to do something for them in a casual atmosphere. It was my idea to go to Bill’s Grill over in Marion, Arkansas. Hackett almost fainted. But there was no way we could compete with St. Louis on a formal dinner. We started out with pitchers of beer. Then they brought out fried dill pickles. Then they brought out rooster fries. Then more beer and barbecue. If they didn’t know what rooster fries were then, they did after they came here. They had a ball.”





HEY, DOC! DON’T BE A STRANGER!



My last post was about the sudden appearance of Dr. Bar-B-Que’s bus within walking distance of my house. I was surprised and elated that it got a mention in the Memphis Flyer’s internet column.









I’m glad I bought a sandwich that first day, as I saw the bus open only once or twice more. Whenever I drove by for a sandwich, he wasn’t cooking. I’m not sure what happened. The bus sat closed for a few weeks before finally disappearing. (This site didn’t get any traffic from the publicity, either.) I hope I run across him again. His ‘cue is good.





PIT NEWS

This is old news to Cozy Corner fans, but the restaurant finally has its new smoker room up and running. I haven’t been by yet, but it looks like the Corner’s Chicago style smoker has a companion in the new addition. This project was in the news several years ago, back when I was still working. Glad to finally see it.











Last, the Happy Hocker pawn shop at 975 East Parkway South has closed, and an auction was held there last weekend. It’s a ghost pit, one I don’t know anything about except it used to be the Fairview. I hope the famous polar bear statues find a good home. I suggest the Pink Palace. I’m expecting that we’ll likely lose another ghost pit.











The pictures are from 2010. The closest thing to it I could find was this 1950s listing for Regolo’s, at 989.





Best holiday wishes to all from the GPC home office! We have a smoked turkey coming from the Bar-B-Q Shop, and ravs and gravy from Dino’s. Can’t wait.

