Good Morning, Memphis! ☀️
It's Monday, and Memphis is still doing its best impression of a convection oven.
In today’s issue:
Cooper-Young's about to smell a lot more like bacon
Vintage shopping and coffee collide this weekend
and Four Memphis musicians are recreating a Beatles show from 1966
Here's to hoping your AC's cranked and a cold drink is within reach.
Let's get into it.
Food & Drink
🍳 Big Bad Breakfast Is Opening Soon in Cooper-Young
Big Bad Breakfast
Big Bad Breakfast is moving into the old Mulan Asian Bistro spot at 2149 Young Ave in the Cooper Young District.
Grits happens. The chain started in Oxford, Mississippi, back in 2008. It now has 29 locations across the South, including one already open on Poplar Ave. in East Memphis.
On the menu. Expect house-cured bacon, buttermilk biscuits, and locally roasted coffee — plus a cocktail list solid enough that Big Bad Breakfast doesn't just do mornings. Lunch is served too.
Still under construction. Crews are rebuilding the old 5,000-square-foot space. No firm open date yet, but owner John Currence has said he's aiming for late August.
Follow along here.
Events
🧡 A Vintage Market Pops Up at Belltower
Belltower Coffee
Grab a latte and go treasure hunting at Belltower Coffeehouse's vintage market next Saturday.
Sip and shop. The market runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22 (this weekend). Expect coffee, baked treats, and vintage goods from local sellers.
Easy stop. Belltower sits right by the University of Memphis, with plenty of patio space to browse.
See more details here.
Music
🎸 The Beatles Are Coming Back to Memphis (Sort Of)
One After 901
One After 901 is recreating the Beatles' actual 1966 Memphis concert, note for note, 60 years later.
Déjà vu, live. On Friday, Aug. 21, four Memphis musicians will play the exact setlist the Beatles performed at the Mid-South Coliseum in 1966, in the same order.
Then it gets weird (in a good way). After the recreation, the band plays a second set imagining an alternate 1967 Beatles tour — songs the band wrote but never played live.
It's at The Green Room at Crosstown Arts, and doors open at 7pm.
Get tickets here.
Good News
🛩️ Memphis Airport Has a New Name (and a new retro jet)
Photo via CityCurrent
Memphis International Airport has a new name: Frederick W. Smith International Airport, honoring the FedEx founder who died in 2025.
Name change, same code. The rename happened at an Aug. 11 ceremony downtown. The airport's three-letter code, MEM, isn't changing, and the physical rebrand will roll out in phases.
Old paint, new plane. FedEx flew in a Boeing 777 wearing its original 1973 purple-and-orange livery for the ceremony. Airport leaders also showed off renderings of a planned monument sign for the main entrance and a repaved, mural-covered Plough Boulevard gateway.
Take a look at more photos here.
Daily Picks
🗞️ Other News Around the 901
🏀 Tip-off time. The Grizzlies open at home against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Former Grizzly Jaren Jackson Jr. returns to FedExForum that night — now in a Jazz jersey. Single-game tickets go on sale Sept. 1. Season tickets start at $17 a game. View the full schedule here.
🎥 Movie night, but make it paranoid. Crosstown Theater screens The Parallax View Thursday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m. The 1970s thriller stars Warren Beatty as a reporter chasing a conspiracy. Tickets here.
📚 Storytime for grown-ups. Spillit and New Memphis are hosting an evening of true stories from local teachers on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 6 to 8 p.m., at the New Memphis Building downtown. The 2026 Educators of Excellence winners will also be announced. It's free, and you don't have to be a teacher to go. RSVP here.
🐔 Waffles, all day. Starting Aug. 24, Chick-fil-A's new Chicken & Waffles sandwich sticks around past breakfast… no more 10:30 a.m. cutoff. Two new s'mores drinks land the same day. Details here.
🀄️ Shuffle up. Germantown's weekly mahjong night is back tonight at Pike & West, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Your entry gets you a seat, tiles, and light snacks. No partner or experience required. Register here.
🏡 The Central Gardens Home Tour turns 50 this year. Walk through eight homes on Sunday, Sept. 13, 1 to 6 p.m. A free shuttle runs all afternoon, but wear comfy shoes either way. Get tickets here.
🎷 Opening act. From Mozart's Marriage of Figaro in November to a big-band night in October, the University of Memphis just dropped its full concert calendar. The Scheidt School of Music's new season kicks off Sept. 18 with a preview night spanning jazz, opera, and more. Season tickets save 20%. See the full season here.
🍗 Passing the tongs. After more than four decades, Memphis barbecue legend Jim Neely has retired. He sold the South Third Street shop but plans to keep checking in to make sure it still tastes right. Full story here.
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Poll of the Week
The Monday Poll 🍳
What kind of breakfast person are you?
That's it for today!
Thanks for starting your Monday with us.
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Have a great week, Memphis. We'll see you tomorrow.
— 901 Today
