Find the Best Things to Do in South Main Historic District
By Sally Walker Davies
Memphis Local Expert
About South Main Historic District
Photo courtesy of Thomas R Machnitzki
The South Main area of Memphis is home to some of the city's saddest history, but has made a comeback thanks, in part, to that history.
The Lorraine Motel is where Martin Luther King, Jr. was gunned down in 1968; he was in town to support the sanitation workers strike. The Lorraine is now the site of the excellent National Civil Rights Museum, and its opening created an opportunity for neighborhood revitalization.
Today, South Main is a vibrant area full of unique shops, restaurants and galleries, and represents a true feel of the diversity of the city, in more ways than one.
See & Do
You could say South Main is almost eerily preserved - and in a way, it is, as time stood still for this section of the city when Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed on April 4, 1968.
His legacy is celebrated, and his death examined, at the National Civil Rights Museum, housed in the former Lorraine Motel - the site of King's assassination - and the boarding house where gunman James Earl Ray fired from. This is the must-hit museum in Memphis.
The Center for Southern Folklore tells the stories of the South throuhgh folk art, music and story-telling. And the monthly Friday Night Trolley Tour is an excellent way to explore the neighborhood. On the last Friday of each month, neighborhood businesses throw open their doors until 9 p.m., offering live music, special discounts, wine & cheese, and much more. The neighborhood buzzes with a hip, artsy vibe - and you can catch the trolley anywhere along the route and ride it for FREE!
Eat
South Main bustles with some of the city's most unique restaurants - including the city's oldest and perhaps best known - at least when it comes to films.
The Arcade was once a hangout of Elvis Presley - and is a traditional diner featuring breakfast served all day, milkshakes, and a funky waitstaff. Those with a sweet tooth will want to wander just down the street, to the Cheesecake Corner, where some say the owner is a bit sour - so all the sugar must go into the hefty slices of cheesecake - some 80 different flavors are offered on a rotating basis.
A soulburger from Earnestine & Hazel's is the go-to late late late night meal - a greasy concoction of hamburger, onions and bun that's to-die for.
Party
Perhaps one of the best thing about South Main is the "-ish" attitude when it comes to closing times...as in, 3-ish....4-ish...and we're talking a.m., people.
The loose hours set the stage for some of the best late-night people watching and socializing we know. Try Earnestine & Hazel's for occasional live music, the alcohol-absorbing Soul Burger, and possible celebrity sightings; hit the gastro-pubby South of Beale for a more upscale feel and an incredible beer selection, and venture over to the Rumba Room for some saucy Latin dancing and small plates.
Shop
Shopping in South Main is unique and local - with a bit of a twist here and there.
Great local boutiques include Hoot & Louise - featuring a mix of modern and vintage clothing and accessories, and Sache, the retail outlet for designer Eric Evans; art galleries include folk art treasures from George Hunt and N.J. Woods at D'Edge, original creations from the faculty and students of the Memphis College of art at the 477 Store, and a handful of galleries featuring the works of regional and international names.
Our favorite little sport on South Main - although we love the entire shopping experience - is Charlotte, the jewelry store of German designer Wolf-Peter Schwarz. Think Legos, in jewelry form - totally interchangeable pieces easily come together or apart to create endless possibilities.