David A. Pierson Jr. passed away July 25th at the age of 76. If his name isn't immediately familiar to you, I'm sure two places he owned and operated are.
For years, he ran Chip 'n' Dale's Antique Mall on Summer Avenue, a place so popular that he opened a second location a few doors down. He was also the owner and chief auctioneer of Auntie Q's Auction, which he ran out of the same complex of buildings on Summer, just west of Perkins.
But he is surely best-remembered as the owner and chef of Vieux Chalet, a cozy restaurant that he and a friend, John Shannon, opened in 1973 in a former house at the corner of Summer and Atlantic. At first, they shared their culinary skills with only their friends and associates. But that soon changed.
Here is what I wrote about Vieux Chalet some years ago:
"Pierson, a striking-looking fellow with a dark goatee, served as primary chef. Well, word got out that the dishes and desserts they were serving up were pretty special, and soon people lined up at the door. So they turned it into a full-fledged restaurant, stayed open five nights a week instead of three, and Vieux Chalet gradually became the talk of the town."
In the 1980s, our dining critic, a dapper gentleman named Tom Martin, began to produce an annual feature for Memphis magazine that he called "Dinner at Eight" — his pick of the top-eight restaurants in town. Vieux Chalet was a consistent member of that elite group. In 1983, this is what he had to say about it:
"The food is always dependable and well-prepared. The service is refined, yet friendly. But Vieux Chalet's main attribute is that the place is so comfortable. When I'm there, I really do feel like I'm dining in a friend's home. I keep expecting someone to suggest retiring to the den for Trivial Pursuit over coffee and dessert."
But of course it was the food that drew the crowds and accolades, with a New Orleans-inspired menu. Martin was especially fond of the charcoal-fired steaks, turtle soup, Creole gumbo, and flounder. And of course, there was the dessert: "Bananas Foster is the dessert of choice at Vieux Chalet," he wrote. "Prepared tableside, it provides a perfect New Orleans-brand flourish to an evening of indulgence."
All this came to an end in 1986, when the restaurant caught fire, and Pierson decided it was too much trouble to rebuild it the way they really wanted it — it had originally been a house, remember. He looked around town at various properties, including the old Four Flames restaurant on Poplar, but nothing seemed to work. In the meantime, he had opened Chip 'n' Dale's Antique Mall, and with that keeping him busy, Vieux Chalet became only a memory.
He continued to run the antique mall and the auction until recently, when health issues forced him to close those ventures.
Born in Memphis, Pierson graduated from East High School and Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College). He is survived by his wife, Laura, and his son, Lyle Pierson.
A visitation will take place on Monday, July 31, from 5 to 8 p.m. at High Point Funeral Home, 3788 Summer Avenue. The funeral service will be held at High Point the following day, August 1st, at 10 a.m.
