The Urban Village

Twenty-four hours in the life of Crosstown Concourse.

On August 27, 1927, more than 35,000 people jammed North Cleveland Street for the grand opening of the 10-story distribution center for Sears, Roebuck & Company. Phil Canale, president of the Memphis Chamber of Commerce, compared the structure to the Great Pyramids of Egypt, but noted that instead of a tomb for the dead, Sears Crosstown would serve as “a living thing for the living.”

For decades, it was the commercial hub of Midtown. But over the years, the Sears empire declined, and in 1993, the building closed. Nobody was quite sure what to do with a property that, with additions over the years, now covered almost 20 acres. After the behemoth sat vacant for several years, our magazine invited readers to submit ideas for how to repurpose it; suggestions ranged from commercial (a Target, a shopping mall) to grim (a supersized county jail). No letter-writer quite anticipated the scope of what would be accomplished in 2017, when Sears Crosstown, complete with its 14-story tower, reopened as Crosstown Concourse. But a few came close, suggesting a school, a retail hub, an arts center.

It would take bold entrepreneurs to return the building once again into “a living thing for the living.” When crowds gathered in 2017, 90 years later, for Crosstown’s second grand opening, they witnessed an almost miraculous rebirth. Atria were carved into the facility where once there were only floors and ceilings, and the light and openness gave a feeling of an industrial cathedral. Much of the original concrete and brick had been retained, for a sense of history and soul, but more than 3,000 window panes, many damaged, had been hauled off and replaced with clear, clean glass.

For longtime Memphians, who had grown accustomed to passing by the derelict shell on Cleveland, the rebirth seemed outlandish. Impossible. Today, the place teems with life. Plenty of cities have buildings that have been reborn. But not on this scale, not with this degree of community-mindedness, and not this beautifully. Crosstown is that rare “third space”: neither home nor work, neither strictly yours nor mine, but someplace free and open to all who choose to gather there.

Each December, Crosstown twinkles especially brightly when the holiday light display is switched on. String lights arabesque down from the ceiling of the central atrium, in a sort of proto-Christmas-tree shape, with a giant disco ball in the center. It’s marvelous. This December, the lights will be turned on for the first time on December 6th at 6 p.m., as part of an evening of holiday festivities.

But what captivates us most about Crosstown is the everyday rhythm of the place, the sheer quantity of living, working, and idea-making that happens there. And so, we talked to just a few of the many (many) people and organizations who spend time within those nearly century-old walls. Here are 24 hours in the life of one very special building. — Anna Traverse

4:37 a.m. — The sun won’t rise for two more hours, but the ovens at Lucy J’s Bakery are cranking. Joshua Burgess, who runs the place, is here himself this morning, pulling proved baguette dough from the refrigerators and letting it rise before baking. The kitchen is small but busy, with big tubs of fillings and dough, and tall cooling racks for pastries: “This is where everything happens,” says Burgess. Lucy J’s  — named for two of Burgess’ kids  — operates on the ground floor of Crosstown Concourse; you’ll know it when you smell it, especially if you’re lucky enough to visit on cinnamon-roll day. The bakery keeps Crosstown denizens sated with hearty treats, and supplies a half-dozen local restaurants, two farmers’ markets, and a grocery store with breads and more. But more than just a bakery, Lucy J’s is on a mission: They partner with the Dorothy Day House to hire parents who are working to transition out of homelessness. We believe that means you’re doing a good deed when you tear into that cinnamon roll. — Anna Traverse

5:18 a.m. — Walking up to the Crosstown Concourse, you’ll see maybe a dozen apartment windows lit up in the tower, a few residents emulating the early bird. It’s the same at the Church Health YMCA. “Typically around this time, it’s not extremely busy, but we do have some people who consistently come in. You see them just about every morning,” says Brandon, who mans the front desk at this hour every Friday. Around us are weightlifters and others walking, running, or rowing on machines. Some pace the walking track, some are here early for the 6 a.m. Boot Camp fitness class. And their determination is contagious: Having others around you, doggedly working out, can help you focus on doing the same. As part of the pioneering Church Health Center (also housed within Crosstown), this YMCA is a great gym, but much more too. — Alex Greene

7:51 a.m. — The espresso machine whirs and buzzes as morning conversations bloom in the communal living room at French Truck Coffee, in Crosstown’s central atrium. It’s almost impossible to visit French Truck without bumping into at least one or two folks you know, and that’s the magic of this place: Order your latte, settle into a comfortable couch, and spend the next twenty minutes or two hours ensconced in the warm glow of community. Bonus: peer behind the counter and into the prep room, and you’ll spot giant coffee roasting equipment. The beans for all local French Truck locations are roasted here. — AT

8:13 a.m. — Crosstown is home to several education-centered nonprofit organizations, and as the workday begins, their team members are making plans for progress. At Memphis Education Fund, which has offices here, they strategize each day to improve public schools through investments and advocacy. Teach for America’s Memphis office is just down the hall; after 15 years in the city, TFA continues to train and place educators in low-income local schools, where they work for at least two years. — AT

9:25 a.m. — Crosstown’s nonprofit community radio station, WXYR, is on the air with Memphis writer and filmmaker Willy Bearden, whose show, Songs That Move You, features interviews with various Memphis-area luminaries who provide Bearden with a playlist of songs that have been meaningful in their lives. A song gets played and then a story gets told. Repeat as needed. It’s a great way to spend an hour. This week, photographer Jamie Harmon has the honors and he kicks off the show with “Foxy Lady,” by Jimi Hendrix, a song he says he first heard on a cassette tape when he was 7 years old. It’s raucous and psychedelic. “As morning wake-up calls go, it’s certainly a fun one.” — Bruce VanWyngarden

10:45 a.m. — You can literally taste the results of Church Health Center’s mission to improve Memphians’ dietary health. Cook Well, Be Well is a four-week class for people age 16 and older who recognize a need to infuse healthier habits into kitchen life. Classes (they’re free) are held in the Nutrition Hub kitchen on the ground floor at Crosstown Concourse (near the west atrium) and emphasize the virtues of a Mediterranean diet (vegetables, legumes, fruit, some fish, and little red meat). Classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays and host around 15 people for each two-hour session, with some evening classes taught in Spanish. “Food is medicine,” emphasizes Sharon Moore, the nutrition and wellness education manager at Church Health. Moore explains that each class goes beyond technique (knife skills!) and recipes, that the intent is to make healthy food accessible, affordable, and inspirational for those in need of a lifestyle booster. And get this: The concept for Cook Well, Be Well was born during the pandemic, the social component of preparing a meal a significant bonus. Turns out food can lead to friends. — Frank Murtaugh

11:03 a.m. — Pale winter sunlight streams through the windows of Jinseok Choi’s studio space. Choi, a Los Angeles-based cross-disciplinary artist originally from Seoul, South Korea, found his way to Memphis through Crosstown Arts’ residency program. His studio is on the ground floor, he’s living on the eighth floor, and he likes to spend time in the YMCA gym: “All I do is work out and work,” he laughs. Crosstown Arts makes it possible for him and other resident artists to focus on their creative labor and spend time in conversation with their peers; Choi says communal conversations have inspired his process. His artist statement cites “points of connection between disparate cultures, social classes, and histories” — a description of his vision as a sculptor and installation artist, but words that could also describe the building in which he’s creating. — AT  

12 Noon — Turn left as you enter the atrium, and you’ll see The Mad Grocer. It’s a bodega where Crosstowners can pick up essentials on the fly. But the big attraction here is the sandwich counter, where Max Hussey works his magic. Originally a Bostonian who moved to New Orleans to work with Emeril Lagasse, he has cooked in award-winning restaurants from Asheville, North Carolina, to San Francisco, and spent seven-and-a-half years as executive chef at Folks Folly. But he left behind what he calls a “dream gig” to open The Mad Grocer, so he could spend more time with his 9-year-old son. “This way I get to cook and do what I love, and still get to see my little man,” he says. The most popular po’boy on the menu is the Madness. Filled with roast beef, roast turkey, ham, and bacon, topped with onion marmalade and havarti cheese, even a half sandwich is a full meal. For a side, try the sweet potato and poblano pepper salad. — Chris McCoy

1:15 p.m. — Global Cafe is alive with its lunch rush, its international dishes made by immigrants and refugee entrepreneurs bringing in a range of folks with a variety of palates. Students from Crosstown High stop in on their lunchbreak, their backpacks slung over their shoulders. A trio of businessmen discuss plans for a potential deal over a mix of Sudanese, Colombian, and Nepalese cuisine. A woman in workout gear with earbuds still in orders a cocktail at the bar; she stretches her triceps as the server shakes up her order. Tables fill up, orders are made, and bellies are satisfied. — Abigail Morici

2:48 p.m.  — At her station at Gloss Nail Bar, Dawn works fastidiously, filing her customer’s nails into delicate almond shapes. She’s chosen a navy polish with a bit of a sparkle to lacquer her nails; fans wait by the arms of her chair to dry the wet polish when ready. Next to Dawn, a coworker takes out a jar of dip powder from her Hello Kitty-stickered plastic bin; the stickers match the Hello Kitty pins on her apron. She chats with her client — a regular — who sips on one of the salon’s complimentary drinks while wrapped in a blanket brought from home. All around, women are being pampered, their hands massaged, their cuticles clipped, feet submerged in footbaths. They’re gossiping, catching up with friends, checking their phones, or enjoying the company in silence. It’s up to them how they relax, and relax they do. — AM

3:03 p.m. — The central atrium of Crosstown Concourse is sedate until it’s not. At 3:00, Crosstown High School dismisses, and young people teem through the hallways and down the stairs, their voices echoing. Some find perches on communal couches to chat or study, while others head for home. Yes, an entire high school exists within the walls of this structure, though you might never notice if you weren’t here at the school day’s beginning or end. Crosstown High, or XTH, is a public charter school that prides itself on being “diverse by design” and offering project-based learning. Their first class graduated in 2022, and already the school’s been written up in Bloomberg News and been the subject of a documentary. We wouldn’t want to relive high school — unless, perhaps, we could attend this one. — AT

4:47 p.m. — At this time of day, the Crosstown Arts galleries are nearly empty, allowing those who do visit to appreciate the artwork in peace. From now until January 19th, exhibitions by local artists Michelle Fair, Alex Paulus, and Lester Merriweather are on display, each collection offering a new viewpoint to contemplate. Fair’s Still explores the process of painting in a series of still-lifes and portraits. Her lonely figures live in loose environments with rich colors and obvious brushwork — a result of the artist focusing on the act of painting rather than the final product. Paulus’ series Size Matters juxtaposes massive portraits of pop-culture icons with miniature paintings of celestial bodies, drawing attention to the fast food and entertainment our society prioritizes. His textured paint and landscapes clash with distorted human figures, providing humor in the scenarios he wants the audience to consider. Merriweather’s ANA•LOG series acts as a “Record of Remembered Angers” against racial disparities through paper collage. Each work is unique and massive, encouraging the viewer to step closer and see the magazine photos, newspaper clippings, stickers, paint, and push pins that tell a larger story of Black counterculture through the language of pop art. — Samantha Cooke

6:21 p.m. — Events at the Memphis Listening Lab, the Concourse’s vast library of vinyl and CDs, tend to be early in the evening. Often the gatherings hosted here — hearing new releases or revisiting classic albums over the high-end EgglestonWorks speakers, accompanied by expert, insider commentary — start around 6 p.m., perfect for older music fans or even youngsters who’ll go out later that night. That said, many kick into nightlife mode, picking up a drink at the Art Bar before the platters start spinning in the lab. That’s how it played out at a recent listening event, featuring music writer Robert Gordon discussing Marcella Simien’s new release with her. The artist’s delight at hearing her newly pressed vinyl album on the hi-fi system, with a packed house listening attentively, was palpable. If anyone wants to hear music presented in the best possible way, this is the place to do it. — AG

7:15 p.m. — Located behind the main building, the Crosstown Theater is a state-of-the-art facility which can be configured with theater seating for 417 or for standing room of up to 800 for a concert. The Crosstown Arts Film Series brings a carefully curated slate of classic films and new art house releases, in addition to special screenings and events. This year alone, the film series has featured everything from a world premiere of Memphis filmmakers Brody Kuhar and Josh Cannon’s documentary Mama’s Sundry to a revival of Best Picture winner Amadeus. In November, the theater played host to opening night of the Indie Memphis Film Festival. But it’s not just film — music reverberates through the Crosstown Theater, where legendary acts such as German electronic legends Krafwerk have wowed audiences. — CM

8:45 p.m. — The Green Room at Crosstown Arts, a humble space tucked into a corner of the Concourse’s second floor, is the rarest of music venues, designed for quiet and for listening intently rather than shouting drink orders or catching up with friends. The heavy green drapes lining the walls make for the best live acoustics in town, and musicians love the gorgeous Steinway, the drum kit, and other music gear at their disposal for gigs. The staff is top-notch, too, adroitly seeing to the needs of every player, including a roster of skilled sound engineers like Darryl Evans, Sam Crain, or the celebrated Kevin Houston. The latter will be at the board on December 18th, for a new Green Room tradition, the Christmas show boasting a unique collaboration between Mark Edgar Stuart and The Blueshift Ensemble. Thanks to music programmer Delara Hashemi, new genre-hopping combinations of artists are par for the course at The Green Room. — AG

9:40 p.m. — Belly up to the bar. Order a cold one. Maybe order a sampler of cold ones and try something new. The Crosstown Brewing Taproom is located to the west of the Concourse. Behind giant glass walls are vats and barrels where the brewers create beers like the famous Traffic IPA, the Siren Blonde Ale, and the popular Vision Board Sour. On draft are a few beers you can’t easily get in stores, like the Boll Weevil Farmhouse Ale Saison, and the Fool’s Gold lager. There are always events to keep you and your friends entertained while you sip. Maybe you’ll catch a bluegrass jam, or wrack your brains at trivia night. But one thing’s for sure: A good time is always on tap. — CM

10:20 p.m. — The Art Bar is quiet this evening. Two men sit at the well-lit bar, ordering up Manhattans and memories and getting, well, lit. Three women share a table and a low conversation that yields occasional laughter. Behind the bar, Brooks and Sarah are making and serving the colorful and crafty cocktails this place is known for. The furniture is mid-century not-so-modern, a celebration of vintage vinyl. It’s shabby chic with an attitude and it’s undeniably charming. A quiet back room beckons visitors with a warm orange light. It’s home to a large porcelain cat that doesn’t seem to mind who drops in. Why not you? — BV

11:30 p. m. — If you’re visiting the bustling Concourse during the day, it’s easy to forget that people live here. Quite a few people, in fact. The top floors of the 10-story Crosstown Concourse are devoted to residences. Apartments big and small offer some of the most enviable views in the city. At night, the lights of Memphis stretch into infinity. In the broad walkways between the apartments, it looks a bit like a city street. Many of the residents decorate their front-door spaces like patios. Even here, at the top of the Concourse, Southerners love their porches. One of the earliest Concourse residents was Craig Brewer. “I moved in right before the Concourse opened to the public,” he says. “It’s been perfect … I have it all here. I’ve got everything I need, and I don’t really have to leave the complex all that much. They call it ‘the spaceship’, and I kind of need to just be in the spaceship every once in a while.” — CM

1:20 a.m. — In a recent video tour on PUREMIX.COM, Matt Ross-Spang’s Southern Grooves studio is dubbed “a thoughtfully designed space that perfectly blends classic mid-century-modern style with modern recording technology.” There’s plenty of mid-century technology there, too, as the renowned producer/engineer has a deep appreciation of vintage gear and vintage studio design. He modeled this space on other classic Memphis studios like Ardent, Sam Phillips, and Sun, resulting in a timeless ambiance. Sessions, too, can be so engrossing they keep players working all hours, as session guitarist and arranger Will Sexton notes, but it’s often Ross-Spang himself who’s there working alone. “There are times when you finish up a record, and all the players have packed up and left, and he’s there working, closing everything down and just listening,” Sexton says. You can hear things at 1 a.m. that you might otherwise miss, and Ross-Spang is a consummate listener. That in turn makes him an astute musician, as he can offer suggestions on arrangements, or even play parts that only he hears. — AG

Memphis is a city that tends to look east. Born on the east side of the Mississippi River, the Bluff City has long been home to towers where an observer can gaze toward Midtown and beyond. But at Crosstown Concourse, the dynamic is flipped. Feast your eyes across the lush landscape — so many trees in this town — and watch the sun set behind those towers. A shift in perspective is healthy, and Crosstown delivers for Memphians in a way few man-made structures can. — FM