photograph by bruce vanwyngarden
Emily Adams and her “Sister Nancy.”
The first thing you notice when you begin talking to Emily Adams is her Southern accent — and we’re talking about the south of England. Adams moved to the U.S. from a small English village some 16 years ago, settling in New York City, where she studied contemporary dance. New York is also where she met her husband, Eddie Adams, a deejay and bartender. She has fond memories of the city.
“We were grandfathered into an old Italian family building in Gowanus [a Brooklyn neighborhood] before it became cool to live there,” she says. “There were so many little mom-and-pop shops and great Italian food places. We loved New York, everything about it.”
But then came the great pandemic. “The pandemic hit and closed everything down,” Adams says. “Work fell away for both of us and everything that makes New York so exciting wasn’t there anymore. It created a sense of urgency to move. We checked out upstate New York and California but nothing stuck.”
Adams has found the restaurant to be more than just a good place to work. “It’s a family of really strong-spirited people, a lot of big personalities, and I love that. We all take care of each other.”
Then the couple heard from a friend who was helping to open a bar in Memphis called Hernando’s Hideaway, and who offered them bartending jobs.
photograph by bruce vanwyngarden
“We first thought, ‘No we’re not going to live in the South.’ I had all these misinformed stereotypes. But when we came here, we both sort of immediately fell in love with it. It ticked the boxes of being a smaller city, but one with a lot of music and culture and diversity. Everything seemed more open — more space, fewer people, not as crowded. Memphis has a spirit to it, a grit, a texture, something that’s not comparable.”
And if there’s a joint in Memphis that reflects that spirit and texture, a place that’s not comparable to anywhere else in town, it would be Bar DKDC, where Adams has worked for the past two years. It’s a small room with ancient plank flooring. The walls and ceiling are alive with color. Strings of lights and beads are festooned everywhere. Feather boas flank colorful plastic benches and wooden stumps and lawn chairs. Bold, simple paintings confront worn wooden sculptures, face masks, and primitive art pieces. It’s a kaleidoscope of a room, and a good fit for Adams.
“This place is a bit of an anomaly,” she says. “It encompasses lots of different things. We have a diverse rotation of people who come through. The music and art shows and drag bingo nights bring in all kinds. It’s a small place and the bands play on top of everybody. I think my intention is to create a familial party in a room, almost like a big house party. We serve good food, good drinks, and good music and art. I think DKDC is a bit undefinable.”
And Adams has found the restaurant to be more than just a good place to work. “It’s a family of really strong-spirited people, a lot of big personalities, and I love that. We all take care of each other.”
Adams pauses for a moment, gives me a smile, and says, “So, what about you? You’ve got this job where you go around and interview bartenders and they make you drinks. It must be hard for you.”
“Yes,” I reply. “It really is.”
“So what shall I make you?”
“Whatever you want. I suspect I’ll like it.”
“Good. Well, there’s a drink on our cocktail menu that’s a twist on a tiki drink. It has black rum, gold rum, apricot liqueur, freshly squeezed lemon, coconut cream, and a little nutmeg on top. It’s sweet and boozy, but complex, with layers. I think it’s a fun summer drink.”
“That does sound fun. Let’s do it.”
The drink, which is called “Sister Nancy” on the cocktail menu, is unassuming in appearance. It looks almost like a milkshake — creamy and rich and sweet (but not too sweet), and boozy as advertised, a wonderful cocktail to sip on a summer’s day.
“This is delightful, Emily,” I say. “I’m really happy to have met you, and glad you and Eddie chose to move to Memphis.”
“We’re glad too. This city has been a really happy place for us. When you move to another city as an adult, you’re always concerned about if you’ll make friends again, but we’ve found a community here and everybody is interesting and great to be around. Memphis has been a blessing.”
Bar DKDC is located at 964 South Cooper. Find them on Instagram @bar_dkdc.
