After a soft opening, Edge Alley officially opens to the public on Wednesday, July 26th, at 7 a.m.
Timothy Barker says that he and his partner had a simple vision for the space: food, coffee, retail.
But first, they had to find a place for the concept. They knew they wanted to be in the Edge District, says Barker, and they looked at other buildings in the neighborhood for setting their sights on 600 Monroe.
The building, next door to High Cotton, is designed to feel like an indoor alley. At the front of the building large windows have been installed that can be opened when the weather’s right, making for an inviting indoor/outdoor alley-like space, according to Barker.
For the retail aspect, the partners paired up with the Memphis Medical District Collaborative, which sent out a call for potential vendors. They are: My Heavenly Creations, which sells bath and body products; Paulette’s Closet with women’s apparel and vintage items; Hope Wilkinson Designs Shop, a local interior design firm; and 901 Shop, featuring T-shirts blasting out civic pride. The 901 Shop space will give way to Ohm, a record store focusing on Memphis soul, and Randomly Refurbished, a woodworking studio, before the year’s end.
For the food and coffee spokes of the wheel, Barker said they didn’t want to make things too complicated. The menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Edge Alley is centered around the biscuit (!!!) and features a biscuit with meatloaf and another with a biscuit take on avocado toast. The menu also has a handful of non-biscuit items, including a coffee-stout-braised brisket and a couple salads.
The coffee, which is roasted on site, is single sourced arabica from Thailand. Coffee drinks include an iced coffee, Americanos, Macchiatos, and a Chai “Cortado” with espresso, vanilla, and nutmeg.
The back half of the building is set aside for High Cotton’s canning operation, and so, later, the restaurant will serve cans of High Cotton, though, Barker says, alcohol isn’t a high priority for them.
The mission of Edge Alley, says Barker, is to show that the neighborhood, after years of some down time, does work and that people will support it.
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